Eadsige facts for kids

Eadsige (died 29 October 1050) was an important religious leader in England. He served as the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1038 until his death in 1050. One of his most famous acts was crowning Edward the Confessor as the King of England in 1043.

Early Life and Becoming Archbishop

Before becoming a high-ranking church official, Eadsige was a priest who worked for King Cnut. Around 1030, King Cnut helped him become a monk at Christ Church, Canterbury. Monks are men who dedicate their lives to religious service.

Around 1035, Eadsige started helping the Archbishop of Canterbury, Æthelnoth. He was like a helper bishop, sometimes called a suffragan or coadjutor bishop. His church was St Martin's in Canterbury. When Archbishop Æthelnoth passed away in 1038, Eadsige was chosen to take his place as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In 1040, Eadsige traveled all the way to Rome. There, he received a special wool scarf called a pallium from Pope Benedict IX. This scarf was a symbol of his authority as an archbishop.

As Archbishop of Canterbury

Eadsige played a key role in the coronations of English kings. He might have crowned Harthacnut in 1040. However, he definitely crowned Edward the Confessor on 3 April 1043. He did this alongside Ælfric Puttoc, who was the Archbishop of York.

In 1044, Eadsige became very ill. He wanted to step back from his duties for a while. He spoke with King Edward and Godwin, Earl of Wessex, about finding a temporary replacement. Siward, the abbot (leader) of Abingdon, was chosen to help. Eadsige's break lasted until 1048. At that time, Siward also became ill and returned to Abingdon, where he passed away soon after.

While he was archbishop, Eadsige also held the position of sheriff of Kent. A sheriff was a local official responsible for law and order. There was a story told by a writer named William of Malmesbury that Siward treated Eadsige badly when he was sick. This story claimed Siward was not allowed to become archbishop because of it. However, this story was likely not true. The writer probably confused Siward the abbot with a different person named Siward, who later became the Bishop of Rochester.

Around 1047, Eadsige, along with Lyfing, the Bishop of Worcester, helped resolve a difficult situation involving Sweyn Godwinson and a former abbess from Leominster Abbey.

Death and Legacy

Eadsige passed away on 29 October 1050, or sometime in October of that year. During his time as archbishop, some of the church's lands were given away or sold. Many of these lands went to Godwin, Earl of Wessex. This made the monks at the cathedral upset. This might be why William of Malmesbury, the writer, did not seem to like Eadsige and wrote stories that might not have been true.

Eadsige is remembered as a saint. His special day, called a feast day, is celebrated on 28 October.