Edith of Mercia facts for kids

Ealdgyth (pronounced Ald-gith) was an important woman in England and Wales during the 11th century. She was the daughter of a powerful English nobleman named Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia. Ealdgyth became queen twice: first as the wife of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, who was the ruler of all Wales, and later as the wife and queen of Harold Godwinson, who became King of England in 1066. People at the time described her as very beautiful.

Who Was Ealdgyth?

Ealdgyth, also sometimes called Aldgyth or Edith, was the daughter of Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia. Her father, Ælfgar, was a very important earl (a high-ranking noble) in England. He was the Earl of East Anglia many times and later became the Earl of Mercia around 1057. Ealdgyth's mother was probably a woman named Ælfgifu. She also had two brothers, Eadwine and Morcar, who also became powerful earls.

In 1055, Ealdgyth's father, Ælfgar, was accused of betraying the king and was sent away from England. He went to Ireland to gather an army. While there, he made an agreement with Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, who was the King of Gwynedd (a part of Wales) and later became the ruler of all Wales. Ælfgar and Gruffudd then invaded England and attacked the city of Hereford. This caused a lot of trouble and made another earl, Ralph the Timid, look bad. Eventually, peace was made, and Ælfgar got his position back.

Her First Marriage: Queen of Wales

Around 1057, Ealdgyth married King Gruffudd ap Llywelyn. This marriage was important because her father, Ælfgar, and Gruffudd were political allies, meaning they helped each other in power struggles. People at the time, like William of Jumièges, said Ealdgyth was very beautiful.

Life with King Gruffudd

When she married King Gruffudd, Ealdgyth received some land in England. One piece of land that we know for sure belonged to her was in a place called Binley in Warwickshire. Ealdgyth and King Gruffudd had a daughter named Nest. Nest later married a powerful noble named Osbern fitzRichard, who lived near the border of Wales. Nest and Osbern also had a daughter. The old records also mention two of Gruffudd's sons, Maredudd and Idwal, who were likely Ealdgyth's children too.

The alliance between Ealdgyth's father and her husband, King Gruffudd, was very strong. They worked together to resist the growing power of the Godwinson family, who were becoming very influential in England. In 1058, Ealdgyth's father, Ælfgar, was again forced to leave England for a short time, but he soon returned to his position. He was last mentioned in records in 1062 and probably died by 1063. After his death, Harold Godwinson invaded Wales, and King Gruffudd was killed.

Her Second Marriage: Queen of England

Silver penny depicting King Harold II of England, Ealdgyth's second husband.

After King Gruffudd's death, Ealdgyth married his former enemy, Harold Godwinson. We don't know the exact date of their marriage, but it happened before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Harold likely married Ealdgyth to gain the support of her powerful family, the Mercians, for his own plans to become king. This marriage also helped weaken the ties between the Mercian family and the rulers of North Wales.

The Battle of Hastings and After

However, Ealdgyth's time as Queen of England was very short. In October 1066, Harold Godwinson was defeated and killed in the Battle of Hastings. This battle was fought against the invading army of William, Duke of Normandy, who then became the new King of England.

When Ealdgyth heard the news of Harold's death, her brothers quickly took her from London to Chester for safety. After this, we don't know much about what happened to her. Harold had other children with a different partner, but it's not certain if he had any children with Ealdgyth. Some historians think Ealdgyth might have been the mother of Harold's son, also named Harold, but this is not fully confirmed.