Although the Benedictine reform movements that found royal favor in England in the late-tenth century are usually associated with King Edgar, their origins predate him quite substantially with roots going all the way back to the reign of Æthelstan. The true origins of Benedictine reform, though, came not from England but from Francia.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watchv=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Since a major part of King Edgar’s legacy is based on his advocacy of church reform, it is reasonable to spend some time considering the state of the Church in the mid-tenth century and the role it played in society. It’s easy to fall into rhetoric which assumes that the Church is the same in all places and at all times. This obviously cannot be true, thus why we tend to talk about the Church in medieval England or the Church in the ancient world. But it can be easy to forget that even within an historical period – like the period of ‘Anglo-Saxon England’ – ideas and institutions did not remain static. The Church of the conversion period was different from the Church of the Norman Conquest.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Edgar, son of Edmund, is not that well known today to those not already interested in Anglo-Saxon history, yet there can be no doubt that he, along with Alfred and Æthelstan, is one of the most important rulers in terms of their contribution to the formation of the English kingdom. Through his patronage of Benedictine monastic reforms Edgar oversaw the creation of an ideology which united Church and Crown in a manner that had not yet been seen in England.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Following Eadred’s early death the eldest son of Edmund, Eadwig, was finally of an age to become king. Through his uncle’s years of intensifying illness, the court had become adept at governing with minimal royal input. The young and healthy Eadwig was not content to let things proceed as they had under Eadred, however. In attempting to bend the system to his will, Eadwig would become one of the most scandalous kings of the Anglo-Saxon period and bring the kingdom literally to breaking point.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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When Edmund was killed in 946 his two sons, Eadwig and Edgar, were still just infants. Thus, the witan chose to elevate Edmund’s brother, Eadred, to the throne so as to avoid the dangers of having a child king.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Edmund was an important ruler in shaping the future course of English history whatever his personal failings. In the end he died too soon to know how he would have fared without his mother or when powerful nobles began to chafe under his authority. Perhaps that is for the best since as it stands he can easily be held in some, albeit qualified, esteem.

Credits – 

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Last time we looked at how Æthelstan ruled his kingdom but this is only half of the story of his reign. Much like his grandfather Æthelstan sought to forge close links with rulers and ecclesiastics throughout western Europe in an effort to solidify the intellectual, cultural, and political prestige of England on an international stage.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Æthelstan is routinely regarded as one of Anglo-Saxon England’s greatest kings. This is a reputation ascribed to him not only for his military and political achievements, but also for the remarkable impression that his decades on the throne have left in the historical record. The abundance of material provides unparalleled insight into how the royal government of Æthelstan functioned and how the king’s policies shaped English culture for the next several generations.

Credits – 

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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We look at the second half of Æthelstan's reign from its peak to its complex end.

Credits – 

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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To celebrate the season, I wanted to revive one of my favorite December traditions: the Christmas ghost story. M R James is without doubt the master of the English ghost story and of all his chilling tales, the most 'Anglo-Saxon' remains 'A Warning to the Curious'. I recorded a reading of it last year and since we are all recovering from the festive hubbub it seemed like a good time to share it again. Listen to the end for a brief historical overview of the story's implications for Anglo-Saxon history. We will return to our regularly scheduled episodes next week.

Credits – 

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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