The Shocking & Tragic Tales of Early Medieval Queens

The Viking Age was a time of great slaughter and conquest and Emma of Normandy would live through the height of it. She was an intriguing medieval queen and her presence and actions spawned a new period in English history. Queen Emma was born in around the year 985 AD and reigned at the end of a period now known as the Early Medieval or the Dark Ages and her life is a tale of intrigue, politics, power, sex and much war. Emma was the daughter of Richard I of Normandy and her mother was a Dane called Gunnor, so she had Scandinavian blood on both sides of her line. Her great-grandfather was the Viking warrior Rollo, Normandy's founder, so Emma was therefore a Norman, but her ancestry was very Viking. Viking raids were still very much alive and going on and Emma's brother Richard II, the Duke of Normandy, had a tense relationship with King Æthelred the Unready, who accused him of harbouring Viking forces that were attacking England. In the wake of the Scandinavian attacks on both England and Normandy in the year 1001, Emma was sent to England to marry Æthelred, whose first wife had died. The young woman or child sailed to a foreign land to marry a king who was at least twenty years older than her and had already fathered ten children. Nevertheless, this was a powerful alliance for the House of Normandy and it had fallen to Emma to be the embodiment of a peacemaker. Æthelred and Emma had two sons, Edward, who would later be known to history as Edward the Confessor, and another boy called Alfred. Centuries of Viking raids meant that many residing in England were Danes and they had integrated into society. Not long after Emma's marriage with Æthelred, he announced a massacre of the Danes living in England. On St. Brice's Day, on the 13th of November in the year 1002, Æthelred ordered an extermination of Danes who had settled and sprung upon the island and he even proclaimed it was God's will. Now the Viking response when it came was brutal and devastating. The King of Denmark and Norway and a renowned warrior, King Sweyn Forkbeard, would avenge the St. Brice's Day massacre by raiding in England for a whole decade after the year 1002 and selling the spoils of war off to Emma's own brother, Duke Richard II of Normandy. The commander of the legendary order of the Jomsvikings, Thorkell the Tall, led a Viking invasion to England in the year 1009. Thorkell's Jomsvikings would cause so much havoc and disruption in England that Sweyn was quick to exploit the and in 1013, he personally led his forces in a full-scale invasion of England. The Anglo-Saxon chronicle states that King Sweyn went around northern England first. The great lords such as Uhtred would bow to him, as did all the Northumbrians. All of the north would submit to him and he would make his way south to Oxford, where more would bow. From there, they went to Winchester and more people did the same, and next was London. The Londoners did put up a resistance, but they eventually submitted. Emma of Normandy could sense that the end was near and demanded to be put under the protection of her brother Richard in Normandy. She would go there with her children, to escape the horror and terror that was taking place in England. This was humiliating for Emma, she was the wife of a failed king. Sweyn Forkbeard was crowned the King of England in the year 1013 in December, pushing aside the Anglo-Saxon dynasty and becoming the first Viking ruler of the entirety of England. Sweyn Forkbeard's rule over England wouldn't last long however, as he would die in February of 1014, having only been on the throne for around two months. The Norsemen would instantly swear allegiance to Sweyn's son Canute, but English noblemen would send word to Æthelred to negotiate his restoration to the throne. Once Æthelred had returned to the fold, he would launch an expedition against Canute, who was ready to die for the English crown his father had taken. Once Æthelred was in control of his army, his son Edmund Ironside would ambush Canute, forcing him to redraw his army from England in April of 1014. However, the country was ravaged and general society was in complete disarray and just two years later after regaining the throne, King Æthelred died in the year 1016. Emma was now alone in a foreign kingdom with little to no allies. She would turn to one of her stepchildren for support, and that was the warrior prince Edmund Ironside, who was rumoured to be one of the finest swordsmen in the land. Her only hope was to keep close to his side, to try to keep control of her estates that she had been given on her marriage to the king. Canute would return to England at the head of an army, but Edmund wasn't going to let him take the throne so easily. The two men would be constantly at war for over a year, with rivers of blood staining the English soil. The culmination of this war was at the Battle of Assenden, where Canute decisively defeated Edmund, but Canute respected Edmund so much as a warrior that after the battle, they negotiated a peace and divided the country between them. However, on the 30th of November, Edmund died either from his wounds in battle or from being assassinated, and Canute would become the king of all England. The land had once again fallen into the hands of the Viking invaders. After the fall of Edmund and the rise of Canute, it may seem odd for Emma to have stayed in England, but in England she had once been a queen, she had royal estates, and in Normandy she had nothing except her brother's protection. But once Canute saw her beauty and elegance, he wanted Emma to be his queen. He could have wanted her out of lust, politics, or a combination of the two. However, there was a slight problem. Canute was already married to El Gifu. Canute would simply deny the validity of the marriage to his first wife and would marry Emma. Emma also negotiated a deal in which Canute swore that he would support their sons in the future of having a claim to the throne. Although Emma seems to have had little influence during the reign of her first husband, the marriage to Canute seems to have been more of a partnership. She was a visible figure to the public, enjoying considerable influence at court. She gave Canute three children, including a son called Half Canute, and two daughters, one whose name has been lost, who died at the age of eight, and another daughter called Gunnhildr, who married Henry III, the Emperor of Germany. Canute was said to be a wise and successful ruler. He brought together the English and Danish kingdoms under his North Sea Empire. In his court, there were both Englishmen and Norsemen, and by his side was Emma. Canute's brother Harald, the King of Denmark, had died, and Canute went to affirm his succession to the Danish crown, making Emma also the Queen of Denmark as her husband had taken the crown. In the year 1028, Canute would sail off from England to Norway for conquest. The Norwegian King Olaf Haraldsson was unable to put up a serious fight, and Canute was crowned king. Emma was now the Queen of England, Denmark, and Norway. Canute would die at the age of 45 in 1035, and for Emma, the loss of her powerful husband would leave her in a very vulnerable position. Emma would return to her manor in Winchester, taking the royal treasury with her, in hopes she could pass it to her son, Harthcanute. However, Harthcanute was in Denmark, and it was Harald Harefoot, one of Canute's sons by his first wife, Edgifu, who seized the initiative. An agreement was reached whereby the Harth brothers would rule as co-kings, with Emma acting as regent for Harthcanute. However, after two years when Harthcanute had still not returned to England, Harald would take the crown for himself, driving Emma into exile. In the early years of 1040, Emma and Harthcanute were preparing to invade England, when they heard of Harald's death. Harthcanute succeeded to the English throne without a fight, and later invited his half-brother, Edward the son of King Æthelred, who had spent nearly 25 years in Norman exile, to join him as his successor. Harthcanute would only reign for two years, though. He would die after collapsing during a wedding celebration. He was buried alongside his father. In June of the year 1042, Edward the Confessor would ascend to the throne. Edward's relationship with Emma was strained, though. After years of separation, and a strong sense of abandonment on Edward's part, this couldn't have helped the situation. Following his coronation, one of Edward's first actions was to ride to Winchester, and take the treasury that had been left in his mother's hands. Emma eventually retired to her own estates away from court, and would die on the 6th of March in 1052, aged around 68. She was buried next to Canute the Great, and her son Harthcanute. Many of us have met Aelswith in the Last Kingdom, but today, I will be telling you about her real life according to the sources. Aelswith was the wife of Alfred the Great for over 30 years, yet we know so little about her. She is a very mysterious figure in English history, and she was never actually crowned queen, and was the consort of Alfred. She would live during the It was a time where the Vikings had decimated most of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, as the Sons of Ragnar were conquering and burning their way through the land. Aelswith would endure much hardship during her life, as it was a time of uncertainty, where the Northmen were ceremonially killing kings, which was affecting Aelswith's life directly. This is her story. First, let's look at her ancestry and early life. We do not know when Aelswith was born, but she was married to Alfred in the year 868, so we can assume she was born in the early 850s. Her father was Æthelred Musel, an Anglo-Saxon noble from Mercia. He is described by brother Asser, a Welsh monk who wrote a biography on the life of Alfred, as the Elderman of Gainey, a tribe who after Gainsborough in Lincolnshire is believed to be named. Aelswith's mother was named Eadbur, and she was apparently a scholar who was well known at the Mercian court. According to the historian Richard Ables, who specialises in the history of Anglo-Saxon England, Eadbur was a descendant of King Senwolf of Mercia, who was the last king of Mercia to exercise substantial dominance over the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Within a decade after his death, the rise of Wessex had begun, so Aelswith had royal Mercian blood, and with the kingdoms of England falling to the Vikings, Wessex and Mercia would need to enter into an alliance to survive. By the year 867, Nottingham would fall, and the remaining kings and Eldermen who hadn't been killed or had seen their lands taken from them would tremble. In the year 868, Prince Alfred and his brother King Æthelred of Wessex were on the offensive, attacking the Vikings and showing they were warrior nobles. King Buchred of Mercia sent a message to Alfred and Æthelred, appealing for help, as the Vikings had now invaded parts of Mercia. Aelswith was the solution, because she was from royal stock due to her mother, she was still considered to be a high status bride. King Æthelred of Wessex was already married, and it was his brother, the young Prince Alfred who would marry Aelswith. During the ceremony, there was feasting and gift giving that lasted well into the night. The celebrations however were interrupted when Alfred fell ill. We do not know the specific details, but Alfred seemed to suffer from some kind of stomach or intestinal problem, this affliction would apparently be with him for life. So the marriage didn't have the best start, but that was a minor problem, compared to the Vikings who threatened the lands of Wessex and Mercia. The marriage would prove to be a good move for Aelswith, as on the 22nd of March in the year 871, the Battle of Meryton would take place. King Æthelred of Wessex and Prince Alfred would both fight on the front lines, and it is said that there was a great slaughter on both sides, and Æthelred may have been mortally wounded, as he died shortly after on the 15th of April. Due to Æthelred's eldest son Æthelwald being too young to rule, and with the threat of the Viking invasion, Wessex needed a warrior king to see it through the upcoming battles, so Alfred was quickly crowned the King of Wessex and took on the burden of its defence. Aelswith and Alfred would have five children. Their first child was a daughter, Æthelfled, who was born in the year 868. She would marry Æthelred of Mercia, and became a formidable warrior who fought the Vikings, who would come to be known to history as the Lady of the Mercians. Another daughter was named Æthel Gifu, who was born in the year 869. She would become the Abbess of Shaftesbury. Their next child was a son called Edward, now known to history as Edward the Elder. He would ascend to the throne after his father Alfred. A daughter named Ælfrida was born in the year 877, and she married Baldwin of Flanders. Their last child was named Æthelweard, who was born in the year 880. He showed a strong interest in books and learning, and was educated at his father's court. In the year 874, Mercia was conquered by the Vikings, and King Buchered was exiled. Wessex was now the last surviving independent Saxon kingdom. However, Alfred had underestimated the new leader of a faction of the Great Heathen Army called Guthrum. He and his Viking forces made a surprise attack on Alfred at his court in Chippenham in the year 878. The Saxons were taken by surprise, with many of Alfred's personal bodyguards being killed. Alfred fled with his wife and children to the marshes of Somerset. Elswith's children were very young during this time, with Æthelflaed being around eight, so it would have been a very frightening time, as war and defeat were so close. Alfred led guerrilla attacks on the Vikings from the shadows of the marshes, and made plans for a decisive battle. In May of the year 878, the Battle of Eddington took place. According to Brother Asser, this is what transpired. Fighting ferociously, forming a dense shield wall against the whole army of the pagans, and striving long and bravely, at last Alfred gained the victory. He overthrew the pagans with a great slaughter, and smiting the fugitives, he pursued them as far as the fortress. Alfred had won back his kingdom, and a treaty was negotiated with Guthrum, where he was baptised, and there would be peace. With more stability in Wessex, Elswith would turn her attention to the establishment of St Mary's Abbey in Winchester. It is said she was in charge of the construction of the monastic buildings, assembling the nuns to inhabit the nunnery, the appointment of the first abbess, and for the funding of a lot of the proceedings. She wouldn't live to finish her project, but her son Edward the Elder completed the foundation. Elswith had to directly endure many hardships during her life. Her husband was constantly at war, and was personally in the thick of the fighting. She was forced to run for her life with her children, where her home was ravaged and had to flee into the marshes of Somerset. She would suffer for several months in the marshes during the winter, knowing if her husband Alfred failed, the result would be death for her and her children. After the death of Alfred the Great in the year 899, she appears in a charter of her son Edward the Elder. This may have been due to the fact that the son of King Æthelred of Wessex was now a man, Æthelwald. He felt as if he had been robbed and the crown now belonged to him, and he intended on taking it. Edward needed a strong and united presence in court to bolster his support, and Elswith being Alfred's consort for nearly thirty years would have done exactly that. Elswith survived Alfred by three years and would see her son Edward the Elder defeat Æthelwald and become the King of Wessex. She would die on December 5th in the year 902 and was buried next to Alfred. Her main legacy was the foundation of the nunnery in Winchester. It remained prosperous until the dissolution under King Henry VIII. Elswith raised five children who were all very successful. Æthelflaed became a warrior and the Lady of the Mercians. Edward became the King of Wessex, Elfride became the Countess of Flanders, Æthelgifu became the Abbess of Shaftesbury, and Æthelwyrd became a wealthy landowner. Brother Assur referred to Elswith as an excellent wife, which implies she fulfilled all of her duties as a consort and was a prestigious figure. However, the exact proceedings of her life again remain a mystery. Edith the Fair, also remembered as Edith Swanneck, was an 11th century Anglo-Scandinavian noblewoman who lived through one of the most turbulent periods in English history, witnessing the reigns of six English kings. Among those rulers was her lover, King Harold Godwinson, with whom she had six children, though they never formally married. Despite this, Edith's importance was never diminished. She was one of England's wealthiest nobles, and was renowned as the most beautiful woman in the realm. Raised by her father, Thorkell the Tall, a Viking chief and lord of the legendary Jöns Vikings, a group of Viking mercenaries famed throughout Scandinavia, Edith grew up in a world marked by war and savagery. However, she maintained a gentle nature, earning the epithet Swanneck, or Gentle Swan in Old English. This tenderness was profoundly demonstrated when, after the Battle of Hastings, she walked through the carnage of the battlefield to identify Harold's mutilated body, ensuring he received a proper burial. This is a tale of war, love and unwavering loyalty. This is the story of Edith the Fair. Edith the Fair was born in the year 1025 in East Anglia. Her father was Thorkell the Tall, who at the time was the Jarl of the ancient kingdom and was ruling it on behalf of How Edith's mother and Thorkell the Tall met is an intriguing tale in its own right. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle goes into great detail regarding Thorkell's army raiding, burning and extorting much of England, especially the Jöns Viking occupation of the city of Canterbury. Thorkell eventually allied himself with the King of England at the time, named Aethelred the Unready and married one of his daughters. Thorkell however, would abandon Aethelred's service and would join Canute, as Canute was his foster son and the two were said to be cousins. Together, they took all the land after a series of climactic battles, marking the Viking conquest of England. Canute would in turn reward Thorkell with East Anglia, where the tale of Edith the Fair begins. Edith was born into a lineage that intertwined the might of Viking conquerors with the nobility of Anglo-Saxon royalty. Her father Thorkell the Tall, a Viking lord and formidable conqueror, was reputed to have noble blood, being the grandson of Harald Bluetooth through his father, Strutt Harald. Edith's mother was a princess and daughter of King Aethelred the Unready, which further enriched her impeccable heritage. Raised in the household of King Canute the Great, who was fostered by Thorkell, Edith may have also shared her childhood with Canute's son, Harthacnut, the future king. With such prestigious Scandinavian and noble Saxon descent, and bolstered by her father's conquests, Edith grew to be one of the most powerful and wealthiest noblewomen in the land. The death of Canute the Great in the year 1035, followed by Thorkell's death in around the year 1039, marked the end of the major figures of the Viking invasion. Canute's son, Harald Hereford, then took the English throne, reigning for five years before Harthacnut ascended in the year 1040. Thus, Edith matured during the reign of Viking kings. This era transformed England into an Anglo-Scandinavian realm, and with her father celebrated as a legend and war hero, Edith's family enjoyed immense prestige. Her mother's Saxon heritage from the house of Wessex, and her upbringing in a culture enriched by both Saxon and Scandinavian influences, added to her distinguished status. Immense wealth surrounded her, and she was well versed in the tales and songs of her father's exploits, commemorated on runestones in Scandinavia and in sagas, as well as the legendary bloodline of the Saxon kings of Growing up in this Anglo-Scandinavian society, and possibly influenced by her father's pagan beliefs, Edith developed into a woman of great character. Her beauty earned her the epithet, Edith the Fair, and she no doubt enjoyed the respect her noble lineage afforded her. However, King Harthacnut met an untimely end at the tender age of twenty-four, poisoned at a wedding feast. Dying childless, his death marked the end of the reigns of Viking kings over England, and the throne returned to the Saxon line of the house of Wessex, with Edward the Confessor ascending in the year 1042. At this time, Edith would have been around seventeen years old, witnessing the rise of the fourth king of her lifetime. The land was in transition, as the era of Viking kings had concluded, and the Scandinavian influence over England began to wane. King Edward the Confessor, weary of the powerful Scandinavian nobles in his court, expelled Edith's mother and brothers from England. Her brothers, once high-ranking lords, and loyal members of King Harthacnut's retinue, were forced into exile due to King Edward's fears, fueled by a menacing letter from King Magnus the Good of Norway threatening invasion. Thus, Edith found herself alone in England, yet, she remained a woman of immense wealth, inheriting vast estates in East Anglia, despite the shifting tides of power. She was defined by her noble lineage, and navigated the turbulent landscape with grace and fortitude. Around the year 1043, Edith began a relationship with Harold Godwinson, the newly appointed Earl of East Anglia. Their union, known as Mordantio, or in the Danish manner, was a form of marriage not sanctioned by the church, but was widely accepted in England at the time. Given Edith's strong Scandinavian heritage, and Harold's Danish maternal lineage, this type of ceremony felt completely natural. The ritual, often held in a picturesque setting, involved the couple's hands being tied together with ribbons, a tradition known as hand-fasting. Children born from such unions were considered legitimate. Harold likely entered the relationship, partly to secure support in his new earldom, as Edith owned much of the land in East Anglia. Edith, with her swan-like white neck, a mark of beauty among English noblewomen, was greatly admired. A wealthy aristocrat, she had her own personal goldsmith, and held lands and great manors in Essex and Cambridgeshire, along with dwellings in Canterbury. Her father was a legendary Viking warrior and hero, while her mother was a Saxon princess, of the House of Wessex. Harold Godwinson was equally an excellent match for Edith. His father, Godwin, was the Earl of Wessex, and he was the richest man in the kingdom, having risen to prominence during the reign of the Viking Kings. Earl Godwin wielded immense influence, reportedly holding more power than the king himself. Harold's mother, Githa Thorkildsdottir, was a Danish noblewoman, giving Harold Scandinavian blood as well. Both Harold and Edith came from extremely wealthy families, with impeccable bloodlines, making their union a match in the eyes of their contemporaries. In the year 1053, the death of Earl Godwin marked a significant turning point, as Harold succeeded him as the Earl of Wessex. This elevation made Harold the most powerful figure in England after the king, and consequently raised Edith's status as well. Harold's subsequent successful campaigns in Wales further solidified his dominance over the region. Edith, sharing in his triumphs, would have enjoyed the wealth and spoils of these victories. By the year 1065, Harold and Edith had shared two decades together, although their union was not recognised by the church. It afforded Harold the flexibility to take a second wife if political necessity demanded. The couple had at least six children, four sons. There was Godwin, Edmund, Magnus and Ulf, and they had two daughters, Githa and Gunhild. Despite their long relationship and numerous offspring, the declining health of King Edward the Confessor created a political imperative for Harold to formalise a marriage to strengthen his position as England's foremost Earl and potential king. Harold's new bride, named Ildgith, was the daughter of Elfgar, the Earl of Mercia, and she was renowned for her beauty. She was the widow of the King of all Wales, with whom she had a daughter. Harold's marriage to Ildgith not only secured the crucial support of the powerful Earls of Northumbria and Mercia, but also weakened their alliances with the rulers of North Wales. Thus, Harold's power grew even more formidable, though his new wife outranked Edith, the mother of his children and his long-term companion. At the end of the year 1065, Edward the Confessor fell into a coma without clarifying his preference for the succession. He died on the 5th of January in the year 1066. He briefly regained consciousness and entrusted the kingdom to Harold's protection. When the Witton convened the next day, they selected Harold to succeed him as king, and his coronation followed on the 6th of January. Though Edith the Fair was Harold's loyal and loving partner, it was Ildgith who became the Queen of England. As the two were formally married in the eyes of the church, Harold's reign was beset by the need to defend his realm against both Harold Hardrada, who sought the English crown for himself, and his own brother Toastig, who betrayed him and sided with Hardrada at Stamford Bridge. However, Edith's warrior lover who was now the King of England, would somehow defeat the Viking King Hardrada at Stamford Bridge in a stunning surprise attack. The victory was short-lived however, as a Norman force under William the Duke of Normandy was sailing across the channel, and Harold Godwinson rushed south to repel the army. This would result in the Battle of Hastings on October 14th in the year 1066. At the time of the battle, Queen Ildgith was in London, but Edith Swanneck, Harold's long-term lover and the mother of his six children, remained close to him. Loyal and devoted, she followed him to battle, staying by his side until the end. As the battle raged on, she waited near the battlefield at Senlac Hill alongside Harold's mother, Geetha. Edith's proximity to the battlefield demonstrated her profound trust in Harold and her unwavering attachment to him, despite the fact that his former wife, Eldgith, now ranked higher and held the title of Queen. Edith's commitment to Harold was remarkable. Even though her official status had been eclipsed by Eldgith, she remained steadfast. Her presence at the hill signified a deep emotional bond and a courage that defined the era's expectations for women. She was willing to face the dangers and uncertainties of war out of love and loyalty. The Battle of Hastings was a pivotal moment in English history. Despite Harold Godwinson's resounding victory over the legendary Harold Hardrada at Stamford Bridge, fortune did not favour him at Hastings. The Saxon army, valiant and resilient, fought fiercely and were on the cusp of victory. However, William the Duke of Normandy managed to turn the tide and secured victory. Harold, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, met his end on that fateful day, slain by Norman knights. His death marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon rule and the beginning of the Norman conquest, leaving William the Conqueror as the new King of England. Edith's grief must have been measurable. Despite the chaos and carnage of the battlefield, she remained determined to find her fallen lover. The scenes around her would have been filled with horror. The ground littered with the bodies of slain soldiers, the air heavy with the scent of blood and the cries of the dying. Yet, driven by her unyielding love for Harold, she pressed on, undeterred by the gruesome sights and sounds. According to tradition, Harold's mother, Geetha, made desperate pleas to William the Conqueror to surrender Harold's body for burial. Geetha offered Harold's weight in gold, a king's ransom, but the Norman army refused. In a final act of love and devotion, it was Edith the Fair who walked through the aftermath of the battle, determined to identify Harold's remains amidst the countless fallen. Edith's journey across the battlefield was a heart-wrenching endeavour. The early descriptions of Harold's death speak of a brutal end, his body mutilated beyond recognition. This is one account. The first night, cleaving his breast through the shield with his point, drenched the earth with a gushing torrent of blood. The second night, smote off his head below the protection of the helmet, and the third night, pierced the inwards of his belly with his lance. The fourth night, hewed off his thigh and bore away the severed limb. The once proud king was reduced to a mere shadow of his former self, hacked to death in a manner so graphic it defies belief. Despite this, Edith's love and determination guided her. She sought out the unique markings on Harold's chest, possibly his Norse tattoos, which only she would recognise. Her intimate knowledge of these personal details allowed her to confirm the identity of her beloved amidst the sea of the dead. Edith Swanwick's determination ensured that Harold Godwinson, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, received a proper burial. This final act of devotion allowed her to perform one last service for her fallen lover, cementing her place in history. It was because of Edith the Fair's identification of the body that Harold was given a Christian burial by the monks at Waltham Abbey. Edith and Harold's sons fled to Ireland after the fall of their father, with most surviving into the 1080s, though the exact dates of their deaths remain shrouded in mystery. Their escape ensured the continuation of Harold's lineage, at least for a time. As for Edith Swanwick, history records no further trace of her after Harold's burial at Waltham Abbey. She vanishes from the annals, her fate left to speculation and legend. Her life had witnessed the reigns of six kings on the English throne, a turbulent period that saw the rise and fall of dynasties. Edith Swanwick's legacy is immortalised, not through grand monuments or extensive historical records, but through the timeless qualities of love and loyalty. She was never named queen, and her tale offers a glimpse into the heart of a noble woman, whose love transcended the brutal realities of war and political strife. A lot of you may know Elgifu from the show Vikings Valhalla. Here, she's presented to us as a calculating character with her own set of agendas. This noble woman, who married a prince that later went on to become a king, should have become a queen. The politics of England in the 11th century were turbulent, as the throne of England was being fought over by several factions, the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings. Elgifu is largely known for being locked in a rivalry with Emma of Normandy, with both seeking to make their own son the heir of their husband. Elgifu would grow up in one of the most chaotic and unstable times in English history, with the Viking invasions overpowering Saxon power and England becoming a different land. This is her story. Elgifu was born in the year 990. She was born into an important noble-based family in Mercia. She was the daughter of Eifhelm, the elderman of Northumbria, and his wife Wulfram. However, when Elgifu was but a young woman, her father Eifhelm was murdered and his sons were blinded by Edric Stryona, with the blessing of the king. When Swain Forkbeard began his invasion in England in the year 1009, the family again would come under suspicion of treachery and further family members were killed. Swain Forkbeard would soon take the whole of the north, with Earl Uhtred of Northumbria submitting to him and proclaiming him as king. Swain would marry his son Cnut to Elgifu in order to seal the loyalty of the north. Swain would prove to be a brilliant general and would go on to govern England, but he only lasted five weeks on the throne, dying unexpectedly in February in the year 1014. The elderman of England quickly sent for King Æthelred to come back from his exile and he then sent an army to London, which forced Swain's son Cnut to flee back to Denmark. Elgifu would give birth to two sons, Swain and Harald. King Æthelred would soon die, prompting Cnut to raise his armies and sail for England. He would then take the land, just as his father Swain Forkbeard did, and would be crowned the king of England. King Cnut became the undisputed king of England in 1016, after the death of Edmund Ironside. Elgifu must have been excited and overwhelmed when she heard that her husband was the king. It's possible that she was called up to London to take her position as queen, however, Elgifu must have been disappointed to hear that her husband had married Emma of Normandy. It was common practice for conquering kings to marry into an existing royal family, and that's what Cnut did, taking the English queen Emma of Normandy, who had previously been married to Æthelred the Unready. Emma was over a decade older than Cnut, and she may have gained influence over him. This was cemented by the birth of their son, Hearth Cnut. Cnut would treat Hearth Cnut as his heir, even though he had two older male sons. In addition to this, Emma was crowned as queen of England with Cnut in 1017, and she enjoyed a much higher status than Elgifu. Emma was no doubt Elgifu's rival for her position in England. Elgifu's whereabouts are not recorded for most of Cnut's reign, however, as well as being the king of England, Cnut was also the king of Denmark and Norway, and when his regent in Norway died in 1030, he sent Elfgifu and Svein, his oldest son by her, to Norway to rule. Svein would be the new king, and Elfgifu his regent, ruling in his name. Elgifu would quickly develop a bad reputation for introducing new laws, as well as a number of new taxes. She made herself and other Danes Norway very unpopular and created resentment. As well as Svein and Elgifu not being particularly liked, Trygve the Pretender came to Norway with an army from England, saying he was the son of Olaf Trygvason. Based on this, he was trying to claim the kingdom as his own. Svein raised an army and the two fleets would meet off the island of Bokken. During the battle, Trygve reportedly hurled javelins at his enemies with both hands simultaneously. Despite his celebrated skills, his forces were overwhelmed by Svein's fleet, with Trygve himself being killed. However, this may have emboldened more attacks, and that same winter, Einar Eidredeson, an influential Norwegian noble, decided to travel to Garderic to get Olaf Haraldsen's son Magnus. Olaf Haraldsen was a saint, was loved by the people and a cult had developed around him. When his son Magnus came to Norway, the people sided with him and against the Danes. Svein then fled to Norway, where he died a short time after. The same year, Elgifu would also lose her husband, Canute the Great, who died in the year 1035. After Svein's death, Elgifu was left with only one remaining son, Harald, who was living in England. Elgifu was swift in returning to England so she could be reunited with her son, and she may have been the driving force behind some of his actions. Although Emra of Normandy had announced that her son by Canute, Harthcanute, was the heir, he was all the way in Denmark at the time of Canute's death. Elgifu's son Harald took the initiative and soon after his father's death, he went to the Archbishop of Canterbury and demanded to be crowned the King of England. The Archbishop, however, refused to grant him the crown until a council be formed to see who should rule the realm. At Oxford, the Royal Council was held, where both Emra of Normandy and Elgifu may have been present. At the council, it was decided that although Harthcanute was his father's heir, Harald, as the only son of Canute present in England, was to rule as regent until the return of his brother. Elgifu was hosting feasts and offering many gifts to nobles of the kingdom in order to win them over and support Harald as the undisputed king. As well as this, the fact that Harthcanute had still not arrived in England strengthened Elgifu's cause and in 1037, Harald was finally able to secure the English crown in his own name. This would drive Emra of Normandy into exile, with her future looking bleak. Elgifu finally had the upper hand and would rule England with her son, King Harald Hereford. Emra, however, wouldn't give up so easily. Her and Harthcanute would meet up with a fleet of ships, ready to invade England. However, in March of 1040, Harald would die, having only reigned as king for three years. After this, Elgifu disappears from the sources. With the death of her last son, she probably fled, knowing Emra of Normandy and her son Harthcanute would come back and show her no mercy. Harthcanute would be crowned the King of England, ending the power struggle between the two women. Canute the Great was at fault for causing the tension between his two wives and two sons, while he maintained both queens, allowing them separate spheres of influence over his North Sea Empire. They both secretly wanted their own sons to be in the position Canute was in, and they would play the game of politics in order to do so. However, all of their sons had short-lived reigns. Sven, Elgifu's first son, only ruled Norway for five years. Her second son Harald Hereford only ruled England for three years. Harthcanute ruled England for two years, apparently dying from an excessive drinking session. With the death of Harthcanute, this ended the Danish line of kings in England, and Edward the Confessor, the son of Æthelred the Unready, was to become the English king. He was the son of Emra of Normandy, but she never intended or groomed him to be king. Nevertheless, the line of Elgifu of Northampton was extinguished, and soon after, she disappeared from history. 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