Within the grand narrative of English history, the brief reign of Eadred (Edred) (946–955) occupies a special place, because it was during these years that the peoples of Northumbria successfully acted as an independent political entity for the last time. Indeed, events north of the Humber dominate discussions of Eadred, for whom the Northumbrians were a source of repeated strife. Eadred had ascended to the throne suddenly in 946 following the murder of his brother, Edmund, and although the new king’s succession was uncontested, the continued allegiance of all of Edmund’s subjects was to prove a serious challenge. Within two years, the Northumbrians, who had pledged allegiance to both of Eadred’s two most immediate predecessors, had instead accepted the Norwegian Eric Bloodaxe as…
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Citation: Gallagher, Robert. "Reign of Edred". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 13 January 2016 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1450, accessed 24 November 2024.]
