Æthelflæd 1100

AD 918 - This year Ethelfleda, lady of the Mercians, with the help of God, before Laminas, conquered the town called Derby, with all that thereto belonged; and there were also slain four of her thanes, that were most dear to her, within the gates.

But very shortly after they had become so, she died at Tamworth, twelve days before midsummer, the eighth year of her having rule and right lordship over the Mercians; and her body lies at Gloucester, within the east porch of St. Peter's church. - [ASC]

The Death of the Last Mercian Queen
2018 marks the 1100th anniversary of the death of Æthelflæd the last Queen of the Mercians.

On 12th June 918 Æthelflæd, the ‘Lady of the Mercians’ took her last breath at Tamworth, the capital of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, before being finally laid to rest in St Oswald’s Priory at Gloucester, alongside her husband Aethelred, Lord of the Mercians.

'Æthelflæd' at Tamworth

The Mercian Register records nine burhs built by Æthelflæd in three years (912 - 915) in the war against the Vikings to recover Mercian territory lost to the Danelaw agreement: Scergeat, Bridgnorth, Tamworth, Stafford, Eddisbury, Warwick, Chirbury, Weardbyrig and Runcorn. Æthelflæd also re-fortified Chester and Gloucester.

In 917 Æthelflæd's Mercians took Derby but lost four thegns in the battle. The following year she gained control of the burh at Leicester, peacefully. Later in 918 the people of the Viking capital of York pledged allegiance to Æthelflæd. Following the fall of York Mercia was all but recovered by the Anglo-Saxons.

The next entry in the Mercian Register states Æthelflæd died at Tamworth.

Whether she was struck down by a sudden illness or suffered a wound in the battle of 917 that would ultimately lead to her death from the injuries we shall never know for certain.

Her body was taken to Gloucester where it was interred “within the east porticus of St Peter's church” (St. Oswald's Priory), next to her husband Aethelred, Lord of the Mercians (d.911).

To celebrate 1100 years of  Æthelflæd's passing there will be events held at both Tamworth and Gloucester, key locations in her history.

Gloucester will be celebrating this occasion with a series of living history, archaeological and musical events, including:

Friday 8 June to Sunday 10 June - Living History at St Oswald’s Priory
Saturday 9 June – Saxon Funeral Procession (12pm from Gloucester Docks)
Sunday 10 June – Blackfriars Talks:

• Aethelflaed And Gloucester: The Golden Minster - Carolyn Heighway And Michael Hare
• Women Warlords and Warrior Queens - Janina Ramirez
• Aethelflaed: England's Founding Mother - Tom Holland

See: Gloucester's Warrior Queen

Tamworth will be holding a serious of special events in July, including:

Thursday 12 July - lecture on Aethelflaed - Michael Wood
Friday 13 July - Aethelflaed in Stafford – Martin Carver

A new six-metre tall statue of the Anglo-Saxon legend “Lady Aethelflaed” constructed by artist and sculptor Luke Perry is now in position on the roundabout outside Tamworth Railway Station.

See: Visit Tamworth


A County Town Forgets
Martin Carver claims that Æthelflæd was the founder of Stafford, the county town of Staffordshire, when she constructed a burh here in 913.

But all we have here at Stafford is a white plaque outside the Shire Hall in celebration of 1100 years of Stafford in 2013......and no celebrations are planned in the County town for 12 June in commemoration of her death.

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