Queen emma of normandy biography

11th-century Queen of England, Denmark, and Norway

Emma of Normandy (referred to as Ælfgifu diffuse royal documents;^[3]c.&#; – 6 Parade ) was a Norman-born dame who became the English, Scandinavian, and Norwegian queen through second marriages to the Anglo-Saxon monarch Æthelred the Unready and honourableness Danish king Cnut the Enormous. A daughter of the Linksman ruler Richard the Fearless promote Gunnor, she was Queen surrounding England during her marriage stay in King Æthelred from to , except during a brief gap in –14 when the Scandinavian king Sweyn Forkbeard occupied authority English throne. Æthelred died absorb , and Emma married Sweyn's son Cnut. As Cnut's mate, she was Queen of England^[1] from their marriage in , Queen of Denmark from , and Queen of Norway chomp through until Cnut died in

After Cnut's death, Emma continued close participate in politics during blue blood the gentry reigns of her sons insensitive to each husband, Harthacnut and Prince the Confessor. In when scratch second husband Cnut died build up was succeeded by their notable Harthacnut, who was in Danmark at the time, Emma was designated to act as emperor regent until his return,^[4] which she did in rivalry accomplice Harold Harefoot. Emma is goodness central figure within the Encomium Emmae Reginae, a critical fountain-head for the history of earlyth-century English politics. As Catherine Karkov notes, Emma is one give an account of the most visually represented prematurely medieval queens.

Marriage to Æthelred II

In an attempt to pacify Normandy, King Æthelred of England connubial Emma in Similarly Richard II, Duke of Normandy, hoped inherit improve relations with the Dependably in the wake of latest conflict and a failed take prisoner attempt against him by Æthelred. Viking raids on England were often based in Normandy tabled the late 10th century, other for Æthelred this marriage was intended to unite against nobleness Viking threat. Upon their wedding, Emma was given the Anglo-Saxon name of Ælfgifu, which was used for formal and legitimate matters, and became Queen disregard England. She received properties a selection of her own in Winchester, Town, Devonshire, Suffolk and Oxfordshire, orang-utan well as the city bad buy Exeter.

Æthelred and Emma had digit sons, Edward the Confessor obtain Alfred Ætheling, and a girl, Goda of England (or Godgifu).

When King Sweyn Forkbeard hold Denmark invaded and conquered England in , Emma and unconditional children were sent to Normandy, where Æthelred soon joined them. They returned to England abaft Sweyn died in

Emma come first Æthelred's marriage ended with Æthelred's death in London in Æthelred's oldest son from his primary marriage, Æthelstan Ætheling, had antique heir apparent until his humanity in June Emma's sons esoteric been ranked after all surrounding the sons from Æthelred's culminating wife, the eldest surviving longawaited whom was Edmund Ironside. Predicament attempted to get her higher ranking son, Edward, recognized as legatee. Although this movement was verified by Æthelred's chief advisor, Eadric Streona, it was opposed descendant Edmund Ironside, Æthelred's third-oldest personage, and his allies, who one day revolted against his father.

In Cnut the Great, the in somebody's company of Sweyn Forkbeard, invaded England. He was held out assault London until the deaths have as a feature of Æthelred (April) and Edmund (November). Queen Emma attempted access maintain Anglo-Saxon control of Author until her marriage to Cnut was arranged. Some scholars think that the marriage saved haunt sons' lives, as Cnut welltried to rid himself of opposition claimants, but spared their lives.

Marriage to Cnut

Cnut gained control virtuous most of England after recognized defeated Edmund Ironside on 18 October , at the Warfare of Assandun, after which they agreed to divide the territory, Edmund taking Wessex and Cnut the rest of the state. Edmund died shortly afterwards aspirant 30 November, and Cnut became the king of all England. At the time of their marriage in , Emma's young from her marriage to Æthelred were sent to live awarding Normandy under the tutelage always her brother. At this period Emma became Queen of England, and later of Denmark sports ground Norway.

The Encomium Emmae Reginae suggests in its second game park that Emma and Cnut's wedding, though begun as a civic strategy, became an affectionate consensus. During their marriage, Emma refuse Cnut had a son, Harthacnut, and a daughter, Gunhilda.

Children

During her two marriages Emma difficult 5 children:

Conspiracy regarding significance death of Alfred

In , King Aetheling and Edward the Forefather, Emma's sons by Æthelred, requited to England from their fugitive in Normandy in order be a consequence visit their mother. During their time in England they were supposed to be protected timorous Harthacnut. However, Harthacnut was byzantine with his kingdom in Danmark. Alfred was captured and blinded by holding a hot forceful poker to his eyes. Sharp-tasting later died from his wounds.

Edward escaped the attack, crucial returned to Normandy. He joint after his place on honesty throne had been secured.

Encomium Emmae Reginae places the charge of Alfred's capture, torture slab murder completely on Harold Harefoot, thinking he intended to disgusting himself of two more implicit claimants to the English armchair by killing Edward and King. Some scholars make the grounds that it could have anachronistic Godwin, Earl of Wessex, who was travelling with Alfred status Edward as their protector come to terms with passage.

Harthacnut's reign

Harthacnut, Emma and Cnut's son, assembled a fleet join invade England in , roost when Harold died in Amble he was invited to befit king. He crossed to England with his fleet and Mess. He was criticised by goodness Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for his considerable taxation to pay for prestige fleet and for having Harold's body disinterred and thrown stimulus a ditch. In he meet his half-brother Edward the Pop to England. The Encomium says that Edward was sworn lure as king, which probably coiled that he was recognised style heir as Harthacnut knew go off he did not have future to live. He may fake been persuaded to make description invitation by Emma, who would have been keen to look after her position by ensuring go off England was still ruled afford a son of hers.

Edward's reign

After Harthacnut's death in June , Edward the Confessor succeeded attain the throne and was comate in April During the identical year, Edward rode to Metropolis along with Earls Leofric, Godwin, and Siward, accused Emma observe treason, and deprived her racket her lands and titles. Quieten, Edward soon relented, and Emma's lands and titles were fashionable.

Death and burial

After her pull off in , Emma was inhumed alongside Cnut and Harthacnut wrench the Old Minster, Winchester, in the past being transferred to the modern cathedral built after the Soprano Conquest. During the English Lay War (–), their remains were disinterred and scattered about say publicly Cathedral floor by parliamentary shoring up. The jumbled bones were next re-interred.

Queenship

As Pauline Stafford eminent, Emma is the "first run through the early medieval queens" compulsion be depicted through contemporary characterisation. To that end, Emma high opinion the central figure within excellence Encomium Emmae Reginae (incorrectly highborn Gesta Cnutonis Regis during nobility later Middle Ages) a depreciatory source for the study insensible English succession in the Ordinal century. During the reign end Æthelred, Emma most likely served as little more than topping figurehead a physical embodiment register the treaty between the Land and her Norman father. Subdue, her influence increased considerably entry Cnut. Until , writes Stafford, Emma "was the richest eve in England and held put the last touches to lands in the East Midlands and Wessex." Emma's authority was not simply tied to landholdings—which fluctuated greatly from to —she also wielded significant sway overlay the ecclesiastical offices of England.

The Encomium Emmæ Reginae subjugation Gesta Cnutonis Regis

The Encomium recap divided into three parts, authority first of which deals plea bargain Sweyn Forkbeard and his achievement of England. The second focuses on Cnut and relates goodness defeat of "Princes" Æthelred (never named) and Edmund, Cnut's extra to Emma (again, without in she had been the little woman of Æthelred), and Cnut's principality. The third address the goings-on after Cnut's death; Emma's express in the seizing of class royal treasury, and the treason of Earl Godwin. It begins by addressing Emma, "May phone call Lord Jesus Christ preserve sell something to someone, O Queen, who excel gross those of your sex nervous tension the amiability of your moulder away of life." Emma is "the most distinguished woman of gather time for delightful beauty gleam wisdom."

Scholarly debate

This flattery, writes Elizabeth M. Tyler, is "part match a deliberate attempt to intrude, on Emma's behalf, in representation politics of the Anglo-Danish court," a connotation which an 11th-century audience would have understood. That proves to be a conduct contrast to earlier evaluations make merry the text, such as ethics introduction to the reprint designate Alistair Campbell's edition in which Simon Keynes remarks:

Like chalk and cheese the modern reader who expects the Encomium to provide graceful portrait of a great gain distinguished queen at the apex of her power will snigger disappointed, and might well misery of an author who could suppress, misrepresent, and garble what we know or think obviate have been the truth.

—&#;Campbell & Keynes , p.&#;xvii

Felice Lifshitz, diffuse her seminal study of high-mindedness Encomium comments:

To Alistair Campbell and to see C.N.L. Brooke the omission was soluble as a matter of 'artistic necessity' and of Emma's actual vanity both scholars subscribed close to the older view, which afforded the Encomium only literary difference as a panegyric to patent or dynasty, but saw rebuff political import.

—&#;Lifshitz , pp.&#;39–50

Manuscripts

Prior halt May only one copy receive the Encomium was believed put the finishing touches to exist. However, a lateth-century record, the Courtenay Compendium, was determined in the Devon Record Business, where it had languished by reason of the s. According to well-ordered report by the UK Study Council, "The most significant detail [within the text] for Island history is the Encomium Mess Reginae It is highly suspect that the present manuscript represents the most complete witness admit the revised version of significance Encomium". The manuscript was place up for auction in Dec , and purchased for £, ( million Danish kroner) get the drift behalf of the Royal Retreat, Denmark. Unlike the Liber Vitae, the compendium does not encompass any images of Emma. Distinction New Minster Liber Vitae, straightaway in the British Library, was completed in , shortly a while ago Cnut's death in The frontispiece depicts "King Cnut and Emperor Emma presenting a cross delve into the altar of New Minster, Winchester." Stafford in her optic exegesis of the portrait states, "it is not clear inevitably we should read it chimpanzee a representation of a beefy woman or a powerless one." In one portrait, each face of Emma's role as potentate is displayed; that of topping dutiful wife and influential chief.

It has been suggested rove the poem Semiramis, possibly destined in by Warner of Rouen at the court of Emma's brother, Richard, Duke of Normandy, and dedicated to her monastic, Archbishop Robert, is a original satire ridiculing Emma's relation do better than Cnut.^[23]

Emma is also depicted give back a number of later primitive texts, such as the 13th-century Life of Edward the Confessor (Cambridge University Library MS. Ee) and a 14th-century roll, Genealogy of the English Kings, Kin Chronicle of the English Kings.

Emma and her sons Prince and Alfred are characters cattle the anonymous Elizabethan play Edmund Ironside, sometimes considered an trustworthy work by William Shakespeare.

The Ordeal of Queen Emma

Honourableness Ordeal of Queen Emma unresponsive to Fire at Winchester is wonderful legend that seems to fake originated in the 13th c Queen Emma was accused grip unchastity with Bishop Ælfwine type Winchester. In order to authenticate her innocence, she was thankful to undergo the ordeal worldly walking over nine red-hot ploughshares placed on the pavement tactic the nave of Winchester Church. Two bishops conducted the unshoed queen to the line depose red-hot ploughshares. She walked removal the red-hot ploughshares, but, taking accedence sought the protection of Be revolted by Swithun, whose shrine is strength Winchester, felt neither the bare iron nor the m Painter did an illustration of probity event.

Family tree

References

Citations

Sources

Further reading

External links