Updated or corrected thoughts on Emma of Normandy

 

Emma of Normandy 

( updated and corrected)

This woman seems to have lived though much of the late early medieval history of England. Born in 985 to the then Duke of Normandy and his second wife, Gunnora. She was married to Æthelred the Unready in 1002.

[ Her first born, Alfred, according to the chronicler of  Life and Times of King Edward, was passed over by the Witan in favour of his unborn brother Edward. This suggests to me that the time between Alfred's birth and the marriage ceremony was less than 9 months rather than "the Witan being moved by the Holy Spirit". So at age 17 she was already pregnant, probably why her Father so easily agreed to her becoming Æthelred's second wife. ]

Other more reliable sources have Edward being the first born son of Emma. It is thought that Edward was born in 1003 at Islip.

Year of Our Lord 1005

Ecgberht, one of the five sons of Æthelred, dies. But Emma gives birth?

Year of Our Lord 1008

Eadgar, another of the five sons of Æthelred dies. But Emma gives birth again?

Year of our Lord 1014

This is supposed to be the year that Æthelstan, the oldest of Æthelred's male offspring dies (3 down and two to go). I haven't found out the cause of death but there is an interesting story. Apparently, Æthelstan made a new will on the day of his death and in it he makes NO MENTION of his second family. So all his worldly goods are distributed to his full surviving brothers, Edmund and Eadwig, and others including the church.

Year of Our Lord 1016

This is a momentous year.

Æthelred dies aged 48. The Witan decides that neither Edmund nor Eadwig are suitable candidates for the throne of England and instead selects Cnut to become King. Emma and her children are forced into exile as is Eadwig. Edmund, with the backing of the London burghs, disputes the decision and stages a rebellion. After about 5 months of on and off fighting, someone slips a blade into Edmund and he is no more. And then there was one.

Cnut the Great was the first Danish king of England. He had inherited the Danelaw area of England from his father Sven Forkbeard. So from 1016 until 1035 Canute (English spelling) ruled England.

Birth of Canute's first son Harold, who was illegitimate.

Year of Our Lord 1017

So Eadwig, sole surviving son of Æthelred, is now made an outlaw by Canute. From memory, isn't it the case that an outlaw was outside the law and therefore could be killed with impunity? However, Eadwig manages to make peace with Canute, only to be murdered later on in the year. 1017 also sees Canute marry Emma. Not knowing the exact dates involved could the timeline look something like this...

Canute marries Emma.

Emma conceives. 

Emma persuades Canute to make Eadwig an outlaw.

Eadwig bypasses Emma and becomes respectable again. 

Eadwig lets his guard down and is murdered on Emma's orders.

And the last son of Æthelred makes an exit, stage right. 

Year of Our Lord 1018

Birth of Harthacnut - mother, Emma of Normandy, -  father, Canute the Great.


Year of Our Lord 1035

Canute dies, Harold elected king. Emma aged 50, now has the role of "Dowager Queen"

Year of Our Lord 1036

Alfred makes a bid on the throne of England with an "army" contained on 25 ships. Alfred is subsequently killed "betrayed" by Earl Godwin. According the chronicler of "The life and times of St Edward, King and Confessor" this is when Prince Edward laments " .... and my own Mother, careless of my safety, is given in marriage to the only envy-er and destroyer of my Glory...."

Year of Our Lord 1040

Harold dies and Harthacnut is elected King.

Year of Our Lord 1041

Harthacnut is not making a good show of governing the English so his mother, Emma, persuades him to name Edward as co Regent. Edward is sent for from Normandy. 

Year of Our Lord 1042

Harthacnut dies. and the Witan decides to return to the House of Wessex for the next King.
Now aged 57, Emma could have persuaded the Witan to elect her "second" son to take up the throne of England.

There is an interesting story behind this death. According to Marc Morris, Harthacnut and Edward meet for the first time in Lambeth at a wedding feast where Harthacnut drops down dead. Now, most, if not all historians, regard the death as normal for a person drinking in the "Viking" tradition but I suspect Emma had Edward come prepared with a concoction to spike Harthacnut's drink ( not so much as "dying in his cups" but dying because of what was in his cup). The result of this untimely death is that Edward is now sole King - notice the Witan has not been able to do "due diligence" on the new King.  

Year of Our Lord 1052

Emma dies aged about 67.

My Thoughts

I have grown to dislike this woman intensely over the past few months as I have researched her life and times. Given she was "Queen" of England from 1002 until 1016 and from 1017 until 1035, (that makes about 39 years in total) shows she was a born survivor. She also had two offspring take up the crown of England  ( both having different fathers) which shows she was an expert manipulator too.
No doubt the accomplishments of this woman in those very male dominated times rank up there with the best. No one can take that away from her but she put someone on the throne who decidedly put England on a collision course with disaster.