Emma of Normandy: Her part in the pre-1066 shenanigans?
Emma of Normandy 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. 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 o...