edward martyr edward martyr old english march murdered edward eldest son king peaceful father acknowledged heir death leadership england contested supporting edward claim king supporting younger half brother recognized legitimate son edward chosen king crowned main clerical supporters worcester great nobles kingdom civil war broke called anti monastic reaction nobles took advantage edward weakness reformed monasteries lands properties granted edward short reign brought end murder castle circumstances altogether clear body great ceremony early edward remains moved prominent place abbey probably blessing half brother king edward saint time number lives edward written centuries following death portrayed martyr generally seen victim queen mother today recognized saint roman_catholic_church princes succession edward date birth unknown eldest children likely teens succeeded father died age edward known king son son queen wife known contemporary charters later sources questionable reliability address identity edward mother earliest source life canterbury probably written writes edward mother nun abbey king wrote life decades later included account edward obtained denied edward son liaison nun presenting son daughter east married years ruled death additional accounts offered life daughter histories john worcester william accounts suggest edward mother probably named white white duck charter describes married king wife eldest son legitimate son king edward noted king son winchester supporter archbishop_of_canterbury appears supported edward created circa gives edward precedence widow wife hart argues contradictions identity edward mother fact appears regarded legitimate heir death suggest edward probably illegitimate thinks wife consecrated queen gave birth sons considered legitimate edward denied edward legitimate considers special pleading brother inherited position heir charter winchester names son appear ahead edward died july probably edward years older disputed succession strong ruler forced monastic reforms probably unwilling church nobility aided leading day archbishop_of_canterbury winchester reformed monasteries lands required support lesser nobles rewritten loans land benefit monasteries secular clergy members nobility expelled new monasteries lived strongly supported following death changes provoked came open leading figures supporters reform longer united relations archbishop strained odds rivals power affinity said questioned marriage legitimacy son leaders divided edward succeed law precedent offered guidance choice sons divided kingdom elder brother forced large kingdom queen certainly supported claims son aided supported edward aided fellow archbishop likely allies supported allies supported edward historians suggest opposite later sources suggest perceptions legitimacy played arguments relative age candidates time edward kingston thames likely evidence settlement involved degree compromise appears given lands normally belonged king sons granted forcibly leading nobles edward reign recording edward succession reports appeared famine disturbances followed disturbances called anti monastic reaction appear started soon death time experienced effective ruler northern england exiled unknown circumstances followed son son mentioned chronicle edward wielding power behalf appointed number new positions little known men difficult determine faction belonged probably ruling sussex parts kent surrey buried abbey oversaw hampshire held lands suggesting links today best known latin history ruled west descendant probably brother king wife appears supporter edward faction places secular clergy driven monasteries returned driving regular clergy turn main enemy appears little aid fellow reformer time generally took opportunity grants monasteries force rewrite loans favour local nobility leader regard attacking network monasteries rival staunch protector family monastery treated monasteries harshly point disorders appear come close open warfare related ambitions attacks supported essex unspecified mustered army caused charters survive edward reign leaving edward brief reign obscurity contrast numerous charters survived reigns father half brother surviving edward charters concern royal deal edward tutor bishop reign dies coins cut winchester distributed kingdom edward reign permitted dies cut locally york lincoln general impression reduction breakdown royal authority north machinery government continued function councils met customary edward reign wiltshire following year meeting killed injured collapse floor room death version containing detailed account records edward murdered evening march visiting probably near mound ruins stand adds buried royal honours version chronicle manuscript called says worse deed english race sought land britain men murdered god life king death heavenly saint relatives avenge heavenly father chronicle report detail oldest text stating killed versions early sources life worcester attributed adds edward killed advisers attacked agrees buried ceremony archbishop alludes killing edward written later recent study translates words follows great betrayal lord world man lord death drive living land come pass land edward betrayed killed burned later sources removed events late 11th century john worcester claim organised killing edward wrote killed edward modern historians offered variety interpretations edward killing main theories proposed firstly edward killed life claims nobles service result personal quarrel place master throne life portrays edward unstable young man according offended important persons violence speech behavior long passed saint remembered rage alarmed knew especially members household second version implicated plotting killing allowing killers free alternative noting edward close ruling proposes killing preserve influence prevent edward taking revenge actions earlier reign john notes interprets edward assassination early cult edward body lay year initiated gesture reconciliation according life edward body found taken sign body taken royal connections endowed king alfred great edward grandmother spent years edward remains lavish public ceremony later versions complicated accounts said edward body concealed marsh revealed events dates february edward relics considered saint translated prominent place ceremonies said led bishop accompanied senior calls identified abbot winchester king preoccupied threat danish invasion attend person issued charter late granting lands thought related 13th century calendar saints gives date translation june rise edward cult interpreted ways portrayed popular movement product political attack supporters edward alternatively seen key forces promotion edward cult sister thought charter granting land elevation edward relics accounts suggest observation edward feast days england law code unclear innovation seemingly drafted dates reign instead drawn attention increased importance murdered royal saints period king kent lives form later cult sixteenth century king henry viii led dissolution monasteries holy places demolished edward remains hidden avoid relics recovered archaeological excavation identity confirmed examinations performed relics suggested young man died manner edward wanted relics russia brother wanted returned decades relics kept bank vault surrey unresolved dispute churches time russia victorious placed relics church ceremony occurring september monks organized church named jurisdiction greek orthodox community ranked passion bearer type saint accepts death love christ edward officially regarded saint roman_catholic_church feast day celebrated march day murder commemorates second time year september commemorates translation relics orthodox possession february
Edward the Martyr