General Notes

STABBED TO DEATH BY EXILED ROBBER

Edmund I., the Magnificent. was born in 922, the twelfth of his father's fifteen children. The first of the six Boy Kings, he
reigned from 939 to 946. He had to meet a general uprising of the Danes of Mercia as well as those of the North. In the
suppression of this he showed himself to be a great statesman as well as a great warrior. Little is definitely known about
the policy of the Scots at this time but it appears that they joined the English whenever they were afraid of the Danes, and
joined the Danes whenever they were afraid of the English. Edmund made it to be the interest of the Scottish King
permanently to join the English. The southern part of the kingdom of Strathclyde had for some time been under the English
Kings. In 945 Edmund took the remainder, but gave it to Malcolm on condition that he should be his fellow worker by sea
and land. The king of the Scots thus entered into a position of dependent alliance towards Edmund. A great step was thus
taken; the dominant powers in the island were to be English and Scots, not English and Danes. Edmund thought it worth
while to conciliate the Scottish Celts rather than to endeavor to conquer them. The result of Edmund's statesmanship was
soon seen, but he did not live to gather its fruits. On May 26, 946 an outlaw named Lief, who had taken his seat at a
banquet in his hall, slew him as Edmund was attempting to drag him out by his hair. He was succeeded by his brother
Edred. He married Princess Elgiva (Aelfgifu)., known as the "Fairies Gift,." who died in 944.