Edwy The Fair

"Edwy the Fair" is a retelling of the story of Eadwig, who was King of the English from 955 through 959 AD. He ascended the throne at 16 on the death of Eadred, the previous King. Eadred had no children, and Eadwig was the oldest eligible relative of the House of Wessex.

Eadwig's reign began with difficulty, as he quarreled with the Bishop of Dunstan (later Archbishop of Canterbury and finally Saint Dunstan) over his choice to pay court to a young woman rather than attend an important meeting of state. The woman became his wife, but Eadwig's troubles were not over.

Translated from the Anglo-Saxon by the Rev. A.D. Crake, "Edwy the Fair" attempts to present a balanced portrait of a King not well treated by historians.