Ealdgyth of Mercia

Possible depiction on the Bayeux Tapestry (c. 1067)

Name: Lady Ealdgyth of Mercia

Birth name: Eadgyð of Mercna rīċe

Born: ????, Mercia, Kingdom of England

Father: Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia 

Mother: Ælfgifu

House: Mercia

Nationality: English

Religion: Catholicism

Consort of: Harold II

Reign: January 1066 - 14 October 1066 (10 months)

Coronation: N/A

Predecessor: Edith of Wessex

Successor: Matilda of Flanders 

Died: ???? (aged *unknown*)

Cause: *Unknown*

Burial: *Unknown*

Motto: N/A 

Spouse(s):

• King Gruffudd ap Llywelyn of Wales (m. 1057 - 1063)
• King Harold II of the English (m. 1066 - 1066) 

Children:

• With King Gruffudd ap Llywelyn of Wales
• Maredudd ap Gruffydd  (???? - ????)
• Idwal ap Gruffydd (???? - 1069)
• Nesta ferch Gruffydd (???? - ????)
• Owain ap Gruffydd (???? - 1059) 

• With King Harold II of the English
• Lord Harold of Wessex (c. 1065 - c. 1098) *disputed*  

Appearance:
She was described as being very beautiful.
 
Character:
Unknown.
 
Biography:
Ealdgyth's date of birth is unknown, but she was likely born in Mercia in the Kingdom of England. She was one of four children born to Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia, and his wife, Ælfgifu. 

Not much is known about her early life, other than that her father was frequently exiled for treason. He formed a close alliance with King Gruffudd of Wales, and to secure their political alliance, Ealdgyth was married off to him some time around 1057.
 
Upon her marriage, Ealdgyth became the Queen Consort of Wales, and it's believed that both she and her new husband shared a close relationship. They went on to likely have around four children together. 

Over the next few years, Ealdgyth's husband and her father formed a bitter rivalry with the House of Godwin, especially when Herefordshire in Mercia was instead added to the Wessex estates. This all came to a head in 1063, when Harold Godwinson, the son of Godwin, invaded Wales. Gruffudd was killed during this invasion, leaving Ealdgyth a widow. 
 
Despite being the wife of his enemy, Harold then went on to marry Ealdgyth some time around 1066. This was likely to secure an alliance with Mercia, and further weaken the rulers of the Welsh kingdoms. 

It's possible that both Ealdgyth and Harold may have had a son together, but this is not confirmed. 

Ealdgyth's new marriage would not last long, however. Upon the death of King Edward the Confessor, England was plunged into a succession crisis. As the most powerful Anglo-Saxon nobleman, Harold seized the throne for himself, claiming that Edward had declared him to be his heir. 

However, there were two other contenders for the throne who also claimed that Edward had made them his heir: William, Duke of Normandy, and King Harald III of Norway. Though her husband was able to defeat Harald in the Battle of Stamford Bridge, the same could not be said when the Norman army invaded. Harold was killed in the Battle of Hastings, leaving Ealdgyth a widow once more.
 
William, Duke of Normandy became King William I of England, and Ealdgyth's brothers quickly retrieved her from London before escaping with her to Chester for her own protection. 

It is not known what happened to Ealdgyth after this, and she completely vanishes from historical records. It's possible that she fled into exile, perhaps even finding her way to the Kingdom of Norway, but nothing is known for certain. 

It is not known when she died, nor what caused it.
 
Rule:
Her Mercian connections provided King Harold with valuable allies. However, she only acted as a royal consort for 10 months, and did not achieve anything notable during this time.

 

Trivia:

• N/A

 

Quotes:

 

N/A

 

 

Sources & Further Reading:

Bayeux Tapestry Scene 15 (cropped).png - Wikimedia Commons. (2026). Wikimedia.org. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bayeux_Tapestry_Scene_15_(cropped).png 

Connolly, S. B. (2023). Ealdgyth. History... The Interesting Bits! https://historytheinterestingbits.com/tag/ealdgyth/