Why I Wrote About Elfrida: England's First Crowned Queen

The Intriguing Life of Elfrida

There are a surprising number of notable women in the tenth century. Queen Elfrida, England’s first acknowledged crowned queen, stands out among them. Her early years were marked by a blend of the ‘old guard’ from previous reigns and the ‘new guard’. This mix created a fascinating dynamic. Experienced women likely tried to guide the younger, less experienced ones at the royal court. However, there may have been some unease about who was replacing whom.

Lady Elfrida, or Ælfthryth (I prefer to call her Elfrida), was the first woman to capture my attention. Her story can be seen as a love story, depending on the sources you consult. She was the wife of a king, the mother of another king, and, posthumously, the grandmother of two more.

The Complex Relationships of Elfrida

What truly sparked my imagination were her interactions with her husband’s paternal grandmother, the aging but long-lived Lady Eadgifu, and her maternal grandmother, Lady Wynflæd. There was also the probable tension with her second husband’s discarded wife. I can easily envision the conversations they might have shared, as well as the dismay they may have felt around one another. Elfrida replaced a wife who was never crowned queen and a grandmother who had held a position of influence for over forty years at the Wessex court.

Elfrida’s husband was surrounded by influential women from a young age. His mother died, possibly during childbirth. He had two grandmothers, a stepmother, a foster mother, and the wife of his slightly older brother. All these women played significant roles in his life, not to mention his first two wives. The personal interactions among these women called to me. Their tragedies and triumphs fascinated me. I confess, an image of Dame Maggie Smith holding sway in Downton Abbey inspired me to delve deeper into Elfrida’s story and the lives of royal women in the tenth century.

Discover More About Elfrida

You can read a very detailed blog post about Lady Elfrida on my blog. However, be warned that it contains many spoilers. If you want to avoid knowing what happens in Elfrida's life, you might want to skip it.

Elfrida also features in my non-fiction title, which you can read more about here.

The family tree of King Alfred. While Elfrida, and her husband aren't shown, Edgar was the son of Edmund, himself the result of his father's third marriage with Eadgifu.

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