The inside of the Carnegie Public Library on Victoria Avenue at Park Street, date unknown. I spent a lot of time here with my brother.

Edgar the Peaceful: The Young King Who Shaped a Kingdom

In 959 A.D., at just 16 years old, Edgar took the throne of England after his brother's death—and ushered in one of the calmest periods in Anglo-Saxon history. But don't let the nickname fool you: his reign wasn't quiet behind the scenes.


One of his first bold moves? Bringing back Dunstan, the fiery Abbot who once dragged Edgar's brother out of a scandalous scene involving a noblewoman and her mother. Dunstan had fled for his life—only to return under Edgar, rise to power, and eventually become Archbishop of Canterbury and a saint.


With Dunstan as his advisor, Edgar strengthened the kingdom, expanded its navy, and kept Viking threats at bay.


Meanwhile, his love life was anything but peaceful. With multiple wives, mistresses, and at least one alleged abduction, Edgar's romantic record reads like medieval tabloid drama. One tale claims a trusted nobleman stole his would-be bride Ælfthryth—so Edgar hunted him down and married her himself. Their son? The infamous Æthelred the Unready.


In 973, Edgar and Ælfthryth were crowned in Bath—the first official crowning of an English king and queen together. That ceremony became the blueprint for all royal coronations since.


On July 8, 975—1,050 years ago today—King Edgar the Peaceful died at just 33 in Winchester. Though short-lived, his reign left a lasting legacy etched into English history. See less ...read more

Theists just LOVE to claim indigenous people are barbarians in need of religion to be civilized ...and it's nothing but racism in all cases.

And there you have it