Eadwig, King of England, took the throne in 955 as a teenager crowned at Kingston upon Thames, inheriting a realm forged by his grandfather Edward the Elder, his father Edmund, and his uncle Eadred. Within two years, that fragile unity was shattered. His marriage to Ælfgifu was annulled, Saint Dunstan was sent into exile, and the Mercians and Northumbrians deserted him in 957 to follow his younger brother Edgar. Was this the downfall of a reckless youth undone by scandal, or the calculated strike of reformers who saw him as an obstacle? Some say he was dragged from a woman's arms in a scene of humiliation. Others argue the story was crafted by Dunstan's allies to stain his memory. Was his generosity to nobles true kingship, or reckless largesse that drained his crown? And was his sudden death in 959 at just nineteen an accident, illness—or something darker?

This Anglo-Saxon history episode explores the reign of a boy-king whose political failure split 10th century England, not by war but by politics, and whose short rule revealed how fragile the idea of one kingdom truly was. Discover how church reform, rebellion, and royal family rivalry conspired to erase King Eadwig's legacy from medieval English history, even as his stumble set the stage for Edgar the Peaceful and the strengthening of the English crown. Perfect for listeners of British history podcasts who want to uncover the untold stories of England's medieval monarchy and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle's most controversial teenage ruler.

King Eadwig England | Eadwig the Fair | Anglo-Saxon kings history | 10th century England podcast | Saint Dunstan exile | Edgar the Peaceful | Ælfgifu marriage | Archbishop Oda | Anglo-Saxon Chronicle | English monarchy history | Medieval England podcast | Early English history | History of Wessex | Northumbria Mercia | Crown & Kingdom Podcast | British history podcast | Anglo-Saxon history podcast | Medieval kings England | English unification history