18 March 978: A Foul Deed at Corfe
Historic Event of March 18th: Noteworthy Occurrences onThis Day in the Past
Eighteen March, 978, darkened the skies of Dorset as a ruthless crime unfolded at Corfe. The perpetrator, a cunning villainous queen, would viciously strike down the young English King, Edward. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle lamented that no more loathsome deed has been done to the English lineage than this.
The suspicion of this heinous act fell heavily upon Edward's stepmother, Ælfthryth, the widow of his father, King Edgar. It seemed that her motive was clear: with Edward's demise, her son, Æthelred, would claim the throne as the new king. It is speculated that she lured the young monarch to Corfe under the guise of a hunt, intent on instigating his murder.
That fateful March eve, as the hunters prepared for their ride, Ælfthryth offered Edward a cup of wine. In his trust, Edward took a sip, only to be brutally stabbed in the back by her treacherous servants. As he fell from his steed, bloodied yet still breathing, Edward's foot got caught in the stirrup, and when the horse fled in terror, he was dragged to his grisly end.
The lifeless body of the slain king was hurriedly buried at Saint Mary's Church in Wareham, but his remains were soon disinterred and moved to Shaftesbury Abbey. Accounts of miracles at his tomb led to his canonization, earning him the title of Edward the Martyr.
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Dive deeper:King Edward the Martyr, the unfortunate King of the English, reigned from 975 to 978. He was brutally slain on March 18, 978, at Corfe Castle, with the suspected hands of his stepmother, Ælfthryth, who stood to benefit from his death. Edward's death allowed his ten-year-old stepbrother, Æthelred, to become the King. Edward was eventually buried in St. Mary's Church in Wareham before being moved to the more prestigious Shaftesbury Abbey, where miracles were reported at his tomb, leading to his canonization and his subsequent title as Edward the Martyr.
The political intrigue of 1809 was unfolding in Britain as the Duke of York, Frederick, resigned from his position as Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, following the general-news of his mistress, Mary Anne Clarke, using her influence for monetary gain.
The year 1861, in New Zealand, marked a significant point in the country's history as the first Taranaki War was brought to an end with the signing of a truce between the New Zealand government and the Maori tribe, marking a milestone in their conflict and general news.
