Kings of England Eadwig 955-959AD Silver Penny Small Cross

Kings of England Eadwig 955-959AD Silver Penny Small Cross Hundred

S1122, 20mm, 1.20g

A good example of a hard to find monarch. Good metal, dark tone and no edge chips.

Eadwig (955-959): Eadwig was the elder son of Eadmund, taking the throne after achieving his majority. One of the shortest reigning of all the Late Anglo-Saxon Kings, Eadwig’s reign was plagued by factionalism and alleged scandal. Popular history tells us that he was discovered by Abbot Dunstan ‘cavorting’ with an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman and her daughter during his coronation feast, though this is almost certainly a later fabrication. It is thought that his animosity with the Church was rooted in their dissolving of his marriage on account that he and his wife were too related. This caused an apparent schism in the English court, with some supporting Eadwig’s position and others his younger brother -Eadgar. Numerous land-gifts by Eadwig during his reign have been interpreted as an attempt to bring further support to his cause. However, in 957, Eadwig was forced to acknowledge his brother’s co-rule alongside him – but conveniently died in 959 before a full-blown civil war could break out. His coins are probably the rarest of all the Later Anglo-Saxon monarchs, being very hard to find in general.