On This Day

Edgar I, the Peaceful, becomes king of all England

Edgar (or Eadgar; c. 944 – 8 July 975), also known as Edgar the Peacemaker, the Peaceful and the Peaceable, was King of the English from 959 until his death in 975.

Edgar (or Eadgar; c. 944 – 8 July 975), also known as Edgar the Peacemaker, the Peaceful and the Peaceable, was King of the English from 959 until his death in 975. He became king of all England on his brother Eadwig's death. He was the younger son of King Edmund I and his first wife, Ælfgifu. A detailed account of Edgar's reign is not possible, because only a few events were recorded by chroniclers and monastic writers, who were more interested in recording the activities of the leaders of the church.

Edgar mainly followed the political policies of his predecessors, but there were major changes in the religious sphere. The English Benedictine Reform, which he strongly supported, became a dominant religious and social force.

Events Before

  1. Lotharius becomes King of France

    Lotharius becomes King of France

  2. Octavian, son of Duke Alberic II of Spoleto, elected Pope John XII

    Pope John XII (Latin: Ioannes XII; c. 930/937 – 14 May 964), born Octavian, was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 16 December 955 to his death in 964.

  3. Battle of Lechfeld: Otto I, King of the Germans defeats the Hungarian, ending 50 years of Magyar invasion of Western Eur

    Battle of Lechfeld: Otto I, King of the Germans defeats the Hungarian, ending 50 years of Magyar invasion of Western Europe

  4. Bishop Ratherius of Liège flees

    Ratherius (887–890 AD – 974 AD) or Rathier or Rather of Verona was a teacher, writer, and bishop. His difficult personality and political activities led to his becoming an exile and a wanderer.

  5. Wulfstan, Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of York (931-52) who supported Viking leaders, dies under arrest

    Wulfstan, Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of York (931-52) who supported Viking leaders, dies under arrest

Events After

  1. Coronation of Zhao Kuangyin as Emperor Taizu of the Song initiates three centuries of Song Dynasty dominance in southern

    Coronation of Zhao Kuangyin as Emperor Taizu of the Song initiates three centuries of Song Dynasty dominance in southern China

  2. German King Otto II crowned

    Otto I (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), known as Otto the Great (German: Otto der Große; Italian: Ottone il Grande) or Otto of Saxony (German: Otto von Sachsen; Italian: Ottone di Sassonia), was East...

  3. Under future Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, Byzantine troops storm the city of Aleppo and recover the tattered tunic of J

    Under future Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, Byzantine troops storm the city of Aleppo and recover the tattered tunic of John the Baptist during the Arab–Byzantine wars

  4. Pope John XII crowns German King Otto I the Great Emperor

    Pope John XII (Latin: Ioannes XII; c. 930/937 – 14 May 964), born Octavian, was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 16 December 955 to his death in 964.

  5. The imperial army proclaims Nicephorus Phocas to be Emperor of the Romans on the plains outside Cappadocian Caesarea

    The imperial army proclaims Nicephorus Phocas to be Emperor of the Romans on the plains outside Cappadocian Caesarea

More from the 950s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on October 1, 959?
Edgar (or Eadgar; c. 944 – 8 July 975), also known as Edgar the Peacemaker, the Peaceful and the Peaceable, was King of the English from 959 until his death in 975. He became king of all England on his brother Eadwig's death.
Why is Edgar I, the Peaceful, becomes king of all England historically important?
Edgar mainly followed the political policies of his predecessors, but there were major changes in the religious sphere. The English Benedictine Reform, which he strongly supported, became a dominant religious and social force.

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