Editing Eadred (section)

== Family and early life ==
Eadred's father, Edward the Elder, had three wives, eight or nine daughters, several of whom married Continental royalty, and five sons. Æthelstan, the son of Edward's first wife, [[Ecgwynn]], was born around 894, but she probably died around the time of Alfred's death, as by 901 Edward was married to [[Ælfflæd (wife of Edward the Elder)|Ælfflæd]]. In about 919, he married [[Eadgifu of Kent|Eadgifu]], who had two sons, Edmund and Eadred. According to the twelfth century chronicler [[William of Malmesbury]], Edmund was about eighteen years old when he succeeded to the throne in 939, which dates his birth to 920–921, and their father Edward died in 924, so Eadred was born around 923.{{sfnm|1a1=Miller|1y=2004|2a1=Foot|2y=2011b|2pp=31, 50–51|3a1=Mynors|3a2=Thomson|3a3=Winterbottom|3y=1998|3p=229}} He had one or two full sisters. [[Eadburh of Winchester|Eadburh]] was a nun at Winchester who was later venerated as a saint. William of Malmesbury gives Eadred a second full sister called Eadgifu like her mother, who married Louis, [[Duke of Aquitaine|prince of Aquitaine]]. William's account is accepted by the historians [[Ann Williams (historian)|Ann Williams]] and Sean Miller, but Æthelstan's biographer [[Sarah Foot]] argues that she did not exist, and that William confused her with Ælfgifu, a daughter of Ælfflæd.{{sfnm|1a1=Foot|1y=2011b|1p=45, 50–51|2a1=Williams|2y=2004a|3a1=Miller|3y=2004|4a1=Mynors|4a2=Thomson |4a3=Winterbottom|4y=1998|4p=201}} 

Eadred grew up with his brother at Æthelstan's court, and probably also with two important Continental exiles, his nephew [[Louis IV of France|Louis]], future [[West Francia|King of the West Franks]], and [[Alan II, Duke of Brittany|Alain]], future [[Duke of Brittany]]. According to William of Malmesbury, Æthelstan showed great affection towards Edmund and Eadred: "mere infants at his father's death, he brought them up lovingly in childhood, and when they grew up gave them a share in his kingdom".{{sfnm|1a1=Foot|1y=2011b|1pp=43, 52–53|2a1=Mynors|2a2=Thomson|2a3=Winterbottom|2y=1998|2p=229}} At a royal assembly shortly before Æthelstan's death in 939, Edmund and Eadred attested charter S 446,{{efn|A charter's S number is its number in [[Peter Sawyer (historian)|Peter Sawyer]]'s list of Anglo-Saxon charters, available online at the [https://esawyer.lib.cam.ac.uk/about/index.html Electronic Sawyer].}} which granted land to their full sister, Eadburh. They both attested as ''regis frater'' (king's brother).{{sfn|Roach|2013|p=40|ps=; {{cite web|url=https://esawyer.lib.cam.ac.uk/charter/446.html#|title=S 446}} }} This is the only charter of Æthelstan attested by Eadred.{{sfn|Keynes|2002|loc=Table XXXIa (2 and 3 of 6)}} 

Eadgifu and Eadred attested many of Edmund's charters, showing a high degree of family cooperation; initially Eadgifu attested first, but from sometime in late 943 or early 944 Eadred took precedence, perhaps reflecting his growing authority. Eadgifu attested around one-third of Edmund's charters, always as ''regis mater'' (king's mother), including all grants to religious institutions and individuals. Eadred attested over half,{{efn|Eadred almost always attested Edmund's charters as ''frater regis'' (king's brother). Two exceptions are {{cite web|url=https://esawyer.lib.cam.ac.uk/charter/505.html |title=S 505}} with ''cliton'' ([[medieval Latin]] for prince) and {{cite web|url=https://esawyer.lib.cam.ac.uk/charter/511.html |title=S 511}} with ''cliton et frater regis''.{{sfnm|1a1=Keynes|1y=2002|1loc =Table XXXIa (3–5 of 6)|2a1=Dumville|2y=1979|2pp=6–8 }} }} and [[Pauline Stafford]] comments: "No other adult male of the West Saxon house was ever given such prominence before his accession."{{sfnm|1a1=Stafford|1y=1981|1p=25|2a1=Trousdale|2y=2007|2pp=143–145, 213, 215|3a1=Keynes|3y=2002|3loc= Table XXXIa (3–5 of 6)}}