Editing Edmund I (section)

=== Relations with Continental Europe ===
Edmund inherited strong Continental contacts from Æthelstan's cosmopolitan court, and these were enhanced by their sisters' marriages to foreign kings and princes. Edmund carried on his brother's Continental policies and maintained his alliances, especially with his nephew [[Louis IV of France|King Louis IV]] of [[West Francia]] and [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]], King of [[East Francia]] and future [[Holy Roman Emperor]]. Louis was both nephew and brother-in-law of Otto, while Otto and Edmund were brothers-in-law.{{sfn|Williams|2004}} There were almost certainly extensive diplomatic contacts between Edmund and Continental rulers which have not been recorded, but it is known that Otto sent delegations to Edmund's court.{{sfnm|1a1=Campbell|1y=1978|1p=258|2a1=Dumville|2y=1992|2pp=178–179}}{{efn|The statement that Otto sent delegations to Edmund's court is based on stories in the earliest life of Dunstan, written around 1000 by an author who only identified himself as "B". He stated that Edmund threatened to expel Dunstan from the court, upon which Dunstan appealed to members of a visiting embassy from "the eastern kingdom" ({{lang|la|regnum orientis}}) for asylum. In most contemporary Continental sources, {{lang|la|'orientale...regnum'}} designates [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantium]], but the term is also used to refer to East Francia, which is more likely in this context. "B" also states that an apparition appeared to Dunstan on the day of Edmund's death which claimed to be from "the eastern kingdom".{{sfnm|1a1=Winterbottom and Lapidge|1y=2012|1pp=lxiv, 46–47 and n. 137, 94–95|2a1=Lapidge|2y=1993|2p=282}} }} In the early 940s, some [[Normans|Norman lords]] sought the help of the Danish prince [[Harald Bluetooth|Harald]] against Louis, and in 945 Harald captured Louis and handed him to [[Hugh the Great]], [[Duke of the Franks]], who kept him prisoner. Edmund and Otto both protested and demanded his immediate release, but this only took place in exchange for the surrender of the town of [[Laon]] to Hugh.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1999|p=385}}

Edmund's name is in the [[confraternity book]] of [[Pfäfers Abbey]] in [[Switzerland]], perhaps at the request of Archbishop Oda when staying there on his way to or from [[Rome]] to collect his [[pallium]]. As with the diplomatic delegations, this probably represents rare surviving evidence of extensive contacts between English and Continental churchmen which continued from Æthelstan's reign.{{sfnm|1a1=Dumville|1y=1992|1p=178|2a1=Keynes|2y=1985|2p=201}}