Editing Edward the Martyr (section)

=== Administration ===
''[[Witan]]s'' (king's councils) met at Kingston upon Thames, perhaps on the occasion of Edward's coronation, at [[Kirtlington]] in [[Oxfordshire]] after Easter 977, and at [[Calne]] in [[Wiltshire]] in the same year. The meeting at Calne was held on an upper storey which collapsed; many leading counsellors were injured and some killed, but Dunstan was unharmed because he was standing on a beam.{{sfnm|1a1=Roach|1y=2013|1pp=67, 240|2a1=Williams|2y=2003|2p=11}} Ælfhere attested first among the ealdormen and Æthelwine second in all of Edward's charters, indicating that they retained their positions from the previous reign as the leading lay magnates.{{sfnm|1a1=Keynes|1y=2008|1p=53|2a1=Hart|2y=2005|3a1=Keynes|3y=2002|3loc=Tables LVI (3 of 3), LVIII}} Edward's first charter was attested by almost all the leading magnates, showing that his rule had been generally accepted. This is the first charter which lists the chronicler [[Æthelweard the Chronicler|Æthelweard]] as an ealdorman and he was presumably appointed by Edward.{{sfn|Roach|2016|pp=68–70}} There appear to have been no ealdormen covering the south of England in the early 970s, perhaps because Edgar's authority was so great that he was able to cover the area personally. After Edward acceded, three ealdormen were appointed to cover the area, Æthelweard in west Wessex, Æthelmær in Hampshire and [[Eadwine of Sussex|Eadwine]] in Sussex and Kent. If stability had depended on Edgar's personal authority, then it is not surprising that the authorities found it so difficult to maintain order after his death.{{sfn|Keynes|2008|p=53}} The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' disapprovingly records the exile of Ealdorman [[Oslac of York]] during Edward's reign, but the circumstances are unknown. Few other events are recorded during his reign: there was a severe famine in 976, Bishop Sideman died in 977,{{sfnm|1a1=Williams|1y=2003|1p=11|2a1=Whitelock|2y=1979|2pp=229–230}} and in 978 Dunstan purchased land near [[Hendon]] in [[Middlesex]] from Edward.{{sfnm|1a1=Keynes|1y=2005|1p=57|2a1=Charter S 1450}}