View source for Edmund the Martyr

'''Edmund the Martyr''' (circa 840 - November 20, 870) was [[King]] of [[East Anglia]] from 855, [[becoming king|succeeding]] [[Aethelweard]].

In 870 [[Denmark|Danish]] raiders led by Hinguar and Hubba began plundering [[Northumberland]] and [[Mercia]], burning [[church]]es and [[monastery|monasteries]] and soon moved south into Edmund's lands. Edmund raised an [[army]] and met the Danes in Thetford. Finding himself outnumbered he retreated to his [[castle]] in Suffolk, before being captured. Turning down a number of demands on the grounds that they were prejudicial to his [[Christian]] [[religion|faith]], he was tied to a tree and shot with [[arrow]]s before being decapitated.

Edmund was later recognised as a [[saint]], and his [[feast day]] is the 20th of November.

[[Category:Monarchs (medieval)]]
[[category:9th century]]
[[category:people (medieval)]]