Éadgifu

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Revision as of 17:09, 21 September 2022 by 188.114.103.215 (talk)
This article is about the mother of Ælfwine. For the Old English name of the wife of Eriol, see Éadgifu.
Éadgifu
Briton
Biographical Information
LocationLionesse
Kortirion
LanguagePresumably Old English
Family
SpouseDéor
ChildrenÆlfwine
Physical Description
GenderFemale

Éadgifu was the mother of Ælfwine, from whom he has heard stories of the "islands of the West",[1] according to the early version of the legendarium in the text called Ælfwine of England from The Book of Lost Tales.[2]

History

Éadgifu was born in Lionesse, a region of Lúthien, and was called as such by Déor her husband - even though that was not her original name.

She had an unquenchable longing for the sea while she dwelt in the inland city of Kortirion[note 1][3] with Déor, a trait which was inherited by her son Ælfwine. The Elves of Lionesse, with whom she was friendly with, sent messengers to his birth, presumably to give their congratulations.

Éadgifu died during the siege of Kortirion by the Forodwaith (i.e. Vikings), and "her fair form lay unhonoured in Mindon Gwar".[2]

Etymology

The name Éadgifu is in Old English, being comprised of éad ("blessedness") + gifu ("gift").[4]

Genealogy

Déor
 
ÉADGIFU
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ælfwine
 
 

Other versions of the legendarium

In an earlier text from The Book of Lost Tales, Éadgifu was the Old English name for Naimi, the Elven wife of Eriol.[5]

Notes

  1. Kortirion was the Elvish name of the town of Warwick.

References