English Monarch, House of Wessex. Born sometime between 942 and 944, he was the son of Eadmund I and Alfgiva, the younger brother of Eadwig (also called Edwy) "the Fair" who would precede him to the throne. His mother died within his first year and his father was stabbed to death three years later. He was then raised in the household of Ethhelstan, called Half-King. Eadgar's uncle, Edred, ruled until his death in 955, followed by his brother, who was an unpopular king and whose reign was marked by conflict with the Church, which was punctuated by his banishment of both Dunstan and Archbishop Odo. After Eadwig's death at about 20 in 959, Eadgar ascended, consolidating the kingdoms of Mercia, Northumbria, and Wessex, becoming one of the first to claim the title of King of all England. He recalled Dunstan and appointed him Bishop of Worcester, then Bishop of London, then Archbishop of Canterbury. They implemented a monastic reform; removing secular priests and replacing them with monks, appointed new bishops and priests, and transferred a great deal of land to the church. He married Ethelfleda Eneda between 961 and 962, and with her had one son, known to history as Edward the Martyr. At about the same time, he was said to have abducted and seduced a nun called Wulfrith, and with her had a daughter, later known as Saint Edith. After the death of Ethelfleda about 963 he sought a new wife. According to legend, in about 965 he joined a hunt with a nobleman, Edgar, who was reputed to have a beautiful wife. The king's javelin found Edgar's back during the hunt, and the widow married him, giving him two sons, the younger of whom would be known as Ethelred the Unready. He was belatedly crowned King of England on May 11, 973 at Bath Abbey by Bishop Dunstan, after which all the lesser rulers, including the Welsh princes, swore allegiance. His reign was marked by political stability and efficient courts, while education and literature flourished. He died at Winchester at about age 32 and was succeeded by his eldest son.