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St Edmund, King of East Anglia, Martyr and Patron Saint of England

Ask anyone who the patron saint of England is, and the majority will say St. George. Little do they know however, that England's original patron saint was St. Edmund, a truly remarkable Englishman. With the combined efforts of the Crusades and the ethnic cleansing of the Englisc people by the Norman invaders, St. Edmund has slowly been replaced over the years by St. George.

As we all know, the flag of England is the Cross of St George, and this is the flag that has been flown around the world as a show of triumph and strength. But, what about St. Edmund?

St. Edmund was a descendant of the Wuffings and the Wuffing Kingdom of East Anglia. Although accounts of his martyrdom vary, there is no doubt that the people of the time witnessed in their eyes the marks of a saint.

We do know that St. Edmund died an agonising death, and that even after being tortured, he still stayed true to his beliefs.

The Legend

"In this year the (Danish) host rode across Mercia into East Anglia and took winter quarters in Thetford and the same year King Edmund fought against them and the Danes had the victory, and they slew the King and overran the entire kingdom." - Anglo Saxon Chronicle: (Version A, written between 877 - 899)

Although brief, the above tells us that England was invaded by the Danes, leading to the death of King Edmund. Some say he was killed on the battlefield, others state that he was tortured and beheaded. Whatever actually happened that day will never be known, however the most magical of those stories has over the years caught the imagination of many people.

It is believed that Edmund escaped from the battle after his army was defeated by the Danish outlanders. Edmund fled to Haegelisdun (Hoxne as it is now known) where he took shelter beneath the Goldbrook bridge (Gold Bridge). It is there that Edmund was finally captured, after the reflection of his spur was spotted by passing newly-weds. The Danes dragged Edmund from under the bridge and marched him to Belmore's Oak, or St Edmund's Oak as it became later known. There he was tied to the tree, whipped and riddled with arrows. Edmund refused to denounce his faith and yield his treasures, stating that he would rather die for his people and his God. It was then that Edmund was beheaded, and his head was taken into the nearby woods and discarded into the undergrowth.


Image depicting St. Edmund's martyrdom

After the Danes had left, the locals came to discover Edmund's decapitated body tied to a tree. They then began a search for days to find their King's head, and as all hope faded, they spotted a hungry wolf guarding Edmund's head, and although the wolf was hungry and cold, it refused to leave. The villagers retrieved the head and travelled back to town under the watchful eye of the guardian wolf. Edmund's head was then placed together with his body in a temporary chapel, which was to become the site of many alleged miracles for visiting worshippers.

Edmund's body was later moved to Beodricesworth, or Bury St. Edmunds, where the greatest miracle was witnessed. It is said that upon opening his coffin they found that his head and body were attached, with nothing more than a small red ring visible around his neck, and that all wounds from the arrows had healed.

Legacy

Although St. Edmund is not known to many as the patron saint of England, his legacy lives on all around us. From "Bury St Edmunds" to the names of churches and colleges. He is also the patron saint of torture victims, and wolves.

Banner / Standard

The banner or standard of St. Edmund consists of three golden/yellow crowns within a blue shield, and is similar to that on the Swedish Coat of Arms.


Shield of St. Edmund

Facts

St. Edmund's day is on November 20th.
He was only a teenager when he became King.
He died in 869/70.
His banner was flown by English warriors during the battle of Agincourt.

Further reading

A Saint's Revenge - Edmund of the East Angles
The history of the legend of Saint Edmund
Wikipedia - St Edmund