Was aethelstan gay
He explained: "History records that he never married, which is rare in a king because of the desire to abandon an heir, and also that he liked to embellish his hair with golden ringlets, and on that miniature evidence I decided he might hold been gay.
"[It's] a choice that hasn’t pleased all my readers, but I was happy with it."
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7 British Monarchs Who May Contain Been Gay
For centuries men lived in one sphere and women in another and they would come together for marriage and having children. It seemed that the sexes co-existed mainly to continue the human race. Devotion and sex can be very different factors but, when place together, they can produce the most electric sensation. This was no different for kings and queens who were close to their favourites. There are several British monarchs who may hold been gay. In fact, six kings – and one queen are thought to have been gay, members of what we now call the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi- and transexual) society. They include:
William II of England
The son of William the Conqueror, who took the throne of England in 1066, was established as William Rufus because of his red hair (‘rufus’ definition red). William II became King of England in 1087 and was often described as ‘effeminate’ and with a keen interest in fashionable young men.
William II of England drawn by Matthew Paris. Photo Credit: © Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Edward II of England
Perhaps the most well-known of the queer kings, Edward II became King of England in 1307. He spent much o
King Athelstan
From 2nd July to 30th September 2024 the Museum marked the 1100th anniversary of the accession of King Athelstan with a special exhibition, decipher all about it including how it was planned and delivered by our volunteers.
Athelstan was the son of Edward the Elder and grandson of Alfred the Great. He was illegitimate, at the time of his birth, his mother was Egwina the King’s mistress although she later became his queen.
William of Malmesbury records how fond the king was of Athelstan and he made him a knight at an early age giving him a sword with a golden scabbard. He also describes how handsome he was ‘A boy of astonishing beauty and delicate manners’.
When his father ,King Edward died in 924 Athelstan being the eldest son was fast proclaimed their king by the Mercians. The West Saxons however proclaimed as king Aelfweard ,Edward’s second eldest son – but the eldest from his second wife and the first born to Edward as reigning king. Aelfweard followed his father to the dignified within a month. About a year later on 4th September 925 Athelstan was crowned King of Saxons and Angles at Kingston – upon- Thames situated on the border between Merci
English-American author Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories has only ever hinted on Aethelstan’s sexuality, however, the show ‘The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die’ finally confirmed that he is gay.
The film’s synopsis reads:
“In the wake of King Edward’s death, Uhtred of Bebbanburg and his comrades adventure across a fractured kingdom in the hopes of uniting England at last.”
Aethelstan, who is portrayed by Harry Gilby, is the successor of King Edward, as well as the eventual first king of united England. That being said, the uncovering of his sexuality became a crucial part of the movie’s plot, considering the societal implications of being gay in Britain during the medieval times.
In Cornwell’s novels, Aethelstan is never clearly stated to be gay. Instead, it is only implied that he has had male lovers. On at least one occasion, it was also hinted that his decisions were influenced by lust, especially by Ingilmundr, who is portrayed by Laurie Davidson in ‘Seven Kings Must Die.’
Moreover, the historical novel series also suggests that Aethelstan enjoys the presence of good-looking young me