Talk:Edward the Martyr

Featured articleEdward the Martyr is a featured article; it (or a previous version of it) has been identified as one of the best articles produced by the Wikipedia community. Even so, if you can update or improve it, please do so.
Main Page trophyThis article appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page as Today's featured article on March 18, 2025.
On this day... Article milestones
DateProcessResult
October 5, 2007Good article nomineeListed
August 12, 2009Good article reassessmentKept
December 9, 2023Peer reviewReviewed
January 26, 2024Featured article candidatePromoted
On this day... Facts from this article were featured on Wikipedia's Main Page in the "On this day..." column on March 18, 2017, and March 18, 2024.
Current status: Featured article

Saint or not?

He is referred to in museums as SAINT Edward the Martyr, and he is listed on Catholic Saint indexes, yet this article says he was never canonised. Where did this information come from? It seems inaccurate. — Preceding unsigned comment added by BaldrickG (talk • contribs) 20:28, 2 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Canonization is a specific procedure to grant sainthood, but it only appeared centuries later. At the time of Edward, popular acclamation was the main way saints were created. Once enough Christians believed you were one, then you were one. This is what happened to Edward: he never underwent the canonization process, but he is still considered as a saint. There is no contradiction there, and he is not the only one in that case. – Swa cwæð Ælfgar (talk) 05:41, 3 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Untitled

That last change doesn't get us very far. There are 2 courses of action open to us:-

1. Find reliable sources that he is sometimes know as Edward II or Eadward II, add something in the opening that he is not to be confused with Edward II of England, and look into making similar changes to Edward the Elder and Edward the Confessor.

2. Ditch that "(II)" altogether. PatGallacher (talk) 20:13, 8 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I merely responded to the problem you signalled in your edit summary, which was that the previous phrase could easily be misread as giving you a choice between either (1) "Edward the Martyr", or (2) "Eadward II" (which is nonsense of course). I'll get rid of the numeral (per option 2), which has no place here and would be a potential source for confusion anyway. Cavila (talk) 20:30, 8 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Wilson-Claridge?

The second paragraph of the "Later cult" section mentions activities of a "Wilson-Claridge" (presumably, Shaftesbury Abbey "Director of Excavations" John E. Wilson-Claridge) without any explanation.

Are people supposed to know to whom this refers? If no one objects, I'll enhance this with something similar to the information available in the Shaftesbury Abbey and London Necropolis Company articles. Rt3368 (talk) 02:36, 31 December 2013 (UTC)[reply]

In St Mary's Beverley

King Edward painted on the ceiling of St Mary's in Beverley.

Is the image to the right Edward the Martyr? Greenshed (talk) 06:05, 30 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Apparently - it says he reigned 2 years, and the Martyr is the only Edward for whom this can be said. Agricolae (talk) 15:28, 18 July 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Another church with same dedication

There is another orthodoxchurch with the same dedication, which should be included in this article http://saintedwardsorthodoxdorset.org/ Dean1954 (talk) 11:49, 13 June 2018 (UTC)[reply]

There are probably other churches as well. The Brookwood church is mentioned because of the controversy over his supposed body. Dudley Miles (talk) 12:20, 13 June 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Shrine

Given the uncertainty about the relics/bones kept by the Old Calendarists, is it really correct to say that there is a shrine at their church?

1.127.109.136 (talk) 16:29, 26 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Place of death

The article stated that Edward was murdered at Corfe Castle in 978 however the earliest construction date for Corfe Castle is after the Norman invasion of 1066 so he can't have been killed at a castle that didn't exist at the time. OEB1 STORM (talk) 12:15, 25 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The link is wrong. It should be to Corfe Castle (village) rather than the castle itself, but the term is still confusing. I have tried to make to clearer by just referring to Corfe. If anyone has a better idea then they can have a go. ODNB has "a natural defensive mound dominating the gap of Corfe in the Purbeck hills". Dudley Miles (talk) 20:59, 25 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Name

Someone cleaned up the name but it should be undone. We should have the Old English forms that appeared in contemporary documents and coinage (e.g. EADVEARD and EADVYEARD) somewhere on the page, even if only as a footnote. — LlywelynII 05:44, 4 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]

They were removed because they were unreferenced. We would need a reliable reference for the correct form. Dudley Miles (talk) 06:32, 4 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Semi-protected edit request on 18 March 2025

Changing the term ROCA to ROCOR, since while ROCOR has been referred to as the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, it is generally referred to as the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. (which would be more accurate since the bones were transferred to this body before the modern group that also is referred to as ROCA which split around 2007 with with other churches joining in the years following.) A-single-grey-rooftile (talk) 19:11, 18 March 2025 (UTC)[reply]

This would be an unsourced change and we have to follow sources. Dudley Miles (talk) 20:09, 18 March 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Biased nonsense with no sources

“Edward was known in his own time for his extreme violence, and historians consider his veneration thoroughly undeserved.” 213.31.124.18 (talk) 12:17, 3 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Sources are not required for the lead. The statement is cited to reliable sources in the main text. Dudley Miles (talk) 12:29, 3 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Perhaps it's difficult to find as the same words are not used? Martinevans123 (talk) 12:40, 3 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Quote from Byrhtferth, writing around 1000, about why some opposed Edward's accession to the throne: "But the elder son struck not only fear but even terror into everyone; he hounded them not only with tongue-lashings but even with cruel beatings – and most of all those who were members of his own household." And "The historian Tom Watson commented, "For an obnoxious teenager who showed no evidence of sanctity or kingly attributes and who should have been barely a footnote, his cult has endured mightily well."" Dudley Miles (talk) 21:20, 3 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, I managed to find those quotes. Perhaps the phrases "extreme violence" and "veneration thoroughly undeserved" ought to appear in the main body? Martinevans123 (talk) 21:29, 3 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
I think that the lead should summarise the main text, not duplicate its wording, but maybe others disagree. Dudley Miles (talk) 21:39, 3 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
I must admit I was expecting "extreme violence" to be a summary of something like decapitation with bare hands or maybe dismemberment, not just a few cruel servant beatings. Oh well, never mind. Not many obnoxious teenagers who become saints, I guess. Martinevans123 (talk) 08:37, 4 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Yes extreme violence is too strong, although they were leading aristocrats, not just servants. How about "physical and verbal abuse"? Dudley Miles (talk) 09:16, 4 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Sounds fine. Probably better than "frightful beastliness" or "dreadful unpleasantness"! Martinevans123 (talk) 09:21, 4 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
I do find it a little odd that there is such a declarative statement as if all historians think this. Might be worth saying "many historians..." rather than the implication of a consensus that I don't see in the text. Zeno491 (talk) 12:03, 4 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Tend to agree. Martinevans123 (talk) 12:13, 4 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
I have changed the first one. I think the second is correct, but I agree that few have expressed an opinion on the point, although many have expressed distaste for his character which implies that he is unworthy of sainthood. Dudley Miles (talk) 16:40, 4 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]