Estrid of Essex was a 9th-century Francian noblewoman and the wife of Ealdorman Birstan of Essex.
Biography[]
Estrid was born in Francia to a noble family, and she came to England in 855 AD to marry the much older Ealdorman Birstan of Essex. Their marriage was unhappy, as Birstan often preoccupied himself with hunting in the Epping Forest or spending lavishly for his enjoyment, while the lonely Estrid was forced to confide in her handmaiden Gisele and engage in numerous extramarital affairs. Ultimately, husband and wife agreed to separate, but, as divorce was not easily attainable in England (especially for an ealdorman who could be removed at King Alfred the Great's pleasure), they were forced to arrange for Estrid to be spiritede away to Francia in a faux kidnapping. The intended kidnapper, the Norwegian Viking captain Rollo, instead started an affair with Estrid and could not muster up the strength to take Estrid to Francia, and the plot failed. In 875, they decided to try again with the help of the Viking Eivor, who ultimately enlisted Rollo's help a second time in exchange for helping him free his captive crew members from Port Walton. Estrid was then "kidnapped" at the Festival of Lammas during a Viking raid, and she was taken to Wulfaswic, where Rollo awaited better weather in the English Channel before he could take her to France. King Alfred later sent men to rescue Estrid, leading to a fierce battle in which the Viking warrior Lork sacrificed his life to protect Estrid. Estrid was then ferried across the Channel to Francia, where she lived the life of freedom which she had desired for the past two decades.
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