Who was Ealhswith?

 From Royal Central:

In 871, King Ethelred died. Despite having two young sons, it was decided his brother, Alfred, would become King. Ealhswith was not given the title of Queen due to the misdeeds of an earlier queen who had accidentally poisoned her husband. The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were in great danger from continuous invasions by the Danish Vikings. By 878, Wessex was the only kingdom not under their rule. The Danes attacked Alfred at Chippenham where he had been staying for Christmas; however, he escaped to the marshes of Somerset where he regrouped and raised an army. He defeated the Danes at the Battle of Edington, and after the Danish leader, Guthrum converted to Christianity, peace was established.

Alfred realised the kingdoms would be stronger if they came together as one nation, and out of this the nation of England would be born. There is little record of Ealhswith’s life in official sources; however, on Alfred’s death in 899, he left her three estates in his will. It is thought that after Alfred’s death she founded the convent of St Mary’s Abbey Winchester. She died on the 5th December 902 and was buried in her son Edward’s new Benedictine Abbey, the New Minster, Winchester. She is commemorated in two tenth-century manuscripts as “the true and dear Lady of the English”. She is venerated as a Saint in the Christian East and West. (Read more.)