Eadric (ÃÂdric) (fl. 942–949) was a tenth-century ealdorman of Wessex. He was the youngest of four sons of ÃÂthelfrith, an ealdorman in Mercia, and his wife ÃÂthelgyth. From 946 until his death in 949 Eadric was the second most senior ealdorman in England, surpassed only by his brother ÃÂthelstan Half-King.
Eadric was born to ÃÂthelfrith, an ealdorman who ruled territory in southern and eastern Mercia, and his wife ÃÂthelgyth, who came from a family with considerable wealth that owned land in Buckinghamshire. Eadric was the youngest of four brothers, the other three being ÃÂlfstan, ÃÂthelstan Half-King, and ÃÂthelwold, all four of whom were made ealdormen between 925 and 950. ÃÂlfstan, the eldest brother, succeeded to his father's ealdordom upon the death of his father around 915, though he died in 934. ÃÂthelstan Half-King was made Ealdorman of East Anglia in 932, though his jurisdiction also included Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire and parts of Lincolnshire. ÃÂthelwold was granted an ealdordom in 940, ruling over Kent and neighbouring counties including Essex. Eadric was the last of the four brothers to be granted an ealdordom, ruling over central Wessex from 942 onwards. He succeeded a man named ÃÂlfhere as ealdorman.
By about 945 Eadric and his two surviving brothers between them controlled over half the kingdom. Beginning in 943 ÃÂthelstan is listed first among the king's ealdormen when witnessing charters, indicating his premier position. ÃÂthelwold is listed second and Eadric is listed between third and sixth depending on the particular charter. ÃÂthelwold died in 946, leaving land in Sussex and on the Berkshire Downs to Eadric. A later charter by King Eadred details land at these same two places to be given to Eadric, though it is not known whether this refers to new land or is simply of a confirmation of the land left to Eadric by his brother. Following ÃÂthelwold's death Eadric is listed second only to his brother ÃÂthelstan when witnessing royal charters. Eadric died in 949 and was succeeded as ealdorman by ÃÂthelsige.
It is possible that Eadric was the father of ÃÂthelweard (historian), if true then he had at least four children, the others being ÃÂthelweard's siblings ÃÂlfweard, ÃÂlfgifu and ÃÂlfwaru. This identification rests on ÃÂlfgifu's possession of the estate of Risborough, which had belonged to Eadric's mother, ÃÂthelgyth. ÃÂlfgifu is often identified with ÃÂlfgifu, wife of Eadwig, and that queen's documented mother, ÃÂthelgifu, would then be Eadric's wife.