Earl Godwin. The chronicler also left a blank space between Ælfric and Goda, as if allowing for the name of another brother. Thegns bearing these names occur among the witnesses to the charters issued in the name of King Æthelred II in the late tenth and early eleventh centuries. These thegns occur quite often in groups of two or three, which might be interpreted as evidence that they were members of the same family. Æthelric seems to have been accompanied from the mid-990s onwards by one or more of his sons (not including Ælfric). Judging from the witness lists, it may be that the name of the other brother was Æthelnoth. At some time before 1009 Eadric married Eadgyth (Edith), the daughter of King Æthelred. This was a political marriage, intended to strengthen alliances. Although instrumental in serving Æthelred for many years, Eadric ultimately ended up changing his allegiance several times, and betraying his wife's family. There is no record of Eadric and Eadgyth having any children. Eadgyth was likely Eadric's second wife, for according to Henry of Huntingdon, the son of Eadric Streona was responsible for murdering King Edmund "Ironsides". This son, if he existed, would have been born prior to Eadric's marriage to Eadgyth, for any child of Eadgyth would have been too young to encompass murder in 1016 when King Edmund died. Early career Eadric himself is perhaps first identifiable in the witness lists of charters, along with his father and brother Brihtric, in 1002. Other members of Eadric's family seem to have been present at court in some strength in 1004–5; there are no lists in which Eadric appears in 1006, but Eadric was reported in that year for being involved in the killing of Ealdorman Ælfhelm: Eadric does appear among the thegns in 1007 at St Albans Abbey, in which year he was appointed Ealdorman of Mercia. It might have been in 1007, or thereabouts, that Eadric married Eadgyth, daughter of King Æthelred. This may either reflect or account for his sudden rise to prominence, since John of Worcester implies that the marriage had taken place by 1009. Ealdorman of Mercia Tribute Eadric was appointed the Ealdorman of Mercia in 1007. The position had been vacant since 985, when his predecessor Ælfric Cild was driven into exile after being accused of treachery. However, Eadric must have been on better terms with king Ethelred as he