Ælfwynn (died 8 July 983) was a member of a wealthy Anglo-Saxon family in Huntingdonshire. In about 932 she married Æthelstan, the powerful ealdorman of East Anglia, who was called the Half-King because monarchs were said to depend on his advice. Ælfwynn is chiefly known for having been foster-mother to the future king Edgar (ruled 959–975), following his mother's death in 944, when he was an infant. Æthelstan was a leading supporter of the monastic reform movement; Edgar's upbringing in reforming circles profoundly influenced him, and he became a strong ally of the movement as king. Ælfwynn had four sons, and the youngest, Æthelwine, became the chief secular magnate and a leading monastic reformer like his father. In 966 he was a co-founder of Ramsey Abbey. Ælfwynn donated her estates to the foundation in the same year, including one given to her by Edgar, and was probably buried there. She may have played a crucial role in Ramsey's establishment. ( Full article... )
February 18 : First day of Ramadan (2026); Ash Wednesday (Western Christianity, 2026); Tibetan New Year begins (2026)
| |
The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus), also known as the European souslik, is a species in the squirrel family, Sciuridae. Like all squirrels, it is a member of the order of rodents, and it is found in central and southeastern Europe, with its range divided into two parts by the Carpathian Mountains. It is a colonial animal and mainly diurnal. The European ground squirrel excavates a branching system of tunnels up to 2 metres (6 ft) deep, with several entrances. This requires a habitat of short turf, such as on steppes, pasture, dry banks, sports fields, parks and lawns. Its short, dense fur is yellowish grey, tinged with red, with a few indistinct pale and dark spots on the back. Adults typically measure 20 to 23 centimetres (8 to 9 in) with a weight of 240 to 340 grams (8.5 to 12.0 oz). It has a slender build with a short, bushy tail, and makes a shrill alarm call that causes all other individuals in the vicinity to dive for cover. This European ground squirrel was photographed in Obrovisko Family Park, near Muráň, Slovakia. Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp Recently featured: |