Eadric Streona

Eadric or Edric Streona (died 1017) was an ealdorman of the Mercians.

Eadric was of ignoble birth but advanced to high dignity through the favor of the English king Ethelred II. In 1007 he became ealdorman of the Mercians, and subsequently married Ethelreds daughter Eadgyth. In the struggle between the English and the Danes he appears in the character of an archtraitor. When Ethelred in 1009 proposed a great attack on the Danes, Edric dissuaded him from carrying it into effect. Again, on the invasion of England by Canute in 1015 Edric deserted Edmund Ironside and joined Canute. After the battle of Otford he returned to Edmund, but only by his treachery at the battle of Assandun to secure the utter defeat of the national cause. When peace was at length made, Canute restored to Edric the earldom of Mercia; but at Christmas 1017, fearing further treachery, he had him slain, "very rightly" according to the Saxon Chronicle.

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.