Since the Church forbade him to fight with a weapon he died in battle using a wooden staff. His death made the way for a new East Anglian king, Anna, who Bede described as a good man blessed with four holy daughters. (Maddison 2000).
Etheldreda was born probably, at Exning, near Newmarket in Suffolk. She was made a young bride (c.652) to prince Tondberht, leader of the fen people of the South Gyrwas, but the marriage was never consummated. On his death, c.655, she retired to the Isle of Ely, which was her wedding gift from Tondberht. In 660, for political reasons, she was married to Egfrith, the fifteen year old king of Northumbria who was several years younger than her. He agreed that she could remain a virgin, according to her wishes as in her previous marriage, but 12 years later he wanted to consummate the marriage. Etheldreda, advised by Wilfred, bishop of Northumbria, refused his advances. Egfrith offered bribes in vain. Etheldreda who chose to follow her conscience and keep her sancity, left him and became a nun at Coldingham under her aunt Ebbe (672) and founded a double monastery at Ely in 673. (Ely Cathedral: History and Heritage n.d.) Etheldreda also restored the old church at Ely, which was destroyed by Penda, pagan king of the Mercians, and built her monastery on the site of what is now Ely Cathedral. According the writer of Liber Eliensis (A twelfth century chronicle of history written at Ely Abbey): as soon as it was rebuilt, dedicated, as of old, in honor of Mary the Holy Mother of God, it became a shining light, through innumerable signs and miracles, as God carried out His Work every day. (Maddison 2000, 6) After its restoration in 970 by Etheldreda, it became one of the richest abbeys in England. .
Etheldreda died c.680 from a tumor on her neck. It has been assumed to be the bubonic plague, but she felt it was a divine punishment for her vanity in wearing necklaces in her younger days.