Editing Osburh (section)

==Sources==
Osburh's existence is known only from Asser's ''[[Life of King Alfred]]''. She is not named as witness to any charters, nor is her death reported in the ''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]''. So far as is known, she was the mother of all Æthelwulf's children, his five sons [[Æthelstan of Wessex|Æthelstan]], [[Æthelbald of Wessex|Æthelbald]], [[Æthelberht of Wessex|Æthelberht]], [[Æthelred of Wessex|Æthelred]] and Alfred, and his daughter [[Æthelswith]], wife of King [[Burgred of Mercia]].

Osburh is best known from Asser's story about a book of Saxon songs which she showed to her sons, offering to give the book to whoever could first memorise it, a challenge which Alfred took up and won. This exhibits high-status ninth-century women's interest in books and their role in educating their children.<ref>[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/20887 Janet L. Nelson, Osburh, 2004, Oxford Online Dictionary of National Biography] In Nelson's view, Osburh may have been dead by 856 or may have been repudiated.</ref>

Osburh was the daughter of Oslac (who is also only known from Asser's ''Life''), King Æthelwulf's ''[[Dish-bearers and butlers in Anglo-Saxon England|pincerna]]'' (cupbearer), an important figure in the royal court and household.<ref>Keynes and Lapidge, pp. 68, 229.</ref> Oslac is described as being of partial [[Goths|Gothic]] ancestry,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Asser's Life of King Alfred, by Albert S. Cook—A Project Gutenberg eBook |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/63384/63384-h/63384-h.htm |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=www.gutenberg.org}}</ref> and descendant of King [[Cerdic]]'s [[Jutes|Jutish]] nephews, Stuf and Wihtgar, who conquered and settled the [[Isle of Wight]].<ref>Asser states that Oslac was a Goth, but this is regarded by historians as an error as Stuf and Wightgar were Jutes. Keynes and Lapidge pp. 229-30 and Frank Stenton, ''Anglo-Saxon England'', Oxford, Oxford UP, 3rd edition 1971, p. 23-4</ref>