Edward the Martyr was an English monarch who reigned from 975 until his death in 978. As the firstborn son of King Edgar, his accession followed a period of political tension between competing noble factions regarding the succession. His brief rule ended abruptly when he was murdered in the Purbeck Hills, specifically at the Gap of Corfe. Although contemporary accounts leave the identity of his killer uncertain, historical narratives have frequently pointed toward his stepmother or the supporters of his half-brother, Æthelred.