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Æthelbald (died 860) was King of Wessex from 855 or 858 to 860. He was the second of five sons of King Æthelwulf. In 850, Æthelbald's elder brother Æthelstan defeated the Vikings in the first recorded sea battle in English
In 858, the death of Aethelwulf instigated a new era of power for his sons, who would take in turns receiving the mantle and honour of becoming King of Wessex. With Aethelwulf gone, the eldest surviving son Aethelbald retained his title of the King of Wessex whilst his younger brother Aethelbert took his kingship of Kent. Only serving as king ...
- Early Life & Rise to Power
- King of Wessex
- Pilgrimage to Rome & Rebellion
- Death & Successors
- Aethelwulf in Vikings & Legacy
Aethelwulf's birthdate is unknown as is the name of his mother. He was the only son of Egbert and would have probably grown up in Wessex. Egbert went into exile in Francia in c. 786 CE after he challenged Beorhtric (r. 786-802 CE) for the kingship of Wessex. Beorhtric was supported by Offa, King of Mercia (r. 757-796 CE), a kingdom Wessex had been ...
During this time, Egbert secured the succession of Aethelwulf through contracts made with the church. The support of the powerful Archbishop of Canterbury, Ceolnoth (to whom Egbert gave significant tracts of land), guaranteed this succession. When Egbert died in 839 CE, Aethelwulf became king without challenge from any of the West Saxon nobles. He ...
To strengthen the bond between Wessex and Mercia in the face of Viking aggression, Aethelwulf arranged the marriage of his only daughter Aethelswith (c. 838-888 CE) to the Mercian king Burgred (r. 852-874 CE) in 853 CE. A ring inscribed with Aethelswith's name was discovered in Yorkshire in 1870 CE and, like Aethelwulf's, is thought to have been gi...
Aethelwulf took the center of the kingdom as his own and devoted himself to charity work and giving gifts to the church. His will is lost but is referenced in the will of Alfred where it is said that Aethelwulf provided for the poor of his kingdom in perpetuity as well as leaving sums of money and land grants to the church and stipulations of annua...
In the TV series Vikings, Aethelwulf's character is depicted as being somewhat dull-witted, easily angered, and frequently manipulated by his father; none of which bears any resemblance to the historical figure. In the show, his marriage to Judith (a princess of Northumbria) is arranged by his father Ecbert and she gives birth to Aethelred and, thr...
- Joshua J. Mark
Aethelbald was the king of the Mercians from 716, who became the chief king of a confederation including all the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms between the River Humber and the English Channel. His predominance was made possible by the death of the strong king Wihtred of Kent (725) and the abdication of Ine.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
4 days ago · Aethelwulf. (d. 858),king of Wessex (839–58). The son of Egbert (802–39) and father of four kings, the youngest of whom was Alfred the Great (871–99), Æthelwulf is a far from negligible figure.
One of these kingdoms was Wessex. This one-day course will study the House of Wessex from its legendary beginnings to the death of Æthelred the Unready. Exploring documentary evidence and archaeological findings, the course aims to elucidate how the West Saxons gained power, converted to Christianity, obtained cultural prestige, and unified All England.
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One of these kingdoms was Wessex. This one-day course will study the House of Wessex from its legendary beginnings to the death of Æthelred the Unready. Exploring documentary evidence and archaeological findings, the course aims to elucidate how the West Saxons gained power, converted to Christianity, obtained cultural prestige, and unified All England.
