| Name |
Aethelwulf King Of England [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Birth |
806 |
Wessex, England  [1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Category |
English Royalty - House of Wessex |
| Fact 1 |
Reigned 839-856, Abdicated To Son Ethelbald & Became Under-King Of Kent Again. [4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10] |
| Fact 1 |
| Fact 10 |
Renowned For His Military Prowess. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Fact 10 |
| Fact 11 |
851 |
1st Ruler In Western Europe To Defeat A Viking Army In A Major Battle. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Fact 11 |
| Fact 12 |
Pilgrimage To Rome, 855. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11] |
| Fact 12 |
| Fact 2 |
Under-King Of Kent 825-839 & 856-858. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Fact 2 |
| Fact 3 |
Acceded As King Of Wessex: 4 Feb 839, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Surrey. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Fact 3 |
| Fact 4 |
In 851 He Defeated 350 Viking Ships At Oakley, England After London Fell. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Fact 4 |
| Fact 5 |
Reduced Taxation, Endowed The Church. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Fact 5 |
| Fact 6 |
Made Lay Lands Inheritable, & Provided Systems Of Poor Relief. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Fact 6 |
| Fact 7 |
Buried In Winchester Cathedral, Winchester, England. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Fact 7 |
| Fact 8 |
King Of Wessex, Sussex, Kent & Essex. [2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Fact 8 |
| Fact 9 |
Defeated Danish Host At Battle Of Aclea (850). [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] |
| Fact 9 |
| Name |
Aethelwulf King Of England [8, 9] |
| Death |
13 Jan 858 |
Wessex, England [1, 8, 9] |
Origins  |
|
| Patriarch & Matriarch |
|
| Notes |
- Æthelwulf, also known as Ethelwulf, was the King of Wessex from 839 to 858. He held a significant place in Anglo-Saxon history and was the father of the renowned King Alfred the Great. Let’s delve into his life and achievements:
Background:
At the beginning of the 9th century, England was predominantly under the control of the Anglo-Saxons, with Mercia and Wessex being the most influential southern kingdoms.
In 825, Æthelwulf’s father, King Ecgberht, defeated King Beornwulf of Mercia, effectively ending Mercian dominance over Anglo-Saxon England south of the Humber.
Following this victory, Ecgberht sent Æthelwulf to Kent, where he expelled the Mercian sub-king and assumed the role himself.
Reign and Achievements:
Æthelwulf became king in 839, succeeding his father. He was the first son to directly follow his father as the West Saxon king since 641.
During his reign, the Vikings posed a threat, but Æthelwulf managed to maintain stability.
In 843, he faced defeat against the Vikings at the Battle of Carhampton in Somerset, but he achieved a significant victory at the Battle of Aclea in 851.
In 853, he participated in a successful Mercian expedition to Wales, aiming to restore traditional Mercian influence.
His daughter, Æthelswith, married King Burgred of Mercia in the same year.
In 855, Æthelwulf embarked on a pilgrimage to Rome, during which he donated a tenth of his personal property to his subjects.
He married Judith, daughter of the West Frankish king Charles the Bald, on his return to England.
Upon Æthelwulf’s death in 858, he left Wessex to his son Æthelbald and Kent to Æthelberht. However, Æthelbald’s subsequent death led to the reunification of the kingdom.
Legacy:
Historians in the 21st century view Æthelwulf differently from their predecessors.
He is now regarded as a king who consolidated and extended the power of his dynasty, commanded respect on the continent, and effectively dealt with Viking attacks.
His reign laid the foundations for the success of his son, Alfred the Great.
|
| Person ID |
I20454 |
ktree |
| Last Modified |
4 Mar 2024 |
806 - 858 (52 years)
Has more than 100 ancestors and more than 100 descendants in this family tree.
788 - Yes, date unknown
