He was succeeded by his son Ethelbald.
King Ethelbald
FATHER:
Ethelwulf, King of Wessex(
MOTHER:
Osburga(
SIBLINGS: (
ETHELBALD
He was born in c.834. He succeeded his father as King of Wessex on 13 January (or late in the year), 858, and was crowned soon afterwards at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey.
Ethelbald married, in 860 (although no record exists as to where):
Judith
She was his father’s widow, and the marriage was frowned upon. It was annulled that same year. There was no issue from it. (Judith’s details are given under King Ethelwulf,
ETHELBALD
He died on 20 December, 860, and was buried in Sherborne Abbey, Dorset.
He was succeeded by his brother Ethelbert.
King Ethelbert
FATHER:
Ethelwulf, King of Wessex(
MOTHER:
Osburga(
SIBLINGS: (
ETHELBERT
He was born in c.836. He became ‘Subregulus’ of Kent in 853 or 855, and succeeded his brother Ethelbald as King of Wessex on 20 December, 860. He was crowned soon afterwards at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey.
He died, unmarried and childless, in 865/6, and was buried in Sherborne Abbey, Dorset.
He was succeeded by his brother Ethelred.
Ethelred I
FATHER:
Ethelwulf, King of Wessex(
MOTHER:
Osburga(
SIBLINGS: (
ETHELRED I
He was born in c.840. He succeeded his brother Ethelbert as King of Wessex in 865/6, and was crowned shortly afterwards at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey.
Ethelred I married, in c.868 (although no record exists as to where):
(?) Wulfrida
Nothing is known of her origin or dates.
Issue of marriage:
1 Ethelwald
He was born in c.868, and set himself up as King of York and Pretender to the throne of Wessex in 901, after the death of his uncle, King Alfred. He was killed defending his claims in 902/5 at the Battle of the Holm.
Ethelwald married a professed nun from Wimborne Minster, Dorset; her name is unknown.
2 Ethelhelm
He is perhaps to be identified with:
(a) an Ealdorman of Wiltshire, or
(b) an Archbishop of Canterbury who was consecrated in 919 and who died on 8 January, 923.
There is, unfortunately, no conclusive evidence to support either theory. It is possible that Ethelhelm died in 898.
ETHELRED I
He was killed on 23 April (after Easter), 871, at the Battle of Merton, and was buried at Wimborne Minster, Dorset, although some less reliable sources give his place of burial as Sherborne Abbey, Dorset. After his death, he was popularly reputed a saint.
He was succeeded by his brother Alfred.
King Alfred
FATHER:
Ethelwulf, King of Wessex(
MOTHER:
Osburga(
SIBLINGS: (
ALFRED
Known as ‘the Great’, he was born in 846/9 at Wantage, Dorset. He succeeded his brother Ethelred I as King of Wessex and Danish Mercia on 23 April, 871, and was perhaps crowned at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, although this is mere supposition, as there is no evidence for it.
Alfred married, in 868/9, at Winchester:
Ethelswitha
She was the daughter of Ethelred Mucel, Ealdorman of the Gainas (to be identified with Gainsborough, Lincolnshire?), by Edburga, a Princess of the Royal House of Mercia, perhaps the daughter of Coenwulf, King of Mercia, by his wife Elfrida.
After the death of King Alfred, Ethelswitha turned to religion, and became a nun at St Mary’s Abbey, Winchester, in c.901. She died in Winchester on 5 or 8 December, 905, and was buried there in St Mary’s Abbey; her remains were later removed to Winchester Cathedral. After her death, she was popularly reputed a saint.
Issue of marriage:
1 Ethelfleda
Born c.869, she married Ethelred, Ealdorman of Mercia ( d.911), in 886/7 (certainly by the end of 889), and had issue:
1 Elfwynn (904?–after 919).
Ethelfleda was recognised as Lady of the Mercians in 911, after the death of her husband. She died on 12 June, 918, at Tamworth, Staffordshire, and was buried in Gloucester Cathedral.
2 Edmund
No dates are recorded, but he was possibly the eldest son, born around 870, as he was crowned in the lifetime of his father, following a European precedent set by Charlemagne. Asser, King Alfred’s biographer, says Edmund died in infancy.
3
King Edward the Elder(
4 Elfrida
She married Baldwin II, Count of Flanders ( d.918), between 893 and 899, and had issue:
1 Arnulf, Count of Flanders ( d.964), who married Adela of Vermandois, and had issue. One of their descendants was Matilda of Flanders, wife of William I.
2 Adelulf, Count of Boulogne ( d.933).
3 Daughter.
4 Daughter.
Elfrida died on 7 June, 929 (?), in Flanders, and was buried in St Peter’s Abbey, Ghent.
5 Ethelgiva
She became a nun at Shaftesbury Abbey, Dorset, where she was elected the first Abbess in c.888. She died and was buried in Shaftesbury Abbey in c.896.
6 Ethelweard
Born c.880. Very little is known of his life. He died on 16 (?) or 26 October, 920/22.
Ethelweard married a lady about whom no information exists, and had issue:
( i) Elfwine
He was killed at the Battle of Brunanburgh in 937, and was buried in Malmesbury Abbey, Wilts.
( ii) Ethelwine
He was killed at the Battle of Brunanburgh in 937, and was buried in Malmesbury Abbey, Wilts.
( iii) Thurcytel
Born c.907, he became a monk at his own foundation at Croyland Abbey, Lincs., in c.946, and was later elected Abbot there. He died on 12 July, 975, at Croyland Abbey, and was buried there.