Ethelred of Wessex

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King Ethelred I (Old English: Æþelræd) (c. 840 – April 23, 871) was the fourth son of Ethelwulf of Wessex. He succeeded his brother, Ethelbert, as King of Wessex and Kent in 865 He married Wulfrida and had two sons, Aethelwold being the elder and Aethelhelm being the younger. Ethelred I was not able to control the increasing Danish raids which devastated England. On January 4, 871 at the Battle of Reading, Ethelred suffered a crushing defeat, although he did hand the Danes a Pyrrhic victory. Soon after, however, Ethelred was able to re-form his army in time to win a stunning victory at Ashdown. However, he suffered another defeat on January 22 at the Battle of Basing and was killed at the Battle of Merton on April 23, 871.

Ethelred is buried at Wimborne in Dorset. Following his death, he was popularly regarded as a saint, but never canonised. He was succeeded by his brother, King Alfred the Great. (See House of Wessex family tree.)

Ethelred is not to be confused with the later king Ethelred the Unready.

See also

• List of monarchs of Kent
• Chronology of Kentish Kings

External links

• Ethelbald, Ethelbert and Ethelred I - Kings of England at h2g2

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