Aethelwulf, King of Wessex 839-58

d. 858

During his reign Aethelwulf had to content with the growing threat of Danish invasion. In the first half of the ninth century Danish raids had been fierce but not prolonged, but in 850 a sizable army overwintered in England for the first time. Aethelwulf defeated it in the following year at Aclea in Kent. He was clearly a capable military leader for in 853 he was called upon by Burgred of Mercia to defeat the Welsh, but it is likely that he was personally more interested in ecclesiastical matters because in 855 he set of for Rome for a year, leaving his eldest son Aethelbald as ruler of Wessex.

On his way back he was a guest at the court of Charles the Bald, King of the West Franks, and on 1 October 856 he married Charles's 13 year old daughter, Judith. It was probably while in France that he learned of Aethelbald's intention to continue to rule Wessex, despite his father's homecoming. Aethelwulf chose to accept a division of his kingdom, leaving Wessex to his son and taking southeast England for himself. He died in 858.

Four of Athelwulf's sons became kings: Aethelbald, Aethelberht, Aethelred and, most famously, Alfred.

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