Æthelwold of Wessex
Encyclopedia
Æthelwold was the youngest of three known sons of King Æthelred of Wessex
. His brother Oswald is recorded between 863 and 875, and Æthelhelm is only recorded as a beneficiary of King Alfred's will in the mid 880s, and probably died soon afterwards. When Æthelred died in 871, his sons were too young to be king, and he was succeeded by his younger brother, Alfred the Great
.
After his brothers' deaths, Æthelwold was the senior Ætheling (prince of the royal dynasty who was eligible for kingship), with a strong claim to succeed Alfred. In the only surviving charter which has Æthelwold's signature, he is listed above Alfred's eldest son, Edward the Elder
, implying that he ranked above him. However, Alfred naturally favoured his own son, leaving the bulk of his property to Edward in his will, and giving him opportunities for command in battle once he was old enough.
, symbolically important as his father's burial place. However, he was unable to gain sufficient support to meet Edward in battle, and sought refuge with the Danes
of Northumbria
, who, according to one version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
, accepted him as king. In 901 he sailed with a fleet to Essex
, and in 902 he persuaded the Danes of East Anglia to wage war against Edward, joining them in a raid on Mercia
and Wessex
. Edward retaliated by ravaging the southern Danelaw
, but when he withdrew the men of Kent
refused to obey the order to retreat. They met the Danes at the Battle of the Holme
, and although the Danes won they suffered the heavier losses, including Æthelwold.
In the view of James Campbell, had Æthelwold not been killed at the Holme he might have united England in a manner which involved much less warfare than ultimately proved to be the case: "Had it not been for the chances of battle and war Æthelwold might very well have been regarded as one of the greatest figures in our island's story." Ryan Lavelle argued that "it is important to acknowledge the audacity of Æthelwold's actions." He "well deserves to be ranked amongst the 'Nearly Men' of early Medieval Europe."
The historian Æthelweard claimed descent from King Æthelred, and thus may have been descended from Æthelwold.
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
. His brother Oswald is recorded between 863 and 875, and Æthelhelm is only recorded as a beneficiary of King Alfred's will in the mid 880s, and probably died soon afterwards. When Æthelred died in 871, his sons were too young to be king, and he was succeeded by his younger brother, Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
.
After his brothers' deaths, Æthelwold was the senior Ætheling (prince of the royal dynasty who was eligible for kingship), with a strong claim to succeed Alfred. In the only surviving charter which has Æthelwold's signature, he is listed above Alfred's eldest son, Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder was an English king. He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex...
, implying that he ranked above him. However, Alfred naturally favoured his own son, leaving the bulk of his property to Edward in his will, and giving him opportunities for command in battle once he was old enough.
Æthelwold's Revolt
On Alfred's death in 899, Æthelwold made a bid for the throne by seizing Wimborne MinsterWimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster is a market town in the East Dorset district of Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town...
, symbolically important as his father's burial place. However, he was unable to gain sufficient support to meet Edward in battle, and sought refuge with the Danes
Danes
Danish people or Danes are the nation and ethnic group that is native to Denmark, and who speak Danish.The first mention of Danes within the Danish territory is on the Jelling Rune Stone which mentions how Harald Bluetooth converted the Danes to Christianity in the 10th century...
of Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
, who, according to one version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the Chronicle was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alfred the Great...
, accepted him as king. In 901 he sailed with a fleet to Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, and in 902 he persuaded the Danes of East Anglia to wage war against Edward, joining them in a raid on Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
and Wessex
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
. Edward retaliated by ravaging the southern Danelaw
Danelaw
The Danelaw, as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , is a historical name given to the part of England in which the laws of the "Danes" held sway and dominated those of the Anglo-Saxons. It is contrasted with "West Saxon law" and "Mercian law". The term has been extended by modern historians to...
, but when he withdrew the men of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
refused to obey the order to retreat. They met the Danes at the Battle of the Holme
Battle of the Holme
The Battle of the Holme took place at an unknown location in East Anglia on 13 December 902 between the Anglo-Saxon men of Kent and the East Anglian Danes....
, and although the Danes won they suffered the heavier losses, including Æthelwold.
In the view of James Campbell, had Æthelwold not been killed at the Holme he might have united England in a manner which involved much less warfare than ultimately proved to be the case: "Had it not been for the chances of battle and war Æthelwold might very well have been regarded as one of the greatest figures in our island's story." Ryan Lavelle argued that "it is important to acknowledge the audacity of Æthelwold's actions." He "well deserves to be ranked amongst the 'Nearly Men' of early Medieval Europe."
The historian Æthelweard claimed descent from King Æthelred, and thus may have been descended from Æthelwold.