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Abt 795 - 858 (~ 63 years)
Generation: 1
1. | Æthelwulf -, King of Wessex was born about 795 in Aachen, Germany (son of Egbert of Wessex -, King of Wessex and Rædburga -); died on 13 Jan 858 in Stamridge, Wessex. Notes:
Biography:
King of Wessex 839-856.
Æthelwulf had helped his father in 825 by concurring the Kingdom of Kent. Later Æthelwulf was installed as King of Kent as a sub-king under his father. Æthelwulf fought many battles against the Danes and other invaders from Europe. For a time he received submission from Wales. Æthelwulf had many sons who were very ambitious.
He was very religious. In 853 he repudiated his marriage to Osburga and sent his four year old son Alfred to Rome for a year. Æthelwulf later followed him and paid homage to the leaders of the church. On the way home, Æthelwulf married Judith, the 12 year old great granddaughter of Charlemagne.
When Æthelwulf returned from Rome his oldest surviving son refused to return control. Æthelwulf collected enough support to defeat him but granted his son control of the western part of the Wessex.
Prior to Judith, the wives of Wessex kings were referred to as "wife of the king" and were not allowed to sit on the throne with the King. But, since Judith was from such an important family, from then on, the wives of the kings were called Queen.
Family/Spouse: Osburga (Osburh) -. Osburga (daughter of Oslac -) died after 876. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:
- Æthelstan - was born about 829; died about 853.
- Æthelbald -, King of Wessex was born about 834 in Wessex; died on 20 Dec 860 in Wessex.
- Æthelbert of Wessex - was born about 835 in Wessex; died in 865 in Sherborne, Wessex.
- Æthelswith -, King of Wessex was born about 838; died in 888.
- Æthelred of Wessex -, King of Wessex was born about 840 in Wessex; died on 23 Apr 871 in Wimborne, Dorset.
- Alfred the Great -, King of the Anglo-Saxons was born in 849 in Wantage, Birkshire; died on 26 Oct 899.
Æthelwulf married Judith of Flanders - on 1 Oct 856. Judith (daughter of Charles the Bald -, King of West Francia and Holy Roman Emperor and Ermentrude of Orléans -) was born in Oct 844 in France; died in 870. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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Generation: 2
2. | Egbert of Wessex -, King of Wessex was born about 770 (son of Ealhmund of Kent -, King of Kent); died in 839. Notes:
Biography:
When Egbert took the throne in 802, much of southern England was ruled by Mercia, a kingdom in central England. In 825 Egbert defeated the King of Mercia and took control of all of southern England. In 829 he took control of Mercia and received submission from Northumbria. This made Egbert ruler of almost all of what is now England. Because of this and because his descendants in the House of Wessex ruled England for most of the next 230 years, Egbert is considered to be the first King of England.
His rule over all of England only lasted a year. He lost control of Mercia and the north but retained control of Kent, Sussex and Surry.
Egbert married Rædburga -. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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3. | Rædburga - Notes:
Biography:
Rædburga may have been from France where Egbert was in exile prior to ascending to the throne.
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Generation: 3
4. | Ealhmund of Kent -, King of Kent (son of Eafa -). Notes:
Biography:
It is thought that the Ealhmund mentioned as King of Kent in 784 is the same Ealhmund mentioned in the Wessex genealogy. He was not likely king by 785.
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Generation: 4
8. | Eafa - (son of Eoppa -). Notes:
Biography:
Almost nothing is known of Eafa.
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