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Source: Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: ÆLFRED, son of ÆTHELWULF King of Wessex

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Titre	Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: ÆLFRED, son of ÆTHELWULF King of Wessex

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ALFRED The Great King Of Wessex RF01

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ÆLFRED, son of ÆTHELWULF King of Wessex & his [second] wife Osburga --- (Wantage, Berkshire 849-26 Oct 899, bur Winchester Cathedral, transferred to Hyde Abbey, Winchester, later called the New Minster. Asser records the birth in 849 of Alfred, son of King Æthelwulf, at Wantage in Berkshire. "Ælfred filius regis" subscribed charters of Kings Æthelwulf, Æthelberht, Æthelred I in 855, 862 (anachronistic), 864 and 868. Asser records that in 853, his father sent him to Rome where Pope Leo IV baptised him. He succeeded his brother in 871 as ALFRED King of Wessex. After the Danish victory at Wilton in May 871, King Alfred agreed to pay Danegeld for the first time as the price for ceasing further attacks. After a second invasion of Wessex in 875/77, duringwhich Wareham in Dorset and Exeter were occupied, Alfred again bought peace in 877. He was forced to flee westwards in the face of a third invasion in 878 during which Chippenham was occupied, and took refuge at Athelney in Somerset. King Alfred's subsequent counter-offensive proved more effective, as he defeated the Danes under Guthrum at Edington in Wiltshire in May 878. After mixed successes against the Danes in East Anglia in 885, and his occupation of London in 886, Alfred made a peace treaty with Guthrum which lasted until 892. "Ælfred rex" subscribed a charter of "Æthelred dux et patricius gentis Merciorum" dated 887. The Danish offensive of 892/96 was less successful and no further Danish attacks on Wessex are recorded after 896. King Alfred is famous for the fleet of ships built to his design in the hope of defeating the Danes while they were still at sea, considered as forming the basis for the modern English navy. Having learnt Latin late in life, Alfred was responsible for English translations of five Latin works between 892 and 899: Gregory the Great's Cura Pastoralis, Orosius's History of the Ancient World, Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica, Boethius's De Consolatione Philosophae, and a collection which starts with the Soliloquies of St Augustine. He was also responsible for a collection of laws, although these were largely refinements of the works of his predecessors Ine King of Wessex, Offa King of Mercia and Æthelberht King of Kent. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the death of King Alfred on 26 Oct 899. King Alfred, under his will probably dated to [879/88], made bequests (in order) to "Edward my elder son," his unnamed younger son, his unnamed eldest, middle and youngest daughters, "my brother's son Æthelhelm…my brother's son Æthelwold…my kinsman Osferth" and Ealswith. m (Winchester 868) EALHSWITH, daughter of ÆTHELRED "Mucil" Ealdorman of the Gainas & his wife Eadburh (-Winchester 5 or 8 Dec 905, bur Winchester, St Mary's Abbey, transferred to Winchester Cathedral). Asser records the marriage in 868 of Alfred and "a noble Mercian lady, daughter of Athelred surnamed Mucil earl of the Gaini…[and] Edburga of the royal line of Mercia." Roger of Hoveden records the names of her parents, specifying that her mother was related to the kings of Mercia. "Ealhswith mater regis" subscribed a charter of King Edward dated 901. She founded the convent of St Mary's at Winchester, and became a nun there after her husband died. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the death in [902/05] of "Ealhswith." King Alfred & his wife had [seven] children: 1. ÆTHELFLÆD ([869]-Tamworth 12 Jun 918, bur Gloucester Cathedral). Asser names (in order) "Ethelfled the eldest…Edward…Ethelgiva…Ethelwitha and Ethelwerd" as the children of King Alfred & his wife, specifying that Ethelfled was married to "Ethered earl of Mercia." "Egelfledam Merciorum dominam" is named by Roger of Hoveden first in his list of King Alfred's daughters by Queen Ealhswith. "Æthelflæd conjux" subscribed a charter of "Æthelred dux et patricius gentis Merciorum" granting land in Oxfordshire to the bishopric of Worcester dated 887. "Æthelflæd" also subscribed the joint charter of King Alfred and "Æthelred subregulus et patricius Merciorum" dated 889, the charter of "Æthered" dated 901, and three charters of King Edward dated 903 and904, in the last of which her name is listed immediately after her husband's and before "Æthelswitha regina." Known as the "Lady of the Mercians," she effectively governed Mercia after her husband's death "save only London and Oxford." Florence of Worcester records that she carried out a plan of fortress building to protect Mercia from the Danes, at Bridgenorth in 912, Tamworth and Stafford in 913, Eddisbury Hill in Cheshire and Warwick in 914, and Chirbury and Runcorn in 915. Her Mercian troops played a decisive part in her brother's offensive against the Danes in the Midlands in 917, conquering Derby and Tempsford where they killed the Danish king of the East Angles, and Leicester in early 918[1589]. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the death in 918 of Æthelflæd "12 days before midsummer at Tamworth in the eighth year of her rule over Mercia as its rightful lord" and her burial at Gloucester St Peter's church. m ([end 889]) ÆTHELRED Ealdorman of western Mercia, son of --- (-912). 2. EADMUND (-young). Asser names (in order) "Ethelfled the eldest…Edward…Ethelgiva…Ethelwitha and Ethelwerd besides those who died in their infancy one of whom was Edmund" as the children of King Alfred & his wife. While Asser does not specify where Edmund fits in the order of births, it is a fair assumption that he was the eldest son otherwise he may not have been deemed worthy of mention. According to Weir, Edmund was crowned in the lifetime of his father, but it is assumed that this is basedon a misreading of the charter of King Alfred dated 898 which was subscribed by "Eadweard rex." 3. EADWEARD ([872]-Farndon-on-Dee near Chester 17 Jul 924, bur Winchester Cathedral). "Eadwardum" is named by Roger of Hoveden as the younger of King Alfred's sons by Queen Ealswith. He succeeded his father in 899 as EDWARD "the Elder" King of Wessex. - see below. 4. ELFREDA . The Book of Hyde names "Elfredam virginam" as second of the four daughters of King Alfred & his wife. She is not named by Asser as one of the children of King Alfred. 5. ÆTHELGIVA (-[896], bur Shaftesbury Abbey). Asser names (in order) "Ethelfled the eldest…Edward…Ethelgiva…Ethelwitha and Ethelwerd" as the children of King Alfred & his wife, specifying that Ethelgiva "was dedicated to God and submitted to the rules of a monastic life." "Ethelgivam sanctimonialem" is named by Roger of Hoveden second in his list of King Alfred's daughters by Queen Ealswith. Nun at Shaftesbury Abbey, Dorset, elected the first Abbess in [888]. The Book of Hyde names "Elgivam virginam" as third of the four daughters of King Alfred & his wife, specifying that she was "Schaftlouiæ abbatissa." A document which narrates the foundation of Athelney Monastery records that “regis Alfredi” installed “filiam propriam Algivam” as abbess after founding the monastery. 6. ÆLFTHRYTH of Wessex ([877]-7 Jun 929, bur Ghent, St Pieter). Asser names (in order) "Ethelfled the eldest…Edward…Ethelgiva… Ethelwitha and Ethelwerd" as the children of King Alfred & his wife. "Elfthtritham" is named by Roger of Hoveden thirdin his list of King Alfred's daughters by Queen Ealswith. She is called "Æthelswitha" by Asser. "Elftrudis" is named as wife of Count Baudouin II in the Cartulaire de Saint-Bertin. This marriage represented the start of a long-lasting alliance betweenEngland and Flanders, founded on their common interest of preventing Viking settlements along the coast. "Elstrudis comitissa…cum filiis suis Arnulfo et Adelolfo" donated "hereditatem suam Liefsham…in terra Anglorum in Cantia" to Saint-Pierre de Gand, for the soul of "senioris sui Baldwini", by charter dated 11 Sep 918. The Annales Blandinienses record the death in 929 of "Elftrudis comitissa." The Memorial of "filia regis Elstrudis…Balduini…domini" records her death "VII Iunii." An undated charter, dated to [962], recording the last wishes of "marchysi Arnulfi," notes that "pater meus et mater mea" were buried in the abbey of Saint-Pierre de Gand. m ([893/99]) BAUDOUIN II "le Chauve" Count of Flanders, son of BAUDOUIN I Count of Flanders & his wifeJudith of the Franks [Carolingian] ([863/65]-[10 Sep] 918, bur St Bertin, transferred 929 to Ghent, St Pieter). 7. ÆTHELWEARD ([880]-16 Oct 922, bur Winchester Cathedral. Asser names (in order) "Ethelfled the eldest…Edward…Ethelgiva …Ethelwitha and Ethelwerd" as the children of King Alfred & his wife. "Egelwardum" is named by Roger of Hoveden as the younger of King Alfred's sons by Queen Ealhswith. "Æthelweard filius regis" subscribed charters of King Edward dated 900, 901 (three), 903 and 904 (in all but two of which he is named first in the list of subscribers), and "Æthelweard frater regis" subscribedtwo charters dated 909 (in both of which he is named first in the list of subscribers, ahead of the king's sons). Simeon of Durham records the death "XVII Kal Nov" in 922 of "Ethelward the Atheling brother of King Eadward" and his burial in Winchester. m ---. The name of the wife of Æthelweard is not known. Æthelweard & his wife had [three] children: a) [TURKETUL (-3 Jul 975, bur Croyland Abbey). Ingulph's Chronicle of the Abbey of Croyland names Turketul Chancellor of King Æthelstan, later abbot of Croyland, as "eldest son" of Æthelweard, bother of King Eadweard. This has not been corroborated in any other source so far consulted. The same source records that Turketul became a monk at Croyland in the second year of the reign of King Eadred. A further clue about his ancestry is provided by Ingulph's Chronicle of the Abbey of Croyland recording that Turketul's "kinsman Osketul" was installed as Archbishop of York. The same source records the death of Turketul "V Non Jul" in 975 and his burial in the church at Croyland.] b) ....

ÆLFRED, son of ÆTHELWULF King of Wessex & his [second] wife Osburga --- (Wantage, Berkshire 849-26 Oct 899, bur Winchester Cathedral, transferred to Hyde Abbey, Winchester, later called the New Minster. Asser records the birth in 849 of Alfred, son of King Æthelwulf, at Wantage in Berkshire. "Ælfred filius regis" subscribed charters of Kings Æthelwulf, Æthelberht, Æthelred I in 855, 862 (anachronistic), 864 and 868. Asser records that in 853, his father sent him to Rome where Pope Leo IV baptised him. He succeeded his brother in 871 as ALFRED King of Wessex. After the Danish victory at Wilton in May 871, King Alfred agreed to pay Danegeld for the first time as the price for ceasing further attacks. After a second invasion of Wessex in 875/77, duringwhich Wareham in Dorset and Exeter were occupied, Alfred again bought peace in 877. He was forced to flee westwards in the face of a third invasion in 878 during which Chippenham was occupied, and took refuge at Athelney in Somerset. King Alfred's subsequent counter-offensive proved more effective, as he defeated the Danes under Guthrum at Edington in Wiltshire in May 878. After mixed successes against the Danes in East Anglia in 885, and his occupation of London in 886, Alfred made a peace treaty with Guthrum which lasted until 892. "Ælfred rex" subscribed a charter of "Æthelred dux et patricius gentis Merciorum" dated 887. The Danish offensive of 892/96 was less successful and no further Danish attacks on Wessex are recorded after 896. King Alfred is famous for the fleet of ships built to his design in the hope of defeating the Danes while they were still at sea, considered as forming the basis for the modern English navy. Having learnt Latin late in life, Alfred was responsible for English translations of five Latin works between 892 and 899: Gregory the Great's Cura Pastoralis, Orosius's History of the Ancient World, Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica, Boethius's De Consolatione Philosophae, and a collection which starts with the Soliloquies of St Augustine. He was also responsible for a collection of laws, although these were largely refinements of the works of his predecessors Ine King of Wessex, Offa King of Mercia and Æthelberht King of Kent. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the death of King Alfred on 26 Oct 899. King Alfred, under his will probably dated to [879/88], made bequests (in order) to "Edward my elder son," his unnamed younger son, his unnamed eldest, middle and youngest daughters, "my brother's son Æthelhelm…my brother's son Æthelwold…my kinsman Osferth" and Ealswith.

m (Winchester 868) EALHSWITH, daughter of ÆTHELRED "Mucil" Ealdorman of the Gainas & his wife Eadburh (-Winchester 5 or 8 Dec 905, bur Winchester, St Mary's Abbey, transferred to Winchester Cathedral). Asser records the marriage in 868 of Alfred and "a noble Mercian lady, daughter of Athelred surnamed Mucil earl of the Gaini…[and] Edburga of the royal line of Mercia." Roger of Hoveden records the names of her parents, specifying that her mother was related to the kings of Mercia. "Ealhswith mater regis" subscribed a charter of King Edward dated 901. She founded the convent of St Mary's at Winchester, and became a nun there after her husband died. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the death in [902/05] of "Ealhswith."

King Alfred & his wife had [seven] children:
1. ÆTHELFLÆD ([869]-Tamworth 12 Jun 918, bur Gloucester Cathedral). Asser names (in order) "Ethelfled the eldest…Edward…Ethelgiva…Ethelwitha and Ethelwerd" as the children of King Alfred & his wife, specifying that Ethelfled was married to "Ethered earl of Mercia." "Egelfledam Merciorum dominam" is named by Roger of Hoveden first in his list of King Alfred's daughters by Queen Ealhswith. "Æthelflæd conjux" subscribed a charter of "Æthelred dux et patricius gentis Merciorum" granting land in Oxfordshire to the bishopric of Worcester dated 887. "Æthelflæd" also subscribed the joint charter of King Alfred and "Æthelred subregulus et patricius Merciorum" dated 889, the charter of "Æthered" dated 901, and three charters of King Edward dated 903 and904, in the last of which her name is listed immediately after her husband's and before "Æthelswitha regina." Known as the "Lady of the Mercians," she effectively governed Mercia after her husband's death "save only London and Oxford." Florence of Worcester records that she carried out a plan of fortress building to protect Mercia from the Danes, at Bridgenorth in 912, Tamworth and Stafford in 913, Eddisbury Hill in Cheshire and Warwick in 914, and Chirbury and Runcorn in 915. Her Mercian troops played a decisive part in her brother's offensive against the Danes in the Midlands in 917, conquering Derby and Tempsford where they killed the Danish king of the East Angles, and Leicester in early 918[1589]. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the death in 918 of Æthelflæd "12 days before midsummer at Tamworth in the eighth year of her rule over Mercia as its rightful lord" and her burial at Gloucester St Peter's church. m ([end 889]) ÆTHELRED Ealdorman of western Mercia, son of --- (-912).

2. EADMUND (-young). Asser names (in order) "Ethelfled the eldest…Edward…Ethelgiva…Ethelwitha and Ethelwerd besides those who died in their infancy one of whom was Edmund" as the children of King Alfred & his wife. While Asser does not specify where Edmund fits in the order of births, it is a fair assumption that he was the eldest son otherwise he may not have been deemed worthy of mention. According to Weir, Edmund was crowned in the lifetime of his father, but it is assumed that this is basedon a misreading of the charter of King Alfred dated 898 which was subscribed by "Eadweard rex."

3. EADWEARD ([872]-Farndon-on-Dee near Chester 17 Jul 924, bur Winchester Cathedral). "Eadwardum" is named by Roger of Hoveden as the younger of King Alfred's sons by Queen Ealswith. He succeeded his father in 899 as EDWARD "the Elder" King of Wessex.

- see below.

4. ELFREDA . The Book of Hyde names "Elfredam virginam" as second of the four daughters of King Alfred & his wife. She is not named by Asser as one of the children of King Alfred.

5. ÆTHELGIVA (-[896], bur Shaftesbury Abbey). Asser names (in order) "Ethelfled the eldest…Edward…Ethelgiva…Ethelwitha and Ethelwerd" as the children of King Alfred & his wife, specifying that Ethelgiva "was dedicated to God and submitted to the rules of a monastic life." "Ethelgivam sanctimonialem" is named by Roger of Hoveden second in his list of King Alfred's daughters by Queen Ealswith. Nun at Shaftesbury Abbey, Dorset, elected the first Abbess in [888]. The Book of Hyde names "Elgivam virginam" as third of the four daughters of King Alfred & his wife, specifying that she was "Schaftlouiæ abbatissa." A document which narrates the foundation of Athelney Monastery records that “regis Alfredi” installed “filiam propriam Algivam” as abbess after founding the monastery.

6. ÆLFTHRYTH of Wessex ([877]-7 Jun 929, bur Ghent, St Pieter). Asser names (in order) "Ethelfled the eldest…Edward…Ethelgiva… Ethelwitha and Ethelwerd" as the children of King Alfred & his wife. "Elfthtritham" is named by Roger of Hoveden thirdin his list of King Alfred's daughters by Queen Ealswith. She is called "Æthelswitha" by Asser. "Elftrudis" is named as wife of Count Baudouin II in the Cartulaire de Saint-Bertin. This marriage represented the start of a long-lasting alliance betweenEngland and Flanders, founded on their common interest of preventing Viking settlements along the coast. "Elstrudis comitissa…cum filiis suis Arnulfo et Adelolfo" donated "hereditatem suam Liefsham…in terra Anglorum in Cantia" to Saint-Pierre de Gand, for the soul of "senioris sui Baldwini", by charter dated 11 Sep 918. The Annales Blandinienses record the death in 929 of "Elftrudis comitissa." The Memorial of "filia regis Elstrudis…Balduini…domini" records her death "VII Iunii." An undated charter, dated to [962], recording the last wishes of "marchysi Arnulfi," notes that "pater meus et mater mea" were buried in the abbey of Saint-Pierre de Gand. m ([893/99]) BAUDOUIN II "le Chauve" Count of Flanders, son of BAUDOUIN I Count of Flanders & his wifeJudith of the Franks [Carolingian] ([863/65]-[10 Sep] 918, bur St Bertin, transferred 929 to Ghent, St Pieter).

7. ÆTHELWEARD ([880]-16 Oct 922, bur Winchester Cathedral. Asser names (in order) "Ethelfled the eldest…Edward…Ethelgiva …Ethelwitha and Ethelwerd" as the children of King Alfred & his wife. "Egelwardum" is named by Roger of Hoveden as the younger of King Alfred's sons by Queen Ealhswith. "Æthelweard filius regis" subscribed charters of King Edward dated 900, 901 (three), 903 and 904 (in all but two of which he is named first in the list of subscribers), and "Æthelweard frater regis" subscribedtwo charters dated 909 (in both of which he is named first in the list of subscribers, ahead of the king's sons). Simeon of Durham records the death "XVII Kal Nov" in 922 of "Ethelward the Atheling brother of King Eadward" and his burial in Winchester. m ---. The name of the wife of Æthelweard is not known. Æthelweard & his wife had [three] children:

a) [TURKETUL (-3 Jul 975, bur Croyland Abbey). Ingulph's Chronicle of the Abbey of Croyland names Turketul Chancellor of King Æthelstan, later abbot of Croyland, as "eldest son" of Æthelweard, bother of King Eadweard. This has not been corroborated in any other source so far consulted. The same source records that Turketul became a monk at Croyland in the second year of the reign of King Eadred. A further clue about his ancestry is provided by Ingulph's Chronicle of the Abbey of Croyland recording that Turketul's "kinsman Osketul" was installed as Archbishop of York. The same source records the death of Turketul "V Non Jul" in 975 and his burial in the church at Croyland.]

b) ....