Athelbald of Wessex

Athelbald, also spelled Æthelbald or Ethelbald (–860) was a West Saxon nobleman. In 856 he was King of Wessex while his father was in Rome. When Athelwulf returned, Athelbald refused to step down. To avoid a civil war, Athelwulf gave his son the kingdom of Wessex and became sub-king of Kent.

Career
Athelbald was the second of the five sons of King Athelwulf of Wessex and Osburga.Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 78 She was the daughter of Oslac, Athelwulf's butler.Asser's Life of King Alfred, Trans. L.C. Jane (London: Chatto & Windus, 1926), p. 3 He was born about 832. He is recording fighting alongside his father in 851 in the battle at Acleah.Jim Bradbury, The Routledge Companion to Medieval Warfare (London; New York: Routledge, 2004), p. 141 There the Vikings who had just defeated Berhtwulf of Mercia near London and when they moved into Surrey they were met and defeated by the West Saxons. In 855 his father Athelwulf went on a pilgrimage to Rome.Frank Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England (Oxford University Press, 1971), p. 245 He left the kingdom in the care of Athelbald. After spending a year in Rome and spending time at court of Charles the Bald, King of the West Franks, Athelwulf returned. But he had wed the king's young daughter, Judith. She could not have been any older than thirteen at the time. The Frankish king Charles had insisted that his daughter be consecrated queen.Jennifer Ward, Women in England in the Middle Ages (London: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2006), p. 120 When Athelwulf returned to Wessex with his new Queen, Athelbald objected to his father remaining king. To avoid a civil war Athelwulf agreed to take the sub-kingship of Kent. He let Ethelbald retain his position as king of Wessex. Athelwulf died in 858 as the King of Kent.Mike Ashley, The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens (New york: Carroll & Graf, 1999), p. 317 Athelbald then took his father's young wife Judith as his own wife, apparently without a major scandal.

Despite his marriage to his step-mother Judith, he had no children. He was succeeded by his brother Athelbert of Wessex.Barbara Yorke, Kings and Kingship in Early Anglo-Saxon England (London: Seaby, 1990. , pp. 148–158 & p. 133, table 15. Barbara Yorke, Kings and Kingship in Early Anglo-Saxon England (London: Seaby, 1990), p. 148

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 References 

 Other websites 
 Britannia: Kings of Wessex 

Category:830s births
Category:860 deaths
Category:Kings of Wessex