General Notes

Abdicated to son Ethelbald & became Under-king of Kent again.Under-king of Kent 0825-0839 and 0856-0858. He reduced taxation,endowed the Church, made lay lands inheritable, and providedsystems of poor relief. By the advice of St. Swithin, Bishop ofWinchester, he granted to the church the tithe of all hisdominions.

On a pilgrimage to Rome in 0855, Ethelwulf married (2) Judith ofBavaria, the 12 year old daughter of Charles II., the Bald, Kingof the West Franks and his wife, Ermentrude. See thegenealogical details elsewhere in Royalty of France in Vol. I.When Ethelwulf returned home it is said that he made his son,Ethelbald, King of Wessex, and retained Kent for his own rule.He died January 13, 0857, and was buried at Stamridge, Steyning,Sussex, his body later being removed to Winchester. Ethelwulfwas succeeded by each of his four sons in turn, the fourth andyoungest of whom was Alfred.

Second wife: "Judith, Charles the Bald's daughter, was crownedand anointed on the
occasion of her marriage to king Aethelwulf of Wessex in 0856.Aethelwulf conferred on Judith the title of queen, whichaccording to Prudentius of Troyes was 'not customary to him orto his people.' Judith's anointing may have been intended inpart as a form of protection. She was after all the firstCarolingian princess to be married to a foreign ruler, and shewas at twelve years of age marrying an elderly man with a clutchof sons older than herself. The marriage itself has beenassociated with Charles the Bald's need for English assistanceagainst the Vikings." Rosamond McKitterick, *The FrankishKingdoms under the Carolingians 0751-0987*, London & NY(Longman) 1983, p 194-195.

Reigned 0839-0856 (abdicated). Under-king of Kent 0825-0839 &0856-0858. He reduced taxation, endowed the Church, made laylands inheritable, & provided systems of poor relief. Ethelwulfbecame king of the West Saxons in England when his father,Egbert, died in 0839. In 0851, he became the first ruler in allwestern Europe to defeat a viking army in a major battle., ,