King Ethelred (or Aethelred) I of Wessex, born about 837, was the third son of King Ethelwulf. He succeeded his brother, Ethelbert, as King of Wessex in about 866.
Ethelred's reign was dominated by increasing raids of the Danes which he was not able to control and which devastated Wessex. He defeated a Danish invading army at the Battle of Reading on January 4th, 871. He was killed fighting the Danes at the Battle of Merton on April 23rd, 871, and succeeded as king of Wessex by his younger brother Alfred the Great.
Ethelred was buried at Wimborne Minster in Dorset and popularly regarded as a saint after his death, although never canonised.
He had two sons of whom Ethelwald was the elder.
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