Æthelred I of East Anglia facts for kids
Æthelred I was a king who ruled in East Anglia a long time ago, in the 700s. East Anglia was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom, which is now part of England, including places like Norfolk and Suffolk. We don't have many records about him, so he's sometimes called a "semi-historical" king.
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Who Was King Æthelred I?
Æthelred I was a ruler of the kingdom of the East Angles. This kingdom existed in what is now eastern England. He lived during the 8th century, which means the 700s.
Ruling East Anglia
King Æthelred I might have been king between the years 760 and 790. During his time, East Anglia was under the control of a more powerful king. This was Offa of Mercia, who was a very strong ruler. This means Offa had some power over Æthelred's kingdom.
Finding Out About Æthelred
It's tricky to learn about Æthelred I because we don't have many direct records from his time. For example, we haven't found any coins with his name on them. Most of the information we have about him comes from much later. These records were written after the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
Old Stories and Books
Some of the old books that mention Æthelred include the Lives of St Æthelberht. There are also lists of kings written by William of Malmesbury. These old stories about Saint Æthelberht say that Æthelred and his queen, Leofruna, lived in a place called Beodricesworth. This place is now known as Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk. These stories are "legendary narratives," which means they are old tales that might not be entirely factual.
Æthelred's Family
Æthelred I was the father of Æthelberht II of East Anglia. Æthelberht II became king after his father, probably in the 770s.
