Ealdwulf of East Anglia

Ealdwulf (also: Ældƿulf, Aldwulf, Alduulf, Halduulf or Aldulfus; † 713) was of 663 / 664-713 King of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the dynasty of East Anglia Wuffinger.

Family

Ealdwulfs parents were Æthelhere and Hereswitha. The named as the father in the Anglian collection Æthelric 's probably just a misspelling for Æthelhere. The Liber Eliensis from the late 12th century king named Anna as his father. Also Florentius of Worcester handed in his chronicle of the 12th century outlying familial relationships that are unlikely.

The couple had three children: the son and successor Ælfwald ( 713-749 ) and another son, Ælric, of whom nothing further is known. The daughter was abbess of Repton Ecgburh.

Life

Ealdwulf was a nephew of the king Æthelwald, whose successor he was 664. At this time there throughout Britain a plague that claimed many victims. Despite its nearly 50 - year reign was hardly delivers anything from him.

673 founded his cousin Æthelthryth, the former wife Ecgfriths of Northumbria, in Ely with his support of one of the most important monasteries in East Anglia. As Bishop Bisi 673 fell ill and his office could no longer exercise the diocese was divided. Besides Dommoc ( Dunwich ), where Bishop Acca officiated the second, led by Badwine, ostanglische bishopric was established in Elmham. In 680, Ealdwulf probably took part in the led by Theodore of Tarsus Synod of Hatfield. However there with the signature Alduulf rex ÆstrAnglorum ( " Ealdwulf, King of East Anglia " ) issued certificate is a fake. Since about 685 East Anglia was under the ever-increasing dominance of Mercia. 709 took Ealdwulf on the fugitive from Mercia Aethelbald, which should be 716 King of Mercia. Ealdwulf died in 713 and was succeeded by his son Ælfwald.

Swell

• Venerable Bede Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, online in Medieval Source Book (English)
• Janet Fairweather: Liber Eliensis. A History of the Isle of Ely from the Seventh Century to the Twelfth, compiled by a Monk of Ely in the Twelfth Century, Boydell, 2005, ISBN 978-1-84383-015-3