Earl Aethelred of Mercia

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Ealdorman Æthelred (d. 911) was a ruler of Mercia (c. 883 – 911). His title was "Lord of the Mercians", and although he retained many attributes of a king, he was subject to the power of his close ally Wessex.

In 886, he was given control of London[1] by King Alfred of Wessex, whose daughter, Ethelfleda, he married.

As Alfred reconquered the Danelaw, it was useful to place the heir to the divided Kingdom of Mercia in control of its former eastern region.

Aethelred was recorded as fighting many battles against the Welsh, and at one point Brochwael of Gwent appealed to Alfred for help against him. Towards the end of his life, he allowed his wife Ethelfleda to exercise many of his powers, and when he died after the Battle of Tettenhall she succeeded him.

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Titles of nobility
Preceded by
Ceolwulf II
as King of the Mercians		 Lord of the Mercians
c. 883–911		 Succeeded by
Ethelfleda
v • d • e
Monarchs of Mercia
Icel • Cnebba • Cynewald • Creoda • Pybba • Ceorl • Penda • Eowa • Peada • Oswiu of Northumbria • Wulfhere • Æthelred I • Cenred • Ceolred • Ceolwald • Æthelbald • Beornred • Offa* • Ecgfrith • Coenwulf* • Cynehelm • Ceolwulf I* • Beornwulf** • Ludeca • Wiglaf • Egbert of Wessex • Wiglaf (again) • Beorhtwulf • Burgred • Ceolwulf II • Æthelred II*** • Æthelflæd*** • Ælfwynn***
* also king of Kent and king of East Anglia
** also king of East Anglia
*** ealdormen in the time of Alfred the Great and Edward the Elder