Æthelred

Æthelred, also Ethelred, is an Old English personal name (a compound of æþel and ræd, meaning "noble counsel" or "well-advised"; Old English pronunciation: [ˈæːðelˌræːd]) and may refer to:

Anglo-Saxon England

Post-Conquest

See also

Æthelred (bishop)

Æthelred (or Ethelred; died 30 June 888) was an Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of Canterbury in medieval England. Although one source states that he was Bishop of Wiltshire prior to his elevation to Canterbury, this has been shown to be false. Much of Æthelred's time in office was spent dealing with the dislocations caused by the invasion of England by Vikings. There were also conflicts with King Alfred the Great over ecclesiastical matters as well as the desire of the papacy to reform the English clergy.

Biography

Some sources, including the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, in the F version of that work, state that Æthelred was transferred in 870 from the Bishopric of Wiltshire to the see of Canterbury. However, the transfer has now been proven to be taken from the life of Ælfric of Abingdon, who was archbishop from 995 to 1005. Although the story of his transfer is false, Æthelred was consecrated as archbishop in 870. Why he was selected for Canterbury is unknown, as there is no contemporary information on his election.