Wulfhere

Also known as: Wulfere · Family: Mercians · Role: king · First appears: A.D. 656–660

In 656, Wulfhere, son of Penda, succeeded to the kingdom of the Mercians. He was brother to Peada, Ethelred, and Merwal, and to Kyneburga and Kyneswitha; Oswy was his wed-brother. At Medhamsted, Wulfhere gave lands and waters to St. Peter’s minster, Saxulf, and the monks, and at Ankerig he granted Saxulf’s request to build a minster. He sent Eoppa to preach Christianity in the Isle of Wight and sought the pope Vitalianus’s confirmation of the grant.

In 661, Wulfhere pursued Kenwal from Pontesbury as far as Ashdown. He adopted Ethelwald, king of the South-Saxons, in baptism and transferred the Isle of Wight’s inhabitants to him. In 675, Wulfhere and Escwin fought at Bedwin. Wulfhere died that year, and Ethelred succeeded to the government.

Relationship record

Life events

• 656 · Wulfhere, Penda's son, succeeded to the kingdom of the Mercians.(A.D. 656–660)
  • With: Penda
  • “and Wulfhere, son of Penda, succeeded to the kingdom of the Mercians.”
• 656 · Wulfhere gave lands and waters to St. Peter's minster and Abbot Saxulf and its monks.(A.D. 656–660 · 📍 Medhamsted)
  • With: Saxulf
  • “I Wulfere give to-day to St. Peter, and the Abbot Saxulf, and the monks of the minster, these lands, and these waters, and meres, and fens, and weirs, and all the lands that thereabout lye, that are of my kingdom, freely”
• 656 · Wulfhere granted Saxulf's request to build a minster on Ankerig.(A.D. 656–660 · 📍 Ankerig)
  • With: Saxulf
  • “Beloved Saxulf, not that only which thou desirest, but all things that I know thou desirest in our Lord's behalf, so I approve, and grant.”
• 656 · Peada and Wulfhere were brothers.(A.D. 656–660)
  • With: Peada
  • “My brother Peada”
• 656 · Oswy was Wulfhere's wed-brother.(A.D. 656–660)
  • With: Oswy
  • “for the love of his wed-brother Oswy”
• 661 · Kenwal fought at Pontesbury, and Wulfere pursued him as far as Ashdown.(A.D. 661–684 · 📍 Pontesbury)
  • With: Kenwal
  • “at Easter, Kenwal fought at Pontesbury; and Wulfere, the son of Penda, pursued him as far as Ashdown.”
• 661 · Wulfere transferred the inhabitants of the Isle of Wight to Ethelwald, whom he adopted in baptism.(A.D. 661–684 · 📍 the Isle of Wight)
  • With: Ethelwald king of the South-Saxons
  • “Into the Isle of Wight also Wulfere, the son of Penda, penetrated, and transferred the inhabitants to Ethelwald, king of the South-Saxons, because Wulfere adopted him in baptism.”
• 675 · Wulfere and Escwin fought at Bedwin.(A.D. 661–684 · 📍 Bedwin)
  • With: Escwin
  • “This year Wulfere, the son of Penda, and Escwin, the son of Cenfus, fought at Bedwin.”
• 675 · Wulfere died, and Ethelred succeeded to the government.(A.D. 661–684)
  • With: Ethelred son of Penda
  • “The same year died Wulfere, and Ethelred succeeded to the government.”

A.D. 656–660

• parent: Penda “Wulfhere, son of Penda,”
• siblings with Peada “for the love of his brother Peada”
• siblings with Ethelred son of Penda “by the counsel of his brothers, Ethelred and Merwal;”
• siblings with Merwal “by the counsel of his brothers, Ethelred and Merwal;”
• siblings with Kyneburga “by the counsel of his sisters, Kyneburga and Kyneswitha;”
• siblings with Kyneswitha “by the counsel of his sisters, Kyneburga and Kyneswitha;”
• friends with Oswy “for the love of his wed-brother Oswy”
• protégé: Saxulf “I Wulfere give to-day to St. Peter, and the Abbot Saxulf, and the monks of the minster, these lands, and these waters, and meres, and fens, and weirs, and all the lands that thereabout lye, that are of my kingdom, freely, so that no man have there any ingress, but the abbot and the monks.”
• with Eoppa (The king sent Eoppa to preach.) “Eoppa, priest, whom the king, Wulfere, sent to preach christianity in the Isle of Wight;”
• with Vitalianus (Wulfhere sent a request to the pope.) “then sent the king to Rome to the Pope Vitalianus that then was, and desired, that he would ratify with his writ and with his blessing, all this aforesaid thing.”
• with Vitalianus (The pope granted Wulfhere's request.) “I Vitalianus, pope, grant thee, King Wulfere, and Deus-dedit, archbishop, and Abbot Saxulf, all the things that you desire.”

A.D. 661–684

• enemies with Kenwal “Kenwal fought at Pontesbury; and Wulfere, the son of Penda, pursued him as far as Ashdown.”
• parent: Penda “Wulfere, the son of Penda”
• pupil: Ethelwald king of the South-Saxons “because Wulfere adopted him in baptism.”
• enemies with Escwin “Wulfere, the son of Penda, and Escwin, the son of Cenfus, fought at Bedwin.”
• siblings with Peada “my brother Peada, and my brother Wulfere, and my sisters, Kyneburga and Kyneswitha”
• siblings with Ethelred son of Penda “my brother Peada, and my brother Wulfere, and my sisters, Kyneburga and Kyneswitha”
• with Eoppa (Wulfere commanded Eoppa to bring baptism.) “And Eoppa, a mass-priest, by command of Wilfrid and King Wulfere, was the first of men who brought baptism to the people of the Isle of Wight.”

A.D. 959–970

• siblings with Ethelred son of Penda “how King Wulfhere and Ethelred his brother had wrought it,”

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Extracted from the original text of The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Made with Rho MD.