Aethelhelm (born 865) was the elder of King Aethelred of Wessex's two sons, the brother of Aethelwold Aetheling, and the nephew of King Alfred the Great. He was an important general of Wessex during the late 9th century, crushing the Welsh Rebellion and directing campaigns against the Welsh, Danes, and Mercian rebels.
Biography[]
Aethelhelm at the Battle of Nedd, 886 AD
Aethelhelm was born in 865, the first son of King Aethelred of Wessex and Queen Wulfthryth of Wessex. He was the older brother of Aethelwold Aetheling, who became known as an arrogant pretender and a drunkard. Because he was only six when his father died at the Battle of Merton in 871, Aethelhelm was passed over for the succession by his uncle, Alfred, and Aethelhelm went on to serve his uncle as a general. In 884, he was given command of the West Saxon punitive expedition sent to quell the Welsh Rebellion in South Wales following Aelfwald's execution, and he took Caerwent by storm, conquering Gwent. He then went on to subdue Gliwissig after extensive campaigning along the southern Welsh coastline. As a reward for his services, he was granted an agricultural estate in Morgannwg. While Aethelhelm was Alfred's heir for several years, he frequently plotted against his uncle, such as seizing the title of King's Captain without the King's initial permission; Alfred later permitted him to take up the post, but he lost his trust in him. As Aethelred's loyalty began to be doubted, Alfred granted him new estates in the Midlands and sent him gifts, increasing his loyalty. However, this was mostly done to dull the pain of Aethelhelm's loss of the title of heir, which was transferred to Alfred's son Aethelweard by 893; Alfred publicly thanked Aethelhelm for his service, however, boosting Aethelhelm's loyalty and ensuring that he continued to keep Wales and western England in line. Aethelhelm was key in subduing Morgannwg and creating a vassal state, and he also captured several towns held by Anglo-Saxon rebels who had risen against the Welsh, the Norse, or the Mercians, expanding Wessex towards the Irish Sea.