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For the later earl, see Earl Aethelred of Mercia.

Æthelred (d. 716) was a King of Mercia ( 675 - 704). He was the brother of Wulfhere, who he succeeded as king.

In 676 he ravaged Kent with fire and sword, destroying monasteries and churches and taking Rochester. Æthelred married Osthryth, the sister of Ecgfrith, king of Northumbria, but in spite of this connection a quarrel arose between the two kings, presumably over the possession of the province of Lindsey, which Ecgfrith had won back at the close of the reign of Wulfhere.

In a battle on the banks of the TrentTrent is the name of several places: Trento in Italy Trent, Texas, USA Trent, South Dakota, USA Also: River Trent in the UK A family of Jet Engines manufactured by Rolls-Royce plc Trent University, a liberal arts university located in Peterborough, Ontari in 679Events Adamnan becomes abbot of the monastery on Iona. Births Deaths AEthelthryth, wife of King Ecgfrith of Northumbria, and later saint Heads of states Japan Temmu Emperor of Japan (672-686) 679., the king of Mercia was victorious and regained the province. AelfwineAelfwine (c. 661 679) was a King of Deira ( 670 679). He was a son of Oswiu of Northumbria and a brother of Ecgfrith of Northumbria. After the succession of Ecgfrith as king of Northumbria in 670, he made Aelfwine king of the sub-kingdom of Deira. Aelfwin, the brother of Ecgfrith, was slain on this occasion, but at the intervention of TheodoreTheodore ( 602 September 19, 690) was the seventh archbishop of Canterbury. He was born at Tarsus in Cilicia. On the death of Wighard, who had been sent to Pope Vitalian by Ecgberht of Kent and Oswiu of Northumbria in 667, apparently for consecration as a, archbishop of CanterburyThe Archbishop of Canterbury is a bishop of the Church of England. His see is the Diocese of Canterbury and his episcopal chair ('cathedra') is at Canterbury Cathedral. He is the most senior bishop of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Co, Æthelred agreed to pay a weregildWeregild (Alternative spellings: wergild, wergeld, weregeld, etc. was a reparational payment usually demanded of a person guilty of homicide, although it could also be demanded in other cases of serious crime. The payment of weregild was an important lega for the Northumbrian prince and so prevented further hostilities.

Osthryth was murdered in 697Events End of the reign of Empress Jito of Japan Emperor Mommu ascends to the throne of Japan Approximate date of the Council of Birr, when the northern part of Ireland accepted the Roman calculations for celebrating Easter. At this synod, Adamnan promulg and Æthelred abdicated in 704, choosing Wulfhere's son CenredMercian monarchs Cenred (or Coenred Coinred Kenred ruled the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia from 704 to 709. The son of Wulfhere, he was probably too young to succeed to the throne when Wulfhere died in 675, and so his uncle Aethelred ruled until 704, when as his successor. He then became abbot of Bardney , and, according to Eddius, recommended Wilfrid to Cenred upon his return from Rome. Æthelred died at Bardney.

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica. 1911 Britannica