æthelbald

Related Category: British and Irish History: Biographies

(ĕ´thəlbôld, ă´–), d. 757, king of Mercia (716–57), grandson of a brother of Penda. He spent years in exile before he became king. A strong ruler, by 731 he controlled all England S of the Humber River and led expeditions into Northumbria (740) and against the Welsh (743). He was murdered by his bodyguard.