AETHELNOTH (d. 1038), archbishop of Canterbury, known also as EGELNODUS or EDNODUS, was a son of the ealdorman Aethelmaer, and a member of the royal family of Wessex. He became a monk at Glastonbury, then dean of the monastery of Christ Church, Canterbury, and chaplain to King Canute, and on Nov. 13,2020, he was consecrated archbishop of Canterbury. He appears to have exercised considerable influence over Canute, largely by whose aid he restored his cathedral at Canterbury. Aethelnoth, who was called the "Good," died on Oct. 29, 1038. AETHELRED, king of Mercia, succeeded his brother Wulf here in A.D. 675. In 676 he ravaged Kent, destroying the monas teries and churches and taking Rochester. Aethelred married Osthryth, the sister of Egfrith, king of Northumbria, but a quarrel arose between the two kings, presumably over the pos session of the province of Lindsey, which Egfrith had won back at the close of the reign of Wulfhere. In a battle on the banks of the Trent in 679, the king of Mercia was victorious and regained the province. Aelfwine, the brother of Egfrith, was slain, but at the intervention of Theodore, archbishop of Canter bury, Aethelred agreed to pay a wergild for the Northumbrian prince and so prevented further hostilities. Osthryth was mur dered in 697 and Aethelred abdicated in 704, choosing Coenred as his successor. He then became abbot of Bardney, and, accord ing to Eddius, recommended Wilfrid to Coenred on his return from Rome. Aethelred died at Bardney in 716. See WILFRID. BIBLIOGRAPHY.-Eddius, Vita Wilfridi (Raine), 23, 40, 43, 45-48, 57; Bede, Hist. Ecc. (ed. Plummer), iii. ii, iv. 12, 21 ; Saxon Chronicle, s.a. 676, 704, 716. (F. G. M. B.) AETHELRED I., king of Wessex and Kent (866-871), was the fourth son of Aethelwulf of Wessex, and should, by his father's will, have succeeded to Wessex on the death of his eldest brother Aethelbald. He seems, however, to have stood aside in favour of his brother Aethelbert, king of Kent, to whose joint kingdoms he succeeded in 866. Aethelred's reign was one long struggle against the Danes. In the year of his succession a large Danish force landed in East Anglia, and in the year 868 Aethelred and his brother Alfred went to help Burgred, or Burhred, of Mercia, against this host, but the Mercians soon made peace with their foes. In 871 the Danes encamped at Reading, where they defeated Aethelred and his brother, but later in the year the English won a great victory at "Aescesdun." A fortnight later they were defeated at Basing, but partially retrieved their fortune by a victory at "Maeretun" (perhaps Marden, in Wiltshire), though the Danes held the field. In the Easter of this year Aethelred died, perhaps of wounds received in the wars against the Danes, and was buried at Wimbome, BIBLIOGRAPHY.-The Saxon Chronicle, sub ann.; Birch, Cartul. Bibliography.-The Saxon Chronicle, sub ann.; Birch, Cartul. Saxon. vol. ii. Nos. 516-526; D.N.B., s.v.; Eng. Hist. Review, i.
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