Rædwulf of Northumbria

Who was Rædwulf of Northumbria?

Rædwulf was king of Northumbria for a short time. His descent is not known, but it is possible that he was a kinsman of Osberht and Ælla.

Rædwulf became king when Æthelred son of Eanred was deposed. Coins from his reign are known, but other than the report in the Roger of Wendover's Flores Historiarum of his death fighting pagans, nothing more is recorded of him.

Roger of Wendover dates this reign to 844, but his dates are known to be unreliable. The recent discovery of a coin of King Eanred, dated on stylistic grounds to circa 850, led to a reappraisal of the reigns of Northumbrian rulers in the 9th century. As a result, Rædwulf's reign is now thought to have been circa 858 rather than 844.

The numismatic and written evidence agrees that Æthelred was restored to the kingship after Rædwulf's death.