Ethelwulf
839-855
House of Wessex

Ethelwulf seems to have been a religious man, concerned with the preservation of the church and donated large portions of his vast wealth to Rome and religious houses. He had five sons by his first wife Osburga and believing it likely the sons would be divided over their desire to rule, he devised a plan that would keep his house in harmony after he had gone. Each son would rule in turn having the undivided riches of the crown at his disposal during his reign. He was however deposed by his son Ethelbald on the way home from a pilgrimage to Rome in 855.