King of Northumbria (844)

Raedwulf succeeded in usurping the throne of Northumbria in 844 by driving out the incumbent Aethelred II and establishing himself as king. He had some coins minted to celebrate his new found power but shortly afterwards Raedwulf and most of his army were killed fighting off a Viking raid. All in all his short reign lasted only a few months; his death enabled Aethelred II to return and reclaim the throne.

Which, apart from noting that the name 'Raedwulf' is derived from the Old English 'raed' for counsel and 'wulf' for wolf and that it is the Anglo-Saxon equivalent of the modern Ralph, is all that can sensibly said of Raedwulf's brief reign.

SOURCES

A Biographical Dictionary of Dark Age Britain by Ann Williams, Alfred P. Smyth and D. P. Kirby (Seaby 1991)

Historia regum Anglorum et Danorum by Simeon of Durham