It is important to note that Aelfwald’s role in Wessex’s history is largely peripheral compared to Æthelstan’s. Aelfwald did not seize the throne or challenge Æthelstan in any significant way. While Aelfwald may have held some aspirations for power, especially in the years following the death of his father, Æthelstan’s grasp on power was strong, and he succeeded in solidifying his rule over Wessex and other parts of England.
Moreover, the political climate of the time was heavily shaped by Viking invasions and the need for strong leadership to resist foreign threats. Æthelstan, with his military experience and leadership abilities, was in a far stronger position to fend off Viking incursions and defend the kingdom than Aelfwald, who did not have the same level of influence or military success.
Conclusion: A Rivalry that Never Materialized
While Aelfwald and Æthelstan were contemporaries and shared royal blood, there is little evidence to suggest that they were direct rivals for the throne of Wessex. Æthelstan, as the legitimate heir to the throne, quickly established himself as the dominant ruler of Wessex and eventually the first King of all England. Aelfwald, in contrast, did not appear to pose a serious challenge to Æthelstan’s reign. The rivalry, if it ever existed, was more a matter of peripheral figures seeking power in a time of political instability rather than a direct contest between two major claimants to the throne.
Thus, while the Anglo-Saxon period was filled with power struggles and shifting allegiances, the relationship between Aelfwald and Æthelstan does not seem to have been one of intense rivalry. Instead, Æthelstan’s reign remains one of consolidation and unity, a significant step in the development of the Kingdom of England. shutdown123