16 Facts About Wulfred

Wulfred was an Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of Canterbury in medieval England.

Wulfred was elected archbishop in 805 and spent his time in office reforming the clergy of his cathedral.

At one point, Wulfred travelled to Rome to consult with the papacy and was deposed from office for a number of years over the issue.

Wulfred was the first archbishop to place his portrait on the coinage he struck.

The main sources for Wulfred's life are the surviving charters which mention him, a number of documents from his suffragan bishops pledging obedience, the records of a church council he presided over, and the coinage he issued.

Wulfred is believed to have come from Middlesex and to have been a member of a wealthy and important family with considerable landholdings in Middlesex and neighbouring regions.

Wulfred's efforts including requiring the clergy to eat together, to give over their personal property to the chapter, and ensuring that the canonical hours were kept as part of the liturgy.

Later, Wulfred granted land to the chapter, but the gifts would only be valid as long as the chapter kept to the new standards.

Wulfred used his personal wealth to fund the construction of new buildings.

Wulfred came into conflict with King Coenwulf of Mercia over the issue of whether laymen could control religious houses, with the king supporting the rights of laymen to control monasteries.

In 814, Wulfred travelled to Rome to visit Pope Leo III.

Laymen controlling monasteries had been customary for centuries, though in the half-century or so before Wulfred became archbishop the church had begun to assert control over monasteries.

Wulfred was driven into exile briefly at some point during his suspension from office.

Coenwulf's daughter Cwenthryth, abbess of Winchcombe and Minster, paid compensation to Wulfred and lost control over the houses in Kent.

Wulfred was the first archbishop to place his portrait on the pennies struck in his name which, unlike those of previous archbishops, never made reference to the ruling Mercian king.

Wulfred rebuilt some buildings at Christ Church, Canterbury, although it is not known whether these were support buildings, such as the dormitory and refractory, or if he rebuilt the cathedral itself.