WESSEX AND MERCIA

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Notes:

1.   An Earldorman was a king's representative who collected taxes and raised troops.

2.  The very important Anglo-Saxon word 'Aethel'  appears to have six letters, but it should be remembered that 'ae' was a single character originally, and so was 'th'. Names beginning with Athel and Ethel are obviously derived from it. 'Th' has sometimes been changed into a 'y' and so prefixes such as Ayel, Ayl and Ail are descended from the original 'aethel'.  'Aethel' means Noble, in the sense of being noble in character, or noble in birth, and in consequence it was a word much favoured for the names of royalty or other persons of high rank. In a slightly different sense, it may have come to have had a meaning somewhat similar to the modern 'Prince'.

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From:  http://www.mathematical.com/wessexaethelfrith.html