Athelred

Athelred is the previous king of the Kingdom of Lundene. He is deceased, having (reluctantly) volunteered to be sacrificed by the newly crowned Aerthos Brightblade to Odin to help achieve victory for the kingdom against the hobgoblins in the Battle of Mordgard.

He was Aerthos's uncle.

He was also related to Uhtred, king of Bebbanburgh, whom he hated, had sold into slavery, and whom he attempted to go to war with in the events leading up to the Battle of Mordgard.

He was also related somehow to Aethelstan, king of Wintanchaester.

He was an unpopular and incompetent king, a drunk, and a wifebeater. He had murdered his own brother, Aelfred (Aerthos's father), in order to take the throne, and had been deposed by the ealdormen of Lundene approximately 6-7 years prior to the Battle of Mordgard, only being restored by the efforts of King Aethelstan and Aethelstan's chancellor Irkenwald.