als ▁have ▁proved ▁difficult ▁to ▁interpret : ▁Co en red ▁and ▁ Æ th el red ▁may ▁have ▁ruled ▁joint ly ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁before ▁ Æ th el red ▁ab dic ated , ▁or ▁the ▁chron ic lers ▁may ▁have ▁recorded ▁the ▁same ▁event ▁twice , ▁once ▁from ▁a ▁source ▁that ▁was ▁two ▁years ▁in ▁error . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁ 8 th - century ▁life ▁of ▁St ▁G uth lac , ▁ Æ th el red ▁appointed ▁Co en red ▁as ▁his ▁he ir ▁despite ▁having ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁son ▁of ▁his ▁own , ▁Ce ol red . ▁ Æ th el red ▁appears ▁to ▁have ▁retained ▁influence ▁during ▁his ▁nep hew ' s ▁reign : ▁the ▁Life ▁of ▁St ▁Wil fr id ▁rel ates ▁how ▁he ▁sum mon ed ▁Co en red ▁and ▁made ▁him ▁swe ar ▁to ▁support ▁Wil fr id ▁in ▁his ▁conflict ▁with ▁the ▁church ▁hierarchy . K ir by , ▁Ear liest ▁English ▁Kings , ▁p .   1 2 7 . ▁ ▁Co en red ' s ▁sp ars ely ▁documented ▁reign ▁is ▁mentioned ▁in ▁the ▁Life ▁of ▁G uth lac . ▁The ▁author , ▁Felix , ▁reports ▁conflicts ▁with ▁the ▁Brit ons : ▁" in ▁the ▁days ▁of ▁Co en red ▁King ▁of ▁the ▁Mer ci ans , ▁[...] ▁the ▁Brit ons ▁the ▁imp lac able ▁enemies ▁of ▁the ▁Sax on ▁race , ▁were ▁trou bling ▁the ▁English ▁with ▁their ▁attacks , ▁their ▁pill aging , ▁and ▁their ▁dev ast ations ▁of ▁the ▁people