[Spoiler] Did King Athelwulf......
...Commit suicide, suspecting he had a bee allergy?
He mentioned 'sting' in his speech, then alone he placed his crown on the table, then laughed when he struck the bee?
Coincidence?
I think it was a coincidence. The bitter laugh after he was stung seems to point that way. He probably didn't even know he had the allergy until he began to feel the effects.
Aethewulf was a good man, maybe too good. I never cared for Judith. Persuading Aethelwulf's legitimate son to refuse the crown so her son with Athelstan could have it was the outside of enough. Aethelred's resentment, even though he complies, is obvious. There will be bad feeling now between the brothers. That seems to be a theme in this series.
Aethelwulf was too good for Judith.
Yeah, of course real history has taken a back seat.
Just one point being that Alfred had three full older brothers who preceded him as king of Wessex.