At that early date the West Saxons were called the Gewisse, and in his Dictionary of National Biography entry he is given the title "king of the Gewisse".
The West Saxon Genealogical Regnal List gives him a reign of seventeen years.
[2][1][3] Ceolwulf was the son of Cutha (probably Cuthwulf) and the grandson of Cynric and succeeded his older brother Ceol.
According to the Chronicle, he was a powerful ruler who "continually fought and contended either against the English, or the Britons, or the Picts, or the Scots", but it is unlikely that he fought against the Picts or the Scots.
He may have begun to construct a regional overlordship among the groups who comprised the West Saxons.