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The contemporary word "overwhelm" comes from the Old English -hwielfan, meaning "cover over," which then became the Middle English whelmen, meaning "cover" or "to turn upside down."
When it first arose in the 14th century, "overwhelm" also meant "to turn upside down," but could also mean "to overthrow," and (later) "to submerge completely." Both "whelm" and "overwhelm" were most often used in the context of ships being overpowered or submerged by rough seas until "whelm" eventually faded from common use.
So, in sum, "overwhelm" is a somewhat redundant way of saying "whelm."
