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The Bretwaldas of England
In much the same way as the Celts had their tradition of the
High Kings,
so the Angles and Saxons, in the first couple of centuries after their
eastern kingdoms had been formed, usually recognised the overall authority
and supremacy of one king over all the rest. Usually this was at a time when
that ruler's kingdom was at its strongest, and initial force of arms had
demonstrated the ability of that ruler to claim the title of bretwalda or
brytenwealda. The second form of this word is probably the older, and
originates from a Germanic idea of an over-king.
Only one bretwalda is mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, but Bede supplies the
missing names. Some others are not named bretwalda as such, but pretty much
fulfilled the functions of the title in all but name (and it is possible
that records were made and later lost). These probable bretwaldas are shown
in green text.
Until Edwin of the Northumbrians took the title, the
bretwaldas only counted their territory as being south
of the Humber. The Deiran and
Bernician
Angles thought of themselves as being apart from the southerners, even when Edwin smashed
North Rheged and greatly enlarged Northumbria.
It is highly possible, given
that the Anglian and Saxon kings would have known about the British tradition, that the
assumption of the bretwalda title, essentially meaning 'Ruler of Britain', was also a
deliberate attempt at not only legitimising their own claims to land they had conquered,
but to demonstrate to the Britons that they were now in charge and were the rightful
successors to the Britons who had failed to defend their island. |
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