Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms

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, often 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. It literally means 'Britain ruler'.

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 the territory to the south of the Humber as being within their influence. The Deiran and Bernician Angles thought of themselves as being apart from the southerners, perhaps even more so when Edwin smashed North Rheged and greatly enlarged Northumbria.

It is highly possible, given that the Angle and Saxon kings would have known about the British tradition, that the assumption of the bretwalda title 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.

450 - 500

Tribes of Angles, Jutes and Saxons, along with mixtures of various other peoples, invade the eastern coast of Britain, pushing westwards along river valleys and quickly forging early kingdoms. All the tribes are speakers of the Anglo-Frisian group of Low German languages, speaking the same language with slight differences of dialect.

477 - 514?

Ælle

King of the Suth Seaxe. Leader at Mons Badonicus in c.496?

c.500

The Old English poem Widsith mentions several minor Germanic peoples, not all of whom can be properly identified alongside the more obvious peoples such as the Angles, Austrasian Franks, Burgundians, Danes, Finns, Geats, Jutes, and Ostrogoths.

c.520

Another great Old English Poem is Beowulf, which records events of this time in the Anglo-Saxon homelands in Denmark and southern Scandinavia. A prince of the Geat court, Beowulf visits Hrothgar Scylding at his hall of Heorot where he rids Hrothgar of the monster, Grendal.

568

Ceawlin and his brother Cutha of the West Seaxe defeat Æthelbert of the Cantware at Wibbandun. This is notable as being the first recorded conflict between two groups of invaders, and a conflict between two rulers with ambitions greater than the rule of their own kingdoms. Ceawlin especially is looking to re-establish the title of bretwalda at this time, and perhaps this victory secures it for him, although 571 is another likely date for this.

571? - c.588

Ceawlin

King of the West Seaxe.

584

The Romano-British station at Viriconium in Pengwern is sacked, but Ceawlin's brother Cutha is killed in battle at nearby Fethanleag. Ceawlin takes 'many townships and countless spoil and returns in anger to his own', apparently giving up on the possibility of expanding the kingdom to the north. It also seems likely that this defeat marks the realistic end of his claims to the bretwaldaship, and possibly robs him of vital support within his own kingdom (with the death of Cutha). The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is curiously silent about just when he loses the title, and the events surrounding it, but it seems that Æthelbert of the Cantware might be involved.

591 - 592

The usurpation of Ceawlin of the West Seaxe gifts the bretwaldaship of southern England to Æthelbert of the Cantware, his only serious rival for the title - if he does not already have it, as suggested by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and its reference to Æthelbert being 'baptised' early in his reign, ie. about 588.

c.588 - 616

Æthelbert / Ethelbert I (Saint)

King of the Cantware.

597

Augustine is sent by Pope Gregory to England to establish the Catholic church and Christianise the Anglo-Saxons. He is cautiously received in Kent, thanks to King Æthelbert's Christian wife (although there are signs that Æthelbert himself may have strongly suggested beforehand that the mission be sent), and establishes the archbishopric at Canterbury.

603

The first meeting takes place between the Roman Church in the form of St Augustine of Canterbury, and the Celtic Church (the descendant of the former British Church of the Roman period). It is arranged by Æthelbert using the Hwicce as intermediaries and the meeting occurs at a place Bede names at St Augustine's Oak, on the border between the Hwicce territory and that of the West Seaxe. The meeting goes favourably for Augustine.

A second meeting is quickly arranged, although perhaps not in the same year. This takes place at Abberley in Worcestershire, probably close to the border between the Hwicce and Pengwern, but ends in disappointment for the Roman envoy, with no agreements of cooperation or unity being reached between the two churches, especially in regard to the important question of the calculations for Easter and evangelising the pagan English. The failure is a blow for Æthelbert's prestige as bretwalda.

616 - 625/7

Raedwald

King of the East Engle. Buried at Sutton Hoo.

616

After seeking asylum at Raedwald's East Engle court since being forced to flee Deira by Æthelfrith of Bernicia, Edwin is able to regain his throne when Raedwald defeats Æthelfrith at the Battle of the River Idle. The battle confirms Raedwald as Bretwalda. In turn, Edwin succeeds him as the first bretwalda north of the Humber. He never extends his bretwaldaship over Kent, treating it as a fellow kingdom and its king, Eadbald, as his peer.

627 - 632

Edwin

King of the Bernician & Deiran Northumbrians.

633 - 642

Oswald (Saint)

King of the Bernician Northumbrians.

642

Oswald of Bernicia & Deira is killed by Penda of Mercia on 5 August at the Battle of Maserfelth. The location of Maserfelth is still disputed but opinion favours Oswestry ('Oswald's tree') in Shropshire. Supreme power in England switches from the north to the Midlands.

642 - 655

Penda

King of the Mercians.

654/655

Penda of Mercia is killed in battle by Oswiu of Northumbria, and with this victory supreme power in England swings back to the north. Oswiu cements the increasingly accepted union of Deira with Bernicia to create a single kingdom of the Angles north of the Humber, known as Northumbria.

655? - 670

Oswiu

King of the Bernician Northumbrians.

664

An English priest, Wighard, is selected to be archbishop of Canterbury by the new king of Kent, Egbert I, perhaps with support from Oswiu of Northumbria. He is sent to Rome to receive consecration from Pope Vitalianus, but is killed by bubonic plague before the act can be carried out.

678 - 690

The English Bishop Wilfred arrives in Frisia and the Anglo-Saxon Christianisation of the Germanic lands begins, although the first mission is quickly aborted as the fiercely pagan Redbad gains the throne and enmity against the Merovingian kings increases. A second attempt in 690 proves much more successful and for the best part of a century churchmen and monks crisscross the Channel or North Sea, intent on spreading the Christian faith amongst their Germanic cousins who border the Merovingian Frankish kingdom. There is special interest in the conversion of the German Saxons, whom the English consider their kinsfolk.

695

Pope Sergius ordains Bishop Willibrord as the bishop of the Frisians. The bishop is a Northumbrian missionary and a follower of Bishop Wilfred, one of a wave of English Christians to enter Germanic lands in this period in order to bring them into the faith.

8th century

Although all the Anglo-Saxon tribes which had originally invaded Britain had all been speakers of the Anglo-Frisian group of Low German languages, and had been speaking the same language with slight differences of dialect, by this century those dialects have diverged into four main groups: Northumbrian and Mercian (the Anglian group), and West Saxon and Kentish (the Southern group of Saxon and Jutish dialects). Thanks to the fact that the Angles have long been the dominant tribe, both in their pre-migration homelands and here in Britain, it is their name that comes to represent the Anglo-Saxon language and emerging nation, as 'Anglish' and Angle-land' respectively.

c.735 - 757

Æthelbald / Ethelbald

King of the Mercians.

757 - 796

Offa

King of the Mercians.

793

In what is the first major attack by Vikings on English territory, Lindsfarne Monastery is sacked by raiders and the monks are slaughtered. The age of enlightenment and learning in Britain in which Lindisfarne had played a major role now begins a steep decline. The situation is not helped by the continuing dynastic discord in the kingdom of Northumbria.

802 - 839

Ecgberht / Egbert

King of Wessex.

825

Ecgberht gains revenge for his father's death when he defeats the mighty Mercians at the Battle of Ellandon. He swiftly intercedes in Kent, sending his son, Æthulwulf, with a force to seize the key to the whole of the south-east. Kent, the oldest of the English kingdoms, with the most prestige and with great wealth, is also home to the primary see at Canterbury. The sub-kingdoms of Essex, Sussex and Suthrige submit to Ecgberht and are also ruled by Æthulwulf. From this point, Wessex remains the strongest of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.

839 - 856

Æthelwulf / Ethelwulf

King of Wessex.

856 - 860

Æthelbald / Ethelbald

King of Wessex.

860 - 866

Æthelberht / Ethelbert

King of Wessex.

866 - 871

Æthelred / Ethelred

King of Wessex.

871 - 899

Ælfred / Alfred the Great

King of Wessex.

874 - 878

The Danes overcome much of England, and Wessex is virtually the only independent survivor (along with the southwest of Mercia), achieving total dominance over all the English within less than a century. The West Saxon kings are titled 'Emperors of Britain' in the tenth century, which is probably a natural extension of the role and prestige of the bretwaldas.