Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms

Hwicce

The Hwicce emerged from obscurity, probably from within territory controlled by the West Seaxe, to form their own kingdom. The British kingdoms based on Caer Gloui (Gloucester), Caer Ceri (Cirencester) and most of Caer Baddan (Bath) were overrun in a large-scale Saxon attack in 577 and their last kings killed in battle. The Hwicce (sometimes misspelt as Hwicca) took the opportunity to move into this territory and form their own kingdom, centred on Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, apparently independent from the West Seaxe. It may be the case that this Saxon warrior group simply marched into the pre-existing British kingdom (Caer Gloui) and assumed control, retaining all its Briton-founded features in place.

The Anglo-Saxon name 'Gloucester' derives from the same source as British Caer Gloui, 'caer' and 'chester' both being descended from the Latin 'castrum' for fort and 'Gloui' from the Roman Glevum. Details about the Hwicce are very sketchy, even down to the origins of their name. However, analysis of that name seems to suggest it is a Saxon one. Hwicce uses the German 'hw' which is a reduction of 'kw' or 'gw' ('k' and 'g' are interchangeable). So an older form of Hwicce would likely be 'kwicche' or 'gwicce' - and the latter is remarkably similar to Gewissae, a name used for the very first West Saxons prior to their conquest by Cerdic in 519. Hwicce, or Gewisse ('ge-wit', those who know, cognate with 'witch') may have emerged because the Saxons found themselves impressed by the still extant Roman culture and learning in the region (albeit greatly diminished over the course of a century and-a-half), effectively calling themselves the 'Educated Men' because they had acquired some Romano-British semblance of civilisation. The Saxons of the Thames Valley may have had exactly the same idea.

The exact dimensions of the kingdom are unknown but they probably coincided with those of the old diocese of Worcester, the early bishops of which bore the title Episcopus Hwicciorum. It would therefore include Worcestershire, Gloucestershire except the Forest of Dean, the southern half of Warwickshire, and the neighbourhood of Bath as far as the River Avon. The name Hwicce survives in Wychwood in Oxfordshire (the eastern edge of the kingdom), Whichford in Warwickshire, and the Wychavon district of Worcestershire.

No genealogy or list of kings has been preserved, and it is not known whether the dynasty was connected with that of Wessex or Mercia.

(Additional information by Edward Dawson.)

577

Following the West Seaxe defeat of Caer Gloui, Caer Baddan and Caer Ceri, the Hwicce move into the territory around Gloucester and Bath.

It is possible that the Hwicce do not entirely subjugate the native Britons. Though place-names show that Anglo-Saxon settlement is widespread in the territory, the limited spread of pagan burials suggests that British Christianity survives the influx. The Britons may even absorb the Hwicce into their existing Church structure.

One group of Saxon settlers enters into southern Warwickshire to form the Stoppingas tribal territory, based around the Forest of Arden near present-day Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire. This region probably forms part of the Hwicce's northern borderland and the name itself originates from the name of a tenth century Saxon lord. All of the 'arden' forests, such as the one in Warwickshire, take their name from a Celtic word for 'high', reconstructed as 'ardwo', and apparently used as their way of saying 'hills' or 'uplands'.

584

The West Seaxe King Ceawlin and his forge north on a raid upon the Romano-British station at Viroconium in Pengwern, travelling through the Hwicce territory to do so. This strongly suggests that, even if the West Seaxe do not directly control the area, the Hwicce are a subject or allied people. During the raid, Cutha is killed in the fighting at the battle of Fethanleag (possibly Stoke Lyne in north-east Oxfordshire). 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. This perhaps leaving the door open for the Hwicce to take full control of the region.

603

The first meeting takes place between the Roman Church in the form of St Augustine of Canterbury, and the British/Celtic Church (the descendant of the former British Church of the Roman period). It is arranged when Æthelbert of the Cantware uses the Hwicce as intermediaries, as they possess a church organisation which seems to have survived intact from prior to the Saxon takeover of the region (and probably a ruling elite, although this is not mentioned and no records survive of the names of any rulers from this period). 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 (somewhere on the eastern slopes of the Cotswolds, perhaps near Wychwood in Oxfordshire, which means the 'Hwiccas' wood'). 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. It is attended by seven bishops of the Celtic Church, along with many learned monks, mainly from Bangor-is-Coed (in Pengwern). The Britons are not impressed with Augustine's imperious manner and the meeting ends in disappointment for the Roman envoy, with no agreements of cooperation or unity being reached between the two churches.

628

The Hwicce are by now converted to Christianity, but possibly by the British Church rather than the Roman as, unusually, Bede fails to mention their conversion. Two eccles place names within the kingdom indicate the survival of Christian communities into the period of Anglo-Saxon incursion. There are also scattered clues to a continuity of worship from sub-Roman to Anglo-Saxon. Probable British Christian burials have been found beneath Worcester Cathedral and St Mary de Lode, Gloucester.

In this year they are overrun by Penda of Mercia, and become a sub-Mercian kingdom. If there had been any West Seaxe influence on the Hwicce, it certainly ends now, but the Hwicce retain a separate cultural identity from the Mercians.

c.650

By the middle of the seventh century, place names in the kingdom show that Anglo-Saxon settlement is widespread, Anglian in the north (from Mercia), Saxon in the south (from the West Seaxe). However, pagan burials seem to be clustered to the north-east, on the edges of Mercian territory, suggesting an overlap of pagan Mercian settlement. Quite why a ruling elite has not emerged until this point is unknown. Perhaps it had simply gone unrecorded until Mercia gained a hand in the territory's administration. The first-known king, Eanfrith, could be the head of a noble house that has joint Saxon-British heritage.

c.650s - c.674

Eanfrith

First-known, Christian, king of the Hwicce.

656 - c.660

With the fall of the British kingdom of Pengwern to the immediate north, Saxon groups move into its former western section from the territory of the Hwicce to form small kingdoms of their own in Magonset and Wrocenset.

c.661

The Christian Eanfrith had married a sister of Wulfhere of Mercia, by whom he had a daughter, Eafe. Now Eafe is married to Æthelwalh of the Suth Seaxe, who are also under Mercian domination. Her new husband is subsequently baptised.

c.674 - c.675

Eanhere

Brother. m Osthryth, dau of Oswiu of Northumbria.

c.675 - 679

Osric

Son. Buried in Gloucester Cathedral.

c.679 - 704

Oshere

Brother.

c.685 - c.690

Oswald

Brother.

fl 700

Ethelbert / Æthelheard

Son of Oshere.

fl 710

Ethelward / Æthelweard

Brother.

fl 720

Ethelric / Æthelric

Brother.

fl 730s

Osred

fl c.759

Eanberht

fl c.759 - c.780

Uhtred

Brother.

fl c.759 - c.790

Ealdred / Aldred

Brother.

770s

The Hwicce are absorbed directly into Mercia during the reign of Offa. The kings are replaced with ealdormen, but possibly from the same ruling house or section of the Hwiccan nobility.

c.796 - 802

Æthelmund

Successor. Ealdorman of the Hwicce. Killed fighting Wessex.

fl 804

Æthelric?

Son. Ealdorman of the Hwicce.

c.805

From this point, the Hwicce lose any independent control of their lands to Mercia, during the reign of Coenwulf. The Mercian kings assume the title 'ealdorman of the Hwicce'. When Mercia fails as an independent kingdom in the face of the great Danish army of the 870s, the title passes to the royal house of Wessex which rules the surviving free half of the kingdom as the Lords of Mercia. Hwiccan identity gradually fades out of use.