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West
Seaxe (West Saxons / Wessex)
Incorporating the Wiltsaete
The West Saxons formed one of the most powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of
England - in fact it was their kingdom that formed the basis of a single,
united English kingdom in the mid-tenth century. However, their beginnings
are shrouded in mystery, seemingly formed out of two separate stories that
were combined by later generations to make them look better. In very simple
terms, the Gewissae (a Saxon tribe descended from Gewis of
Baeldaeg's
Folk), are claimed as having landed on the south coast where they began
to carve out an area of settlement for themselves. This was traditionally
in AD 495, and this band of Saxons was led by Cerdic, whose mother (and
name) were
British.
This straightforward version of events appears to be the result of a
traditional form of story telling that covers a more interesting and
intricate story. It's rare to have a story of conquest that begins so
long before the main participants in the story - the West Saxons - are
brought into the story, the gap being between AD 495-519 during which
time Cerdic appears to be establishing his own power base. It has been
suggested that Cerdic headed a British power bloc which,
with Germanic
mercenaries or help that was related to him through intermarriage to
Jutes or
Saxons,
staged a takeover and was able to set up a viable Brito-Saxon kingdom.
Scholar K Sisam points out (in Anglo-Saxon Royal Genealogies, 1953)
that Cerdic's pedigree has no independent authority. It has been put
together from that of the
Bernician kings and his real
ancestry is unknown. He evidently could not claim descent from any Germanic
family of importance. This seems to strengthen the possibility of him having
position and/or power within Romano-British society. Even the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle (ASC) describes him and his 'son', Cynric, as ealdormen,
a term normally used in ninth century
England for someone who was a
prominent official having authority, both civil and military, over a
specific territory forming part of a kingdom.
It
is interesting to note that the date of Cerdic's proposed takeover is very
close to the approximate date of the heavy Saxon defeat at Mons Badonicus,
circa 496. Could Cerdic have spotted the power vacuum that occurred
with the loss of the Bretwalda's
power and been in a position to take advantage of it? Given that, and the
ASC's description of his rank, it is tempting to think that Cerdic
was the head of a partly British noble family with extensive territorial
interests along the western end of the Saxon Shore who may have been
entrusted with its defence in the last days of sub-Roman authority. Once
that authority had faded, he could have decided to go further and assume
total authority in the region.
The ASC suggests that when Cerdic 'landed' in 495 (ie. decided to take
over), a Saxon settlement existed around Cerdicesora and that Cerdic, 'within
about six years of [his] coming... overcame the West Saxon kingdom' (between
495-501) (ASC. mnsrpt. A Parker Chron). Whether or not the above theory
is accepted, this took place at about the same time as the Saxons in southern
Britain were defeated at Mons Badonicus. This could mean that Cerdic overcame
the local territory and its British occupants, but is more likely an
indication that the earlier Saxon and Jutish (mercenary) settlements around Southampton
Water (neighbouring the Meonware
to the immediate east) were bent to Cerdic's cause.
These Jutish settlements had probably existed for thirty or so years, and very
likely had mingled with some Saxons who had been settled by the
Romans in
return for defending the Saxon Shore, plus some communities which may have
migrated westwards from the earliest days of settlement by the
Suth Seaxe. The lack of
archaeological evidence in the area that is specifically German supports
the idea that the kingdom was formed from elements that had already been
partially absorbed into British culture. This mixing of various peoples
is also noted amongst the
Belgae
on the Continent in the first century BC. Several tribes there are sometimes
thought by scholars to be Germanic, although much of the evidence seems
to suggest that they were either Belgic
Celts,
or were ruled by a Belgic nobility. The idea of the Belgae being a mix
of Germans and Celts to some extent is firmly stated as being reported
to Julius Caesar by the locals. It is a model that could also provide
the basis for the foundation of Wessex: local
Belgae, who were perhaps
already semi-German, fusing with German foederati in late Roman
Britain and then with Saxons to form the population of the new kingdom,
people who were sometimes known as the Gewissae (and also later as the
Hwicce).
Geoffrey Tobin suggests that the 'landing' of 495 be taken literally. The
Encyclopaedia of Earth states 'Tidal streams in the eastern English
Channel and [around the] Channel Islands area [are] generally
anti-clockwise, whilst the western entrance of the Channel has a clockwise
tidal circulation [that is] wedded to the Celtic Sea'. Visualising this,
one can expect frequent landings in Hampshire from both
Brittany and
Flanders
by skirting the English coast, and return journeys to the Cotentin peninsula
then passing along the coasts of Brittany and
France.
Cerdic may have taken one of these routes while the Saxons took the other.
If the strong states of Domnonia
and Dumnonia were one
kingdom in the fifth century, and Cerdic were an ambitious noble, perhaps a
fractious younger brother of the magistrate or ruler of this region, this
would explain his actions in landing near Southampton (as Bretons later
often did) and taking on the loyalist Natanleod (in 508). Having established
a beach-head, it would reflect the times for him to have forged alliances
with rebellious Britons, immigrant Saxons, and hybrid groups who needed a
seasoned battle leader.
As
for the Gewissae in Cerdic's story, it seems likely that Gewis could
have been a Thames Valley
Saxon leader whose pedigree was later attached to Cerdic to give him a
degree of legitimacy in the eyes of rival Anglo-Saxon kings. Whatever
the politics of the situation in the Thames Valley and the West Saxon
heartland of Hampshire, by AD 519, Cerdic had fully secured control of
his territory and was proclaimed king of the West Seaxe.
(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information by Geoffrey
Tobin, and on eighth century Wessex by Mick Baker, and from The Oxford
History of England: The English Settlements, J N L Meyers, from The
Oxford History of England: Anglo-Saxon England, Sir Frank Stenton, from
Wessex, Barbara Yorke, from Ecclesiastical History of the English
People, Bede, from the Oxford Online Dictionary of National Biography:
Cenwalh, Barbara Yorke (2004), from The Earliest English Kings,
D P Kirby (1992), from Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England,
Barbara Yorke, from the Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales, John
Marius Wilson (1870-1872), from Making Anglo-Saxon Devon: Exeter, Robert
Higham (2008), from the BBC series, King Alfred and the Anglo-Saxons,
first broadcast from 6 August 2013, from the Annales Cambriae, James
Ingram (taken from the Harleian manuscript, the earliest surviving version,
London, Everyman Press, 1912), from The Peterborough Chronicle (the E
Manuscript version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle), and from External
Links:
Encyclopaedia of Earth and the
Megalithic
Portal.) |
495 |
According
to tradition, Cerdic and his (young) son Cynric, together with
Saxon
and possibly some
Jutish
companions, land in five ships on the south coast at Cerdices ora (Cerdic's
Shore, possibly the western side of the Solent), and begin a takeover of
the local Jutish, Saxon and
sub-Roman
territories. The Jutes and Saxons who are already settled there are
apparently already referring to themselves as the West Seaxe (possibly
separate from the
Meonware to the east).
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By the mid-fifth century Londinium had been largely abandoned
following at least half a century of slow decay and a steadily
dwindling population, but with trade virtually ceased the city's
purpose was temporarily ended and central power (if any
survived) shifted westwards |
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The
fighting begins on the same day as Cerdic 'arrives', suggesting that his
potential power play begins in violence or immediate resistance. If Cerdic
is in fact a Briton who rebels
against the remaining central authority then, given his location, he could be
serving as a magistrate of the Belgae territory of
Caer Gwinntguic
until he seizes part of the tribe's territory in order to found his own
little empire. But Cerdic as Arthur is a much more unlikely possibility (see
feature link). |
c.495 - 560 |
Cerdic
(and later Cynric) begin the conquest of the territory of modern Wiltshire.
The Wiltsaete (or Wilsaetas,
Saxons
in modern Wiltshire), appear to migrate into the same territory, either
independently as a result of the decaying
British
defensive situation or as part of Cerdic's invasion.
Cerdic avoids the established British territories to his north and east
which have already set themselves up on a defensive footing (postulated
as Caer Gwinntguic
and Caer Celemion)
and aims at securing the more 'soft' territory to the west. Unfortunately,
the British chieftains or sub-magistrates there view this as an invasion to
be resisted by force in battles which provide incidents that are also recorded
in the traditions of the invaders. Archaeologically too, the newcomers leave
more conspicuous traces of their presence in settlements that do not
initially merge with those of the locals, unlike in Hampshire and southern
Berkshire, the heartland of their powerbase. |
501 |
With
the initial conquest of the West Seaxe complete, attention is turned more
fully to expansion from the kingdom's Hampshire heartland. It seems that any
Germanic
mercenary settlements that exist in the immediate area have been taken and
now Cerdic can focus on expanding his territory.
A newly arrived
Saxon chieftain and his two ships of followers kill a
Briton of very high rank at Portesmutha (British Portus Adurni, modern
Portsmouth, possibly the last surviving part of the proposed British kingdom
of Rhegin -
alternatively, the Briton could be Gereint of
Dumnonia). The name
of the Saxon chieftain appears to have been lost, as it has been conveniently
recorded as Port in the West Seaxe annals, whereas the fact is that
Portsmouth gains its name from a Saxon corruption of Portus Adurni. His sons
are Bieda and Męgla (a probable British name - another of Cerdic's British
allies?).
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The Roman walls of Portchester Castle (British Caer Peris)
would still have been standing when this former Saxon Shore
fort was captured by a Saxon chieftain in AD 501, possibly
ending the independence of the territory of Rhegin
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508 |
Cerdic
(and Cynric, credited in name at least) defeats Natanleod's
Britons.
Afterwards the area is known as Natan leag (Netley Marsh in Hampshire,
just to the south-east of Southampton). Could Natanleod be a rival
British chieftain or
Roman-style
official (perhaps of
Caer Gwinntguic)
who is vying for power with Cerdic or attempting to defend Britain's shores?
Having established a beachhead and killed the (possibly) legitimate governor
or ruler, Cerdic may be the only hope in the region for strong governance,
with the result that Britons,
Saxons and
Jutes
join him. |
514 |
The
Anglo Saxon Chronicle (ASC) relates briefly that a West Seaxe band of
Jutes
under Stuf and Wihtgar arrives in three ships at Cerdices ora (Cerdic's
Shore - the same arrival point that Cerdic had supposedly used in 405). Stuf
and Wihtgar fight and defeat the local
Britons,
putting them to flight. Are these Jutes related to those of the
Meonware? |
519 |
After defeating
Britons at Cerdices
ford (perhaps Charford on the River Avon about ten kilometres south of
Salisbury, Cerdic is declared king of the West Seaxe.
Cynric is variously described as his son or grandson in different versions
of the West Saxon genealogy. Creoda appears between him and Cerdic in the
pedigree of Ine of Wessex and some texts that use it, such as Asser and the
Chronicle entry for 855. No incident involving him is noted in the annals
but his name may survive in a minor Wiltshire place name, Creodanhyll.
Theoretically, Creoda could be Cerdic's son, and Cynric his son, or
even a much younger brother. If it is assumed that Cynric is very young in
495, perhaps no more than ten years old, then the length of his involvement
in West Saxon affairs is not quite so unbelievable. Perhaps also Creoda
is illegitimate, a factor frequently likely to see an elder son sidelined
in favour of a younger, legitimate one. (There are two other early Creodas,
one of the Iclingas c.580
who is clearly different, and one of the
Lindisware c.500 who is
harder to distinguish as being entirely separate.) |
519 - 534? |
Cerdic
(Caraticos?) |
Of mixed,
Celtic-Saxon,
parentage? Former magistrate of
Belgae? |
? - 534 |
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Creoda? |
Ruled jointly with
Cerdic (possibly his son or a brother). |
527 |
The Britons are again defeated, this time at Cerdices leag (Certicesford).
Unfortunately the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle notes nothing else about the
battle, but it seems to suggest either one or more attempts by the local
British forces to
remove Cerdic from his power base or early steps in Cerdic expanding that
power base. |
530 |
Cerdic
and Cynric seize Ynys Weith from
the Britons at
Wihtgaraesburh, although this could be a later West Seaxe claim to legitimise
their seizure of the island in 686. Perhaps the event in this year is more a
confirmation of the
Jutish
ascendancy on the island from their
Meonware homeland. |
534 |
Cerdic
is buried (according to tradition) at Cerdicesbeorg, a former barrow at Stoke
near Hurstbourne that is recorded in an eleventh century charter. Wihtgar,
who had arrived in AD 514, claims the kingship of the Jutish
Isle of Wight.
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The Jutes of Wight and Hampshire appear to have maintained
trading links with the Byzantines, as findings in both areas
have attested. These Byzantine coins were part of a scattering
of thirty-five found on the Isle of Wight
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The location of Cerdic's burial suggests he has been involved in some
operations at the eastern end of the Wansdyke, where it terminates adjacent
to the Roman
road from Winchester (capital of the proposed
Caer Gwinntguic).
In 534 that location seems to be within the north-eastern borders of
Caer Celemion,
close to Caer Ceri's southern
border and within touching distance of the
Thames Valley Saxons and
their Ciltern Saetan neighbours
at their westernmost limits. |
534 - 560 |
Cynric |
Son of Cerdic
(or Creoda according to W-S Reignal List). |
552 |
 In
a memorable victory, Sorbiodunum (Saxon Searoburh, modern Old Sarum)
is captured from the
Britons (of the
proposed territory of
Caer Gwinntguic,
which is probably totally overrun at this time). This gives the West Seaxe
mastery of central Wiltshire and Salisbury Plain and brings them into contact
with the Thames Valley
Saxons. If the Wiltsaete are not already under West Seaxe dominance then
this victory achieves that too (see second feature link, right). The generation
of relative peace following Mons Badonicus is fast coming to an end (see
first feature link). |
556 |
Cynric
and Ceawlin fight the
Britons at
Beran byrg (Barbury Castle near Swindon). The result of the battle, fought
very close to the generally-accepted site of Mons Badonicus, is unrecorded
by the ASC. This suggests that the victory goes to the British,
probably those of the three cities (led by
Caer Gloui), who
are quite possibly still using Ambrosius Aurelianus' former stronghold as a
base of operations.
This event is Ceawlin's first mention, making it seem possible that he is
being readied for kingship by Cynric who (if he had been a child when Cerdic
seized power) would be around sixty-five by now. However, elements in the
construction of the ASC text suggest that Ceawlin may not be a
direct descendent of Cerdic's. He may even be a ruler of the
Thames Valley Saxons
whose family has somehow become united with that of the Cerdicingas
(probably through conquest), and a level of tension between the two
groups seems to remain. |
560 - 591 |
Ceawlin
/ Ceaulin / Caelin |
Bretwalda. A
British name. Deposed 591. Died 593. |
? |
Cutha / Cuthwine? |
Brother. |
c.560 - 571 |
Expansion
continues with Ceawlin and Cutha conquering the
Ciltern Saeten (Chiltern settlers,
bands of
Angles
and
Saxons who originally appear to have migrated into the area from the Wash).
In a new dimension in the formation of the West Seaxe kingdom, Ceawlin
fights exclusively northwards of the kingdom's Hampshire and Wiltshire
heartland. In several expeditions, not all of them successful, he continues
down the Thames Valley,
but by the 570s he is prevented from reaching Londinium by the
East Seaxe, who are already
beginning to govern this Middel Seaxe
region.
These expeditions can be justified by the fact that the Thames Valley Saxons
probably pose as serious a threat to West Seaxe security as they still do at
this time to
British
security in
Caer Celemion and
Caer Ceri. However, if
Ceawlin is a Thames Valley Saxon himself (as proposed in 556 - see above)
then the situation is more puzzling. Is he an outcast who returns to show
his own people who's boss, or are the Thames Valley Saxons already part of
the West Seaxe kingdom, and the expeditions are a response to an East Seaxe
threat? Or a
Cantware one (see 568, below)? Unfortunately, there is no evidence to
say either way.
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A reconstruction of the amphitheatre at Caer Celemion (Calleva
Atrebatum, modern Silchester), which was built outside the
walls, to the north-east
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568 |
Ceawlin and Cutha defeat Ęthelbert of the
Cantware at Wibbandun. This is notable as being the first recorded
conflict between two groups of invaders, rather than a battle against the native
British. The location of 'Wibbandun', which can be translated as 'Wibba's
Mount', has not been definitely identified. At one time it was thought to be
Wimbledon, but this is now known to be incorrect. Instead it seems likely
that the battle takes place near the boundary between Hampshire and
Berkshire, probably disputed territory between Kent and the West Seaxe. It
seems likely that the aggressive Ceawlin is securing his rear before
mounting renewed attacks against the British to the west.
An alternative that seems rarely to be considered is that the disputed
territory is actually that of
Caer Celemion,
which still resists the invaders. They lay to Ceawlin's east, and may
present a more urgent threat (or at least nuisance) than the Britons of the
west. Their region of western Berkshire is known to them by the apparent
origin of the name - Barroc, a range of hill tops that may still form part
of their defensive efforts. The West Seaxe use the name themselves as
'Barrock', with the 'shire' being added several centuries later. |
571 |
The
Britons in the
area of Biedcanford (possibly Bedford, near Luton) are defeated by Cuthwulf
(one of Ceawlin's relatives). Four towns along the Icknield Way - Lygeanburg
(Limbury), Ęgelesburg (Aylesbury), Benesington (Benson), and Egonesham
(Eynsham) - are captured. The valleys of the Thame and Cherwell are ruled
by the West Seaxe, as is the upper valley of the Ouse. Cuthwulf dies in
the same year.
This campaign has long puzzled historians, seemingly relating as it does
to a much earlier situation when the
Thames Valley Saxons
were still establishing themselves in the area, and were only just starting
to encroach on the southern borders of
Cynwidion,
a British kingdom that borders the area, with more
Angles or
Saxons advancing southwards from the Midlands. It has been proposed that
its inclusion in the ASC should be in the region of 441-471. The entry
could be the sole survivor from a preface to the Ceawlin saga explaining how
his ancestor Cuthwulf came to establish his rule in the Thames Valley.
Alternatively, the campaign may be more or less correctly dated, in which
case it is possibly one that is launched to regain territory lost to the
Britons after the
Germanic defeat at Mons Badonicus. If it is local Britons who have
recaptured the plain beneath the Chilterns then it is likely that they
belong to the kingdom of Cynwidion. |
577 |
In a campaign that is identical to that probably adopted by
Bretwalda Ęlle almost a
century before, Ceawlin thrusts south-westwards from the Upper Thames
towards the Bristol Channel. The blow is delivered against the western
Britons and is a complete success.
After losing a battle at Deorham (Dyrham/Hinton Hill, eight miles north of
Bath), the Brito-Welsh kingdoms of
Caer Baddan (Bathanceaster,
modern Bath), Caer Ceri
(Cirenceaster, now Cirencester) and
Caer Gloui
(Gleawanceaster, or Gloucester) are conquered by Ceawlin and another
relative, Cuthwine (perhaps the long form of Cutha). The
Hwicce, who may at first
be under the West Seaxe aegis, migrate into the territory. However, it
seems likely that
Dumnonia or
Glastenning
subsequently hold onto the West Wansdyke territory just beyond Caer Baddan.
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The fifth or perhaps sixth century construction of the Wansdyke
was a massive undertaking which reached from west of Caer
Baddan's capital (Roman Aquae Sulis, modern Bath) to the
proposed north-western corner of Caer Celemion's border, all to
the north-east of Dumnonia's border (External Link:
Creative Commons Licence), while above is a map of the West
Seaxe advances of AD 577 (click or tap on map to view full sized)
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At this time, the West Seaxe seem to be less a single united political
entity and more a collection of tribes who acknowledge the king as the
overall figure of authority, but perhaps not someone they have to follow
without question, as the frequent fights for leadership within the kingdom
proves. |
584 |
The
Romano-British station at Viriconium in
Pengwern is sacked, but Cutha is killed in battle at nearby 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 and
perhaps leaving the way clear for the
Hwicce to establish
themselves in the territory between the Midlands and the West Seaxe.
Instead. it seems likely that Ceawlin starts to concentrate his efforts
on pushing out the
Dumnonian
Britons
defending the West Wansdyke, beyond
Caer Baddan and in front
of the Severn Estuary. But 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). |
591 - 592 |
Ceawlin's plans to unseat the West Wansdyke Britons, probably by breaking
through the East Wansdyke and taking them from the rear, lead to apparent
disaster. His nephew, Ceol, takes the throne in 591 and the following year
seals this with what appears to be the culmination of a coup, creating 'a
great slaughter at Woddesbeorg' (almost certainly the long barrow now called
Adam's Grave near Alton Priors, on the north side of the Vale of Pewsey and
part of the Eastern Wansdyke), which causes Ceawlin to be driven out.
If Ceawlin is indeed a Thames Valley
Saxon, then Ceol's act puts the West Seaxe firmly back under the control of
the Cerdicingas, and also secures them governance over the Thames Valley
Saxons. The Bretwaldaship
switches to Ęthelbert of the
Cantware, who may be involved in the Woddesbeorg slaughter, as Ceol
seems unlikely to be strong enough to achieve such a victory unaided. |
591 - 597 |
Ceol |
Son of Cutha. |
593 |
Having been deposed in 591 and driven out by the great slaughter of
Woddesbeorg in 592, Ceawlin now perishes. Killed alongside him are Cwichelm
and Crida, no doubt chieftains associated with him, and possibly members of
the royal house (Cwichelm could be another brother). |
597 - 611 |
Ceolwulf |
Brother. |
c.600 - 610 |
The
sub-Roman
territory with the proposed name of
Caer Celemion is
destroyed by the West Seaxe. The capital city of this territory is left deliberately
devastated. Archaeological discoveries which include the skeleton of a dog and
a beef bone suggest that the city is ritually cursed before being abandoned.
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Caer Celemion's re-use of a former Roman temple at the top of
Lowbury Hill (near Compton in west Berkshire) in the mid-500s as
a look-out point ended with the territory's fall, but it did see
further use as an Anglo-Saxon cemetery, while above is a map
showing further West Seaxe advances between AD 597-611 (click
on map to view full sized)
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Ceolwulf, who 'continually fought against the
Angles and
the Britons' also clears the West Wansdyke of
Dumnonians,
consolidating the conquests of 577, secures control of the
Thames Valley Saxons, cutting
them off from their Middil Engle
contacts, and invades the Suth Seaxe
(in 607). Securing control of the Thames Valley Saxons could be an ongoing problem
for the West Seaxe. The two sides appear to have been battling one another since
as early as AD 552. |
611 - 642 |
Cynegils |
Baptised 635 by Birinus
of the
Roman
Church at Canterbury. |
614 |
Cynegils takes advantage of a momentary weakness in the
British
kingdom of
Dumnonia and
invades the eastern half. Possibly, this incursion weakens the Dorset
and Somerset regions of the kingdom so that independent groups of
Saxons are able to make inroads over the next generation, forming the
Dornsaete and
Somersaete respectively. |
628 |
It
seems probable that the Hwicce
have been dominated until now by the West Seaxe. Cynegils and Cwichelm - his
son - fight against Penda of
Mercia at
Caer Ceri (Cirencester),
which is within the territory of the Hwicce settlers. The fight ends with
Penda dominant, although the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle fails to give
details, and he and Cynegils 'come to an agreement'. There is little doubt
that the agreement involves handing over Caer Ceri and the territory along
the Severn. |
642 - 654 |
Cenwalh / Kenwalch |
Incorporated the
Dornsaete into the kingdom. |
652 |
Cenwalh makes a breakthrough against the
Dumnonian defensive
lines at the battle of Bradford-upon-Avon. This means that they make use of
the gap in the Wansdyke caused by the passage of the River Avon. Towards the
south of this, the Dornsaete
(Dorset settlers) who have also been slowly pushing against the Dumnonian
borders now come under West Seaxe control.
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The West Seaxe made a breakthrough against the Dumnonian
defensive lines at the battle of Bradford-upon-Avon in AD 652.
This meant making use of the gap in the Wansdyke caused by the
passage of the River Avon (click or tap on map to view full sized)
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654 - 658 |
Cenwalh marries the sister of Penda of
Mercia but then
inexplicably sends her back home soon afterwards. Penda forces Cenwalh into
exile with the East Engle,
and controls the West Seaxe at a time at which one of their number becomes
the first native archbishop of
Canterbury. In 658, Cenwalh
recovers his throne by means unknown and founds St Peter's Minster in
Winchester in thanks. |
654 - 658 |
Penda |
King of
Mercia. Occupied the
West Seaxe kingdom. |
658 - 672 |
Cenwalh
/ Kenwalch |
Restored. |
658 |
Dumnonia is defeated
by Cenwalh at the Battle of Peonna (Penselwood - the densely forested area on
the eastern boundary of Somerset). The eastern half of the kingdom is permanently
captured by the West Seaxe as they advance through the Polden Hills to the River
Parrett (approximately forty-five kilometres (thirty miles) further west).
They may even go farther than this, to the hills which separate Somerset
from Devon, as place names suggest settlement well before the end of this
century.
The
Brito-Welsh territory of Glastenning
(in modern Somerset) is probably taken at the same time. The
Somersaete also now come
under West Seaxe control (if they didn't already after 652), as does
Glastonbury Abbey, which is allowed to retain its
British abbot.
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The Glastonbury region seems to have experienced a power vacuum
in the mid-fifth century which allowed the British Dogfeilion clan
to walk in and take over - survival there lasting for a century,
while above is a map describing West Seaxe advances in AD 658
(click or tap on map to view full sized)
|
|
|
661 |
An Easter battle is fought at Posentesbyrig - which could be the Iron Age
hill fort at Posbury, just three kilometres (two miles) to the south of
Crediton (immediately west of Exeter in
Dumnonia). The
result of the battle is not recorded but, assuming a West Seaxe victory,
this would give them control of the fertile lands of the Exe and Creedy
valleys. |
672 - 674 |
Queen
Seaxburh |
Wife of
Cenwalh, reigned for a year after his death. |
674 |
Following the death of Cenwalh the political situation in
the kingdom becomes confused. It appears that overall rule is lost and the
various groups revert to self rule for a short time. There have certainly
been at least two main houses vying for control of the West Seaxe, as
witnessed by the conflict between Ceawlin and Ceol in 591-592.
Bede states that Cenwalh's 'under-rulers took upon them the kingdom of the
people, and dividing it among themselves, [and] held it ten years', seemingly
backing up a claim for the temporary collapse of the kingdom. However, it
may not be a collapse as such, because the West Seaxe remain strong and are
not invaded by any of their rivals - who would certainly be quick to scent
a corpse that's ready to be picked over (although see 675, below). Instead
the breakdown appears only to be at the very top, with perhaps the chief
nobility agreeing external policy during this time without being able to
agree who enforces it.
The ASC states that Cenwalh is succeeded by his wife for about a
year. Then Ęscwine reigns between around 674-685. DP Kirby says that it
is Ęscwine's father, Cēnfūs (the Old English spelling of the
name) who succeeds Seaxburh (although not how). Bede is usually reliable,
but could the fact that Ine rules the West Saxons during his time and with
an unquestionable descent from Cynric through Cuthwine, skew the reputation
of Ęscwine's legitimacy to rule? |
674 |
Cēnfūs / Cenfus |
Distant member of the royal family. Not always shown as
king. |
674 - 676 |
Ęescwine / Aescwine / Escuin |
Son. A West Seaxe
nobleman who seized Seaxburh's throne. |
675 |
Ęescwine fights the battle of Biedanheafde (later Bedwyn, possibly Crofton
but the actual location is debatable) against Wulfhere of
Mercia. Ęescwine repels
the Mercians but is unable to gain any advantage from it. The Mercians in
this period are a serious threat to the West Saxon hold over their northern
provinces, and to maintain their prestige and revenue, they compensate by
continuing to push hard against the borders of
Dumnonia to the
west.
The renowned West Saxon missionary to Continental Europe, St Boniface,
is born just outside the recently-conquered Crediton (in Devon) around this
date, and later receives an English education in a monastery at Exeter,
which is conquered by the West Seaxe around 685. |
676 - 685 |
Centwine |
Driven from throne by Caedwalla. Killed. Conquered
Somersaete. |
681 - 685 |
The remaining Dumnonian
Somerset territory is conquered by Centwine as he clears the western
coastal area as far as the modern Devon border. In a two-pronged
attack, the territory of the Defnas (Dumnonia / Devon) Britons is also
taken by a force that presses along the English Channel coast from
Dorset to Exeter. This also serves to confirm that Dorset has fallen
to the Saxons.
Amusingly, it seems the new masters of Somerset ask the
Celtic
natives for the name of a range of hills to the far west of this region.
Rather than a name, they are given the Brythonic plural word for hill,
'brendo', to which the Saxons add their own word, 'hill'. The area
becomes the Brendon Hills of Somerset, literally the 'hills hills'.
 |
|
 |
The settlement of Exeter as built by the Romans, although how
much of it continued to be used under the Dumnonians prior to
685 is debatable, while above is a map describing West Seaxe
advances in the period between AD 661-685 (click or tap on map to view
full sized)
|
|
|
685 |
Ęthelwalh of the Suth Seaxe
is killed by Caedwalla before the latter makes his bid for the West Saxon
throne. The Suth Seaxe territory is plundered before Caedwalla is driven off.
In the same year, Caedwalla begins 'to contend for the kingdom' of the West
Saxons, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. His name is an
Anglicised form of the
British Cadwalla
or Cadwallon, which points to a (perhaps continued) British strain in his
ancestry. The founder of the kingdom, Cerdic, had also been half British,
although the fact that there are no other occurrences of British names in
any branch of the royal family makes a direct connection unlikely, even
though this is what is claimed. |
685 - 687 |
Caedwalla |
A
British name. Ravaged
Kent. Died 20 April 688 in
Rome. |
686 |
Caedwalla's
short reign sees him attempt to subjugate much of southern England, and a good
deal of the Suthrig territory
falls to him. Caedwalla also places his brother on the throne of
Kent as a sub-king.
The Wihtware are brought under
direct control, and the Suth Seaxe
are also under the dominance of the West Seaxe. It is from this point, upon
the conquest of the
Jutes of
Wight, that the West Saxons start to use the name 'West Saxon' to
describe themselves instead of calling themselves the Gewissae. This
strongly adds to the possibility that the kingdom's more recent leaders are
descended from the
Thames Valley Saxons,
and that it was they who won the internal West Saxon power struggle. The
kingdom now appears to be focussing its efforts at control firmly southwards,
probably to escape
Mercian pressure. |
687 - 726 |
Ine / Ini
/ Ina |
Abdicated to go
on pilgrimage to
Rome.
Died there in 728. |
687 |
Ine is the son of Cenred, himself the son of Ceolwald, whose father was
Cuthwulf, all direct descendants of Cynric (or at least so the genealogies
claim). It seems possible that Cenred rules part of the West Seaxe domains
as a sub-king during the early years of Ine's reign. Ine establishes forts
or palaces at Taunton (the name of which means 'settlement on the [River]
Tone'), Somerton ('settlement of the Somer [settlers]' - the
Somersaete), and South
Petherton in order to secure the kingdom's recent conquests from
Dumnonia.
The
way in which and extent to which the conquered
Britons survive
under the Saxons is a debatable matter. Possibly the length and intensity
of the fighting required to create the West Seaxe kingdom has caused many
Britons to be driven off, mostly towards the west, whereas many other
kingdoms have been created almost instantly and have retained large portions
of their British populations - evidence of this is often apparent in titles
of power and Christian worship (most notably with the
Lindisware and
Hwicce, although the
Mercians could be even
further integrated - see feature link, right). However, Ine's code of laws
make provision for them, albeit as second-class subjects, and it seems likely
that they form a predominant percentage of the populace in the westernmost
districts of the kingdom. |
687 - 726 |
|
Ęthelburg |
Wife, queen, and
joint ruler. |
694 |
Wihtred of Kent comes to terms
with Ine over the killing of the royal prince, Mul, in 687, and the two
kings agree on the borders of Kent,
Suthrige
and the Suth Seaxe Together,
the West Seaxe and Kent hold the line against
Mercia in this period,
limiting its ability to interfere south of the Thames.
|
710 |
Ine
defeats and kills Gerren (Geraint) of
Dumnonia,
inflicting another defeat on his British neighbours to the west. This
victory seems to bring West Seaxe domination to the line of the River Tamar,
limiting the Britons to Cornwall. The ASC labels Gerren 'the Welsh
king' and some published compilations fail to list the battle's outcome.
Twelfth century chronicler John of Worcester - with access to versions
of the ASC that have not survived to the present day - states that
Gerren is killed.
 |
|
 |
The mighty River Tamar remained a barrier to travel even in the
nineteenth century - until the coming of the railways - but in
the eighth century it formed a vital line of protection for the
remnants of the Dumnonian kingdom, while above is a map showing
those West Saxon advances towards the Tamar (click or tap on map to
view full sized)
|
|
|
715 |
Ine
fights a battle at Adam's Grave. Ceolred of
Mercia is also
involved, but nothing else is known of the event. Either the two are
fighting together against a common enemy (extremely unlikely) or one or the
other of them is attempting to expand or contract West Saxon borders. Since
this is the most likely interpretation of the event, it is unfortunate that
the outcome is not recorded (quite probably it is a draw). Adam's Grave is a
tumulus that is known contemporarily as Woden's Barrow, and is located at
Alton Prior in Wiltshire. This had been the site of a West Saxon internecine
fight for power in 592. |
721 - 722 |
The
ASC records the fact that Ine slays the ętheling, Cynewulf, but says
nothing else. The name Cynewulf suggests a West Saxon link, and an atheling
is a prince, so an internecine feud is generally suspected. Nothing more is
known of this Cynewulf but, in 722, Ine's wife and queen, Ęthelburg destroys
Taunton, the Somerset settlement at which Ine had previously built a fort.
Could the death of Cynewulf have sparked a family argument which results in
the queen - clearly with an armed force of her own - wreaking vengeance on
one of her husband's prime western strongholds? However, an alternative
reason is provided for the same year, below. |
722 |
The
Annales Cambriae refers to three notable 'Cornish' victories (dated
tentatively to this year). The opponent is not named but as the 'Britons
were the victors in those three battles', the opponent is clearly the West
Saxons. The battles take place at Hehil, Garth Maelog, and Pencon (Pencoed).
The first has been the subject of much speculation as to its location, with
many scholars taking the mention of 'Cornish' too literally and placing it
west of the River Tamar. Instead, all three battles are likely to be in
what is now Devon, close to
Dumnonia's eastern
border - the West Seaxe would regard all free Britons in this area as
Cornish by this date, whether or not they live to the west of the Tamar,
whilst the Annales Cambriae states that the second and third battles
take place amongst the 'South Britons'.
The victories are hugely important, as they appear to win the Dumnonians
and Cornish a
century of peace in which to cement their compressed but surviving kingdom,
and possibly ensure the survival of their culture and language much longer
than might otherwise be the case. One has to wonder how far the victories
allow the Britons to penetrate into Devon - they do seem to recover parts
of Devon as evidenced by the West Saxon attack on these parts in AD 814.
Also, in the same year of 722, Queen Ęthelburg of the West Saxons destroys
the fort at Taunton. Could this be to prevent it being captured by
attacking Britons?
 |
|
 |
Ine's fort at Taunton has long gone, and the present Taunton
Castle - which houses the Museum of Somerset and which itself
underwent various stages of development - does not stand on the
same spot, but was the original destroyed by Queen Ęthelburg in
the face of a victorious Dumnonian advance in AD 722? (click or tap on
map to view full sized)
|
|
|
726 |
By
the time Ine abdicates to travel with his wife to
Rome
on pilgrimage, the West Saxons control all the territory south of the Thames,
from the borders of Kent and
Suthrig to lands in Devon that
are probably fairly close the Tamar.
However, in this year, the South
Saxons appear to reassert their independence, and the West Saxons
contest a throne that has no clear succession. One Oswald puts forward his
claim by right as a descendant of Ceawlin, but a rival, Ęthelheard, wins the
conflict despite having no apparent descent from one of the royal ancestors. |
726 - 740 |
Ęthelheard / Aethelheard / Ethelheard |
A 'kinsman' of
Ine. |
733 |
Ęthelbald,
king of
Mercia and soon to be
acclaimed as
Bretwalda, captures the
royal West Saxon vill of Somerton (capital of the
Somersaete). In fact, the
Mercian king spends much of his time harrying the West Saxons, turning the
kingdom into 'little more than a large outlying province of Mercia' (Stenton). |
740 - 756 |
Cuthred
/ Cužręd |
A relative, possibly a brother. |
740 - 752 |
Cuthred and Ęthelbald, king of
Mercia, enjoy mixed
relations. As soon as he gains the throne, Cuthred attacks Mercia in return
for the events of 733. Three years later, in 743, the two kings are allies in
fighting against the Welsh. In
752, the two are again at each other's throats, with Cuthred putting
Ęthelbald to flight. |
756 |
Cuthred's death paves the way for twelve months of conspiracy and murder
amongst the normally competitive ranks of the West Saxon nobility. The
initial successor is Sigeberht, but he is driven from his throne by his
replacement, Cynewulf, and is assassinated by a herdsman in the forest
of Weald, probably on Cynewulf's orders. |
756 - 757 |
Sigeberht
/ Sigebryht |
Distant relative. Driven away. Assassinated in the Weald. |
757 |
While his time on the West Saxon throne is brief, a possible brother of Sigeberht
appears on the Kentish throne in
762-764, only to be deposed by the most powerful king in England, Offa of
Mercia. |
757 - 786 |
Cynewulf |
A descendant of Cerdic. Murdered by Cyneheard. |
776 |
The clash between
Kent and
Mercia
occurs a year or so after the flag of rebellion is raised, the respite
probably due to Offa's entanglement with Cynewulf. Kent wins the battle,
and the Kentish king reigns in complete independence for about nine years,
probably in alliance with Cynewulf.
 |
Shown here is a silver penny that is in very good condition,
which was issued during Offa's reign and minted in London by
Eadhun, although Mercian dominance of London would eventually be
replaced by West Saxon dominance
|
|
|
785/786 |
Ealhmund, a prince of the West Saxons as well as
king of Kent, is killed
(through circumstances unknown) and Kent is exposed to Offa's vengeance.
The king's young son, Ecgberht, is whisked to safety with the West Saxons,
his father's native people, but his protector, Cynewulf, is surprised and
killed in the same year by a rival claimant, Cynheard, while on a visit to
his mistress. On his death, his retainers refuse all offers of mercy and
fight to the last man. His successor is soon killed by forces sent to avenge
his death, and his retainers also refuse to surrender. |
786 |
Cyneheard |
Brother of Sigeberht. Killed by Beohrtric. |
786 - 802 |
Beohrtric
/ Brihtric |
A descendant of
Cerdic. A
Mercian dependant. |
786 |
The young Ecgberht is soon ordered into exile by Beohrtric,
who is little more than a cipher for Offa of
Mercia. Ecgberht takes
refuge at the
Frankish court of Charlemagne. Upon the king's death, he is recalled to
accede to the throne and is welcomed by a people who are sick of
Mercian interference. |
802 - 839 |
Ecgberht / Egbert |
Bretwalda. Heir of
Kent. Spent time in
exile at the
Frankish court. |
802 |
Ecgberht, son of the late
Kentish King Ealhmund,
proves to be a typical West Saxon king when he effectively destroys
British Dumnonia
(the West Welsh) at this point.
During this century the absorbed Britons and newly-arrived West Saxon
settlers in Dumnonia's lost lands begin to appear in written form,
pre-dating the appearance of the shires into which they would be assigned.
The Wilsaete are mentioned in 802, the Defna, the 'men of Devon', in 825,
the Dornsaete in 940,
and the Somersaete in 845.
The former Dumnonian city of Isca is referred to by the West Saxons as
Exan-Cestre or Exacestre, meaning 'the castellated city of the Exe'. Over
time the name passes through several variations - Exceaster, Excester, and
Exceter - and finally (for now) Exeter. |
825 |
Ecgberht
gains revenge for his father's death when he defeats the mighty
Mercians at the Battle
of Ellandon (Wroughton, near Swindon). He subsequently invades
Kent and expels King Baldred,
installing his son, Ęthulwulf, as king there. The sub-kingdoms of
Essex,
Sussex and
Suthrige submit to him.
In the same year, the men of Cornish
Dumnonia (clearly
not entirely 'destroyed') clash with the Saxon commanders of Devon at the
Battle of Galford (the first written record of the county of Devon in the
Saxon form of the name). The actual site of the battle is somewhat disputed
but recent writers have tended to select Galford on the River Lew in Devon,
a possible border point at which taxes could be collected for cross-border
trade (Robert Higham points out the fact that Gafol-ford means 'tax, tribute
ford'). From this point forwards, Wessex is the most powerful
English kingdom, always
dominant over the others.
 |
The Dumnonian victory of AD 722 seems to have remained largely
unchallenged for almost a century, but in the early ninth
century the West Saxons won a series of devastating advances of
their own (click or tap on map to view full sized)
|
|
|
839 - 856 |
Ęthelwulf / Aethulwulf |
Son.
Bretwalda. Abdicated
(d.858) m Judith, dau of
Frankish
king. |
851/852 |
A force of 350 Danish ships sails into the Thames estuary,
sacks London and puts to flight a
Mercian army under
Beorhtwulf. In the same year, Ęthelwulf wins a famous victory over
Danes
(quite possibly the same force of Danes) at Aclea (perhaps in
Surrey), and then a great sea
victory off Sandwich. It is becoming clear to the kings both of Mercia and
Wessex that greater cooperation between them is required before they are
swamped by the growing Viking threat. Almost immediately after taking the
throne, Burgreda of Mercia is forced to ally with Ęthelwulf in order to
counter attacks both from the Welsh
in the west and the Vikings in the east. |
856 - 860 |
Ęthelbald / Aethelbald |
Son.
Bretwalda. m his
stepmother, Judith. Marriage annulled. |
860 |
In what seems to be an overspill of Viking activity in the
Frankish
empire, raiders sack Winchester before making northwards to the Berkshire Downs,
plundering and burning as they go. The men of Berkshire and Dorset are ready
for them under the command of their ealdorman. The raiders, slowed by their
booty, are cut to pieces where they stand, while the survivors flee. |
860 - 865 |
Ęthelberht / Aethelbert |
Brother.
Last sub-king of Kent.
Bretwalda. |
860 |
With
Ęthelberht's accession to the throne of Wessex, the position of sub-king of
Kent is abandoned. Kent becomes
a full province of Greater Wessex, along with the rest of the south-east.
This consolidation has largely been forced upon the West Saxons by the
Viking threat. The old system of retaining under-kings simply has to be
abandoned in favour of strong central control. |
866 - 871 |
Ęthelred / Aethelred I |
Brother.
Bretwalda. |
871 |
After laying waste to the great
Mercian abbey of
Medeshamsteade (Peterborough), Halfdan, brother of
Ivarr the Boneless of the Viking kingdom of
Dublin, leads the great
Danish
host into Wessex, making a well-provisioned base at Reading. Ęthelred
and his younger brother, Alfred, lead the West Saxon army against them
and are defeated, the brothers barely escaping with their lives.
Undeterred, they rally their forces and win a resounding victory on
the chalk ridge at Ashdown, killing five Viking jarls and Bagsecg,
brother of Halfdan. Two weeks later they are defeated by the Danes
following indecisive battles at Basing (Old Basing in Hampshire, 22
January) and Meretun (Marton, probably also in Hampshire, but location
not known, 22 March). Three months later Ęthelred is dead.
|
871 |
Ęthelwold / Aethelwold |
Infant son. Superseded by Alfred during a time of
Danish
attacks. |
871 - 899 |
Ęlfred / Alfred the Great |
Brother of
Ęthelred.
Bretwalda. 'King of the
Anglo-Saxons'. |
874 - 875 |
By
now the
Danes
have overcome much of the remainder of Anglo-Saxon England, including half of
Mercia, and Wessex is
virtually the only independent survivor. In 875, Halfdan leaves Guthrum in
command of part of the army and heads north towards
York and
Bamburgh.
Guthrum walks into the royal West Saxon burh of Wareham in Dorset, and
Alfred lays siege and wins a pledge to cease hostilities. Hostages are
exchanged and as soon as the opportunity presents itself, the Danes murder
their hostages and ravage westwards until stopped again (Exeter is seized
and used as a winter base in 876), this time because a fleet of reinforcements
is scattered by a storm in the English Channel. The second pledge to end
hostilities sticks and the Danes withdraw to Gloucester in Mercia. |
878 |
Wessex faces its lowest point as the Vikings under Guthrum appear to secure
control of it after sweeping across the kingdom from their captured base at
Chippenham. Alfred, however, survives with the core of his army in the marshes
of Athelney ('island of the princes') in the Somerset Levels, where he builds
a strong fort. Alfred is able to use his underground network of contacts to
muster his army and strike a decisive victory at Edington.
Guthrum retreats to his stronghold, where he is besieged by Alfred and
surrenders after fourteen days. Under the terms of the Peace of Wedmore,
Guthrum accepts Christianity and is baptised by Alfred's hand. Guthrum returns
to the Danelaw, where he rules what had been
East Anglia,
Essex, and eastern
Mercia.
|
879 |
Following the death of Ceolwulf II of
Mercia, Alfred shows just
how much greater is his influence over the Mercians when he places his
son-in-law on what remains of the throne of Mercia. Although Aethelred
holds a king's sway he is known as the 'Lord of Mercia'. |
883 |
There is some evidence of a siege of London by Alfred, and it seems that, by
886 at the latest, he secures the town. Ealdorman Aethelred of English
Mercia (Alfred's
son-in-law) is entrusted with control of it and 'Lundenburg' is
immediately repaired, fortified, and repopulated. |
886 |
Formal
recognition is made of the situation on the ground in the Treaty of Alfred and
Guthrum. This confirms the
Danish
and Anglo-Saxon spheres of control, dividing the country into the Danelaw,
which is controlled in the south from
East Anglia,
and Wessex, which incorporates half of
Mercia, south
and west of Watling Street. The treaty defines the boundaries of both
kingdoms and makes provision for peaceful relations between the two peoples. |
890 |
The
Norse Viking, Ottar, reports his findings to King Alfred, who has his account
included in the additions to the Universal History of Orosius, which
the king republishes. The book is a shared work between Orosius and King Alfred.
The Kven Sea is mentioned as the northern border of
Germany.
The location of
Kvenland
is also explained in relation to the land of the
Norwegians and that of the
Swedes.
|
892 |
In the autumn of 892 famine threatens north-east
Francia. Vikings there make their way to Boulogne, where the Franks
provide them with 250 ships so that they can cross the Channel 'in one
journey, horses and all'. These heterogeneous war bands of diverse
allegiances begin to raid along the English coast. One band, under the
command of an experienced leader by the name of Hęstan, arrives with eighty
ships at the mouth of the Thames and builds a fort at Milton on the
island of Sheerness on the Kent
coast. In the same season another host is at Appledore in Kent. But Wessex
under Alfred the Great is ready. The king's system of burhs helps to
pin down the raiders where they can be picked off, one by one. No serious
damage is done. |
896 |
Vikings have been wintering at Quatford (near Bridgnorth), but in the spring
of this year they ravage the Welsh
kingdoms of Brycheiniog,
Gwent, and the Gwynllg
region of Glywyssing.
Asser records that Elisedd of Brycheiniog requests help from Alfred
of Wessex, but another reason
for this may also be due to pressure from Anarawd ap Rhodri, the powerful
king of Gwynedd and
Deheubarth who is keen on
expanding his areas of control. |
897 |
Alfred experiments with warship styles for his navy. The two styles of
choice are
Frisian or
Danish,
revealing the importance of both peoples in the building of state-of-the-art
warships. It seems that Frisian masters and crew make up a sizable
proportion of the manpower of his new royal navy. Nine ships are involved in
a not entirely successful skirmish in which three of the five officers who
are important enough to be named are Frisians. Sixty-two of Alfred's navy
are killed, Frisians and English (noted in that order). The Frisians and
English are still one people separated only by an ocean, and speaking the
same language with only dialectal differences (in the same way that the
Britons of Brittany
maintain close relations with the
Cornish of England until
early modern times).
 |
Alfred's new navy, designed to secure the coast of England, was
largely built by Frisian experts and commanded by experienced
Frisian officers, but it began a thousand year tradition of
defending the island with 'wooden walls' at sea (illustration by
Dan Escott)
|
|
|
899 - 924 |
Edward
the Elder |
Son. Died 17 July.
'King of the Anglo-Saxons'. |
899 |
Alfred's death has seen him succeeded by his son, Edward, while his daughter
Ęthelflaed is already married to Ęthelred of
Mercia, and is
possibly the leading figure in that union. Alfred's nephew, Ęthelwald, the son
of Ęthelred I, gains only three estates, those of Godalming (possibly its first
mention in history), Guildford, and Steyning. Alfred's widow is granted
estates of her own (key sites of importance to Alfred, including his
birthplace at Wantage, and also Edington), enough to support her comfortably
while her children take over the reigns of command.
However, Ęthelwald is now an ętheling with a claim to the throne that,
strictly speaking, is better than Edward's own claim. He launches a coup
attempt with support from many non-West Saxon nobles, but it quickly fails
and he is driven from Wessex. He takes refuge in
York where the
Danes
receive him as king. |
902 - 903 |
Ęthelwald returns, arriving on the
Essex coast with
Danish
support, either from York or from
Denmark
itself. He ravages west as far as
Mercia.
Alternatively called 'prince', 'elected king', 'King of the Danes', and even
'King of the Pagans', in 903 (sometimes shown as 902) he is brought to battle
against Edward in a major confrontation somewhere in Cambridgeshire. Many fall
on either side, including Eohric, king of the Danelaw and Ęthelwald himself.
However, Edward has to give the Danes silver to buy peace (and to buy time),
while his own battered forces recover. |
912 - 913 |
Edward the Elder establishes two burhs in the borderland between Anglo-Saxon
London and the
Danish Kingdom of East Anglia
in 912 and 913 as part of the ongoing campaign to reconquer the east. These
burhs form the earliest basis for the later county of Hertfordshire, which
is first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 1011.
Mathuedoļ, count of Poher is
married to the daughter of the late Alain the Great of
Brittany, and his son,
Alan, is the godson of Edward the Elder.
Mathuedoļ puts to sea with a great multitude of Bretons and travels to meet
Edward: 'this king had great trust in him because of this friendship and the
alliance of this baptism'. Brought up from infancy with Ęthelstan (Edward's
eldest son), 'Alan is strong in body and very courageous, and does not care
to kill wild boars and bears in the forest with an iron weapon, but instead
uses a wooden staff'. |
914 (916) |
Edward the Elder receives the submission of the
Danish
Jarl Thurketel of Bedford. (The Peterborough Chronicle, dealing with local
territory, is regarded as being more accurate than the ASC.
Peterborough dates are in red.)
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Shown here are two sides of a coin that was issued by Guthrum
at the end of the ninth century which imitated Alfred the
Great's 'two-line' design
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915 (917) |
Edward advances to the
Danish-held
fortress of Bedford, taking direct control. Although Jarl Thurketel had offered
submission in 914 (917), Edward wants to ensure that
his control is made effective in practice. |
916 (917) |
Jarl Thurketel is allowed by Edward to leave England for the Continent. |
917
(918) |
The Vikings organise a counter-offensive consisting of three separate
strikes: a) an army from Northampton, Leicester and the North attacks the
new 'burh' at Towcester (from 24 July to 1 August); b) an army from
Huntingdon and part of
East Anglia
under the Danish king, with Jarl Toglos and his son Jarl Manna, advances
to Tempsford, where it constructs a new fortress from which an attempt is
launched to recover Bedford; and c) an army from East Anglia attempts to
seize the new 'burh' of Wigingamere in
Essex.
The failure to apply a concentrated force means that the Danes are defeated
on all three fronts. They lose a large number of men - particularly at
Bedford, where a sortie organised by the besieged English garrison inflicts
a severe defeat upon them and puts their army to flight. A local account
recalls how the townswomen are instrumental in swaying things their way,
when they rush out and attack the Viking force. Later that year
(the following year), Edward attacks Tempsford
and inflicts a heavy defeat upon the Vikings, killing their king, Guthrum
II, together with jarls Toglos and Manna.
Edward becomes overlord of
East Anglia, and by default
overlord of its dependent territory of
Essex and the eastern half of
Mercia. Most
of England has effectively been united under one ruler - Edward. Only
Scandinavian York still poses a
problem. |
924 |
Ęlfwearde |
Second son. Reigned for 16 days. |
924 |
Following the sudden death of his father while campaigning in
Mercia to put
down a revolt against his rule, the reign of Ęlfwearde is short and understated.
He dies (mysteriously) just sixteen days after his father and the two are buried
at Winchester. Edward's eldest son, Ęthelstan, has already succeeded in Mercia and
now imposes his authority on Wessex. It takes until 925 before he is fully accepted
and crowned king of the Anglo-Saxons, suggesting a degree of resistance to him
ruling both kingdoms. However, he does so, and a united kingdom becomes an ever
more solid reality. |
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The
Kingdom United (under Wessex)
While not generally being recognised as the first king of a single,
united England by some modern historians, from 927 Ęthelstan actually
was the recognised ruler or overlord not only of all of England, but
of the principalities of
Wales and all of
Scotland and
Strathclyde
too. It was he who united the remaining fragments of the country,
including the
Danish
territories; he conquered the remnants of
Dumnonia; and
he initiated the concept of the Anglo-Saxon empire. Only the fact that
the Scandinavian kingdom of
York regained independence
after his death prevented him from winning the undisputed title of first
King of England.
This kingdom of all England that had been created by Ęthelstan and his
immediate predecessors was not 'reconquered' from the Vikings: it was a
new and distinct entity which had no previous equivalent as a political
unit. Neither was there any overwhelming desire to stop once York was
taken early in Ęthelstan's reign. A meeting of all the kings and princes
of the island of Britain followed shortly after in 927, at Eamont Bridge
in Cumbria. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and associated
sources, all of the kings and princes there swore an oath of peace under
the overlordship of Ęthelstan. Charters and coins of Ęthelstan from around
that time began to style him not 'king of the Saxons', or even 'king of
the Anglo-Saxons' as had been customary for his predecessors. Instead, he
was rex totius Britanniae, 'king of all Britain'. This was no empty
claim, Ęthelstan's court - as revealed by an unusually detailed series of
charters - regularly played host to Welsh princes and other visitors from
all corners of Britain.
However, part of Ęthelstan's problem in the eyes of history is that a
faction in the English court did not quite see him as being the legitimate
heir to the throne of the West Saxons or the inheritor of any grander
titles. No immediate account of his life and achievements was written in
the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Despite him being the grandson of Alfred
the Great and highly successful on the battlefield in his own right, it
took sixteen years after his death for a new booklet to be inserted into
the chronicle, and even this only provided a few bare bones of his story.
He had been knighted with the symbols of kingship by Alfred during the
latter's last days, but the birth of a half-brother to his father, King
Edward, had seen him sidelined as the court favourite and undisputed heir.
Ęthelstan was sent to his aunt in
Mercia,
Ęthelflaed, to be raised. She educated him well as a Mercian lord, imbued
with the same fighting spirit which she possessed. When the time came,
Mercia was in revolt against Edward, and Ęthelstan was declared its king,
not a mere lord. After a year of in-fighting in Wessex, Ęthelstan finally
had the upper hand by 925, but rather than being crowned at Winchester, he
chose Kingston-on-Thames, on the border between Wessex and Mercia (it had
the western-most bridge across the Thames, and perhaps only one of two, the
other being London Bridge). The first English national coronation took place
on 4 September 925.
(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information by Mick Baker,
from Ęthelstan: The First King of England, Sarah Foot (2011), and
from the BBC series, King Alfred and the Anglo-Saxons, first
broadcast from 6 August 2013.) |
924 - 939 |
Ęthelstan / Athelstan |
First son of Edward.
United all English & Danes under one ruler. |
924 - 925 |
Ęthelstan
ascends the throne of
Mercia in 924 on
the death of his father, and sixteen days later gains the throne of Wessex as
well, following the premature death of his half-brother, Ęlfwearde. It takes
until 925 before he is fully accepted in Wessex. Following that, Ęthelstan
is able to arrange his coronation at Kingston-upon-Thames on 4 September
925.
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This illustration of King Ęthelstan, king of all Britain as
proclaimed by various charters and coins of his reign, comes
from the Abbreviatio Chronicorum Angliae - he was
the first English monarch to be portrayed wearing a crown
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924 - 933 |
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Edwin |
Third son of Edward.
Sub-king. Drowned on his way into exile. |
927 |
Ęthelstan meets with several northern kings at the convention of Eamont
(near Penrith) and later meets with the
Welsh monarchs, including those
of Deheubarth,
Glywyssing, and
Gwent. All accept him as
their overlord. Once he assumes overlordship of British
Corniu, and ousts the
Danish king of York, all in
the same year, he is well and truly king of England. |
928 |
The West Saxon kings are titled 'Emperors of Britain' (quite possibly
following a precedent established by the postulated Romano-British
High Kings in
the fifth century and furthered by the title of
Bretwalda under the
Anglo-Saxons). The country reaches its apogee under Anglo-Saxon rule, being
one of the wealthiest, most learned, and strongest in all of Europe. |
934 - 937 |
The grand alliance including the
Scots,
Northumbrian Danes at York,
Dublin Danes, and the
Welsh of
Gwynedd and Cumbria (part
of Strathclyde),
amass their forces north of the Humber in a bold attempt to destroy
Ęthelstan. The plan fails, however, when the West Saxons and
Mercians
of the south destroy the alliance at the Battle of Brunanburh in 937. |
936 - 942 |
Having already encouraged a failed Breton rebellion against the Vikings,
the monk Yann de Landévennec now calls on Alan son of Mathuedoļ, count of
Poher to return to
Brittany, which
he does with the blessing and support of Ęthelstan. Meanwhile, the future
Hugh the Great of
Aquitaine
is organising the return of Louis to
France. Alan's campaign against the Loire Vikings is successful and he
is declared Duke Alan II. Then he allies himself with his cousin, Judicael
of Nantes (called
'Berenger' by the Franks) and Count Hugh II of Maine to attack the Seine
Vikings (the
Normans).
Louis also takes the opportunity to attack Normandy. |
939 - 946 |
Edmund I |
Fourth son of
Edward, aged 18. Stabbed to death. |
939 |
The Scandinavian kingdom of York
(comprising York and the Five Boroughs) breaks away from southern
English control, as the eighteen year-old half-brother of Ęthelstan gets an
early taste of kingship, for which he is not quite ready. A fifteen year
battle for supremacy begins. |
946 |
There
is a major invasion of
Strathclyde
by King Edmund.
Following Strathclyde's defeat at the Battle of Dunmail Rise, its king is
supposedly killed and buried underneath a cairn on the border with the
English
(formerly the dividing line between the old counties of Cumberland and
Westmorland). This is despite evidence clearly supporting his survival until
975 and even an apparent return to the kingship. The fate of his two sons is
less ambiguous - they take refuge on a nearby mountain where they are
captured, blinded, and castrated, thereby ensuring no succession. |
946 - 954 |
Eadred |
Fifth son of
Edward. |
954 |
Eadred
becomes first recognised king of England
when the Scandinavian kingdom of
York falls to him. He hands the day-to-day governance of the region to
Oswulf, high reeve of
Bamburgh while he
rules a kingdom united under a single ruler. He and his immediate successors
still have their powerbase in Wessex, and still spend much of their time
there, but now that they have a far greater domain, Wessex becomes somewhat
demoted in that it is an earldom alongside several other great,
pre-Norman
earldoms of England. |
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