I.

Mladjov, Page 1/8

ANGLES, SAXONS, & JUTES The Germanic tribes of the Jutes, Saxons and Angles (referred to more conveniently as Anglo-Saxons) began to raid the shores of Britain as early as the second half of the 3rd century. Under simultaneous pressure from other invaders (Picts and Scots), the post-Roman rulers of Britain were unable to check such raids and some even sought out the help of the raiders. This allowed the establishment of several Germanic kingdoms on British soil, mostly in the south and east of England. Although some of these kingdoms occasionally cooperated against their British or Germanic neighbors, effective unification was elusive until the end of the 9th century. Historiographical tradition labeled some of the kings as overlord (bretwalda), but this reflects fleeting and impermanent preeminence, until the mid-8th century, after which the kings of Mercia, and then of Wessex established a more effective suzerainty over their neighbors. In retrospect the hegemony established by Ecgbert of Wessex in 829 may be seen as the origin of the kingdom of England, which was fully established by his successors over the following century. A map showing most of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in c.700, is given at the end. The names are presented in standardized Anglo-Saxon forms. KENT The kingdom of Kent was established by the Jutes as the earliest Germanic state in Britain. Their leaders Hengest and Horsa (Stallion and Mare) are said to have been invited to Britain by the native king Vortigern as auxiliaries against the Picts. The kingdoms small size precluded it from being able to impose itself militarily for a long period of time, but king thelbert I achieved preeminence in England. thelbert Is conversion to Roman Christianity in 601 secured Kents continued importance as the location of the archiepiscopal seat at Canterbury, and, coupled with his marriage to a Frankish princess, helped connect Anglo-Saxon England with continental Europe. In the 8th and early 9th century Kent was a vassal of Mercia, and later it was taken over by Wessex; the last rulers of Kent were members of the royal house of Wessex, who ruled there as sub-kings. Kings of Kent Hengest son of Wihtgils, descendant of Odin Oisc son of Hengest Octha son of Oisc Eormenric son of Octha thelbert I son of Eormenric Eadbald son of thelbert I Eorcenbert son of Eadbald Ecgbert I son of Eorcenbert Hlothhere son of Eorcenbert Eadric son of Ecgbert I Mul brother of king Cdwalla of Wessex Sigehere son of king Sigebert of Essex; Essex 663688 Oswine son of (?) thelred, son of Eormenred, son of Eadbald; in East Kent; deposed Swfheard 1 son of king Sbbi of Essex; in West Kent; abdicated; Essex 693704? Wihtred son of Ecgbert I; in East Kent only until 693 thelbert II son of Wihtred; abdicated Eadbert I son of Wihtred lric son of Wihtred Eardwulf son of Eadbert I thelbert II restored Sigered brother of (?) king Sigebert of Wessex; deposed, died 778: Ealhmund son of Eafa, son of Eoppa, son of Ingild, son of king Ine of Wessex; deposed Heabert Mercian vassal Ecgbert II son of (?) thelbert II Ealhmund restored; deposed

c.455c.488 c.488c.516 c.516c.540 c.540c.580 c.580616 616640 640664 664673 673685 685686 686687 687688 688690 689693 691725 725748 & 725762 & 725759 & 748754 754762 759762 762764 764771 & 764784 784785
1

Probably identical with Swfred of Essex.

I. Mladjov, Page 2/8

785796 796798 798807 807823 823825 825839 839c.852 c.852855 855860 860920 920933

(to Mercia) Eadbert II, Prn son of (?) thelbert II; deposed Cuthred brother of king Cenwulf of Mercia (to Mercia) Baldred Mercian vassal; deposed thelwulf son of king Ecgbert of Wessex, son of Ealhmund; Wessex 839855 thelstan brother of thelwulf (to Wessex) thelbert son of thelwulf; Wessex 860865 (to Wessex) Eadwine son of king Eadward I of England (to England 933)

SUSSEX (SOUTH SAXONS) The kingdom of the South Saxons appeared in about 491. King lle and his son Cissa reigned from c.491 and scored several victories over the British, before apparently losing their lives in the battle of Badon (perhaps in 499 or 518). The South Saxon kingdom effectively disappears from the sources for almost 150 years. From the second half of the 7th century there is an incomplete sequence of attested rulers (thelwalh c.686; Ecgwald c.686; Notthelm 690s; Wattus c.692; thelstan 710s; thelbert 750s; Ealdwulf, lhwald, and Osiai 760s; Osmund 770s), whose precise chronology and genealogy is unknown. These rulers appear to have been dependent first on Wessex and then on Mercia, which annexed the kingdom in 772. ESSEX (EAST SAXONS) The East Saxons appear to have been subjects of Kent at first, and their kingdom retained its close connection to Kent later. The East Saxons eventually were able to exert their influence over Kent, but were themselves reduced to dependents of Mercia and the Wessex. The East Saxon dynasty frequently divided authority between several members as either equal or subordinate kings, but detailed information about its history is largely lacking. Kings of the East Saxons Sledda son of scwine, descendant of Odin Sbert son of Sledda Sward son of Sbert Seaxred son of Sbert Seaxbald son of Sbert Sigebert I, the Little son of Sward Sigebert II, the Good son of (?) Sigeferth, son of Seaxa, son of Sledda Swithhelm son of Seaxbald Sigehere son of Sigebert I Sbbi son of Seaxred; abdicated, died 693 Sigeheard son of Sbbi Swfred 2 son of Sbbi; Kent 689693? Offa son of Sigehere; abdicated, died c.710 Slered son of Sigebert, son of Sigebald, son of Sleferth, son of Sigeferth, son of Seaxa, son of Sledda Swfbert son of (?) king Swfheard of Kent Swithred son of Sigemund, son of Sigeheard Sigeric I son of Slered Sigered son of Sigeric I

c.580c.600 c.600616 & c.616623 & c.616623 & c.616623 623c.650 c.650c.653 c.653663 663688 & 663693 693c.707 & 693704 707709 709746 & 709738 746759 759798 798825
2

Probably identical to Swfheard of Kent.

I. Mladjov, Page 3/8

825?

Sigeric II son of Sigered (to Wessex 825:)

EAST ANGLIA The kingdom of the East Angles became an important regional power in the reign of Redwald, but dynastic strife and continuous conflicts with Mercia weakened the kingdom. Mercia established its supremacy in the 8th century and annexed East Anglia twice. Mercian hegemony was replaced by that of Wessex, but the final blow came from Danish Vikings in 869. The Vikings settled in the area and retained it as their kingdom after their defeat by king lfred of Wessex in 879. In 917 this kingdom was conquered by the house of Wessex and was integrated into England. Kings of the East Angles Wuffa son of Wehha, descendant of Odin Tytila son of Wuffa Redwald son of Tytila Eorpwald son of Redwald Ricgbert usurper Sigebert half-brother of Eorpwald; abdicated, died 641 Ecgric kinsman of Sigebert Anna son of Enni, son of Tytila thelhere brother of Anna thelwald brother of thelhere Ealdwulf son of thelric, brother of thelwald lfwald son of Ealdwulf Beonna usurper thelred descendant of Redwald thelbert (St.) son of thelred (to Mercia) Eadwald son of (?) thelred (to Mercia) thelstan son of king Ecgbert of Wessex; to Kent 839852 thelward son of (?) thelstan Beorhtric son of (?) king Beorhtwulf of Mercia Eadmund (St.) son of (?)thelward (to the Danes 869; to England 917)

571c.578 c.578c.599 c.599c.625 c.625c.632 c.632c.634 c.634c.638 c.638c.641 c.641c.653 c.653654 654c.663 c.663713 713749 749c.761 c.761790 790794 794796 796c.799 c.799823 823837 837852 852854 854869

MERCIA The kingdom of Mercia became a significant regional power in the reign of the pagan king Penda, who successfully opposed Northumbrian aggression for two decades in the mid-7th century. Pendas reign ended in disaster, but his successors built up Mercian power, allowing it to establish a Mercian hegemony over England in the reigns of thelbald and especially Offa, both of whom claimed the title king of the English. Offas successors found it increasingly difficult to maintain their hegemony, which was completely liquidated by the victories of king Ecgbert of Wessex over the Mercian kings Beornwulf, Ludeca, and Wiglaf. The last recovered some of Mercias independence, but in the second half of the 9th century the kingdom became dependent on Wessex and then on the Vikings of East Anglia. The supremacy of Wessex was re-established in the late 870s, and after Ceolwulf IIs death in 883 Mercia was administered by an ealdorman related by marriage to the royal house of Wessex. Kings of Mercia Creoda son of Cynewald, descendant of Odin Pybba son of Creoda

c.585593 593c.606

I. Mladjov, Page 4/8

c.606c.626 c.626655

655658 658675 675704 704709 709716 716 716757 757 757796 796 796821 821823 823826 826827 827829 829830 830839 839852 852874 874883 883911 911918 918919

Ceorl son of (?) Creoda Penda son of Pybba Eowa son of Pybba; associated 635642 Peada son of Penda; associated in Middle Anglia 653656 (to Northumbria) Wulfhere son of Penda thelred son of Penda; abdicated, died 716 Cenred (St.) son of Wulfhere; abdicated, died 709: Ceolred son of thelred Ceolwald son of (?) thelred thelbald son of Alweo, son of Eowa Beornred descendant of (?) king Cerdic of Wessex Offa son of Thingfrith, son of Eanwulf, son of Osmod, son of Eowa Ecgfrith son of Offa; associated 782 Cenwulf son of Cuthbert, son of Bassa, son of Cynereow, son of Centwine, son of Cundwalh, son of Cenwalh, son of Pybba Ceolwulf I brother of Cenwulf; deposed Beornwulf son of (?) king Beorhtric of Wessex, son of (?) Beornred Ludeca kinsman of Beornwulf Wiglaf son of (?) Beornwulf; deposed (to Wessex) Wiglaf restored Beorhtwulf brother of Wiglaf; vassal of Wessex Burgred son of (?) Beorhtwulf Ceolwulf II son of (?) Wigmund, son of Wiglaf thelred ealdorman of Mercia under the overlordship of Wessex thelfld widow of thelred; daughter of king lfred of Wessex/England lfwynn daughter of thelred and thelfld (to England 919)

HWICCE A Mercian sub-kingdom in and around what later became Worcestershire. The area had been conquered from the Britons in the mid-7th century, and although under Mercian overlordship, the kingdom did not disappear until the 790s. Kings of Hwicce Eanfrith son of (?) king Oswiu of Northumbria Eanhere brother of Eanfrith Osric son of (?) Eanhere Oswald brother of Osric; associated 679 Oshere brother of Oswald; associated 679 thelbert son of Oshere thelweard son of Oshere thelric son of Oshere Osred son of (?) thelbert Eanbert son of (?) Osred Uhtred brother of Eanbert Ealdred brother of Uhtred (to Mercia c.790)

c.650674 c.674675 c.675685 c.685690 c.690699 c.699?

c.759790

I. Mladjov, Page 5/8

LINDSEY (LINDISWARE) A Mercian sub-kingdom in Lincolnshire, Lindsey was governed by its own line of kings who may have been related to the Mercian royal house. At times the kingdom was under Northumbrian rather than Mercian overlordship. The kinglist is really nothing more than a rationalization of the last kings genealogy. Kings of Lindsey Critta son of Winta Cueldgils son of Critta Cdbd son of Cueldgils Bubba son of Cdbd Beda son of Bubba Biscop son of Beda Eanfrith son of Biscop Eatta son of Eanfrith Ealdfrith son of Eatta (to Mercia by c.775?)

c.550?

c.770?

MAGONSET (MAGONSAETE) A Mercian sub-kingdom in what later became Herefordshire and Shropshire, on the border with Powys to the west. Magonset appears to have been destroyed by Powys by c.710. Kings of Magonset Merewalh son of king Penda of Mercia Merchhelm son of Merewalh Mildfrith son of Merewalh (to Powys and Mercia c.710?)

c.650685 685c.700 c.700706:

NORTHUMBRIA The large northern kingdom of Northumbria originated as two smaller kingdoms of the Angles, Bernicia (centered on Bamburgh) and Deira (centered on York). The two kingdoms were first united into a realm called Northumbria (i.e., north of the Humber) by thelfrith of Bernicia in 604. This union was maintained with little interruption under Eadwine of Deira and then thelfriths sons Oswald and Oswiu, under whom Deira was administered by sub-kings. These kings used their extensive power base to attempt establishing a Northumbrian hegemony in England. This prospect ended after the reign of Oswiu, but the kings of Bernicia continued to dominate all of Northumbria for the next two centuries, at first ruling Deira through sub-kings, and then directly. The kingdom acknowledged the hegemony of Wessex in 829. Deira was conquered by the Vikings in 867, who set up their own kingdom of York, while a line of vassal kings was allowed to reign in Bernicia until it too was overthrown in 912, shortly before the whole area passed under direct English rule. Kings of Bernicia Ida son of Eoppa, descendant of Odin Glappa son of (?) Ida Adda son of Ida Frithwulf son of (?) Ida Theodwulf son of Ida Hussa son of (?) Ida Theodoric son of Ida thelric son of Ida; associated 587 thelfrith son of thelric; Deira 604616 Eadwine (St.) son of king lle of Deira and brother of thelfriths wife Acha; Deira 616633

c.547c.559 c.559c.560 c.560c.568 c.568c.572 c.572c.579 c.579c.584 c.584591 591593 593616 616633

I. Mladjov, Page 6/8

633634 634642 642670 670685 685704 704705 705716 716718 718729 729737 737758 758759 759765 765774 774779 779788 788790 790796 796 796806 806808 808811 811840 840844 844 844848 848866 866867 867872 872876 876888 888912

Eanfrith son of thelfrith Oswald (St.) son of thelfrith; ruler of all Northumbria 634 Oswiu son of thelfrith Ecgfrith son of Oswiu Ealdfrith bastard son of Oswiu Eadwulf I usurper Osred I son of Ealdfrith Cenred son of Cuthwine, son of Leodwald, son of Ecgwald, son of Ealdhelm, son of Ocg, son of Ida Osric son of (?) Ealdfrith Ceolwulf (St.) brother of Cenred; abdicated, died 764 Eadbert son of Eata, son of Leodwald, son of Ecgwald, son of Ealdhelm, son of Ocg, son of Ida; abdicated, died 768 Oswulf son of Eadbert thelwald son of Moll, brother of (?) Eadwulf I; deposed Ealhred son of Eanwine, son of Beornholm, son of Bofa, son of Blcman, son of Eadric, son of Ida; deposed, died 774: thelred I son of thelwald; deposed lfwald I (St.) son of Oswulf Osred II son of Ealhred; deposed, died 792 thelred I restored Osbald son of (?) Oswulf; deposed, died 799 Eardwulf II son of Eanwine, son of Eadwulf I; deposed lfwald II Eardwulf II restored Eanred son of Eardwulf II thelred II son of Eanred; deposed Redwulf thelred II restored Osbert deposed, died 867 lle brother of (?) Osbert; associated 862 Ecgbert I son of (?) thelred II; deposed, died 873 Ricsige Ecgbert II nephew of (?) Ecgbert I Eadwulf II son of (?) Ecgbert I (to the Danes 912; later to England) Kings of Deira lle son of Yffi, descendant of Odin thelric son of lle thelfrith husband of Acha, daughter of lle; son of king thelric of Bernicia; Bernicia 593616 Eadwine (St.) son of elle; Bernicia 616633 Osric son of lfric, brother of lle (to Bernicia) Oswine (St.) son of Osric; vassal of Bernicia thelwald son of king Oswald of Bernicia, son of thelfrith Ealhfrith son of king Oswiu of Bernicia, son of thelfrith Ecgfrith brother of Ealhfrith; Bernicia 670685 lfwine brother of Ecgfrith (to Bernicia 679; to the Danes 867; later to England)

c.569c.599 c.599604 604616 616633 633634 634644 644651 651655 655664 664670 670679

I. Mladjov, Page 7/8

LOTHIAN (DUNBAR) A sub-kingdom of Northumbria (or more specifically Bernicia), Lothian corresponded to the former territory of the Gododdin (Votadini). It was set up as a buffer against Pictish aggression from the north. Kings of Lothian Beornheth appointed by king Ecgfrith of Northumbria Beorhtred son of Beornheth Beorhtfrith son of Beorhtred (to Northumbria 711:)

670685 685698 698711:

WESSEX (WEST SAXONS) The kingdom of the West Saxons was founded by Cerdic, who is said to have been a descendant of Odin, but his name is suspiciously British in origin. Others have suggested that, whoever he was, Cerdic was not based on Wessex and that the area was only conquered by his successors. The chronology is also very suspect (until 611 or so), with the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle duplicating information for the arrival of Cerdic almost two decades apart (494 and 513) and another early source suggesting a later arrival (532) and shorter reigns. The confusing onomastics of the dynasty have been used to cast doubt on the genealogical data of the sources. The kingdom became a significant regional power, especially in the reigns of Cdwalla and Ine in the late 7th century, but lost its preeminence later. King Ecgbert extricated his kingdom from Mercian supremacy and, after conquering Cornwall and Kent and defeating the Mercians, established the hegemony of Wessex over all of England by 829. Although Ecgberts position as overlord was not inherently better founded than those of previous hegemons, his successors gradually turned England into a single, relatively centralized monarchy. Kings of the West Saxons Cerdic son of Elesa, descendant of Odin Cynric son of Creoda, son of Cerdic Ceawlin son of Cynric; deposed, died 590 Ceolric son of Cuthwulf, son of Cynric Ceolwulf brother of Ceolric Cynegils son of Ceolwulf 3 Cwichhelm son of Cynegils; associated c.614c.636 Cenwealh son of Cynegils; deposed Cuthred I son of Cwichhelm; deposed, died 661 Cenwealh restored Seaxburh widow of Cenwealh scwine son of Cenfus, son of Cenferth, son of Cuthgils, son of Ceolwulf, son of Cynric Centwine son of Cynegils; abdicated, died 685: Cdwalla son of Cenbert, son of Ceadda, son of Cuthwine, son of Ceawlin; abdicated, died 689 Ine son of Cenred, son of Ceolwald, son of Cuthwulf, son of Cuthwine, son of Ceawlin; abdicated, died 728 Ealdbert son of (?) Ine; rival 722725 thelheard son of (?) scwine Oswald son of thelbald, son of Cynebald, son of Cuthwine, son of Ceawlin; rival 730 Cuthred II brother of thelheard Sigebert kinsman of Cuthred II Cynewulf kinsman of Sigebert Beorhtric son of (?) king Beornred of Mercia

538554 554581 581588 588594 594611 611643 643645 645648 648672 672673 673676 676685 685688 688726

726740 740756 756757 757786 786802

Or possibly son of Ceolric.

I. Mladjov, Page 8/8

802829

Ecgbert son of king Ealhmund of Kent, son of Eafa, son of Eoppa, son of Ingild, brother of Ine; overlord (bretwalda) of England 829839 (see England 829)

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY: M. Ashley, The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens, New York, 1998. B. Thorpe, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 2 vols., London, 1861. B. Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England, London, 1990.