Anglo Saxon Kingdoms & Rulers

Kingdoms

There were seven main Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms and several smaller sub-Kingdoms. There is very little known about these sub-Kingdoms except for a few of their names, these were eventually absorbed by the main Kingdoms. Hopefully I have included in these lists the more important & well known Kings, as well as few of the Norse for reference. At the height the so-called 'Dark Ages' the main regions of England (with their appoximate modern equivilant) were the following; Cantware (South East), Suth Seaxe (South), Dornsæte (South West), West Seaxe (Thames Valley), Sumorsæte (West Country), Defnas (Devon), Cerniu (Cornwall), East Seaxe (Essex), Middel Seaxe (Middlesex/Bedfordshire), East Engle (East Anglia), Middel Engle (Cambridgershire/Northamptonshire), Hwicce (Gloucestershire/Worcestershire), Mierce (East Midlands), Wrocen Sætan (West Midlands), Lindissi (Lincolnshire), Dere (Yorkshire/Humberside), Pec Sætan (Merseyside), Beornice (Northumberland), Elmete (Lancashire), Cumbri (Cumbria). Just out of interest the rest of the British Isles main regions were known by the Englisc as the following, in modern day Scotland; Lothene, Reget, Cyil, Fib, Dal Riada, Athfotla, Sci, Monoth, Moray, Cait, Domon and Orcades, in modern day Wales; Clwyd, Guined, Pouis, Defet, and Guent, in Ireland; Ulster, Connacht, Brega, Laigin and Munster, Modern day Isle of Mann was known as Manau.

Kent

Sometimes indepenent, sometimes a sub-kingdom of Mercia and Wessex, often with a member of the Wessex line ruling as a sub-King. It was finally absorbed into Wessex in 860. There is some evidence to suggest from Æðelbert I a sub-kingdom based on the Diocese of Rochester may of existed.

Hengist (c 455-488); Æsc (aka Oeric Oisc) (c 488-512); Octa (c 512-540); Eormenric (c 540-565); Æðelberht I (565-616); Eadbald (c 616-640); Earconberht (640-664); Ecgberht I (664-673); Hloðere (673-685); Eadric (685-686); Mul (686-687); Interregnum (687-688); Oswine (688-690); Wihtræd (690-725); Eardwulf (725-?); Eadberht (c 762); Æðelberht II (c 762); Sigered (c 762-763); Eanmund (c 763); Under Mercian overlordship Heahberht (c 764-765); Ecgberht II (765-772); Under direct Mercian rule 772-776; Under Mercian overlordship Ecgberht II (again) (776-785); Ealhmund and Ecgberht II (joint) (784-785); Under direct Mercian rule 785-796; Independent Eadberht Præn (796-798); Mercian sub-king Cuðred (798-807); Under direct Mercian rule 807-823; Mercian sub-king Baldred (823-824); Wessex sub-kings Æðelwulf (824-839); Æðelstan (839-851); Æðelbert (851-860)

Sub-Kingdom within Kent

Eadbald (c560-616); Æðelwald (c 616-640); Eormenred (c 640-673); Eadric (673-686); Sighere (of Essex) (c 686-688); Swæfheard (of Essex) (688-694); Æðelberht (694-725); Eadberht I (725-748); Eadberht II and Eardwulf (joint) (748-762); Sigered (762-764)

Sussex

Little is known about the Kings of Sussex (South Saxons), some were independent, some were sub-Kings under Mercia & Wessex. The area around Hastings was possibly a seperate kingdom called Hæstingas (probably a sub-kingdom of Sussex or Kent). Like Kent & it's sub-kingdom they were finally absorbed into Wessex.

Ælle (c 477-514); Cissa (514-?); Æðelwold (c 660); Æðelwalh (?-685); Berhtun and Andhun (joint) (685-686); Cædwalla (686-688); Wattus (?-692); Nothelm (c 692-714); Æðelstan (c 714-720); Nunna (possibly Nothelm) (c 720-725); Æðelberht (c 725-750); Osmund (c 758-772)

Dukes in Sussex

Ealdwulf; Elfwald; Oswald and Oslac (joint) (c 765-791)

Wessex

Wessex (West Saxons) was probably the most important of the Anglo Saxon kingdoms, certainly along with Mercia & Northumberland it's one of the best known, eventually it's rulers would become the Kings of the Englisc.

Cerdic (c 519-534); Cynric (c 534-560); Ceawlin (c 560-593); Ceol (c 593-597); Ceolwulf (c 597-611); Cynegils (c 611-642); Cenwealh (c642-672); Seaxburh (Queen) (c672-673); Æscwine (c 673-676); Centwine (676-685); Cædwalla (685-688); Ine (688-726); Æðelheard (726-740); Cuðred (740-756); Sigeberht (756-757); Cynewulf (757-786); Beorhtric (786-802); Ecgberht (802-839) Known as first King of all England, forced into exile by Offa of Mercia, he defeated Offa at the Battle of Ellendun (825), the Northumbrians recognised his overlordship in 829 when he was proclaimed Bretwalda (802-839); Æðelwulf Deeply religious, his son Æðelbald plotted against him while on pilgrimage to Rome (855), on his return he was limited to being the sub-King of Kent.; Æðelbald (858-860) Plotted against his father with the Bishop of Sherbourne and the Earldorman of Somerset, he controlled Wessex until his father died.; Æðelberht (860-866)Inherited the throne from his brother, he battled against the Vikings (including in his capital of Winchester); Æðelred I (866-871) Inherited the throne from his brother, he had to battle against the Danes for all of his reign. Defeated the Danish Kings Bagseg and Halfdan with his brother Ælfred at the Battle of Ashdown (870).; Ælfred (The Great) (871-899) Inherited throne from his brother. Driven into hiding by the Danish King Guðorm, he took refuge at Athelney, Somerset. Defeated teh Danes at Battle of Eddington, leading to The Peace of Wedmore, Guðorm was baptized and Ælfred recognized Danish control over East Anglia and parts of Mercia (The Danelaw formalized by another treaty in 886). Recognized as the creator of the Royal Navy, codified the laws, promoted education, and translated books from Latin into Anglo Saxon.; Eadward I (The Elder) (899-924) He reconquered most of the Danelaw teritory from the Danes.; Æðelstan (924-939) The first to be crowned on the 'King's Stone' at Kingston-upon-Thames. A great warrior who defeated a combined army of Scots, Welsc (Welsh) and Vikings at the Battle of Brunanburh (938).; Eadmund I (The Magnificent) (939-946) Inherited throne from his half-brother, a great warrior who fought with his brother at Brunanburh, defeated the Norse and subdued them in Northumbria, Cumbria and Strathclyde. Entrusted these lands to his ally Malcolm I of the Scots. He was murdered at Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire by a robber.; Eadred (946-955) Overlord of Mercia, the Danelaw and Northumbria. When Eric Bloodaxe established himself as King of Northumbria (c950), Eadred marched north and ravaged the Norse held territories. Eric's forces attacked him on his way home causing him to return and threatened to ravage the rest of Northumbria, so fearful were it's inhabitants of him they abandoned Eric Bloodaxe (a well-known blood thirsty Viking) rather than face Eadred's rath.; Eadwig (aka Edwy) (955-959); Eadgar (959-975) The King of Mercia and Northumbria, he inherited throne of Wessex on the death of his brother Eadwig, as such he is considered the first ruler of a united England.; Eadward II (The Martyr) (975-978) Inherited the throne aged 12, he was murdered by members of his half-brother Æðelred's household at Corfe Castle.; Æðelred II (The Unræd) (978-1016)He was ill advised by his favourites (hence the nickname 'unread', 'ill advised'), he tried to buy of the Vikings with the Danegeld, but was forced to abandon his throne in 1013. He fled to Normandy, but was later recalled to the throne at the death of Svein Forkbeard in 1014. He had the Danish settlers in massacred in revenger.; Eadmund II (Ironside) (1016) He led the defence of London against the Danish King Cnut Sveinsson (Canute) and was proclaimed the King by Londoners. The Witan (Council) elected Cnut as King though. Eadmund led his forces against Cnut earning the nickname Ironside. He defeated the Danish forces at Oxford and Kent, but was routed by Cnut's forces at Ashingdon, Essex. A peace treaty divided England between them, Eadmund ruling Wessex, Cnut ruling Mercia and Northumbria, the survivor would inherit the whole realm. He died not long after this treaty when the kingdom then fell under Cnut's rule. The Danish line then ruled England between 1014-1042; Eadward III (The Confessor) (1042-1066) Eldest son of Æðelred and Emma of Normandy, he fled to Normandy with his father where he reamained. He inherited the throne on the death of Hardicnut, married Edið daughter of Godwin of Wessex, he surrounded himself with his Norman favourites which angered the Anglo-Saxon nobles. An anti-Norman faction was led by Godwin, whom he banished as punishment but he was forced to restore him to favour after Godwin landed with an invasion force. He built a new cathedral (minster) west of London 'Westminster'. He named Harold Godwinsson his heir over his legitimate heir, his grandson Eadgar the Æðeling. He was cannonized in 1161 (due to his supposedly devout religous reputation).; Harold Godwinsson (1066) Earl of East Anglia (1044), Earl of Wessex (1053), he conducted a brilliant campaign against the Welsc with his brother Tostig, Earl of Northumbria. He was an emissary of Eadward to the court of William of Normandy (Eadward's cousin), where he allegedly swore an oath of fealty to William, relinquishing any claim to the throne. Crowned King upon Eadward's death, his brother Tostig (who had been exiled in 1065) joined with Harald Hardrade King of Norway, and landed with a force in Yorkshire. Harold marched with his army the entire length of England to defeat them at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25th September. Meanwhile, William landed with his forces at Pevensy in Sussex on the 28th, Harold and his army then had to march the entire length of England again to meet them, where he was defeated and slain at the Battle of Hastings. He was the last Anglo-Saxon King and the last monarch of England to suffer defeat at the hands of a foreign invader.

Northumbria

Made up of two kingdoms Diera (south, aka 'Southumbria') and Bernicia (North), it was sometimes ruled by seperate Kings as seperate kingdoms, and sometimes under one as a single kingdom. This division led to civil war on several occasions, and the kingdom suffered probably more than any other from Viking raids & invasions (Diera formed the heart of Viking Northumbria).

Bernicia

Esa (c 500); Eoppa (c 520); Ida (547-559); Glappa (559-560); Adda (560-568); Æðelric (568-572); Þeodric (572-579); Friðuwald (579-585); Hussa (585-593); Æðelfrith (593-616); Eadwin (of Deira) (St Edwin) (616-633); Eanfrið (633-634); Oswald (St Oswald) (634-642); Oswiu (642-670)

Deira

Ælle (559-589); Æðelric (589-604); Æðelfrith (of Bernicia) (604-616); Eadwin (St Edwin) (616-633); Osric (633-834); Oswald (of Bernicia, St Oswald) (634-642); Oswiu (of Bernicia) (642-644); Oswine (St Oswine) (644-651); Æðelwald (651-656); Alchfrið (656-664); Oswiu (of Bernicia again) (664-670); Ælfwine (670-679) Under Norse York rule from 878

Northumbria under one King

Oswiu (664-670); Ecgfrið (670-685); Ældfrið (685-704); Eadwulf (704-705); Osred I (705-716); Coenred (716-718); Osric (718-729); Ceolwulf (St Ceolwulf) (729-737); Eadberht (737-758); Oswulf (758-759); Æthelwald Moll (759-765); Ealchred (765-774); Æðelred I (774-779); Ælfwald I (779-789); Osred II (789-790); Æðelred I (again) (790-796); Osbald (796); Eardwulf (796-806); Ælfwald II (806-808); Eardwulf (again) (808-810); Eanred (810-841); Æðelred II (841-844); Rædwulf (844); Æðelred II (again) (844-848); Osbeorht (848-863); Ælle (863-867); Sub-Kings under Norse York rule Ecgberht I (867-872); Ricsige (872-876); Ecgberht II (876-878)

High-Reeves of Bamburgh

Eadulf (?-913); Ealdred I (913-930); Osulf (930-963); Walðeof (963-970); Uchtred the Bold (995-1016); Eadulf I (1016-1019); Ealdred II (1019-1038); Eadulf II (1038-1041)

East Anglia

East Anglia (East Angles) was made up of the South Folk (Suffolk) and the North Folk (Norfolk). Not much is known about it's early history, it's ruling family of the late sixth and early seventh centuries was known as the 'Wuffingas' (possibly of Swedish rather than the German or Danish descent of most other Anglo Saxon royal lines) .

Wehha Wuffa (571-578); Tyttla (578-593); Rædwald (593-617); Eni (617-618); Eorpwald (618-628); Ricbert (628-631); Sigebert (St Sigebert) (631-634); Egric (634-635); Anna (635-654); Æðelhere (654-655); Æðelwold (655-664); Ealdwulf (664-713); Ælfwald (713-749); Hun (749-?); Beorna and Alberht (joint) (749-758); Æðelred (758-779); Æðelberht (St Æðelberht) (779-794); Under Mercian rule 794-796; Independent Eadwald (796); Under Mercian rule 796-827; Independent Æðelstan (c 827-839); Æðelweard (839-855); Eadmund (St Edmund) (855-870); Sub-Kings under Nrose rule Oswald (870-876); Æðelred (876-879); Norse rule Guðrum (aka Æðelstan) (879-890); Eric (890-902); Guðrum II (902-918); Under Wessex rule from 918

Mercia

Originating possibly in the fifth century around modern day Warwickshire, by the eight century it's kings held overlordship over most of the other Anglo Saxon Kingdoms. It was split in two during the Viking invasions, the Kings holding the western half and the Vikings the eastern (the Five Boroughs). From the late ninth century onward, the Kings and Mercia were under the overlordship of Wessex.

Icel (c ?-584); Creoda (c 585-593); Pybba (593-606); Ceorl (606-626); Penda (626-655); Under Northumbrian rule 655-658; Pæda (655-656); Independent Wulfhere (658-675); Æðelred I (675-704); Coenred (704-709); Coelred (709-716); Coelwald (716); Æðelbald (716-757); Beornred (757); Offa (The Great) (757-796); Ecgfrið (796); Ceonwulf (796-821); Cenelm (St Cenelm) (821); Ceolwulf I (821-823); Beornwulf (823-825); Ludecan (825-827); Wiglaf (827-828); Under Wessex rule 828-830; Independent Wiglaf (again) (830-840); Wigstan (St Wigstan) (840); Beorhtwulf (840-852); Burghred (852-874); Sub-Kings under Norse rule Ceolwulf II (874-879); Independent Æðelred II (879-884); Under Wessex overlordship Æðelred II (again) (884-911); Æðelflæd (joint with Æðelred II 888-911)(888-918); Ælfwynn (918-919); Merged with Wessex in 919

Essex

There is not much known about the Kings of Essex (East Saxons) except for some of their names. By around the end of the sixth and beginning of the seventh centuries it appears to of absorbed the kingdom of Middlesex. During certain periods in it's history it would seem it had two rulers, possibly one ruling Essex and the other Middlesex. It was under Mercian overlordship from c730 until the Viking invasions in the ninth century.

Æscwine (527-587); Sledda (587-604); Sæberht (604-616); Sæward, Sexbald and Sexred (joint) (616); Sigeberht I (The Little) (617-653); Sigeberht II (The Blessed) (653-660); Swidhelm (660-665); Sighere & Sebbi (joint) (665-683); Sebbi (again) (683-695); Sigeheard & Swæfred (joint) (695-715); Offa (joint with Sigeheard & Swæfred) (709); Swæfberht (715-738); Sælred (738-746); Swiðred (746-758); Sigeric (758-798); Sigered (798-812)

Dukes in Essex

Sigered (again) (812-825); Sigeric (c 833)

Middlesex

There is nothing known about the kingdom of Middlesex (Middle Saxons) except that it seems to of been absobed into Essex, the only names of possible kings mentioned may be one of the joint kings of Essex.

Hwicce

Semi-independent kingdom under the rule of Mercia

Eanfrið (?-674); Eanhere (?-675); Osric (675-685); Oshere (679-693); Æðelberht, Æðelweard, Æðelric and Osred (joint) (693-?); Eanberht, Uhtred and Ealdred (joint) (759); Ealdred (again) (778)

Lindsey

Geot (?); Godulf (?); Finn (?); Frioðulf (?); Frealaf (?); Woden (?); Winta (?); Cretta (?); Cueldgils (?); Cædbæd (?); Bubba (?); Beda (?); Biscop (?); Eanferð (?); Eatta (?); Aldfrið (?)

Magonset

Sub-kingdom of Mercia

Merewalh (c650-670); Merchelm (?); Mildfrið (?-740)

South Gyrwe

Sub-kingdom of Mercia

Tondberht (?-664)

Surrey

South Kingdom (Sorrey) below the Thames at one time a sub-kingdom of Mercia

Friðuwold (673)

Norrey

North Kingdom above the Thames, possibly in the Buckinghamshire area, nothing is known about it's rulers or status

Norse Kings of York

Halfdan Ragnarsson (876-877); Nominal Bernician rule 877-883; Independent Guðfrið Hardicnutsson (883-895); Sigfrid (895-900); Cnut (900-902); Eðelwald (902); Halfdan II and Eowils Ragnarsson (joint) (902-910); Ragnall Ivarrsson (910-920); Sigtrygg Cæch (The Squinty) (920-927); Under Wessex overlordship Guðfrið Ivarrsson (927-934); Olaf Guðfriðsson (934-939); Independent Olaf Guðfriðsson (again) (939-941); Olaf Cuaran (The Sandal) (941-943); Ragnall Guðfriðsson (943-944); Under Wessex rule 944-947; Independent Erik Bloodaxe (947-948); Olaf Cuaran (The Sandal) (again) (949-952); Erik Bloodaxe (again) (952-954); Kingdom of York regained by the Englisc in 954

Danish rulers of Anglo Saxon England

Svein Haraldsson (Forkbeard) (1014) Deposed his father Harald Gormsson (Blue-Tooth) and became King of Denmark in 985. Constantly raided England and received the notorious 'Danegeld' from Æðelred the Unræd. Invaded England and forced Æðelred to flee to Normandy, he seized the throne but only ruled five weeks before he died in February 1014 ; Cnut (1016-1035) Withdrew from England at the death of his father but re-invaded in 1015, after the death of Æðelred he battled with Eadmund (with whom he jointly ruled England after the Witan had elected him King). Upon Eadmund's death he was sole ruler, known for his wisdom and fair handedness (remember the tale of the sea?).; Harald Harefoot (1035-1040) Son of Cnut and Ælgifu, assumed regency at death of his father instead of his half-brother Hardicanute, he was elected king in 1037, he died as his brother (the rightful heir) was about to invade. ; Hardicnut (1040-1042) King of Denmark on his father's death, he was planning to invade England to claim the throne from his half-brother but arrived just after his brother's death and took the throne of England without having to fight. He forced a 'fleet-tax' as revenge for the expense he incurred raising his army to invade England. He was an unpopular King who died of convulsions at a drinking party.

Home