Anglo Saxon Timeline
Introductions
Here are a few events in the history of the Anglo Saxon people, we have not covered every event but hope this timeline gives a good enough account. If you feel we should add anything then please let us know.
98 Tacitus (the Roman scholar) mentions the Angles, describing them as worshipers of the goddess Nerthus (Earth Mother)
397 Saxons raid Roman Britain
428 Vortigern invites Germanic warriors to aid him, possibly settle in Dorchester-upon-Thames area
446 Vortigern invites Saxon mercenaries (Foederati) to aid him against barbarian incursions, possibly settle in Lincolnshire
449 Date given for Hengest and Horsa's landing in Britain, in three longships at Ebbesfleet
452 Vortigern marries Hengest's daughter Rowenna, offers Jute leader the kingdom of Kent. Octa, Hengest's son, lands with sixteen longships to occupy northern lands to defend against the Picts who are never heard from again
455 Vortimer, Vortigern's son, rebels against his father, Hengest defeats him at battle of Crayford, Horsa slain in battle at Aegelsthrop
456 Saxons massacre 300 leading British noblemen at a phoney peace conference
458 Saxon uprising, Hengist conquers Kent
460 Ambrosius Aurelianus leads Britains against Saxons
465 Battle of Wippedsfleet (Richborough), Britains defeat Saxons, with great slaughter on both sides, Saxons confined to Isle of Thanet, Arthur possibly born
473 Hengest moves westward from Kent driving the Britons back
477 Aelle lands with his sons at Cymensora (Sussex), Britons attack him upon landing but are defeated, besieged at Pevensey and driven into the Weald
486 Aelle engages Britons at battle of Mercredesburne
488 Aesc crowned King of Kent
490 Hengest dies, his son Aesc rules
495 Cerdic and Cynric (his son) land in Britain with five ships at Cerdicesora (Hampshire-Dorset border)
496 Arthur defeats Esla of Bernicia and Cerdic at Mount Badon
508 Cerdic defeats Nudd-Ludd (Natanleod) at battle of Netley
515 Aelle dies, Cissa (his son) rules
519 Cerdic and his son rule the West Saxons, Battle of Cerdicsford
530 Cerdic lands on the Isle of Wight, defeats Britons at battle of Carisbrooke
534 Death of Cerdic
537 Death of Arthur
547 Ida crowned in Northumbria
552 Cynric defeats Britons at Old Sarum
556 Cynric defeats Britons at Barbury 'Castle'
560 Ceawlin crowned King of West Saxons, Aella siezes power in Northumbria
568 Ceawlin and Cutha battle with Aethelbert
570 Alliance of Britons in the north battle Northumbrians at Gwen Ystrad and the Cells of Berwyn
571 Cuthwulf of Wessex defeats Calchfynedd at battle of Bedford
575 Theodoric of Bernicia slain at battle of Leeming Lane against Owein of North Rheged
577 West Saxons conquer Severn Valley area
580 Adda defeats Peredyr and Gwrgi of Ebrauc at Caer Greu, Aelle takes city of Ebrauc, Peredyr's son flees
584 Cuthwine slain at battle of Fethanleigh, Ceawlin (his brother) ravages the surrounding countryside in revenge
588 Edwin of Deira ousted by Bernicians
590 Northumbrians sieged at Lindisfarne by North British Alliance
595 Dunaut Bwr of the Northern Pennines slain fighting Bernicians
597 Aethelbert of Kent converted to christianity, Ceol of Wessex dies, Ceolwulf (his brother) rules
598 Battle of Catterick, Mynyddog Mwynfawr of Din-Eidyn, Cynan of Gododdin and Gerren of Dumnonia (who is slain) defeat Bernicians
604 Sledda of Essex dies, Saebert (his son) rules, Aethelfrith of Bernicia invades Deira and slays Aethelric, Edwin of Deira flees
605 Oswald of Bernicia born
606 Pybba of Mercia dies, Ceorl rules
611 Ceolwulf of Wessex dies, Cynegils crowned King of West Saxons
613 Battle of Chester, Aethelfrith of Bernicia slays Iago of Gwynedd and Selyf Sarffgadau of Powys, battle of Bangor-is-Coed follows, Bledric of Dumnonia slain, Northumbrians slay one thousand monks
614 Cynegils & Cwichelm (his son) of Wessex, defeat Clemen of Dumnonia at battle of Bindon
616 Athelfrith of Deira slain in battle by Raedwald of East Angles & Edwin of Deira at battle of River Idle. Aethelbert of Kent & Saebert of Essex die. Eadbald of Essex crowned, overthrown by Sexred, Saeward & Sexbald, through out christian missionaries & return to paganism.
617 Edwin of Deira defeats Ceretic of Elmet who is slain. Raedwald of East Anglia dies (Sutton Hoo burial)
618 Eorpwald takes East Anglia from his uncle Eni
620 Edwin of Deira defeats Llywarch Hen
626 Ceorl of Mercia succeeded by Penda. Edwin of Deira defeats Cwichelm & Cynegils of Wessex & Penda of Mercia. Edwin of Deira invades Isle of Mann & Anglesey & defeats Cadwallon who flees to Brittany
627 Cynegils of Wessex starts building Wansdyke
628 Cynegils & Cwichelm (his son) of Wessex clash with Penda of Mercia at battle of Cirencester. Anti-christian uprising in East Anglia, Eorpwald slain by Ricbert, Sigebert flees to France
632 West Saxons slay Idris of Meirionydd in Wales
633 Edwin of Deira slain at battle of Hatfield Chase by Cadwallon of Gwynedd & Penda of Mercia
634 Cadwallon of Gwynedd slays Eanfrith of Bernicia & Osric of Deira. Oswald becomes King of Northumbria and defeats Cadwallon at battle of Heavenfield & slays him
635 Egric & Sigebert of East Anglia are slain in battle against Penda of Mercia
638 Oswald of Northumbria conquer Edinburgh
640 Death of Eadbald of Kent
641 The heathen Penda of Mercia slays Oswald of Bernicia in battle at Oswestry, Oswiu of Bernicia conquers Gododdin
643 Penda of Mercia seizes Lindsey & Elmet. Cynegils of Wessex dies
644 Osric crowned King of Deira
645 The heathen Penda of Mercia drives Cenwalh of Wessex from his kingdom
648 Cenwalh retakes Wessex
650 Penda of Mercia drives out Anna of East Anglia who flees to Magonset, London re-established as Saxon trading community as Aldwich
651 Oswiu of Bernicia & Oswine of Deira murdered at Gilling
652 Penda of Mercia invades Bernicia besieges Oswiu at Bamburgh
653 Penda of Mercia installs his son Peada King of Middle Anglia
654 Penda of Mercia invade East Anglia & slays Anna
655 Cadafael Cadomedd of Gwynedd & Penda of Mercia invade Northumbria, Cadafael withdraws before battle, Penda dies
656 Oswiu of Bernicia invades Pengwern & slays Cynddylan & his brother Eluan of Powys. Peada of Middle Anglia through treachery of wife
658 Earldormen of Mercia rebel against Northumbria, Wulfhere (Penda's son) crowned king. Cenwalh of Wessex defeats Culmin of Dumnonia at battle of Penselwood
660 Segeberht II of Essex murdered by his brothers Swithelm & Swithfrith
661 Cenwalh of Wessex victorious at battle of Posbury. Wulfhere of Mercia sack Berkshire, conquer Meonware & the Isle of Wight
664 East Saxons revert back to heathenism, Earconbert of Kent dies, Aethelwold of East Anglia dies
665 Swithelm of Essex dies
670 Oswiu of Northumberia dies
673 Ecgbert I of Kent dies, Venerable Bede born
674 Queen Seaxburh of Wessex usurped by Cenfus, Ecgfrith of Northumbria defeats Wulfhere of Mercia
675 Aescwine of Wessex defeats Wulfhere of Mercia at battle of Biedanheafde, Wulfhere dies
676 Aescwine of Wessex dies, Aethelred of Mercia invades Kent
679 Aethelred of Mercia & Ecgfirth of Northumbria clash at battle of Trent, Aelfwine of Deira slain, Mercia re-take Lindsey
682 Centwine of Wessex drives 'the British of Dumnonia as far as the sea'
683 Sighere of Essex dies
685 The heathen Caedwalla crowned King of West Saxons, Hlothere of Kent dies, Caedwalla of Wessex invades Sussex, Aethelwalh is slain, Berhtun & Andhun victorious, Ecgfrith of Northumbria dies
686 Caedwalla of Wessex conquers Kent & Sussex, Berhtun slain
693 Ine of Wessex establishes West Saxon Law Codes
697 Queen Osthryth of Mercia muredered
705 Osred of Northumbria defeats Eadwulf at battle of Bamburgh
710 Ine of Wessex & Nunna of Sussex defeat Gerren of Dumnonia
713 Eadwulf of East Anglia dies
715 Ine of Wessex & Coelred of Mercia clash at battle of Wodensbarrow
725 Nunna of Sussex dies, Ine of Wessex slays Ealdberth of Sussex, Wihtred of Kent dies
735 Venerable Bede dies
743 Aethelbald of Mercia & Ceolred of Wessex attack Gwent & Powys
744 Wat's Dyke completed
752 Cuthred of Wessex defeats Aethelbald of Mercia at battle of Burford
756 Cuthred of Wessex dies, Eadberht defeated at battle of Newburgh-on-Tyne
770 Offa of Mercia defeats the Haestingas & joins their region to the sub-kingdom of Sussex
776 Ecgbert II of Kent defeats Mercians at battle of Otford
779 Offa of Mercia defeats Cynewulf of Wessex at battle of Bensington
784 Offa's Dyke constructed
786 Cynewulf of Wessex abushed at Meretun by Cyneheard & slain
789 Vikings attack Britain for the first time with three ships raid Portland
792 Offa arranges coastal defence against Viking raids
793 Vikings raid Lindisfarne
795 Charlemagne of the Franks sends gifts to Offa of Mercia
796 Offa dies
797 Coenwulf of Mercia defeats & slays Maredydd of Dyfed at battle of Rhuddlan
825 Egbert of Wessex defeats Mercians at battle of Ellandon, defeats Baldred of Kent, Essex, Sussex & Surrey submit to him
835 Vikings attack Isle of Sheppey
836 Egbert of Wessex defeated by Vikings at battle of Carhampton
838 Egbert of Wessex defeats Britons & Vikings at battle of Hingston Down
839 Egbert of Wessex dies
844 Raedwulf of Northumbria slain in battle against Vikings
845 Ragnar Lothbrok of Sjaelland & Uppsala, shipwrecked in East Anglia, kidnapped and executed in pit of vipers
849 Alfred the Great born at Wantage
850 Saxons defeat Vikings at naval battle of the Sandwich Coast
858 Aethelwulf of Wessex dies
860 Aethelbald of Wessex dies, Aethelbert succeeds him uniting Wessex, Kent, Essex, Surrey & Sussex. Viking Chief Weland attacks Winchester & is defeated
865 Aethelbert of Wessex dies, Aethelred I succeeds him. 'Great Heathen Army' of Vikings led by Ivar the Boneless & Halfdan Wide-Embrace of Sjaelland & Uppsala invade East Anglia
866 'Great Heathen Army'capture York
867 'Great Heathen Army' defeat Aelle II & Osbeorht (who is slain) of Northumbria, Deira passes into Viking hands, Vikings beseiged in Nottingham by Aethelred I of Wessex & Burghred of Mercia, Vikings withdraw to York
870 Vikings capture East Anglia, Vikings defeated by Aethelred & Alfred (his brother) of Wessex at battle of Ashdown. Aethelred of Wessex wounded at battle of Martin & dies, Alfred succeeds him & is defeated at battle of Wilton
872 Alfred of Wessex buys peace with the Vikings, they retreat from Reading to London. Ecgberht I of Northumberia dies, Vikings install Ricsige in his place
873 Vikings capture Repton in Mercia
874 Vikings capture Mercia
875 'Great Heathen Army' divides, Halfdan Wide-Embrace of Sjaelland & Uppsals returns to York, Guthrum, Oscetel & Anund return to Wessex, Alfred fights them in naval battle
876 Guthrum takes Wareham, Alfred of Wessex forced to buy peace, Halfdan establishes Viking kingdom in York
877 Alfred fleet destroyed by storm at Swanage, his army defeats Guthrum at Exeter
878 Alfred attacked at Chippenham by Vikings & flees into the Somerset Levels, conducts 'guerrilla war' from Athelney. Alfred victorious at battles of Countisbury Hill & Edington, Guthrum beseiged at Chippenham. Peace of Wedmore, England divided between Wessex & Viking Danelaw. Ceolwulf II of Mercia defeats & slays Rhodri Mawr of Gwynedd, Powys & Seisyllwg
879 Guthrum crowned King of East Anglia
885 Alfred defeats Vikings at Rochester
886 Alfred captures London from the Vikings, 'all the Englisc' submit to Alfred
894 Asser writed his 'Life of King Alfred'
899 Alfred the Great dies
901 Edward the Elder of Wessex takes title 'King of the Angles & Saxons'
905 Vikings attack Chester
910 Edward the Elder defeats the Vikings, Halfdan, Eowils Ragnarson of York (who are slain) at the battle of Tettenhall
913 Edward the Elder captures Essex from the Danes
917 Edward the Elder captures Towcester
918 East Anglia brought under Wessex rule, Edward captures Stamford, Welsh kings submit to him
919 Edward annexes Mercia
924 Edward the Elder dies, Athelstan (his son) crowned King of Wessex & effective ruler of England
926 Athelstan annexes Northumbria, kings of Wales, Strathclyde, the Picts & the Scots submit to him
927 Sigtrygg Caech of Norse York dies, Athelstan claims kingdom
937 Athelstan defeats combined army under Olaf of Dublin, Constantine of the Scots & Owain of Strathclyde at battle of Brunanbury & takes title 'King of All Britain'
939 Athelstan dies, Edmund the Magnificent (his half-brother) succeeds him
946 Eadred (brother of Edmund) King of England
954 Eric Bloodaxe of Norse York dies
978 Edward (the Martyr) murdered at Corfe Castle, Aethelred (the Unraed) succeeds him
980 Danes raid England
991 Byrhtnoth of Essex defeated at battle of Maldon by Danes, Aethelred buys off Danes with 10,000 pounds of Silver (Danegeld)
992 Aethelred signs truce with Duke Richard of Normandy
994 Svein & Olaf Trygvesson of Norway beseige London, bought off by Aethelred
1003 Svein & Norse army land in England
1007 Aethelred buys off Danes with 36,000 pounds of silver
1011 Thorkell the Tall & Hemming (his brother) plunder Canterbury
1012 Danes sack Canterbury, paid off with 48,000 pounds of silver
1013 Svein Forkbeard lands in England, proclaimed King, Aethelred flees to Normandy
1014 Svein dies, Aethelred recalled as King
1015 Canute invades England
1016 Edmund Ironside (Aethelred's son) proclaimed King by Londoners, Canute proclaimed King by Wittan, meet on Ilse of Alney near Deerhurst after series of battles, agree to divide England, Edmund is assassinated & Canute rules England
1035 Canute dies, Harold Harefoot (his son) succeeds him
1040 Harold dies, Hardicanute (his half-brother) succeeds him
1042 Hardicanute dies (last Danish King of England), Edward (the Confessor) succeeds him
1051 Earl Godwin exiled
1052 Earl Godwin returns with fleet & wins back power, Edward founds Westminster Abbey
1053 Earl Godwin dies, Harold (his son) succeeds him as Earl of Wessex
1055 Tostig (Harold's brother) Earl of Northumberia
1063 Harold 7 Tostig subdue Wales
1064 Harold shipwrecked in Normandy, supposedly swears oath of fealty to Duke William & support his claim to throne of England
1065 Northumbria rebels against Tostig who is exiled
1066 Edward dies, Harold crowned King of England, Tostig & Harald Hardrada of Norway invade Northern England; Harold defeats them at battle of Stamford Bridge slaying both; William of Normandy lands at Pevensey, defeats & slays at Hastings & crowned King of England
1067 Tower of London began
1069 William subdues the north making the land desolate
1070 Hereward the Wake leads Saxon rebelion in Fens of eastern England
1072 William receives submission of Hereward the Wake & invades Scotland
1086 Domesday Book completed