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Kings Of Sussex

Kings of Sussex

List of Kings and Ealdormen of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Sussex

Many of the dates from this time are unreliable and the list contains substantial gaps. No authentic South Saxon king list or genealogy exists. Most kings are known only from charters, some of which are forgeries, so great care is required in assigning dates to the kings. To call these rulers "monarchs" is misleading; Noðhelm reigned with two or three colleagues and Oslac with four. The locations of the lands granted in their charters indicate that they reigned jointly and that there was no division of territory. Such joint reigns can also be demonstrated for Hwicce, Essex, and Wessex. “There is nothing remarkable in the existence of two or even more contemporary kings in the same people in the seventh century. The ancient idea that royal dignity was a matter of birth rather than of territorial rule still survived at this date” (Mawer & Stenton 1929). Furthermore "The suggestion that Watt was king of the Hæstingas should be discounted; it is based solely on a misinterpretation of the place-name evidence" (Kelly 1998). The styles listed below are copied from the authentic charters that are available online.

Kings and Ealdormen of the South Saxons (Sussex)

In 825 the South Saxons submitted to Ecgberht.

References

- Kelly, S. E. 1998. Charters of Selsey. Anglo-Saxon Charters 6.
- Mawer, A. & Stenton, F. M. 1929. The place-names of Sussex, part 1. English Place-Name Society 6.

Anglo-Saxon

The Anglo-Saxons were originally a collection of differing Germanic tribes from Angeln—a peninsula in the southern part of Schleswig, protruding into the Baltic Sea, and what is now Lower Saxony, in the north-west coast of Germany—who achieved dominance in southern Britain from the mid-5th century. They eventually coalesced completely around the 9th century into a single people, the Anglo-Saxons, forming the basis for the modern day English country, people, language and culture.

Etymology

Origins of the word

The term "Anglo-Saxon" is from Latin writings going back to the time of King Alfred the Great, who seems to have frequently used the title rex Anglorum Saxonum or rex Angul-Saxonum. The origin of this title is not quite clear. It is generally believed to have arisen from the union of six of the seven kingdoms of the Heptarchy under Alfred in 886. Bede (Historia Ecclesiae i. 15) states that:
- the people of the more northern kingdoms (East Anglia, Mercia, Northumbria) belonged to the Angles, who derive their name from the peninsula of Angeln in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany
- those of Essex, Sussex and Wessex were sprung from the Saxons, who derive their name from Old Saxony (which was probably in the general area of Lower Saxony in Germany and should not be confused with Upper Saxony)
- while those of Kent and southern Hampshire from the Jutes Other early writers do not bear out consistent distinctions, though in custom the Kingdom of Kent presents the most remarkable contrasts with the other kingdoms. West Saxon writers regularly speak of their own nation as a part of the Angelcyn and of their language as Englisc, while the West Saxon royal family claimed to be of the same stock as that of Bernicia in the north. On the other hand, it is by no means impossible that the distinction drawn by Bede was based solely on the names Essex (East Seaxan), East Anglia, &c. We need not doubt that the Angles and the Saxons were different nations originally; but from the evidence it seems likely that they had practically coalesced in very early times, perhaps even before their invasion of Great Britain. At all events the term Angli Saxones seems to have first come into use by Latin writers on the continent, nearly a century before Alfred's time, in the writings of Paul the Deacon, historian of the Lombards. There can be little doubt, however, that there it was used to distinguish the Teutonic inhabitants of Great Britain from the Old Saxons of the continent.

Use of the term "Anglo Saxon" today

It is a matter of debate as to whether the term Anglo-Saxon can be used as a synonym for English. On one hand there is the argument that says that there were further influxes of people in to England such as the Danes and Normans, as well as the Celts who migrated to England from the other parts of the British Isles, so the term is no longer valid. The other side of this argument is to say these people were relatively small in number and, particularly in the case of Danes and the Normans, were of similar ethnic origins as the Anglo-Saxons themselves, and so became immersed into the Anglo-Saxon "tribe". In comparison, in Canada and the United States, the term "Anglo-Saxon" (often as White Anglo-Saxon Protestant or WASP) is used to describe people of English, Scottish and more recently, German, Scandinavian and other people of Northern European ethnicity; used predominantly to separate these populations from the Irish-Catholic cultural group, and French Canadians, and later Eastern and Southern European immigrants and their cultures. "Anglo-Saxon" can also mean the original West Germanic component of the English language, often called Old English, as opposed to the especially large addition of Old Danish (eastern England), Old Norwegian (from Vikings of the Viken who settled on the West Coast of England) and many loanwords the language has obtained, especially from Romance languages. For over a hundred years, "Anglo-Saxon" has been used as pertaining to the Anglophone cosmopolitan societies of predominantly Western character, (the United States, the British Isles, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa) describing their intellectual traditions and national characters, as opposed to "Gallic", "Lusitanic" or "Hispanic". Such usage is especially common in France. It is a wide ranging term, taking in the English-speaking world's language, culture, technology, wealth, influence, markets and economy.

The Anglo-Saxon Invasions

:Main article: Sub-Roman Britain In 410, the Emperor Honorius replied to a petition for help, reputedly from the inhabitants of Roman Britain—although there is now some dispute as to where the request originated—that they should "look to their own affairs"; from this brief mention, historians have assumed that effective Roman rule in Britain ended. Some scholars find signs of local authorities maintaining Roman patterns in the following years; this remains speculative. Nevertheless, with the withdrawal of the Roman army and the cessation of coinage, Roman administration of the British Isles was autonomous from the early fifth-century. This is highly demonstrable in the archaeology of "Sub-Roman Britain" in which the Roman way of life is overcome by an arguably more primitive and "barbarian" one. Until the mid-twentieth century scholars were still referring to this period as the "Dark Ages", not least due to the lack of written records, but also due to the nature of the archaeological record: roads ceased to be maintained and some urban centres were abandoned; the circulation of coinage ceased abruptly, though not, it now appears, did trade with the Continent; manufactured goods became cruder with the reversion from wheel- to hand-thrown methods of pottery; and even the means of disposing of the dead changed also, with the practise of extramural burial—burial outside the city walls—being neglected. Most recent archaeology tends to find more Roman continuity in some sites than previously thought. Into this apparent power vacuum, the Anglo-Saxons came and settled in the island, primarily on the east and south coasts. The exact details of their arrival are unclear, although their migration was part of the widespread movement of Germanic tribes on the mainland of Europe at this time, called the "Migrations period". Where reliable history fails, legend offers us a narrative, and many have argued that there is some kernel of truth in the legend. At least as early as Bede, the tradition relates how at a council of war, Vortigern, leader of the effectively self-governing Britons, granted Thanet in Kent to the Jutish warrior leader Hengist (or Hengest) as a permanent possession, in return for his followers' help in defending the region against invading Picts and any other enemies. Vortigern's refusal to pay these mercenaries led to Hengest's successful rebellion, extensive immigration and the conquest of what is now England over the next two hundred years. Archaeological explorations have indicated that Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were established in Kent, Sussex, Middlesex, and Essex in the latter part of the 5th century, as well as East Anglia, Lindsey (now Lincolnshire), Deira (now East Yorkshire) and the Isle of Wight. Organised British resistance, first led by Ambrosius Aurelianus (according to Gildas), and then possibly by King Arthur, culminated in the Battle of Mons Badonicus. This succeeded in halting the expansion of the English kingdoms. The leaders who fought with Arthur at this and other battles may have given rise to the tale of the "Knights of the Round Table." The contest for Britain was still in the balance as late as 590, with King Urien of Rheged besieging Lindisfarne, the stronghold of Bernicia, and other Celts victorious in 584 at the Battle of Fethanleag (Stoke Lyne, 5km north of Bicester in Oxfordshire). In the previous 120 years, the Anglo-Saxons had added only Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire to the area under their firm control. But Urien was murdered by a rival among his compatriots, and Anglo-Saxon control of most of what is now England was cemented over the next 70 years. Perhaps in memory of this eventual defeat by the Anglo-Saxons, the modern Welsh word for England, "Lloegyr", means "the lost lands". "Welsh" in the English language originally meant "foreigner". Besides Angles, Saxons and Jutes, Frisians and perhaps the Franks, are known to have taken part in the "invasions". The various tribes established a large number of kingdoms in what today is known as England, which were popularly described to have later consolidated into seven states known as the Heptarchy. According to tradition, Kent was established first by the Jutes under Hengist. Another Jutish king, Horsa, may have taken part; he may have been Hengist's brother. East Anglia's beginnings are unknown and very little record survives of its foundation or the fate of the native Britons, the once mighty Iceni tribe, who had dwelt there before. The name Mercia may mean "marches" and be related to the name of the River Mersey: a frontier area facing the Celtic Romano-British or Welsh. Deira and Bernicia appear to be Anglic corruptions of older British geographical names; the two states subsequently merged to form the kingdom of Northumbria.

The "Anglo-Saxon conquest" controversy

The nature of the Anglo-Saxon invasion is controversial. Traditionally, historians support an Anglo-Saxon conquest and near genocide or expulsion of the native Celtic population. This view has been held because of historical traditions, the remarkable absence of Celtic words in the Old English language, and the establishment of new Celtic kingdoms in Brittany (now in France) by refugees. However recent research by historians, archaeologists and geneticists offer some new perspectives.

Historians

Historians who challenge the traditional narrative of a "Saxon conquest" point out a marked lack of archaeological evidence for a major invasion. They believe instead there was a gradual change in favour of the Anglo-Saxons, comprising mainly benign migration and resulting in a mixture with an existing population who absorbed the culture and language of the migrants. Studies that show the ethnic origins of the people have varied in their conclusions (for example the conflicting results of the genetic studies below) and there are some linguistic patterns in the development of Old English that compromise with Celtic traditions in a way that suggests gradual adoption. One posited theory is that most sources for a "Saxon conquest" originated with historians with a partisan agenda in presenting an English identity . The historian Norman Davies, in The Isles suggests that the Celts were overlooked in the historical record in part because no documentation of their orally-transmitted histories remain, the Celts having regarded writing as a threat to their oral traditions. Generations of history based on literary sources alone saw British history as beginning with Roman invasions of the first century AD: "So long as classical education and classical prejudices prevailed, educated Englishmen inevitably saw ancient Britain as an alien land."

Y chromosome analysis

There has been much speculation regarding the nature of the various periods of rapid cultural change seen on the island of Great Britain. These rapid cultural changes could be due to mass immigration of a culturally distinct people that might displace the indigenous population. Alternatively these changes could be accounted for by the cultural diffusion of ideas through trade or from a small invading military elite . Studies based on genetic testing of modern Britons may provide a new insight into these events. Studies of the Y chromosomes of men currently living in Britain, the Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, Friesland, Denmark, North Germany, Ireland, Norway and the Basque Country have been carried out . It should be noted that Y chromosome analysis only applies to paternal history, and cannot determine the extent of Anglo-Saxon male intermarriage with indigenous women. Genetic evidence for mass Anglo-Saxon migration was first published in 2002 . This evidence was based on an analysis of the Y chromosomes of men from a cross-section of Great Britain from East Anglia (North Walsham) in the East to Anglesey (Llangefni) in the West. The DNA was derived from men living in long established market towns mentioned in the Doomsday Book and from men born within 30 kilometers of those towns whose paternal grandfathers were also born within the same radius. DNA was also obtained from men living in Friesland as it is considered to be one of the a source locations for the Anglo-Saxons and because the Frisian language is considered to be the closest surviving language to Old English. The data were then mathematically analysed to infer migration from Friesland to Central England of Anglo-Saxons. Using a background migration of 0.1% (ie one in a thousand people migrating either way), the analysis concluded that a mass migration event from Frisland to Central England occured which affected 50%-100% (95% confidence interval) of the Central English male gene pool:
If we use a rate of 0.1%, as observed over the past 25 years, to represent an extremely high value for continuous background migration between Central England and continental Europe, then we estimate that an Anglo-Saxon immigration event affecting 50%-100% of the Central English male gene pool at that time is required. We note, however, that our data do not allow us to distinguish an event that simply added to the indigenous Central English gene pool from one where indigenous males were displaced elsewhere or one where indigenous males were reduced in number
The study concludes:
This study shows that the Welsh border was more of a genetic barrier to Anglo-Saxon Y chromosome gene flow than the North Sea. Remarkably, we find that the resultant genetic differentiation is still discernable in the present day. These results indicate that a political boundary can be more important than a geophysical one in population genetic structuring and that informative paterns of genetic differentiation can be produced by migration events occuring within historical times.
The data presented in this work have been used to support an Anglo-Saxon conquest and genocide of the indigenous Romano-British population, despite the fact that the research paper makes no such claims:
..suggests that between 50% and 100% of the indigenous population of what was to become England was wiped out, with Offa's Dyke acting as a "genetic barrier" protecting those on the Welsh side.
and
This shows that in the Dark Ages, when the Anglo-Saxons turned up, there was the most horrible massacre on the English side. They killed everybody and replaced them
These statements do not seem to be supported by the findings of the study. A further and more complete study was conducted in 2003 . This study takes samples from 25 sites in the British Isles (including the Channel Islands). For comparison it also took samples from Norway, Denmark and Northern Germany, includes the samples from Friesland from the 2002 study and samples from the Basque Country (considered to be a putative paleolithic sample) . This study does not attempt to describe migratory events, but does compare Y chromosomes from the various sources. Men from central Ireland and Wales seem to posess Y chromosomes that are closely related to those of men from the Basque country, for the purposes of this study, these are considered indigenous samples. The study could find no way to distinguish between Northern German and Danish samples, neither could it find a significant difference between these samples and the samples from Friesland used in the 2002 study . In a principal components plot samples from Germany/Denmark, Norway and the Basque country are all spread far appart from each other. Samples from central Ireland (Castlerea) and Wales (Haverfordwest and Llangefni) all cluster near those from the Basque country, indicating that they are similar in nature. Samples from Cornwall and mainland Scotland are closest to the indigenous samples, but are slightly skewed towards the North German/Danish samples. Samples from York and Norfolk are closest to the North German/Danish samples, and represent about a 60% North German/Danish (Danish-Viking/Anglo-Saxon) influence . It should be noted that the 60% figure represents paternally inherited genetic information only. If Germanic men alone settled in places like York and intermarried exclusivelly with indigenous women, then the contribution of Germanic peoples to the gene pool in York would be 30% of the whole. Converselly if female Germanic migration was at the same level as that of male migration then the contribution overall would be 60%.
The sites with the highest degree of German/Danish input are York and Norfolk, followed by Southwell and Llanidloes. All of these except Llanidloes are historically in regions where the Danes are known to have had a significant presence. The remaining samples are closer to the indigenous group; for these populations, this finding suggests a lower demographic impact by North European populations. This can be seen by the frequency of AMH+1, which is always above 33% in British populations but remains below 26% in the continental source populations; these data are consistent with the presence of some indigenous component in all British regions
We therefore compared Frisians to our North German/Danish sample and found that the two sets are not significantly different (p=0.3, data not shown). When included in the PC analysis, the Frisians were more "continental" than any of the British samples, although they were somewhat closer to the British ones than the North German/Denmark sample. For example, the part of mainland Britain that has the most continental input is Central England, but even here the AMH+1 frequency, not below 44% (Southwell), is higher than the 35% observed in the Frisians. These results demonstrate that even with the choice of Frisians as a source for the Anglo-Saxons, there is a clear indication of a continuing indigenous component in the English paternal genetic makeup.
Given that the 2003 study cannot distinguish between Danish, Northern German and Frisian Y chromosomes it is apparent that the 2002 study was also unsuccesfully in distinguishing between Danish-Viking and Anglo-Saxon Y chromosomes. The 2002 study also chose a sampling area in England which shows one of the the strongest biases towards Germanic Y chromosomes in England . This additiomal research appears to have again cast some doubt on the scale of Anglo-Saxon immigration to England.

Anglo-Saxon culture

Anglo-Saxon architecture

:Main article: Anglo-Saxon architecture Anglo-Saxon architecture describes a period in the history of architecture in England, and parts of Wales, from the mid-5th century until the Norman Conquest of 1066. There are few remains of Anglo-Saxon architecture, with no secular work remaining above ground. At least fifty churches are of Anglo-Saxon origin, with many more claiming to be, although in some cases the Anglo-Saxon part is small and much-altered, or confined to foundations and crypts. Distinctive features of Anglo-Saxon architecture include rough brickwork, extremely thick walls and mostly arch windows, with a few square- or triangular-headed windows. Particularly in earlier examples, reused Roman work is common. The vast majority of buildings were wooden, but only a single wooden example survives.

Anglo-Saxon art

:Main article: Anglo-Saxon art Anglo-Saxon art covers the period from the time of King Alfred (871-899), with the revival of English culture after the end of the Viking raids, to the early 12th century, when Romanesque art became the new movement. Prior to King Alfred there had been the Hiberno-Saxon culture (the fusion of Anglo-Saxon and Celtic techniques and motifs) which had ceased with the Vikings. Anglo-Saxon art is mainly known today through illuminated manuscripts. It includes the Benedictional of St. Æthelwold manuscript, which drew on Hiberno-Saxon art, Carolingian art and Byzantine art for style and iconography. A "Winchester style" developed that combined both northern ornamental traditions with Mediterranean figural traditions, and can be seen in the Leofric Missal (Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodl, 579). The Harley Psalter was a knockoff of the Carolingian Utrecht Psalter—all of which underscore the larger trend of an Anglo-Saxon culture coming into increasing contact with, and under the influence of, a wider Latin Mediaeval Europe. Manuscripts were not the only Anglo-Saxon art form, although they are the most numerous to have survived. Perhaps the best known piece of Anglo-Saxon art is the Bayeux Tapestry which was commissioned by a Norman patron from English artists working in the traditional Anglo-Saxon style. Anglo-Saxon artists also worked in fresco, ivory, stone carving, metalwork (see Fuller brooch for example) and enamel, but few of these pieces have survived.

Anglo-Saxon language

:Main article: Old English language Anglo-Saxon, also called Old English, was the language spoken under Alfred the Great and continued to be the common language of England (non-Danelaw) until after the Norman Conquest of 1066 when, under the influence of the Anglo-Norman language spoken by the Norman ruling class, it changed into Middle English roughly between 1150-1500. Anglo-Saxon is far closer to early Germanic than Middle English, i.e., it is less latinized, and retains many morphological features (nominal and verbal inflection) that were lost during the 12th to 14th centuries. The languge today which is closest to Old English is Frisian, which is spoken by a few hundred thousand people in the northern part of the Netherlands and Germany. Before literacy in the vernacular "Old English" or Latin became widespread, the Runic alphabet, called the futhorc (also known as futhark), was used for inscriptions. When literacy became more prevelant a form of Latin script was used with a few letters derived from the futhork; 'eth', 'wynn', and 'thorn'. The letters regularly used in printed and edited texts of OE are the following:
- a æ b c d ð e f g h i l m n o p r s t þ u w x y with only rare occurrences of k, z.

Anglo-Saxon literature

:Main article: Anglo-Saxon literature Anglo-Saxon literature (or Old English literature) encompasses literature written in Old English during the 600-year Anglo-Saxon period of Britain, from the mid-5th century to the Norman Conquest of 1066. These works include genres such as epic poetry, hagiography, sermons, Bible translations, legal works, chronicles, riddles, and others. In all there are about 400 surviving manuscripts from the period, a significant corpus of both popular interest and specialist research. The most famous works from this period include the poem Beowulf, which has achieved national epic status in Britain. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of important early English history. The poem Hymn from the 7th century is the oldest surviving written text in English.

Anglo-Saxon religion

:Main article: Anglo-Saxon mythology The Anglo-Saxon mythos was a Germanic mythology and closely related to Norse mythology. Christianity (both Celtic and Roman forms) replaced the old gods in England around the 8th and 9th centuries AD. The Synod of Whitby settled the choice for the Roman form. As the new clerics became the chroniclers, the old religion was lost before it was recorded and today our knowledge of it is sketchy. One of the few recorded references is that a Kentish King would only meet the missionary St Augustine in the open air, where he would be under the protection of the sky god, Woden. Written Christian prohibitions on acts of pagan worship are one of our main sources of information on pre-Christian beliefs. Remnants of the Anglo-Saxon gods remain in the English language names for days of the week:
- Tiw, the Anglo-Saxon equivalent of Tyr, the god of war: Tuesday
- Woden, the Anglo-Saxon equivalent of Odin, the one-eyed wise god of storms and the dead: Wednesday
- Þunor, the Anglo-Saxon equivalent of Thor, the thunder god: Thursday
- Frige, the Anglo-Saxon equivalent of Freya, the love-goddess: Friday

Timeline from 597 to 1066

:See also Anglo-Saxon England. A timeline of major events during the Anglo-Saxon period. 597 - Roman Christianity is brought to Britain for the first time by St. Augustine, sent from Pope Gregory to convert the Saxons. Augustine lands in Kent and is welcomed by King Aethelbert whose Frankish Queen is already a Christian practicing at her church of St. Martin's, Canterbury. Augustine converts Aethelbert and his court to Christianity and founds a monastery at Canterbury. Commencement of the erection of a monastery at St. Augustine's, Canterbury, built from the Roman ruins of the old city. Death of King Ceol of Wessex. He is succeeded by his brother, Ceolwulf. 598 - Kings Mynyddog Mwynfawr of Din-Eidyn & Cynan of Gododdin ride south to fight King Aethelfrith's Bernician army against enormous odds at the Battle of Catterick. The British are victorious. Probable expansion of North Rheged to fill the vacuum left in North Yorkshire. 602 - St. Augustine of Canterbury meets with the Welsh Bishops at Aust near Chepstow. He accuses them of acting contrary to Church teachings, failing to keep Easter at the prescribed Roman time and not administering baptism according to the Roman rite. He also insists that they help in the conversion of their enemy, the Saxons, and look to Canterbury as their spiritual centre. The Welsh tactfully decline. Augustine is proclaimed Archbishop of Canterbury. 604 - The Welsh Bishops meet for a second time with St. Augustine of Canterbury. He neglects to rise to greet them, lectures them again and insists they submit to him. The Welsh refuse to recognise the authority of a church within their enemies' territory under such a disrespectful bishop. The See of Rochester is established and Justus appointed its first bishop. Death of King Sledda of Essex. He is succeeded by his son, Saebert. King Saebert is persuaded to convert to Christianity through the intervention of his uncle, King Aethelbert of Kent. The See of Essex is founded. King Aethelbert of Kent founds the cathedral church of St. Paul in London. St. Mellitus is appointed the first Saxon Bishop of London (& Essex). King Aethelfrith of Bernicia invades Deira and kills its king, Aethelric. Prince Edwin, son of the late King Aelle of Deira (and possibly nephew of King Aethelric) flees to the Court of King Iago of Gwynedd. Aethelfrith marries King Aelle's daughter, Acha, and takes the kingdom. 605 - Birth of Prince (later King) Oswald of Bernicia. Death of Bishop Augustine of Canterbury. He is buried in St. Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury and later revered as a saint. He is succeeded by St. Laurence of Canterbury. 606 - Death of King Pybba of Mercia. He is succeeded by his kinsman, Ceorl. 611 - Death of King Ceolwulf of Wessex. He is succeeded by his nephew, Cynegils. King Cynegils shares power with his eldest son, Cwichelm, who may have been given Upper Wessex. 613 - King Aethelfrith of Bernicia invades Gwynedd in order to rout out his old enemy, King Edwin of Deira. A united British force (Gwynedd, Powys, Pengwern and Dumnonian warriors) clashes with his army at the Battle of Chester. King Iago of Gwynedd and King Selyf Sarffgadau of Powys are both killed but the victor is unclear. The Battle of Bangor-is-Coed follows in quick succession. King Bledric of Dumnonia is killed in the fighting and 1000 monks are massacred by the Northumbrians. King Edwin of Deira flees to the Court of King Raedwald of East Anglia. Birth of Prince (later King) Oswiu of Bernicia. The stone Abbey Church at St. Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury is completed and dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. 614 - King Cynegils & his son, Prince Cwichelm, of Wessex invade Dumnonia and defeat the local army (possibly under a King Clemen) at the Battle of Bindon. Birth of Princess (later Abbess & Saint) Hilda of Deira. c.615 - King Aethelfrith of Bernicia visits King Raedwald of East Anglia at Rendlesham and persuades him to hand over the former's old enemy, King Edwin of Deira. In return, Raedwald is promised rich rewards, yet war is threatened if he fails to comply. Raedwald's wife however, reminds him of his obligations as Edwin's protector and the King declines the offer. King Edwin of Deira marries Princess Cwenburga, daughter of King Ceorl of Mercia. 616 - King Edwin of Deira, with the help of King Raedwald of East Anglia, conquers Northumbria at the Battle of the River Idle. King Aethelfrith of Bernicia & Deira is killed in the fighting and his children are forced to flee north. His heir, Prince Eanfrith, seeks refuge with his mother's family, probably in Gododdin, and then moves further north into Pictland; Princes Oswald, Oswiu and others escape to King Eochaid Buide of Dalriada where they are converted to Christianity by the monks of Iona. Death of Kings Aethelbert of Kent and Saebert of Essex. The former is succeeded by his pagan son, Eadbald, who promptly marries his step-mother, in accordance with pre-Christian custom. King Eadbald loses overlordship of Essex, where the new kings, Saebert's sons, Sexred, Saeward and Sexbald, throw out the Christian missionaries. Bishop (& Saint) Mellitus of London (& Essex) flees with Bishop Justus of Rochester to France. King Eadbald of Kent is persuaded to convert to Christianity by St. Laurence, Archbishop of Canterbury. 617 - King Edwin of Deira invades and conquers Elmet. King Ceretic of Elmet is killed in the fighting. Death of King Raedwald of East Anglia. He was probably buried in the Great Ship in the Royal East Anglian Cemetery at Sutton Hoo. Shortlived succession of his brother, Eni. 618 - Raedwald's son. Eorpwald, takes the East Anglian throne from his uncle, King Eni. 619 - Death of Archbishop Laurence of Canterbury. He is buried in Canterbury and is later revered as a saint. He is succeeded by St. Mellitus. 620 - The church of St. Mary is built at the Royal Abbey complex of St. Augustine's, Canterbury. c.620 - Angles probably under King Edwin of Deira invade South Rheged, and expel King Llywarch Hen who flees to Powys. Edwin's armies also move north into Southern Strathclyde and Gododdin. Prince Eanfrith, heir of Bernicia, marries a Pictish Royal Princess and fathers Prince (later King) Talorcan (I) of the Picts. c.623 - King Edwin of Deira is baptised by Prince Rhun of North Rheged, according to the Historia Brittonum. This was probably at the Royal Court of Gwynedd. He soon relapses back to paganism. 624 - Death of Archbishop Mellitus of Canterbury, later revered as a saint. He is succeeded by Bishop (& Saint) Justus of Rochester. 625 - King Edwin of Deira marries Princess Ethleburga of Kent. As a Christian, she brings her personal chaplain, Paulinus, north with her. St. Paulinus has already been consecrated Bishop of York. With the help of Pope Boniface, the new Queen encourages her husband to convert to Christianity. 626 - Death of King Ceorl of Mercia. He is succeeded by Penda, son of his predecessor. Prince Cwichelm of Wessex sends an assassin to murder King Edwin of Deira. Edwin is saved from the assassin's dagger by the intervention of one of his thanes who is killed. Edwin's daughter, Eanflaed, is born the same night and he promises to give her for baptism to St. Paulinus, if he is victorious over the instigator of this crime. Edwin discovers Cwichelm's treachery and marches on Wessex. Prince Cwichelm and his father, King Cynegils of Wessex, march north to meet the Northumbrians at the Battle of Win Hill & Lose Hill, possibly with the aid of King Penda of Mercia. Despite their army's superior numbers, the Wessex duo are defeated and flee south. Edwin keeps his promise to St. Paulinus. c.626 - The rivalry between King Edwin of Deira and King Cadwallon of Gwynedd, which has grown since childhood, reaches a climax. Edwin invades the Isle of Man and then Anglesey. Cadwallon is defeated in battle and is besieged on Puffin Island. He eventually flees to Brittany. 627 - St. Paulinus converts King Edwin of Deira back to Christianity at the Royal Court of Yeavering. The King is baptised in Paulinus' proto-Cathedral in York and persuades his sub-monarch, King Eorpwald of East Anglia to follow suit. Death of Archbishop Justus of Canterbury. c.627 - Possible building of the Western section of the Wansdyke, by King Cynegils of Wessex, in an attempt to counter King Penda of Mercia. 628 - King Cynegils and his son, Prince Cwichelm, of Wessex clash with King Penda at the Battle of Cirencester. Cynegils' son, Cenwalh, may have married King Penda's sister as part of the subsequent peace treaty by which the Mercians take control of the area. King Penda probably establishes the sub-Kingdom of the Hwicce at this time. Anti-Christian uprising in East Anglia. King Eorpwald is killed by one Ricbert, and his half-brother, Sigebert, flees to France. Ricbert takes the throne. The exiled Prince Oswald of Northumbria accompanies King Connad Cerr of Dalriada to Ireland to fight against Maelcaich and the Irish Cruithne at the Battle of Fid Eoin. 629 - St. Paulinus meets Blecca, the Praefectus Civitatis of Lincoln, and converts him to Christianity. 630 - The West Saxons invade Gwent. King Meurig defeats them, with the help of his father, at the Battle of Pont-y-Saeson. c.630 - King Penda of Mercia besieges Exeter (possibly held by King Clemen of Dumnonia). King Cadwallon of Gwynedd lands nearby, from his Deiran imposed exile in Brittany. He negotiates an alliance with King Penda of Mercia and a united British and Saxon force moves north to re-take Gwynedd. The Deirans are defeated at the Battle of the Long Mountain and Cadwallon chases them back to Northumbria. The British ransack Northumbria. St. Felix arrives in Britain from Burgundy with the intention of evengelising the Angles. He stays a while at Canterbury. 631 - Death of King Ricbert of East Anglia. The half-brother of his predecessor, King Eorpwald, returns from exile in France and takes the throne as the Christian King Sigebert. With the new King's encouragement, St. Felix is sent by Archbishop Honorius of Canterbury to evangelise his people. St. Felix establishes his see at Dunwich. c.631 - King Edwin of Deira re-fortifies the City of York, probably including the building of the so-called Anglian Tower. 632 - The West Saxons cross into Wales and defeat King Idris of Meirionydd on the Severn. 633 - King Edwin of Deira and his Northumbrian army meet the British, under King Cadwallon of Gwynedd, in the Battle of Hatfield Chase. King Edwin is killed in the fighting and Cadwallon is victorious. Edwin's cousin, Osric, succeeds to the throne of Deira and Prince Eanfrith of Bernicia returns from Pictland to claim his rightful crown. Both are pagans. St. Paulinus, Bishop of York, flees south and is made Bishop of Rochester. Cadwallon is later besieged at York by King Osric. The former is again victorious. 634 - Despite suing for peace, King Cadwallon of Gwynedd slays both King Eanfrith of Bernicia and Osric of Deira. Eanfrith's half-brother, Oswald succeeds, as son of Aethelfrith of Bernicia and Acha of Deira, to a united Northumbria. He is given a force of men (including monks from Iona) by King Domnall Brecc of Dalriada and marches south to claim his inheritance. He clashes with King Cadwallon of Gwynedd at the Battle of Heavenfield. Despite having superior numbers, Cadwallon is killed, and King Oswald victorious. The former Queen Ethelburga of Deira packs up her infant sons and step-grandson and flees to France for fear that, as offspring of her husband, King Edwin, Oswald will have them murdered. The Deiran Royal Court at Yeavering is probably abandoned at this time. Oswald re-introduces Christianity to Northumbria, though James the Deacon is still ministering to the people of Swaledale. The chief among the monks who accompanied the King from Dalriada attempts to convert the Northumbrians, but meets with little success. Oswald calls on Iona to send an evangelical Bishop. King Sigebert of East Anglia retires to the monastery of Burgh Castle and entrusts the kingdom to his cousin, Egric, who had already been deputising in part of the country. St. Birinus arrives as a bishop from Genoa to convert the people of Mercia. He, however, decides to halt in Wessex instead. He preaches to King Cynegils of Wessex near Cholsey. Birth of St. Cuthbert and St. Wilfred. 635 - King Penda of Mercia aims to gain Anglia and attacks his rivals in East Anglia. Ex-King Sigebert is forced to leave his monastery in order to join King Egric in battle against the invaders. Sigebert and Egric are both killed in the fighting. Sigebert is later revered as a saint. Egric's brother, Anna, succeeds to the East Anglian throne. St. Aidan, Bishop of Scattery Island, arrives to evangelise Northumbria and founds the Bishopric and Priory of Lindisfarne. Under pressure from King Oswald of Northumbria, King Cynegils of Wessex, is persuaded to let St. Birinus convert him to Christianity. Cynegils' eldest son, Cwichelm, resists. Cynegils is baptised at Dorchester-on-Thames and gives Birinus the town for a cathedral. Birinus is made the first Bishop of Wessex. Oswald acts as godfather and agrees to enter into a strategic alliance with Wessex against Mercia. The agreement is cemented by the marriage of King Oswald to King Cynegils' daughter, Princess Cyniburg. c.635 - St. Finnian and St. Aebbe, half-sister of King Oswald of Northumbria, found the monastery of Coldsbury at St. Abbs. 636 - St. Birinus converts Prince Cwichelm of Wessex to Christianity. The latter dies soon after. He is supposedly buried at Scutchamer Knob in East Hendred. 637 - King Oswald of Northumbria probably sends troops to Ireland to assist King Domnall Brecc of Dalriada in his alliance with King Congal Caech of Ulster during the Irish dynastic wars. They are defeated at the Battle of Mag Rath. 638 - King Oswald and his Northumbrian army conquer Edinburgh. His half-brother, Prince Oswiu of Bernicia, marries Princess Rhiainfelt, heiress of North Rheged. Northumbria probably embraces North Rheged in a peaceful takeover. Oswiu may have been sub-King there for a time. c.640 - St. Maildulph settles in Malmesbury. 640 - Death of King Eadbald of Kent. He is succeeded by his sons, Earconbert as overking and Eormenred as King of West Kent. St. Aebbe moves her monastery from St. Abbs to Coldingham Priory. Foundation of Hartlepool Abbey by Princess Hieu (of Ireland) who becomes the first Abbess. 641 - Prince Oswiu of Bernicia conquers Gododdin as far north as Manau, on behalf of his half-brother, King Oswald. 642 - King Penda of Mercia commands a united British and Mercian force against King Oswald of Northumbria. The British army includes the men of Kings Cadafael Cadomedd of Gwynedd, Eluan of Powys and Cynddylan of Pengwern. Oswald is killed at the Battle of Oswestry, as is Prince Eowa of Mercia, probably sub-King of Wrocenset. Oswald is buried at Bardney Abbey and is later made a saint. He is succeeded by his half-brother, Oswiu, in Bernicia, but he is found to be unacceptable to the Deirans. The Mercians become dominant in Midland Britain. 643 - King Oswiu of Bernicia sends to Kent for Princess Eanflaed, daughter of King Edwin of Deira. She sails north to Bamburgh and the two are married. Despite this, Oswiu still fails to secure Deira. King Penda of Mercia seizes control of Lindsey and Elmet. Death of King Cynegils of Wessex. He is succeeded by his son, Cenwalh, who promptly repudiates his Royal Mercian wife. 644 - Despite armed objections from King Oswiu of Bernicia, Oswine, the son of Osric of Deira, establishs himself as King of Deira, possibly with Mercian support. Death of Bishop Paulinus of Rochester. 645 - King Cenwalh of Wessex is driven from his kingdom by his one time brother-in-law, King Penda of Mercia. He flees to the Court of King Anna of East Anglia. Penda overruns Wessex. 647 - Death of Bishop Felix of Dunwich. He is buried at Soham and is later made a saint. c.647 - Princess (& Saint) Hilda of Deira is persuaded by St. Aidan to enter monastic life at Hartlepool Abbey. 648 - St. Wilfred enters Lindisfarne Priory. King Cenwalh of Wessex returns to reclaim his kingdom. He gives 3,000 hides of land around Ashdown to his nephew, Cuthred, possibly sub-King of Berkshire. c.648 - King Cenwalh of Wessex invites St. Birinus to establish the Old Minster in Winchester. They create a small stone church. 649 - Death of Abbes Hieu of Hartlepool. She is succeeded by St. Hilda. 650 - Death of Bishop Birinus of Wessex. He is buried at Dorchester-on-Thames and later made a saint. King Cenwalh of Wessex invites the Frankish priest, St. Agilbert, to succeed him. c.650 - The Mercians, under King Penda, move on East Anglia, destroy the monastery at Burgh Castle and expel King Anna who probably flees to Magonset. It may have been at this time that Penda takes control of Magonset and installs his son, Merewalh as King there. King Oswiu of Bernicia founds Melrose Abbey. St. Aidan sends St. Eata to be the first Abbot with St. Boisil as his Prior. Oswiu seeks Irish support against the forces of King Penda of Mercia. While in Ireland he has a liaison with Fin, the (grand) daughter of Colman Rimid Ui Neill. Prince Aeldfrith is born soon afterward. Re-establishment of London as a Saxon trading community at Aldwich. 651 - King Oswiu of Bernicia has King Oswine of Deira murdered at Gilling, after the later backs down from conflict. Oswine is buried at Tynemouth Priory where he is later made a saint. He is succeeded by the late King Oswald of Northumbria's son and Oswiu's nephew, Aethelwald. King Aethelwald of Deira appears to initially accept his uncle's overlordship. Queen Eanflaed donates the estate of Gilling for the foundation of a monastery in recompense for her second cousin's murder. Death of St. Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne. He is succeeded by St. Finan. Death of St. Boisil, Prior of Melrose. He is succeeded by St. Cuthbert. 652 - King Penda's Mercian army invades Bernicia and besieges King Oswiu at Bamburgh. 653 - King Penda of Mercia establishes full control of Middle Anglia and makes his son, Peada, king there. In return for the daughter of King Oswiu of Bernicia, Princess Alchflaed, Peada accepts baptism, into the Christian church, by Saint Finan of Lindisfarne, at Wattbottle. The Middle Anglians have already been influenced by East Anglian Christianity and King Peada allows St. Cedd to envangelise his kingdom further. King Sigeberht II of Essex is then also persuaded by Oswiu, his overlord, to adopt Christianity as part of a general mobilization against King Penda of Mercia. Northumbrian missionaries under St. Cedd are despatched to Essex where he founds the monastery at Bradwell-on-Sea. Talorcan I, the nephew of King Oswiu of Bernicia is crowned Pict King through right of his mother. He probably accepts Northumbrian overlordship. St. Wilfred leaves Lindisfarne for Kent, then travels on to Lyons and Rome. c.653 - King Aethelwald of Deira rejects his uncle's overlordship and turns to King Penda of Mercia instead. Penda mounts another attack of Bernicia. 654 - King Penda of Mercia and his armies invade East Anglia and kill King Anna. The King is buried at Blythburgh and a monastery is founded at Iken to commemorate his life. Anna's brother, Aethelhere, succeeds as King of East Anglia and accepts Mercian rule. St. Cedd returns to Northumbria to be consecrated as Bishop of Essex, with his seat in St. Paul's, London. He is given land by King Aethelwald of Deira on which he founds Lastingham Priory. c.654 - Foundation of the first religious community at Waltham Abbey, with a wooden church. 655 - King Penda of Mercia and a united Mercian and British army march on the Bernicians. Oswiu of Bernicia, with an army only a third the size, retreats to Stirling, the most northerly city in his kingdom. It lay in the oppressed sub-Kingdom of Manau-Gododdin. From here, Oswiu sends envoys to offer Penda money in return for holding off his armies. Penda appears to have taken the cash and distributed it amongst his British allies. However, having been taken from the oppressed Northern British in the first place, this is viewed as a restitution of rightful property. Penda and his allies invade Bernicia anyway, and the two armies meet at the Battle of Winwaed. Kings Cadafael Cadomedd of Gwynedd and Aethelwald of Deira, however, withdraw before the battle begins. This contributes to Penda's defeat and he and his ally, Aethelhere of East Anglia, are both killed in the fighting. Aethelhere's brother, Aethelwold, succeeds to the East Anglian throne. King Oswiu's son, Ecgbert is released by the Mercians. The Bernicians overrun Mercia, but allow Penda's son, Peada, to continue to rule in Middle Anglia, probably due to his Christianity. King Peada helps the Mercian nobleman, Saxulf, to found Peterborough (Medshamstead) Abbey. The latter becomes the first Abbot. Bishop (& Saint) Finan of Lindisfarne sends St. Diuma to be the first Bishop of Mercia, Lindsey and Middle Anglia. Oswiu's daughter, Aelfflaed, is given as a novice to her second cousin, St. Hilda, Abbess of Hartlepool, in compliance with a promise King Oswiu had made. 656 - King of Oswiu of Bernicia invades Pengwern and kills King Cynddylan, and his brother, King Eluan of Powys, in battle. The Pengwernian Royal family flee to Glastening. Mercians take control of Pengwern and may have invaded Powys. Murder of King Peada of Middle Anglia through the treachery of his wife. Direct Northumbrian rule of all Mercia. c.656 - King Aethelwald of Deira is removed from office by his uncle, King Oswiu of Bernicia, and replaced by the latter's son, Ealhfrith, as sub-king in a united Northumbria. 657 - The foundation of Whitby Abbey. St. Hilda and her cousin, Princess Aelfflaed, move from Hartlepool to Whitby, where St. Hilda is made Abbess. King Edwin of Deira's body is transferred to Whitby, where he is made a saint. The foundation of Ripon Abbey by monks from Melrose. St. Eata, Abbot of Melrose becomes first Abbot of Ripon. 658 - The Ealdormen of Mercia rebel against Northumbrian domination and re-establish their independence under Penda's son, Wulfhere. Death of Bishop Diuma of Mercia, Lindsey and Middle Anglia. He is buried at Charlbury. King Cenwalh and the Wessex Saxons make a push against Dumnonia (possibly under a King Culmin). They are victorious at the Battle of Penselwood and the Dumnonia-Wessex border is set at the River Parrett. St. Wilfred returns to Northumbria. c.658 - St. Etheldreda, daughter of the late King Anna of East Anglia, marries King Tondberht of South Gyrwe. The East Anglians gain rule of this area of Middle Anglia. 660 - King Sigeberht II of Essex is murdered by his brothers, Swithelm and Swithfrith, and other kinsmen for being "too ready to pardon his enemies" the Christians. St. Cedd flees north to the Court of King Aethelwald of East Anglia. Swithelm becomes King of Essex, possibly with Swithfrith as joint-monarch for a period. King Cenwalh of Wessex becomes unhappy with his local Bishop, St. Agilbert of Dorchester, as he does not speak West-Saxon, and splits the See of Wessex in two. Wine becomes the first Bishop of Winchester. Agilbert resigns and goes to Northumbria. The Mercians take control of Dorchester and appoint Aetla as Bishop. Death of King Talorcan I of the Picts, possible overthrow of Northumbrian overlordship in the kingdom. King Merewalh of Magonset is converted to Christianity. c.660 - King Ealhfrith of Deira begins to follow a religious policy independent of his father, King Oswiu of Northumbria, by rejecting the ways of the Ionian Church in favour of those of Rome. Foundation of the monastery of Repton, by monks from Peterborough. King Merewalh of Magonset founds Leominster Priory. 661 - King Cenwalh of Wessex invades Dumnonia. He is victorious at the Battle of Posbury. Saxon settlers found Somerset in Eastern Dumnonia. Death of the Wessex sub-King, Cenberht. He is probably succeeded by his son, Caedwalla. King Wulfhere of Mercia and his army sack the Berkshire Downs around Ashdown and move south to conquer the Meonware and the Isle of Wight. St. Wilfred is given Ripon Abbey by King Aldfrith of Northumbria. St. Eata is removed and Wilfred becomes Abbot. Death of Bishop Finan of Lindisfarne. He is later revered as a saint and succeeded by St. Colman. c.662 - King Swithelm of Essex is converted to Christianity and baptised by St. Cedd at the Court of King Aethelwald of East Anglia who acts as his sponsor. East Anglia may have held some sort of overlordship over Essex at this time. 663 - Bishop Wine of Winchester moves the Bishop's Seat north again to Dorchester and the Mercian Bishop Aetla is removed. c.663 - Probable invasion of Pictland by King Oswiu of Northumbria. He establishes overlordship of, at least, the Southern Pictish sub-kingdoms of Fortriu and Fib (and possibly Circinn). 664 - The Synod of Whitby is hosted by St. Hilda. It is called to discuss whether the Northern British should comply with the doctrines of Rome, rather than follow the Irish Celtic practices of Iona. Bishop (& Saint) Colman of Lindisfarne, Abbess (& Saint) Hilda of Whitby and Bishop (& Saint) Cedd of Essex speak for the established Celtic ways (with Cedd as interpreter). They are opposed by Abbot (& Saint) Wilfred of Ripon and the former Bishop (& Saint) Agilbert of Dorchester. The latter are triumphant and St. Colman resigns his See in protest. He is replaced by Tuda who dies of the Plague soon afterward. Tuda is then succeeded as Abbot, by St. Eata former Abbot of Ripon who brings his prior, St. Cuthbert, from Melrose Abbey to Lindisfarne. St. Wilfred is appointed Bishop of Northumbria and transfers the See from Lindisfarne to York. Bishop Cedd of Essex also dies of Plague, along with his brother, Cynebil, at his foundation of Lastingham Priory. Cedd is buried there and later revered as a saint. He is succeeded, as Abbot, by his brother, St. Chad, but the See of Essex at London remains vaccant. Death of King Earconbert of Kent. He is succeeded by his son, Ecgbert I, who promptly has his cousins, Aethelred and Aethelbert murdered in order to secure his position. They are subsequently revered as saints. A great plague sweeps the country. Death of King Aethelwold of East Anglia. He is succeeded by his nephew, Eadwulf. Death of King Tondberht of South Gyrwe. His widow, St. Etheldreda, marries Prince Ecgfrith of Northumbria. c.664 - King Oswiu of Northumbria removes his son, King Ealhfrith, from his throne in Deira. The Bernician throne controls all of Northumbria. 665 - Death of King Swithelm of Essex. He is succeeded by his cousins, Sighere and Sebbi. The followers o

Kingdom of Sussex

The Kingdom of Sussex, (Suth Seaxe, i.e. the South Saxons), was one of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, the boundaries of which coincided in general with those of the earlier kingdom of the Regini and the later county of Sussex. A large part of that district, however, was covered in early times by the forest called Andred. According to the traditional account given in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, it was in 477 that a certain Ælle led the invaders ashore at a place called Cymenes ora and defeated the inhabitants. A further battle at a place called Mearcredes burne is recorded under the year 485, and in the annal for 491 we read that Ælle and Cissa his son sacked Anderida and slew all the inhabitants. Ælle is the first king of the invading race whom Bede describes as exercising supremacy over his fellows, though little weight can be attached to the dates and events given by the Chronicle, which was not compiled until some centuries later. The history of Sussex now becomes a blank until 607, in which year Ceolwulf of Wessex is found fighting against the South Saxons. In 681 Wilfrid of York, on his expulsion from Northumbria by Ecgfrith, retired into Sussex, where he remained until 686 converting its pagan inhabitants. According to Bede, Æðelwealh, king of Sussex, had been previously baptized in Mercia at the suggestion of Wulfhere, who presented him with the Isle of Wight and the district about the Meon. After Wilfrid's exertions in relieving a famine which occurred in Sussex, Æðelwealh gave lands in Selsey to him on which to found an abbey, that later became the seat of the South Saxon bishopric, and remained so until 1075. Shortly afterwards, however, Æðelwealh was slain and his kingdom ravaged by the exiled West Saxon prince Caedwalla. The latter was eventually expelled by two Ealdormen named Berhthun and Andhun, who thereupon assumed the government of the kingdom. In 686 the South Saxons attacked Hlothhere, king of Kent, in support of his nephew Eadric, but soon afterwards Berhthun was killed and the kingdom subjugated for a time by Ceadwalla, who had now become king of Wessex. Of the later South Saxon kings we have little knowledge except from occasional charters. In 692 a grant[http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+45] is made by a king called Noðhelm, or Nunna, to his sister, which is witnessed by another king called Watt. Nunna is described in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as the kinsman of Ine of Wessex who fought with him against Geraint, King of the Britons, in 710. According to Bede, Sussex was subject to Ine for a number of years. A charter [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+43], dated 775 in error for 725, purports to be a grant by Noðhelm to Eadberht, Bishop of Selsey, and to this too Watt appears as a witness. But this charter is now believed to be a forgery from the late 10th century or early 11th century, and is therefore of no value. There is an undated charter of Noðhelm [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+44] that is witnessed by a certain Osric, without indication of rank or territory, but presumably another king, as his name is listed before, and he therefore ranked higher than, Eadberht, Bishop of Selsey, whose rank and see are also omitted. The charter can be approximately dated to some point between about 705 and 717. Noðhelm’s last surviving charter, which is dated 714 in error for 717, [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+42], is witnessed by a King Æðelstan. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that "In 722 Ealdberht fled into Surrey and Sussex, and Ine fought against the South Saxons". A little later, Æðelberht, was King of Sussex, but he is known only from charters. The dates of Æðelberht’s reign are unknown beyond the fact that he was a contemporary of Sigeferth, Bishop of Selsey from 733, as Sigeferth witnessed an undated charter of Æðelberht [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+46] in which Æðelberht is styled Ethelbertus rex Sussaxonum. After this we hear nothing more until about 765, when a grant [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+50] of land is made by a king named Ealdwulf and with two other kings, Ælfwald and Oslac, as witnesses. In 765 [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+48] and 770 [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+49] grants are made by a King Osmund, the latter of which was later confirmed by Offa of Mercia. Offa also confirmed two charters of Æðelberht, and in 772 [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+108] he grants land himself in Sussex, with Oswald, dux Suðsax, as a witness. It is probable that about this time Offa definitely annexed the kingdom of Sussex, as several persons, Osmund, Ælfwald and Oslac, who had previously used the royal title, now sign with that of dux. In 825 the South Saxons submitted to Ecgberht, and from this time they remained subject to the West Saxon dynasty. The earldom of Sussex seems later to have been held sometimes with that of Kent. The death of Eadwine, Ealdorman of Sussex, is recorded in 982, because he was buried at Abingdon Abbey in Berkshire, where one version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was compiled. According to the abbey’s records, in which he was called princeps Australium Saxonum, Eadwinus nomine, he bequeathed estates to them in his will, although the document itself has not survived. Earlier in the same year he witnessed a charter of King Æðelræd Unræd [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+839] as Eaduuine dux. His name was also added to a forged charter dated 956 (possibly an error for 976) [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+828]. In the next generation, Wulfnoð Cild, Thegn of Sussex, played a prominent part in English politics. In 1009 his actions resulted in the destruction of the English fleet, and by 1011 Sussex, together with most of South East England, was in the hands of the Danes. In an early example of local government reform, the Anglo-Saxon ealdormandoms were abolished by the Danish kings and replaced a smaller number of larger earldoms. Wulfnoð Cild was the father of Godwine, who was made Earl of Wessex in 1020. His earldom included Sussex. When he died in 1053, Godwine was succeeded as Earl of Wessex (including Sussex) by his son Harold, who had previously been Earl of East Anglia.
See also

- Kings of Sussex
- Bishops of Selsey
Links and References

- [http://www.britishcounties.info/sussex/ Information on Sussex, including the Kingdom, history and maps]
- Based on a 1911 encyclopedia article. Category:Anglo-Saxon England Sussex Category:History of Sussex

Nothelm of Sussex

Noðhelm, or Nunna for short, was King of Sussex, apparently reigning jointly with Watt, Osric, and Æðelstan. In 692 Noðhelm granted land to his sister Noðgyð. He was styled Nothelmus rex Suthsax’ in the body of the charter, but he signed it as Nunna rex Sussax’ [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+45]. Noðhelm’s last surviving charter, in which he was called Nunna rex Suthsax’, is dated 714, probably in error for 717 [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+42], so his reign began in or before 692 and ended in or after 717. He is mentioned by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as fighting for his kinsman Ine, King of Wessex, against Geraint, King of the Britons, in the year 710. Two of his charters were witnessed by signed by Cœnred, King of Wessex. Concerning one of these, strangely dated 775 [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+43], Barker (1947) commented: "20. Cœnred was the father of Ini. He is not mentioned in ASC. as having ever been king of Wessex; but ASC. says that Ini succeeded in 688 and abdiicated in 728, while insisting on the length of his reign as 37 years. Cœnred appears for the last time in 692 (No. IV) and Ini was certainly sole king by 604, when then men of Kent compounded with him for the death of his relative Mul. The AS. conception of family as the basis of law was so strict that they would not have done so if his father had been alive. Therefore Cœnred must have died before 694, and this proves conclusively that this charter must bear date in 689. In fact, to allow for a reign of 37 years (or nearly 37) by Ini, he must have died in 692. 21. The signature of Ini here and in No. IV without the title rex bears out the statement of n. 20 about the reign of Cœnred". But Kelly (1998) concluded that this charter "is without doubt a forgery, and not an innocent tenth-century copy of a genuine eight-century charter. The incarnation date is impossible for the donor and beneficiary, and for the witnesses to the charter. Birch's suggested emendation to 725 is still unsatisfactory, since it is too late for Bishop Eadberht and does not agree with the indication". Hence it is wrong to extend Noðhelm's reign to 725 on the authority of this charter. See also: Kings of Sussex See also: Kingdom of Sussex Barker (1947) speculated

References:

Barker, E. 1947. Sussex Anglo-Saxon Charters, part 1. Sussex Archælogical Collections 86: 42-101. Kelly, S. E. 1998. Charters of Selsey. Anglo-Saxon Charters 6.

Oslac of Sussex

Oslac was a King of Sussex. He reigned jointly with Ealdwulf and Ælfwald, and probably also Oswald and Osmund. Oslac witnessed an undated charter of Ealdwulf, believed to be from about 765, with his name corruptly recorded in the surviving revision as Osiai rex [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+50]. After the conquest of Sussex by Offa, King of Mercia, Oslac witnessed a charter of Offa, dated 772, as Oslac dux [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+108], with his name placed after Oswald, Osmund, and Ælfwald, suggesting that he was the most junior of the former kings. His latest surviving charter is dated 790, and the original still exists; in it he is styled Oslac dux Suthsaxorum [http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+1184]. See also: Kings of Sussex See also: Kingdom of Sussex

Kingdom of Sussex

Sussex

Sussex is a traditional county in south-eastern England, corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for administrative purposes into West Sussex and East Sussex and the city of Brighton and Hove. The latter was created a unitary authority in 1997; and was granted city status in 2000. Until then Chichester had been Sussex's only city. The divisisions of West Sussex and East Sussex were originally established in 1189, and had obtained separate administrations (Quarter Sessions) by the 16th century. This situation was recognised by the County of Sussex Act 1865. Under Local Government Act 1888 the two divisions were two administrative counties (along with three county boroughs): Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings). [http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/newsroom/CONNECTIONS_12%20.pdf] The appellation Sussex remained in use as a ceremonial county until 1974, when the Lord-Lieutenant of Sussex was replaced with one each for East and West Sussex. The whole of Sussex has had a single police force since 1968. Sussex still retains a strong local identity and the county's unofficial anthem is Sussex by the Sea. The county's motto, "We wun't be druv", reflects the strong-willed nature of its people in past centuries. Sussex's crest shows six martlets, each of which represents one of the six ancient rapes or sub-divisions of the county.

Geography

Relief

The physical geography of Sussex relies heavily on its lying on the southern part of the Wealden anticline. The major features of that is the high land which crosses the county in a west to east direction: the Weald itself, and the South Downs. The former consists of clays and sands; the latter chalk. Between those two ridges, mainly in West Sussex, lies the ‘’Vale of Sussex’’; at the eastern end of the county is the valley of the River Rother, which flows into what was a long sea inlet to reach the sea at Rye Bay.

The Weald

The Weald runs in an easterly direction from St Leonard’s Forest, south-west of Crawley; and continues to Ashdown Forest. Its eastern extremity is in two sections, divided by the River Rother valley. The northern arm reaches the sea at Folkestone; the southern at Fairlight Down east of Hastings, Within the Weald lies Sussex's highest point, the pine-clad Black Down, close to the Surrey border at 917 ft (280m). Another high point is in the part called Forest Ridges: a height of about 800 ft (240 m) is reached in the neighbourhood of Crowborough. The High Weald, as the main area is known, gets its name from ’’wilderness’’ or forest, and it remains the highest proportion of ancient woodlands in the country. Around 1660 the total area under forest as estimated to exceed 200,000 acres (800 km²), but much wood was cut to supply the furnaces of the ironworks which formed an important industry in the county down to the 17th century, which survived even until the early years of the 19th.

South Downs

The South Downs, start from a point near Petersfield in Hampshire . Entering Sussex, its summit is about 10 miles (16 km) from the sea. They run east for some 50 miles (80 km), gradually approaching the coast, and terminating in the bold promontory of Beachy Head near Eastbourne. The average height is about 500 ft (150 m), though Ditchling Beacon is 813 ft (248 m) (the third highest summit) and many other summits exceed 700 ft (210 m). Dry valleys are a feature of the Downs. One in particular, known as Devil's Dyke, north-west of Brighton, is a popular tourist and outdoor sports venue.

Vale of Sussex

The Vale of Sussex is the lower undulating land which came into being when the softer clays between the Weald and the Downs were worn away. Crossing the Vale are most of the rivers in Sussex: those rising on the slopes of the Weald and cutting through the Downs to reach the sea (see Drainage).

The coastal plain

This is a fertile narrow belt from Chichester to Brighton. Once noted for market gardening, it is now heavily built-up into a sprawling coastal conurbation. The beaches along the coast vary from sandy to shingle: that factor, together with the mild climate of the coast, sheltered by the hills from north and east winds, have resulted in the growth of numerous resort towns, of which the most popular are Brighton, Hastings, Eastbourne, Bexhill, Seaford, Shoreham, Worthing, Littlehampton and Bognor. See also: Sussex coast.

Marshland

There are several areas of low-lying marshland along the coast; from west to east these are:
- in the west of the county, south of Chichester , lying between Chichester Harbour and Pagham Harbour;
- beyond Beachy Head, the ‘’Pevensey Levels’’;
- beyond Hastings, the ‘’Pett Levels’’;
- beyond Rye, the ‘’Walland Marsh’’ part of Romney Marsh. All were originally bays; natural coastal deposition and man-made protective walls have given rise to alluvial deposition.

Drainage

The rivers wholly within the county are relatively short. All rise in the Weald (St Leonard’s Forest area) and, apart from the eastern River Rother, flow south to the English Channel, using gaps in the South Downs as they do so. The mouths of all have been affected by longshore drift, particularly during violent storms during the Middle Ages. From west to east they are:
- Arun, and its tributary the western River Rother (Western): source of Arun near Horsham ; entering the sea at Littlehampton
- Adur: source near Cuckfield; mouth near Shoreham-by-Sea
- Ouse: source near Lower Beeding; mouth at Newhaven
- Cuckmere: rising near Heathfield; mouth ‘’Cuckmere Haven’’.
- Eastern River Rother and its many tributaries including the Rivers Bewl (flowing through Bewl Water) and Tillingham: source, the Weald near Heathfield; it flows in an easterly direction and enters the sea at Rye Bay. A section known as the Kent Ditch forms the boundary between East Sussex and Kent.

Climate

South East England combines the highest average daytime temperatures found in the British Isles with the highest sunshine averages on the British mainland. Between 25-30 inches (635-760mm) of rain fall; and there can be high variation of temperature between day and night, resulting in bracing air. The climate of the coast district is strongly influenced by the sea, which because of its tendency to warm up slower than land, can result in cooler temperatures than inland. This is especially noticeable in the autumn months, by which time the coast had higher temperatures. Rainfall during the summer months is mainly from thunderstorms and thundery showers; from October to January the heavier rainfall is due to south-westerly frontal systems. the coast has consistently more sunshine the inland: sea breezes, blowing off the sea, clear any cloud from the coast. Further details of climatic conditions along the coast may be found [http://www.roehampton.ac.uk/weather/climlse.asp#temp here]
Industries

Agriculture
Sussex has retained much of its rural nature: apart from the coastal strip, there it has few large towns. Although in 1841 over 40% of the population were employed in agriculture (including fishing{

Egbert of Wessex

Egbert (also Ecgbehrt or Ecgbert) (c. 770 — July 839) was King of Wessex from 802 until his death. Under Egbert, Wessex rose to become the most powerful of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, overthrowing the supremacy of Mercia. A somewhat difficult question has arisen as to the parentage of Egbert. Under the year 825, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle states that in his eastern conquests Egbert recovered what had been the rightful property of his kin. The father of Egbert was called Ealhmund, and we find an Ealhmund, king in Kent, mentioned in a charter dated 784, who is identified with Egbert's father in a late addition to the Chronicle under the date 784. It is possible, however, that the Chronicle in 825 refers to some claim through Ine of Wessex from whose brother Ingeld Egbert was descended. After the murder of King Cynewulf in 786, Egbert may have contested the succession, but the throne went to Beorhtric, an ally of Offa of Mercia. Starting probably in 789, Egbert went into exile after being expelled by Offa and Beorhtric. He spent this exile with the Franks on the continent, and although it is said to have lasted three years, some historians have suggested that this period may have actually lasted thirteen years (789–802), as this would account for Egbert's whereabouts during the whole period preceding Beorhtric's death. Beorhtric ruled subject to the Mercian kings (Offa and, from 796, Coenwulf), and Egbert probably sought greater independence for Wessex. He was acknowledged as king by the West Saxons following Beorhtric's death in 802, but on the same day as his accession to the throne, Ælthelmund, earl of the Hwicce, led a raid into Wessex. Ælthelmund was defeated and killed by Weoxtan, earl of Wiltshire, who also lost his life in the battle. In 815 Egbert ravaged the whole of the territories of the West Welsh, which probably at this time did not include much more than Cornwall; it is probably from his reign that Cornwall can be considered subject to Wessex. The next important occurrence in the reign was the defeat of Beornwulf of Mercia at a place called Ellandun in 825. After this victory, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Essex submitted to Wessex; while the East Anglians, who rose against Mercian rule and slew Beornwulf shortly afterwards, acknowledged Egbert as overlord. In 829 the king conquered Mercia, and Northumbria accepted him as overlord after refusing to fight his forces at Dore (now a suburb of Sheffield). In 830 he led a successful expedition against the Welsh, and it was in the same year that Mercia regained its independence under Wiglaf, although it is uncertain whether this was achieved through a rebellion or was the result of a grant by Egbert to Wiglaf. In 836 Egbert was defeated by the Danes, but in 838 he won a battle against them and their allies the West Welsh at Hingston Down in Cornwall. Egbert married Redburga, a Frankish princess (possibly a sister-in-law of the emperor Charlemagne), and had two sons and a daughter. Egbert died in about 839, and was buried at Winchester. He was succeeded by his son, King Ethelwulf of Wessex. The image of Egbert is an imaginary portrait drawn by an unknown artist.

References

- Category:770s births Category:839 deaths Category:Mercian monarchs Category:West Saxon monarchs ja:エグバート (ウェセックス王)

Bishops of Selsey

Bishops of Selsey An abbey was founded at Selsey by Wilfrid, Bishop of York. This later became the seat of the South Saxon bishops. The dates of many of the earlier bishops are uncertain.

List of bishops

The following details are simplified from Kelly (1998): 1. Eadberht, fl. 716. 2. Eolla, from (716 or 717) to (before 731). A vacancy of several years. 3. Sigeferth, called Sicgga for short, 733 to (after 747). 4. Aluberht, from (after 747) to (before 765). 5. Oswald, called Osa for short, from (before 765) to (between 772 and 780). 6. Gislhere, from (between 772 and 780) to (between 781 and 786). 7. Tota, from (between 780 and 786) to (between 786 and 789). 8. Wehthun, from (between 786 and 789) to (between 805 and 811). 9. Æthelwulf, from (before 811) to (after 816). 10. Cynered, from (after 816) to (between 839 and 845). 11. Guðheard, from (between 839 and 845) to (after 860). Possible vacancy of several years. 12. Wighelm, from (before 900 to 909). 13. Beornheah, from 909 to (between 930 and 931). 14. Wulfhun, from (between 930 and 931) to (between 940 and 943). 15. Ælfred, from (between 940 and 943) to (after 953). 16. ?Brihthelm, fl. 957. 17. Eadhelm, from (before 963) to (between 979 and 980). 18. Æthelgar, 980-988. 19. Ordbriht, from (between 988 and 990) to (between 1007 and 1011). 20. Ælfmær, from (between 1007 and 1011) to (1032 or 1033) 21. Æthelric I, 1032 or 1033 to 1038. 22. Grimketel, 1039-1047. 23. Heca, 1047-1057. 24. Æthelric II, 1058-1070. 25. Stigand, 1070-1075. The Saxon Saxon see was transferred to Chichester in 1075. Selsey Category:History of West Sussex

References

Kelly, S. E. 1998. Charters of Selsey. Anglo-Saxon Charters 6.

Category:Anglo-Saxon monarchs

This category contains monarchs of Anglo-Saxon England and kings of England before the Norman Conquest. Category:Anglo-Saxon people Category:English monarchs

Category:Lists of monarchs

Lists Monarchs

פיקוד מרכז

פיקוד המרכז (פקמ"ז) הנו פיקוד מרחבי בצבא ההגנה לישראל. הפיקוד אחראי על כל היחידות והחטיבות הממוקמות באיו"ש (אזור יהודה ושומרון), ירושלים, השרון, גוש דן והשפלה. מפקדת הפיקוד ממוקמת בשכונת נווה יעקב בירושלים. המפקדה נקראה בעבר "מצודת כפיר", אך כיום שמה הוא "מחנה נחמיה", על שם האלוף נחמיה תמרי, שנהרג במקום בהתרסקות מסוק בשנת 1994. מפקד הפיקוד הנו האלוף יאיר נווה.

יחידות פיקוד המרכז

קצינים בכירים בפיקוד המרכז

- מפקד הפיקוד - אלוף יאיר נווה (ידיעות על מינויו מאתר צה"ל [http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=HE&id=7&docid=37393 א], [http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=HE&id=7&docid=37414 ב]).
- רמ"ט הפיקוד - תא"ל משה (צ'יקו) תמיר.
- מפקד אוגדת איו"ש - תא"ל יאיר גולן ([http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=HE&id=7&docid=40171 לידיעה על מינויו באתר צה"ל]).
- מפקד עוצבת הפלדה - תא"ל גיא צור (ידיעות על מינויו באתר צה"ל [http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=HE&id=7&docid=46819 א], [http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=HE&id=7&docid=47052 ב]).
- מפקד עוצבת האש - תא"ל אייל אייזנברג ([http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=HE&id=7&docid=45724 להכרזה על מינויו באתר צה"ל)].
- מפקד חטיבת הצנחנים - אל"מ חגי מרדכי ([http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=HE&id=7&docid=46279 לידיעה על מינויו באתר צה"ל]).
- מפקד חטיבת הנח"ל - אל"מ רוני נומה ([http://www1.idf.il/SIP_STORAGE/DOVER/files///1//33341.jpg לידיעה על מינויו באתר צה"ל]).
- מפקד חטיבה 900 - אל"מ דוד מנחם ([http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=HE&id=7&docid=46601 לידיעה על מינויו באתר צה"ל]).
- מפקד חטיבת עקבות הברזל - אל"מ מוטי כידור.

היסטוריה

במלחמת השחרור היה הפיקוד אחראי על המלחמה מול ירדן, בעיקר על הדרך לירושלים ועל העיר עצמה וכן על כיבוש המשולש הקטן, לוד ורמלה. במלחמת ששת הימים היה הפיקוד אחראי על כיבוש יהודה ושומרון מירדן. החל מהאינתיפאדה הראשונה מתמקד הפיקוד בעיקר במלחמה מול הפלסטינים.

מפקדי פיקוד המרכז

פלסטינים

קישורים חיצוניים

- [http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?sl=HE&id=4&unit=14019&srch=&bScope=True פיקוד המרכז באתר הרשמי של צה"ל] ---- קטגוריה:צה"ל

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