Wessex, the founding English Kingdom.

Following the departure of the last Roman legions in the late 5th century, Germanic tribes began to settle in Britain. The majority of these people were Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians. Saxons and Jutes settled mainly in the south of Britain. The Saxons are thought to be named after the Seax, a knife which they frequently used.

What became Wessex was settled mainly by Saxons and Jutes. In fact, the Meon Valley, and surrounding areas, was settled by a tribe called the Meonwara, a tribe of Jutish origin (although this is a hotly debated topic). The modern people of southern Hampshire would most likely have Jutish ancestry. Jutland is the peninsula upon which most of Denmark is situated.

The Kingdom of Wessex was one of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms that existed before the Kingdom of England was established. The main Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Middlesex, Essex, Kent, Sussex and Wessex. In addition there were a number of smaller kingdoms and tribal territories. This post will focus on Wessex (West Saexe).

Wessex was founded in 519 by the semi-legendary Cerdic. The name of the dynasty that ruled Wessex took its name from Cerdic — the Cerdingas. The most famous of this dynasty was Alfred the Great (the only king in England that has been styled as the ‘Great’).

Shires were the administrative foundation of Wessex. The core Shires of Wessex were Hampshire, Dorsetshire, Wiltshire and Somersetshire. Under King Ine, Wessex secured these territories as its heartland and established one of the world’s oldest surviving law codes. Wessex first established the shire system. Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset were the first shire counties established in England, circa 755, and are some of the oldest regional administrative units in the world. By the year 1000 CE shires were present across most of England.

Eventually, Wessex grew to encompass the kingdoms of the South Saexe (Sussex), the East Saexe (Essex), Kent and what is now Devon and Cornwall. The Kingdom of Wessex dominated southern England by the middle of the ninth century.

By the mid ninth century Wessex was dominant across southern Britain. The Danelaw, a term first recorded in the 11th century, ruled over the northern and eastern parts of what was once Anglo-Saxon territory.

Wessex was the last Anglo-Saxon kingdom to resist the advance of the Great Heathen Army (Danish Vikings). A number of battles were fought against the Danes with mixed results. Famously, King Alfred and a number of his followers were forced to flee following a surprise Danish assualt on Chippenham in 878.

Alfred retreated to Athelney in the Somerset levels, where legend states he burnt some cakes of a lady who gave him shelter. Alfred fortified his position in Athelney and rallied militias in Somersetshire, Wiltshire and Hampshire to resist the Danish invaders.

In 878 Alfred won a decisive victory over the Danes at the battle of Edington. Following a 2 week siege of Chippenham, the Danish leader, Guthrum, capitulated and agreed to be baptised as a Christian and withdrew to East Anglia.

In 885 all the English not under the rule of the Danes submitted to Alfred. Alfred became King of the Anglo-Saxons. Alfred died in 899.

Alfred’s son, Edward the Elder, succeeded as King of the Anglo-Saxons, ruling until 924. Mercia, a dependency of Wessex from the early 880’s, officially fell under the rule of Edward in 918.

By the early 10th century Wessex dominated southern and central England.

Edward the Elder had succeeded his father, Alfred the Great, as King of the Anglo-Saxons in October 899. Edward was soon challenged by his cousin, Aethelwold, for the throne. The uprising came to an end at the Battle of The Holme. Aethelwold died in the battle, along with the Danish king of York, Eohric, against the East Anglians.

The main threat to Edward’s reign had been extinguished. However, conflict with the Danes continued. Edward extended his domination, subduing the Danish Northumbrians, the Kingdom of York. The Danish rulers North of the Humber acknowledged Edward as their ‘father and lord’ (Hindley. G, pp. 267). By 918 Wessex had subsumed the former kingdoms of Mercia and East Anglia. Edward died in 924, succeeded his son Aethelstan as King of the Anglo-Saxons.

In 927 Aethelstan established direct rule over the Danish Kingdom of York. Aethelstan was recognised as King throughout England, both Angelcym and Danelaw. Aethelstan received homage from the King of Scots, three Welsh kings and six Danish Jarls (Earls). Aethelstan was recognised as King of the English from this moment onwards.

Aethelstan died in 939. Edmund I (the Elder, the Magnificent), half-brother of Aethelstan, ruled until his murder in 946. Edmund’s younger brother, Eadred became King of the English, finally subduing Northumbria in 954 after defeating and exiling Eric Bloodaxe (King of Northumbria). Eadred died in 955. He was succeeded by his nephew Eadwig as King of the English.

Eadwig ruled as King of the English until 957. The Northumbrians and Mercians, led by his brother Edgar, revolted in 957. Edgar was proclaimed by the Northumbrians and Mercians as their King. Eadwig was king of Wessex and Kent from 957 until his death in 959.

Upon Eadwig’s, death Edgar (the Peaceable) assumed the throne of Wessex and Kent, thereby becoming King of the English. At this time the Danelaw area of England still operated under a certain degree of autonomy and Edgar still legislated for this area of England. Edgar reformed the coinage of England, establishing Royal Mints nationwide during the 970’s. Edgar placed great importance on naval defence. It is reported three fleets were permanently based on the East, West and North coasts of England to protect against pirates and Norse raiders. Edgar received an ‘imperial’s coronation at Bath in 973. This coronation is the basis of the current royal coronations.

Edgar died in 975 and there followed a disputed succession between two of his sons. His son Edward became King of the English but was murdered at Corfe in Dorset in 978. Edward was not his father’s acknowledged heir.

It was not until the reign of King John (1199–1216) that Monarchs of England used the title of King of England. Up until this point the title used was king of the English.

The Kingdom of Wessex grew to be the most powerful of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms. Its Kings dominated England, eventually becoming rulers of England. The shire system of administration was implemented across the whole of England and even now encompasses the whole of the United Kingdom to this day.

The House of Wessex occupied the throne of England until the Norman conquest of 1066, except for the years of 1013 to 1014 (House of Denmark) and 1016 to 1044 (House of Denmark).