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West Saxon redirects here. For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation).

British kingdoms around about the year 800 AD
British kingdoms around about the year 800 AD

Wessex was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of the English state in the 9th century, under the Wessex dynasty. West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest of 1016, from 1020 to 1066. Earl was the Anglo-Saxon form and jarl the Scandinavian form of a title meaning " Chieftain " and referring especially to chieftains } Canute the Great, also known as Cnut in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, or Knut ( Old Norse: Knútr inn ríki, Norwegian After the Norman Conquest there was a dissollution of the English earldoms, and Wessex was split between the followers of William the Conqueror. William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages

Contents

Origins

According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (ASC), Wessex was founded by Cerdic and Cynric, chieftains of a clan known as "Gewisse". The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of Annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. See also Ceretic for two kings with a similar name Cerdic of Wessex (died 534 was the King of Wessex (519&ndash534 and is regarded Cynric of Wessex ruled as king of Wessex from 534 to 560 Everything known about him comes from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Gewissae or Gewisse was a tribal grouping of the upper Thames region of England which formed one of the bases of the kingdom of Wessex. They are said to have landed on the Hampshire coast and conquered the surrounding area, including the Isle of Wight. Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain The Isle of Wight is an English Island and county in the English Channel between three and five miles (8 km from the south coast of the However, the specific events given by the ASC are in some doubt. Archæological evidence points to a considerable early Anglo-Saxon presence in the upper Thames valley and Cotswolds area as well as in Hampshire, and the centre of gravity of Wessex in the late sixth and early seventh century seems to have lain further to the north than in later periods. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. See also Cotswold The Cotswolds is a range of Hills in west-central England, sometimes called the "Heart of England" Bede states that the Isle of Wight was settled not by Saxons but Jutes, who also settled on the Hampshire coast, and that these areas were only acquired by Wessex in the later seventh century. Bede (ˈbiːd (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin Beda (beda (c The Jutes, Iuti, or Iutae were a Germanic people who according to Bede were one of the three most powerful Germanic peoples of the time It is therefore possible that the ASC account is a product of the circumstances of the eighth and ninth centuries being projected back into the past to create an origin story appropriate to the contemporary form of the kingdom.

The two main sources for the names and dates of the kings of Wessex are the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and an associated document known as the West Saxon Genealogical Regnal List. The Chronicle gives small genealogies in multiple places, under the annals for different years. These sources, however, conflict in various ways, and cannot be fully reconciled. A recent analysis by David Dumville has produced a set of plausible dates for the West Saxon kings; has been used by other scholars but cannot be regarded as definitive. Professor David Norman Dumville (born 5 May 1949) is a British medievalist and Celtic scholar Dumville's dates are used in the historical outline below, with reference to the original sources to highlight some of the conflicts.

The Chronicle gives 495 as the date for Cerdic's arrival in Britain, but this date has been revised to about 538. The later genealogies were written with the intent of connecting all lineages to Cerdic, and this has introduced additional inconsistencies which cannot all be resolved. Cerdic appears to have reigned for about 16 years, and the throne passed to Cynric in about 554. Cynric is Cerdic's son according to some sources and Cerdic's grandson in others, which name Creoda, son of Cynric, as Cynric's father. Cynric was in turn succeeded by Ceawlin, who was probably his son, in about 581. Ceawlin (also spelled "Ceaulin" or "Caelin" (died c

Ceawlin's reign is thought to be more reliably documented than those of the earlier kings, though the Chronicle's dates of 560 to 592 are substantially different from the revised chronology. He made conquests around the Chilterns and in Gloucestershire and Somerset during a time when, it is thought, the Anglo-Saxon expansion had begun again, after a long pause caused by the battle of Mons Badonicus. The Chiltern Hills are a Chalk Escarpment in Southeast England. History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county In the Battle of Mons Badonicus ( English Mount Badon, Welsh Mynydd Baddon) Romano-British Celts defeated Ceawlin is one of the seven kings named in Bede's "Ecclesiastical History of the English People" as holding "imperium" over the southern English; the Chronicle later repeats this claim and refers to Ceawlin as a "bretwalda", or "Britain-ruler". Bede (ˈbiːd (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin Beda (beda (c

Ceawlin was deposed, perhaps by his successor Ceol, and died the following year. Ceol (also known as Ceola or Ceolric) was one of the West Saxon kings of Wessex. Ceol was the son of Ceawlin's brother, Cutha. Six years later, in about 594, Ceol was succeeded by Ceolwulf, his own brother; and Ceolwulf was succeeded in his turn in about 617 by Cynegils. Ceolwulf, occasionally spelt Ceolwulph, may refer to Ceolwulf of Denmark, possible King of Denmark Ceolwulf I of Mercia, King Cynegils (died c 642 was an Anglo-Saxon king of the West Saxons in the early 7th century The genealogies are remarkably inconsistent on Cynegils' pedigree: his father is variously given as Ceola, Ceolwulf, Ceol, Cuthwine, Cutha, and Cuthwulf.

Christian Wessex and the rise of Mercia

It is in Cynegils' reign that the first event in West Saxon history that can be dated with reasonable certainty occurs: the baptism of Cynegils by Birinus, which happened at the end of the 630s, perhaps in 640. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Cynegils (died c 642 was an Anglo-Saxon king of the West Saxons in the early 7th century Saint Birinus (c 600–649 venerated as a Saint, was the first Bishop of Dorchester, and the " Apostle to the West Saxons " Birinus was then established as bishop of the West Saxons, with his seat at Dorchester-on-Thames. Dorchester-on-Thames is a Village on the Thames in Oxfordshire, England. This was the first conversion to Christianity by a West Saxon king, but it was not accompanied by the immediate conversion of all the West Saxons: Cynegils' successor (and probably his son), Cenwealh, who came to the throne in about 642, was a pagan at his accession. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Cenwealh (died 674? also Cenwalh or Coenwalh, was an Anglo-Saxon king traditionally counted as a King of Wessex. Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world However, he too was baptised only a few years later and Wessex became firmly established as a Christian kingdom. Cynegils's godfather was King Oswald of Northumbria and his conversion may have been connected with an alliance against King Penda of Mercia, who had previously attacked Wessex. Oswald (c 604 &ndash August 5, 642) was King of Northumbria from 634 until his death and is now venerated as a Christian Saint. Penda (died November 15 655 was a 7th-century King of Mercia, a kingdom in what is today the English Midlands.

These attacks marked the beginning of sustained pressure from the expanding kingdom of Mercia. Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. In time this would deprive Wessex of its territories north of the Thames and the Avon, encouraging the kingdom's reorientation southwards. The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. The River Avon is a River in the south west of England. Because of a number of other River Avons in England this river is often also known as the Lower Cenwealh married Penda's daughter, and when he repudiated her, Penda again invaded and drove him into exile for some time, perhaps three years. Penda (died November 15 655 was a 7th-century King of Mercia, a kingdom in what is today the English Midlands. The dates are uncertain but it was probably in the late 640s or early 650s. He spent his exile in East Anglia, and was converted to Christianity there. East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. After his return, Cenwealh faced further attacks from Penda's successor Wulfhere, but was able to expand West Saxon territory in Somerset at the expense of the Britons. Wulfhere (died 675 was King of Mercia from the end of the 650s until 675 Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county He established a second bishopric at Winchester, while the one at Dorchester was soon abandoned as Mercian power pushed southwards. Winchester or Winton ( archaic) is a historic city in southern England, with a population of around 40000 within a radius of its centre Winchester would eventually develop into the effective capital of Wessex.

After Cenwealh's death in 673, his widow, Seaxburh, held the throne for a year; she was followed by Aescwine, who was apparently descended from another brother of Ceawlin. Aescwine or Escwine may refer to Aescwine of Essex (494-587 born in ancient Saxony in northern Germany and in 527 he became king of Essex This was one of several occasions on which the kingship of Wessex is said to have passed to a remote branch of the royal family with an unbroken male line of descent from Cerdic; these claims may be genuine, or may reflect the spurious assertion of descent from Cerdic to legitimise a new dynasty. Aescwine's reign only lasted two years, and in 676 the throne passed back to the immediate family of Cenwealh with the accession of his brother Centwine. Centwine may refer to Centwine of Mercia Centwine of Wessex Centwine is known to have fought and won battles against the Britons, but the details have not survived.

Centwine was succeeded by another supposed distant relative, Caedwalla, who claimed descent from Ceawlin. Cædwalla (c 659 &ndash 20 April 689 was the King of Wessex from about 685 until 688 when he abdicated Caedwalla reigned for just two years, but achieved a dramatic expansion of the kingdom's power, conquering the kingdoms of Sussex, Kent and the Isle of Wight, although Kent regained its independence almost immediately and Sussex followed some years later. Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format The Isle of Wight is an English Island and county in the English Channel between three and five miles (8 km from the south coast of the Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. His reign ended in 688 when he went on pilgrimage to Rome, where he was baptised by the Pope and died soon afterwards. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and

His successor was Ine, who also claimed to be a descendant of Cerdic through Ceawlin, but again through a long-separated line of descent. Ine was the most durable of the West Saxon kings, reigning for 38 years. He issued the oldest surviving English code of laws apart from those of the kingdom of Kent, and established a second West Saxon bishopric at Sherborne, covering the territories west of Selwood Forest. Sherborne is an affluent Market town in north west Dorset, England, situated on the River Yeo Selwood Forest is an area of woodland in or around Somerset in southwest England. Near the end of his life he followed in Caedwalla's footsteps by abdicating and making a pilgrimage to Rome. The throne then passed to a series of other kings who claimed descent from Cerdic but whose supposed genealogies and relationship to one another are unknown.

During the 8th century Wessex was overshadowed by Mercia, whose power was then at its height, and the West Saxon kings may at times have acknowledged Mercian overlordship. The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. They were, however, able to avoid the more substantial control which Mercia exerted over smaller kingdoms. During this period Wessex continued its gradual advance to the west, overwhelming the British kingdom of Dumnonia and absorbing Devon. For the Brythonic colony of the same name in Brittany see Domnonée Dumnonia, sometimes referred to as Damnolia, was a Brythonic Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name As a result of the Mercian conquest of the northern portion of its early territories in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, the Thames and the Avon now probably formed the northern boundary of Wessex, while its heartland lay in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Dorset and Somerset. History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century History See also History of Oxfordshire The county of Oxfordshire was formed in the early years of the 10th century and is broadly situated in the The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. The River Avon is a River in the south west of England. Because of a number of other River Avons in England this river is often also known as the Lower Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye Berkshire (ˈbɑːkʃə or /ˈbɑːkʃɪə/ say Baak-shuh/-sheer sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a Home County in the South Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county The system of shires which was later to form the basis of local administration throughout England (and eventually, Ireland, Wales and Scotland as well) originated in Wessex, and had been established by the mid-eighth century. A shire is an Administrative division of Great Britain and Australia. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain.

The hegemony of Wessex and the Viking raids

The fortunes of Wessex were transformed by King Egbert, who came to the throne in 802 and who claimed descent from Ine's brother Ingild. Hegemony (hɨˈdʒɛməni (Amer /hɨˈɡɛməni/ (Brit (ἡγεμονία hēgemonía) is a concept that has been used to describe and explain the dominance of one social Egbert (also spelt Ecgberht) (died 839 was King of Wessex from 802 until 839 With his accession the throne ceased to change hands between different lines of alleged descendants of Cerdic and became firmly established in the hands of a single such lineage. In 825 he overturned the political order of England by decisively defeating King Beornwulf of Mercia at Ellendun and seizing control of Sussex, Kent and Essex from the Mercians, while with his help East Anglia broke away from Mercian control. Beornwulf (died 825 was King of Mercia (now the Midlands of England) from 823 to 825 Ellandun was the site of the Battle of Ellandun between Egbert of Wessex and Beornwulf of Mercia in 825. Essex is a county in the East of England. The County town is Chelmsford, and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. In 829 he conquered Mercia, driving its King Wiglaf into exile, and secured acknowledgment of his overlordship from the king of Northumbria. Wiglaf (died 839 was King of Mercia from 827 to 829 and again from 830 until his death He thereby became the Bretwalda, or high king of Britain. Bretwalda, also Brytenwalda, Bretenanwealda, is an Anglo-Saxon term the first record of which comes from the late ninth century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle This position of dominance was shortlived, as Wiglaf returned and restored Mercian independence in 830, but the expansion of Wessex across south-eastern England proved permanent.

Egbert's later years saw the beginning of Danish Viking raids on Wessex, which occurred frequently from 835 onwards. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas In 851 a huge Danish army, said to have been carried on 350 ships, arrived in the Thames estuary. Having defeated King Beorhtwulf of Mercia in battle, the Danes moved on to invade Wessex, but were decisively crushed by Egbert's son and successor King Aethelwulf in the exceptionally bloody Battle of Aclea. Beorhtwulf (died 852 (also Berhtwulf, was King of the Mercians from 840 to 852 Æthelwulf, also spelled Aethelwulf or Ethelwulf; Old English: Æþelwulf, means 'Noble Wolf' (c This victory postponed Danish conquests in England for fifteen years, but raids on Wessex continued.

In 855-6 Aethelwulf went on pilgrimage to Rome and his eldest surviving son Aethelbald took advantage of his absence to seize his father's throne. Æthelwulf or Aethelwulf or Ethelwulf or occasionally Athulf was a male Anglo-Saxon name borne by a number of men In Religion and Spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or Search of great Moral significance Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 King Æthelbald of Wessex or Ethelbald ( Old English Æþelbald) (Means roughly 'Noble Bold' was the second of the five sons of King On his return, Aethelwulf agreed to divide the kingdom with his son to avoid bloodshed, ruling the new territories in the east while Aethelbald held the old heartland in the west. Aethelwulf was succeeded by each of his four surviving sons ruling one after another: the rebellious Aethelbald, then Ethelbert, who had previously inherited the eastern territories from his father and who reunited the kingdom on Aethelbald's death, then Aethelred, and finally Alfred the Great. King Ethelbert or Æþelberht of Wessex (meaning "Magnificent Noble" was the third son of Ethelwulf of Wessex and was born around Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c This occurred because the first two brothers died without issue, while Aethelred's sons were too young to rule when their father died.

The last English kingdom

In 865 another enormous Danish host arrived in England. Over the following years this army overwhelmed the kingdoms of Northumbria and East Anglia. East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. Wessex was invaded in 871, and although Aethelred and Alfred won some victories and succeeded in preventing the conquest of their kingdom, a number of defeats, heavy losses of men and the arrival of a fresh Danish army in England compelled Alfred to pay the Danes to leave Wessex. The Danes spent the next few years subduing Mercia and some of them settled in Northumbria, but the rest returned to Wessex in 876. Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. Alfred responded effectively and was able with little fighting to bring about their withdrawal in 877. A portion of the Danish army settled in Mercia, but at the beginning of 878 the remaining Danes mounted a winter invasion of Wessex, taking Alfred by surprise and overrunning much of the kingdom. Alfred was reduced to taking refuge with a small band of followers in the marshes of Somerset, but after a few months he was able to gather an army and defeated the Danes at the Battle of Edington, bringing about their final withdrawal from Wessex to settle in East Anglia. Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county The Battle of Edington (May 878) was a Battle which took place near Edington (then known as "Ethandun" in the county of Wiltshire

Over the following years Alfred carried out a dramatic reorganisation of the government and defences of Wessex, building warships, organising the army into two shifts which served alternately and establishing a system of fortified burhs across the kingdom. This system is recorded in a 10th century document known as the Burghal Hidage, which details the location and garrisoning requirements of thirty-three forts, whose positioning ensured that no one in Wessex was more than a long day's ride from a place of safety. The Burghal Hidage is an Anglo-Saxon document providing a list of Wessex 's fortified burhs [1]. In the 890s these reforms helped him to repulse the invasion of another huge Danish army – which was aided by the Danes settled in England – with minimal losses.

Alfred also reformed the administration of justice, issued a new law code and championed a revival of scholarship and education. He gathered scholars from around England and elsewhere in Europe to his court, and with their help translated a range of Latin texts into English, doing much of the work in person, and orchestrated the composition of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of Annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. As a result of these literary efforts and the political dominance of Wessex, the West Saxon dialect of this period became the standard written form of Old English for the rest of the Anglo-Saxon period and beyond.

The Danish conquests had destroyed the kingdoms of Northumbria and East Anglia and divided Mercia in half, with the Danes settling in the north-east while the south-west was left to the English king Ceolwulf, allegedly a Danish puppet. Ceolwulf II (probably died 881 was King of Mercia. He succeeded Burgred of Mercia who was deposed in 874 When Ceolwulf's rule came to an end he was succeeded as ruler of "English Mercia" not by another king but by a mere ealdorman named Aethelred, who acknowledged Alfred's overlordship and married his daughter Ethelfleda. An ealdorman (modern Alderman) was the prior magistrate of an Anglo-Saxon shire from 900 to the time of the Danes. Ealdorman Æthelred (died 911 was a ruler of Mercia (c 883 &ndash 911 The process by which this transformation of the status of Mercia took place is unknown, but it left Alfred as the only remaining English king.

The unification of England and the Earldom of Wessex

After the invasions of the 890s Wessex and English Mercia continued to be attacked by the Danish settlers in England and by small Danish raiding forces from overseas, but these incursions were usually defeated, while there were no further major invasions from the continent. Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. The balance of power tipped steadily in favour of the English. In 911 Ealdorman Aethelred died, leaving his widow, Alfred's daughter Aethelflaed, in charge of Mercia. Alfred's son and successor Edward the Elder, then transferred London, Oxford and the surrounding area, probably including Middlesex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, from Mercia to Wessex. Edward the Elder ( Old English: Ēadweard se Ieldra) (c 870 &ndash 17 July 924) was King of England (899 &ndash London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire, Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. Hertfordshire (ˈhɑːtfədʃə(r, abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. History See also History of Oxfordshire The county of Oxfordshire was formed in the early years of the 10th century and is broadly situated in the Between 913 and 918 a series of English offensives overwhelmed the Danes of Mercia and East Anglia, bringing all of England south of the Humber under Edward's power. East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Humber is a large tidal Estuary on the east coast of northern England In 918 Aethelflaed died and Edward took over direct control of Mercia, extinguishing what remained of its independence and ensuring that thenceforth there would be only one Kingdom of the English. In 927 Edward's successor Athelstan conquered Northumbria, bringing the whole of England under one ruler for the first time. The Kingdom of Wessex had thus been transformed into the Kingdom of England. The Kingdom of England was a State (927-1707 located in Western Europe dating from the ninth or tenth century to the early eighteenth century when it was legally

Although Wessex had now effectively been subsumed into the larger kingdom which its expansion had created, like the other former kingdoms it continued for a time to have a distinct identity which periodically found renewed political expression. After the death of King Eadred in 955, England was divided between his two sons, with the elder Edwy ruling in Wessex while Mercia passed to his younger brother Edgar. King Edred, also known as Eadred or Aedred (c 923 &ndash 23 November, 955) known as 'weak-in-the-feet' was King Edwy All-Fair or Eadwig (941?&ndash October 1, 959) was the King of England from 955 until his death Edgar I the Peaceful or the Peaceable (c 7 August 943&ndash8 July 975 1 However, in 959 Edwy died and the whole of England came under Edgar's control.

After the Danish conquest of England, and the coronation of Canute the Great, in 1016, England's former kingdoms were to become the earldoms of Mercia, East Anlgia, and Northumbria. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe } Canute the Great, also known as Cnut in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, or Knut ( Old Norse: Knútr inn ríki, Norwegian Canute initially saw to the administration of Wessex personally, although within a few years he had made an earldom of Wessex too, for his English henchman Godwin. Godwin of Wessex, also known as Godwine Goodwin Godwyn or Goodwyn (c For almost fifty years the vastly wealthy holders of this earldom, first Godwin and then his son Harold, were the most powerful force in English politics after the king. Harold Godwinson, (c 1022 &ndash 14 October 1066 also known as Harold II, is widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the Finally, on the death of Edward the Confessor in 1066, Harold was to be king, and the earldom of Wessex once again in cognate with the crown. King Edward the Confessor (c 1003 &ndash 5 January 1066 son of Ethelred the Unready, was the penultimate Anglo-Saxon King of England and the last There was no other earl of Wessex before the Norman conquest of England, and the coronation of William the Conqueror, in 1066, who soon did away with the great earldoms of the late Anglo-Saxon period when he brought in continental institutions. The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages This marks the end of Wessex as an official entity.

Symbols

Wyvern or dragon

Wessex is often symbolized by a wyvern or dragon. A wyvern or wivern (derived from the Anglo-Saxon word for serpent and ˈwɪvən is a legendary winged reptilian creature often found in Mediaeval The dragon is a Legendary creature of which some interpretation or depiction appears in almost every culture worldwide

Both Henry of Huntingdon and Matthew of Westminster talk of a golden dragon being raised at the Battle of Burford in AD 752 by the West Saxons. For Earl Henry father of two Scottish kings see Henry of Scotland 3rd Earl of Huntingdon Henry of Huntingdon (c Matthew of Westminster, long regarded as the author of the Flores Historiarum, is now thought never to have existed The dragon is a Legendary creature of which some interpretation or depiction appears in almost every culture worldwide Burford (ˈbɜːfəd is a Cotswold Town in Oxfordshire, England. The Bayeux Tapestry depicts a fallen golden dragon, as well as a red/golden/white dragon at the death of King Harold II, who was previously Earl of Wessex. The Bayeux Tapestry (Tapisserie de Bayeux is a 50 cm by 70 m (20 in by 230 ft long embroidered cloth which explains the events leading up to the 1066 Norman invasion of Harold Godwinson, (c 1022 &ndash 14 October 1066 also known as Harold II, is widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the The title Earl of Wessex has been created twice in British history once in the pre-Conquest Anglo-Saxon nobility of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. However, dragon standards were in fairly wide use in Europe at the time, being derived from the ensign of the Roman cohort, and there is no evidence that it identified Wessex[2]

A panel of 18th century stained glass at Exeter Cathedral indicates that the association of a dragon with the kingdom of Wessex pre-dates the Victorians. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial For the Blackford Oakes novel see Stained Glass (novel The term stained glass refers either to the material of coloured Glass or to the art Exeter Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in the city of Exeter, Devon, in the southwest of England and Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities Nevertheless, the association was popularised in the 19th century, particularly in the writings of E A Freeman. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Edward Augustus Freeman ( August 2, 1823 &ndash March 16, 1892) was an English Historian. By the time of the grant of armorial bearings by the College of Arms to Somerset County Council in 1911, a (red) dragon had become the accepted heraldic emblem of the former kingdom. A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is an office regulating Heraldry and granting new Armorial bearings for England, Wales [3] This precedent was followed in 1937 when Wiltshire County Council was granted arms. Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye [4] Two gold Wessex dragons were later granted as supporters to the arms of Dorset County Council in 1950. Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast [5]

In the British Army the wyvern has been used to represent Wessex: The 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division adopted a formation sign consisting of a gold wyvern an a black background, and both the Wessex Brigade and Wessex Regiments used a cap badge featuring the heraldic beast. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The 43rd (Wessex Infantry Division was a British Territorial Army division first formed in 1908 The Wessex Brigade was an administrative formation of the British Army from 1948 to 1968 The Wessex Regiment was a Territorial Army (TA infantry regiment of the British Army between 1971 and 1995

When Sophie, Countess of Wessex was granted arms, the sinister supporter assigned was a blue wyvern, described by the College of Arms as "an heraldic beast which has long been associated with Wessex". Sophie Countess of Wessex ( née Rhys-Jones, born 20 January 1965 is a member of the British Royal Family, the wife of Prince Edward Earl of Wessex [6]

The Wessex Society have produced a flag which features an heraldic golden wyvern on a red background. The Wessex Society is a cultural society that aims to promote a regional identity for an area it calls " Wessex " (though it includes areas that were never

Attributed coat of arms

A coat of arms was attributed by medieval heralds to the Kingdom of Wessex. A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people A herald, or more correctly a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between Pursuivant and King of arms. These arms appear in a manuscript of the thirteenth century, and are blazoned as Azure, a cross patonce between four martlets Or. Note that the British version of the F4F Wildcat was initially called the Martlet. [7] The assigning of arms to the West Saxon kings is prochronistic as heraldry did not develop until the twelfth century. An anachronism (from the Greek "ana" " ανά " "against anti-" and "chronos" " χρόνος " These arms continued to be used to represent the kingdom for centuries after their invention. [8]

Revival

The English author Thomas Hardy used a fictionalised Thomas Hardy's Wessex as a setting for many of his novels, reviving the term Wessex for South West England. Thomas Hardy OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928 was an English novelist Short story writer and poet of the naturalist movement though he saw The English author Thomas Hardy set all of his major novels in the south and southwest of England. South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to His Wessex included all the counties mentioned in the previous paragraph apart from Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, along with Devon. History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century History See also History of Oxfordshire The county of Oxfordshire was formed in the early years of the 10th century and is broadly situated in the Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name He gave the counties the following fictionalised names: Berkshire = North Wessex; Devon = Lower Wessex; Dorset = South Wessex; Hampshire = Upper Wessex; Somerset = Outer Wessex; Wiltshire = Mid-Wessex. Berkshire (ˈbɑːkʃə or /ˈbɑːkʃɪə/ say Baak-shuh/-sheer sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a Home County in the South Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye Neighbouring Cornwall was described as Off-Wessex or Lyonesse. Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar Lyonesse, Lyoness, or Lyonnesse is a country in Arthurian legend, birthplace of the knight Tristan. See Thomas Hardy's Wessex. The English author Thomas Hardy set all of his major novels in the south and southwest of England.

There is a movement in modern day south-central England to create a regional cultural and political identity in Wessex. This consists of three distinct but interlinked organisations. The Wessex Regionalist Party is a registered political party which contests elections. The Wessex Regionalist Party is a minor English political party that seeks a degree of legislative and administrative Home rule for an area it calls " The Wessex Constitutional Convention is an all-party pressure group in which those sympathetic to Wessex devolution who are not members of the Wessex Regionalist Party can also be represented. The Wessex Constitutional Convention is a UK all-party Pressure group with the following stated aims To achieve the broadest consensus on the An interest group (also advocacy group, lobby group, pressure group or special interest group) is an organized collection of people who seek Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a State to government at subnational level The Wessex Society is a cultural society which promotes a cultural identity for Wessex while remaining neutral on questions of political devolution. The Wessex Society is a cultural society that aims to promote a regional identity for an area it calls " Wessex " (though it includes areas that were never

The boundaries of Wessex were unclear and subject to dispute. The Wessex Constitutional Convention and Wessex Society add Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire to Hardy's list; and the Wessex Regionalists, who currently use Hardy's definition of Wessex, are likely to follow suit in the near future.

This definition of Wessex has been criticised from a number of quarters. A number of people within Devon, southern Somerset and parts of Dorset see those areas as sharing a Dumnonian Celtic identity with Cornwall, whereas some regard Hardy's definition as correct on the grounds that the counties north of the Thames, along with Berkshire and north-east Somerset, were part of Mercia for most of the Anglo-Saxon period. There are also a few in Hampshire who argue that southern Hampshire and the Isle of Wight were once a Jutish province in their own right and deserve to be treated differently to the rest of Wessex. The Isle of Wight is an English Island and county in the English Channel between three and five miles (8 km from the south coast of the

The Wessex regionalist movements justify their eight-shire definition of Wessex in terms both of history and of modern regional geography and point to the impossibility of pleasing everyone as an argument against change at the present time, though they do not rule out the possibility of change in the future if the popular will demands it. A shire is an Administrative division of Great Britain and Australia.

The present South West England region

The government office region of South West England covers a different area, consisting of Hardy's Wessex, less Berkshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, but including Cornwall and Gloucestershire. South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Berkshire (ˈbɑːkʃə or /ˈbɑːkʃɪə/ say Baak-shuh/-sheer sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a Home County in the South Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain The Isle of Wight is an English Island and county in the English Channel between three and five miles (8 km from the south coast of the Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century Wessex groups are currently campaigning for boundary revisions to the regions in order to more closely match their definitions of Wessex. The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one

Modern uses

Earl of Wessex

Main article: Earl of Wessex

In an unusual move, Prince Edward was made Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn in honour of his marriage to Sophie, The Countess of Wessex. The Wessex Institute of Technology (usually referred to as just Wessex Institute or WIT) is an educational institute offering higher degrees validated by the The Wessex Stadium is a multi-use Stadium in Weymouth, England. Weymouth FC, also known as "The Terras" are a Dorset -based English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who play in the History The British Army 's 43rd Infantry Brigade was originally created during World War I as part of the 14th (Light Division The Royal Wessex Yeomanry is an Armoured Regiment of the British Territorial Army consisting of four Squadrons each of which bears the Cap Wessex Archaeology is one of the largest private archaeological organisations operating in the United Kingdom, based near Salisbury in Wiltshire The Wessex culture is the predominant prehistoric culture of central and southern Britain during the early Bronze Age, originally defined by the British The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for Past champions 1986-87 - Bashley 1987-88 - Bashley 1988-89 - Bashley 1989-90 - Romsey Town Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Wessex Sound Studios was a Recording studio located in Highbury New Park, London, England. Wessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The term train operating company (abbreviated to TOC is used in the United Kingdom to describe the various businesses operating passenger trains on the railway Wessex Water is a water supply and sewerage utility company based in Bath Somerset serving parts of south west and southern England. The CTC, the Cyclists' Touring Club, is the United Kingdom 's largest Cycling membership organisation The University of Southampton is a university situated in the city of Southampton, on the south coast of England. The Wessex Saddleback or Wessex Pig is a breed of Domestic pig originating in the West Country of England, ( Wessex) especially in The title Earl of Wessex has been created twice in British history once in the pre-Conquest Anglo-Saxon nobility of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. A viscount ( VAI-count is a member of the European Nobility whose comital title ranks usually as in the British peerage, above a For other rivers named "Severn" see Severn River. The River Severn ( Welsh: Afon Hafren, Latin Sophie Countess of Wessex ( née Rhys-Jones, born 20 January 1965 is a member of the British Royal Family, the wife of Prince Edward Earl of Wessex The title Earl of Wessex had not been in use for over 900 years. The last earl, King Harold Godwinson, was famously killed at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Harold Godwinson, (c 1022 &ndash 14 October 1066 also known as Harold II, is widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the The Battle of Hastings was the decisive Norman victory in the Norman Conquest of England.

See also

References

  1. ^ The Burghal Hidage: Alfred's Towns, Alfred the Great website
  2. ^ J. This is a list of monarchs of Wessex until 924. For later monarchs see the List of monarchs in the British Isles. The following chart is a Family tree of the Kings of the House of Wessex, a Dynasty whose members were Kings of Wessex, and then from Athelstan Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c S. P. Tatlock, The Dragons of Wessex and Wales in Speculum, Vol. 8, No. 2. (Apr. , 1933), pp. 223-235.
  3. ^ The Coat of Arms, Somerset County Council, accessed January 14, 2008
  4. ^ Civic Heraldry of England and Wales - Wiltshire, accessed January 15, 2008
  5. ^ Civic Heraldry of England and Wales - Dorset, accessed January 14, 2008
  6. ^ The Arms of the Countess of Wessex, Royal Insight, accessed January 14, 2008
  7. ^ College of Arms MS L. 14, dating from the reign of Henry III
  8. ^ For example in Divi Britannici by Winston Churchill, published in 1675 and Britannia Saxona by G W Collen published in 1833

External links

Dictionary

Wessex

-proper noun

  1. One of the seven major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, existing between the 6th and 9th centuries, and comprising most of England south of the Thames.
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