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Ecgberht, King of Wessex
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== Reduction in influence after 829 == [[File:Coin of King Egbert of Wessex.JPG|thumb|Coin of King Ecgberht]] In 830, Mercia regained its independence under Wiglaf—the ''Chronicle'' merely says that Wiglaf "obtained the kingdom of Mercia again",<ref name=Swanton_58 /> but the most likely explanation is that this was the result of a Mercian rebellion against the Wessex rule.<ref name = Stenton_233>Stenton cites the annal for 839, which says Æthelwulf "granted" or "gave" the kingdom of Kent to his son, as an example of the language that would have been used had Wiglaf been granted the kingdom by Ecgberht. See Stenton, ''Anglo-Saxon England'', pp. 233–235</ref> [[File:Charter S 1438, Council of Kingston 838.jpg|thumb|Charter S 1438, in which King Ecgberht and the Archbishop of Canterbury promised mutual support of the church and the West Saxon crown at the Council of Kingston in 838.]] Ecgberht's dominion over southern England came to an end with Wiglaf's recovery of power. Wiglaf's return is followed by evidence of his independence from Wessex. Charters indicate Wiglaf had authority in [[Middlesex]] and [[Berkshire]], and in a charter of 836, Wiglaf uses the phrase "my bishops, ''duces'', and magistrates" to describe a group that included eleven bishops from the [[Diocese#Archdiocese |episcopate]] of Canterbury, including bishops of sees in West Saxon territory.<ref name=Stenton_233_2>Stenton, ''Anglo-Saxon England'', pp. 233–235</ref> It is significant that Wiglaf was still able to call together such a group of notables; the West Saxons, even if they were able to do so, held no such councils.<ref name = CampbellTAS_128>P. Wormald, "The Age of Offa and Alcuin", p. 128, in Campbell ''et al.'', ''The Anglo-Saxons''.</ref><ref name = CampbellTAS_138>P. Wormald, "The Ninth Century", p. 138, in Campbell ''et al.'', ''The Anglo-Saxons''.</ref> Wiglaf may also have brought Essex back into the Mercian orbit during the years after he recovered the throne.<ref name=Kirby_189 /><ref name=Yorke_51>Yorke, ''Kings and Kingdoms'', p. 51.</ref> In East Anglia, King [[Æthelstan of East Anglia|Æthelstan]] minted coins, possibly as early as 827, but more likely c. 830 after Ecgberht's influence was reduced with Wiglaf's return to power in Mercia. This demonstration of independence on East Anglia's part is not surprising, as it was Æthelstan who was probably responsible for the defeat and death of both Beornwulf and Ludeca.<ref name = Kirby_189 /> Both Wessex's sudden rise to power in the late 820s, and the subsequent failure to retain this dominant position, have been examined by historians looking for underlying causes. One plausible explanation for the events of these years is that Wessex's fortunes were to some degree dependent on [[Carolingian Empire|Carolingian]] support. The Franks supported [[Eardwulf of Northumbria|Eardwulf]] when he recovered the throne of Northumbria in 808, so it is plausible that they also supported Ecgberht's accession in 802. At Easter 839, not long before Ecgberht's death, he was in touch with [[Louis the Pious]], king of the Franks, to arrange safe passage to Rome. Hence a continuing relationship with the Franks seems to be part of southern English politics during the first half of the ninth century.<ref name = Kirby_189 /> Carolingian support may have been one of the factors that helped Ecgberht achieve the military successes of the late 820s. However, the [[Rhenish]] and Frankish commercial networks collapsed at some time in the 820s or 830s, and in addition, a rebellion broke out in February 830 against Louis the Pious—the first of a series of internal conflicts that lasted through the 830s and beyond. These distractions may have prevented Louis from supporting Ecgberht. In this view, the withdrawal of Frankish influence would have left East Anglia, Mercia, and Wessex to find a balance of power not dependent on outside aid.<ref name = Kirby_189 /> Despite the loss of dominance, Ecgberht's military successes fundamentally changed the political landscape of Anglo-Saxon England. Wessex retained control of the south-eastern kingdoms, with the possible exception of Essex, and Mercia did not regain control of East Anglia.<ref name = Kirby_189 /> Ecgberht's victories marked the end of the independent existence of the kingdoms of Kent and Sussex. The conquered territories were administered as a subkingdom for a while, including Surrey and possibly Essex.<ref name = Yorke_32>Yorke, ''Kings and Kingdoms'', p. 32.</ref> Although Æthelwulf was a subking under Ecgberht, it is clear that he maintained his own royal household, with which he travelled around his kingdom. Charters issued in Kent described Ecgberht and Æthelwulf as "kings of the West Saxons and also of the people of Kent". When Æthelwulf died in 858 his will, in which Wessex is left to one son and the southeastern kingdom to another, makes it clear that it was not until after 858 that the kingdoms were fully integrated.<ref name = Abels31>Abels, ''Alfred the Great'', p. 31.</ref> Mercia remained a threat, however; Ecgberht's son Æthelwulf, established as king of Kent, gave estates to Christ Church, Canterbury, probably to counter any influence the Mercians might still have there.<ref name = Kirby_189 /> In the southwest, Ecgberht was defeated in 836 at [[Carhampton]] by the [[Danes (Germanic tribe)|Danes]],<ref name = Swanton_58 /> but in 838 he won a battle against them and their allies the West Welsh at the [[Battle of Hingston Down]] in Cornwall. The Dumnonian royal line continued after this time, but it is at this date that the independence of one of the last British kingdoms may be considered to have ended.<ref name = Kirby_189 /> The details of Anglo-Saxon expansion into Cornwall are quite poorly recorded, but some evidence comes from place names.<ref name = Yorke_155>Yorke, ''Kings and Kingdoms'', p. 155.</ref> The [[River Ottery]], which flows east into the [[River Tamar|Tamar]] near [[Launceston, Cornwall|Launceston]], appears to be a boundary: south of the Ottery the placenames are overwhelmingly [[Cornish language|Cornish]], whereas to the north they are more heavily influenced by the English newcomers.<ref name = Payton_68>Payton, ''Cornwall'', p. 68.</ref>
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