Editing Wessex (section)

=== Hegemony of Wessex and the Viking raids ===
[[File:Viking weight combined only reflection.jpg|thumb|right|Anglo-Saxon–Viking coin weight, used for trading [[bullion]] and [[hacksilver]]. The material is [[lead]] and it weighs {{cvt|36|g}}. Embedded with an Anglo-Saxon [[sceat]] (Series K type 32a) dating to 720–750 and minted in Kent. It is edged in a dotted triangle pattern. Its origin is the [[Danelaw]] region and dates to 870–930]]

In 802 the fortunes of Wessex were transformed by the accession of [[Egbert of Wessex|Egbert]] who came from a [[cadet branch]] of the ruling dynasty that claimed descent from Ine's brother [[Ingild of Wessex|Ingild]]. With his accession the throne became firmly established in the hands of a single lineage. Early in his reign he conducted two campaigns against the "[[West Welsh]]", first in 813 and then again at [[Gafulford]] in 825. During the course of these campaigns he conquered the western Britons still in Devon and reduced those beyond the [[River Tamar]], now [[Cornwall]], to the status of a [[vassal]].<ref>Major, Albany F. ''Early Wars of Wessex'', p.105</ref> In 825 or 826 he overturned the political order of England by decisively defeating King [[Beornwulf of Mercia]] at [[Ellendun]] and seizing control of [[Surrey]], Sussex, Kent and [[Essex]] from the Mercians, while with his help [[East Anglia]] broke away from Mercian control. In 829 he conquered Mercia, driving its King [[Wiglaf of Mercia|Wiglaf]] into exile, and secured acknowledgement of his overlordship from the king of [[Northumbria]]. He thereby became the [[Bretwalda]], or high king of Britain. This position of dominance was short-lived, 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 [[Denmark|Danish]] [[Viking]] raids on Wessex, which occurred frequently from 835 onwards. 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 [[Æthelwulf]] in the exceptionally bloody [[Battle of Aclea]]. This victory postponed Danish conquests in England for fifteen years, but raids on Wessex continued.

In 855–856 Æthelwulf went on [[pilgrimage]] to [[Rome]] and his eldest surviving son [[Aethelbald of Wessex|Æthelbald]] took advantage of his absence to seize his father's throne. On his return, Æthelwulf agreed to divide the kingdom with his son to avoid bloodshed, ruling the new territories in the east while Æthelbald held the old heartland in the west. Æthelwulf was succeeded by each of his four surviving sons ruling one after another: the rebellious Æthelbald, then [[Ethelbert of Wessex|Æthelbert]], who had previously inherited the eastern territories from his father and who reunited the kingdom on Æthelbald's death, then Æthelred, and finally [[Alfred the Great]]. This occurred because the first two brothers died in wars with the Danes without issue, while Æthelred's sons were too young to rule when their father died.