Anglo-Saxon Britain

Parts of Britain are now controlled by the Anglo-Saxons. Roughly 400 AD the Angles, Saxons, and the Jutes travelled from the Danish peninsula to the east coast of Britain. At the time, the Roman Empire and it's rule had been fading. They had withdrawn south to the continent and pretty much left Britain to it's own devices. The Saxons & Jutes landed at the south-eastern end of Britain, while the Angles went up along the eastern side of Britain and not going any further than a part of Scotland. up to eastern Lothian They took over the regions such as Mercia & Northumbria, as well as East Anglia, at least in the case of the Angles. The Saxons (and the Jutes), settled more in the regions of Sussex, Wessex, and Essex in the southern portion.
After a while the different tribes mixed somewhat through marriage, war and treaties. There is a number of kingdoms:
Anglo-Saxon England heptarchy: The four main kingdoms in Anglo-Saxon England were:

• East Anglia
• Mercia
• Northumbria, including sub-kingdoms Bernicia and Deira
• Wessex

Minor kingdoms:

• Essex
• Kent
• Sussex

The minor kingdoms are generally subservient to the major kingdoms. They are generally Christian in nature, though paganism is still rife through the whole island. Any regions round these to the north and west are controlled by tribes & groups descended of a mix of the Romans, British Bythronic Celts, Scotti (Irish Geals) to the north west coast of Scotland, and the Picts primarily in the north east of Scotland (still can be referred as Pictland at this stage).
Other minor kingdoms are known as:

• Haestingas
• Hwicce
• Kingdom of the Iclingas, a precursor state to Mercia
• Isle of Wight, (Wihtwara)
• Lindsey
• Magonsæte
• Meonwara, the Meon Valley area of Hampshire
• Pecsæte
• Surrey
• Tomsæte
• Wreocensæte

Wessex has grown to be the leading kingdom in this period, and only recently. The present king is: Beorhtric king (786 - 802), thought to have been a distant descendant of Cerdic (the founder of Wessex), had a rather eventful time as King. He succeeded to the throne with the backing of King Offa of Mercia, who no doubt saw his ascendancy as an opportunity to influence West Saxon politics. Beorhtric also married one of King Offa’s daughters, a lady called Eadburh, probably to gain further support from his more powerful neighbour to the north.
Wilton, near Salisbury, is the capital at present.
The king of Northumbria is Eardwulf (796 - 806).

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Notable Members

• Ashe Wolfe

Related Myths

• Fisher King