Egbert Biography

Share: Anglo -Saxon chronicle: the foundation of Wessex thanks to King Alfred the Great Wessex could reflect the invasion of the Vikings and go on the offensive himself. As a result, the heirs of Alfred became the kings of England. The kingdom of Western Saxons had a long and interesting story before Alfred, and his grandfather Egbert indicated the path to the unification of the Anglo-Saxon lands.

Thanks to the Vikings series, Egbert gained fame greater than other outstanding kings of Anglo-Saxons like offh from Mercia or Oswald from Northumbria. In reality, his story was more prosaic. There were no long wars with the Vikings, no expectation of the arrival of enemies in an empty palace. But the real story of Egbert is important for understanding why Wessex united England.

King Egbert. Medieval miniature. Commons, although the main source of early medieval England, the Anglo -Saxon chronicle, is compiled in Wessex, the early history of the kingdom is covered with fog of legends. According to the chronicle, Wessex was founded by the leader of the Saxons Kerdik and his son Kinrick, who arrived in Britain in the year. Another source calls Kinrick the son of Creodes, absent in the Anglo -Saxon chronicle and the grandson of Kerdik.

The researcher of Barbara York came to the conclusion that the authors of the chronicle artificially “unraveled” the date of arrival in Britain Kerdik, which initially belonged to the years. The kernel of Wessex is attributed to the upper stream of Thames. These places include the actions of King Kevlin, the son of Kinrick. Archaeological excavations made it possible to detect rich burials in the Upper Thames Valley, dating back to the end of the VI century.

Finally, King Kinegils, who accepted baptism in the year, made Dorchester, located on the Thames, the center of the first bishopric. The Anglo -Saxon kingdoms: Wessex's growth to Egbert Wessex survived two periods of elevation. The first was associated with King Kevlin, the second - with the kings of Kadvalla and IN. King Kadwall rules in the second half of the VI century.

The Church historian is the ostentatious misfortune compiled a list of kings, worn by the honorary title "Bretwalda". His second bearer in the list of trouble was Kevlin. Saint Birin. Commons in the Anglo -Saxon chronicle recorded Kevlin's victories over the Britons. For example, in the battle of Darem, three Kings of the Britons died, and the winner expanded the borders of his kingdom.

After the death of Kevlin, the throne passed to his nephew Köl. The kings of Wessex in the 7th century, as the chronicle writes, fought with the Britons, as well as invaded pictes and scottes. As the kingdoms expand, other Anglo-Saxes became rivals. The enemy of Wessex was located north of Mercia. Due to the enmity to her, Wessex became close to Northumbria. King of Northumbria Oswald was the godfather of King Kinegils when he adopted Christianity in the year.

After that, Kinegils took the daughter of Oswald as his wife. The Western Saxons made St. Birin Christians. He began to preach in Wessex in the year and a year later he baptized Kinegils. After that, he became the first bishop of the kingdom. Wars continued with Mercia for the disputed lands in Wilshire and Somerset. The kings of both states, located on the disputed lands, were the abbey of Malmsbury.

In the year, King Pend expelled King Wessex and subjugated this kingdom for himself for three years. In the year, the episcopal department was transferred to the hard drive. The trouble tells the anecdotal story that the king is tired of a bishop of a bishop of a bishop. But in reality, Dorchester was too close to the border with a dangerous neighbor. King Kadwall. Commons Mersia closed the Western Saxes the path to expansion to the north.

Kings continued to expand their lands at the expense of the Celtic lands south and west of Wessex. Little is known about the kingdom before the reign of King Kadwalla in him in him. He even more expanded the possession of the kingdom at the expense of the lands of the Celts, the settlements of the Utov in the south, the islands of White, as well as Sussex. In the year, the king who received a heavy wound went to Rome and died there, having managed to take Baptism from the Roman pope.

The successes of Kadwalla continued his successor to Uno. He ruled with Sussex through the dependent king, fought with the Britons and the Mercians. During the time of the king, the first trial was drawn up in the history of Wessex. The lawsuit mentioned laws regarding the Saxon and Celtic subjects of the Union. It follows from the Code of the Code that the Saxor Society was Christian, but pagan traditions were preserved.

The king patronized the monasteries to strengthen religion in his lands. Since the time of Kadwalla and not their subjects, they call “Western Saxons”, and not the Gevisses, as before. The new name indicates the claims of kings to power over the Saxons. Anglo -Saxon kingdoms in the year. Commons, after Union Wessx, again falls out of the field of view of the chroniclers.

Little is known about the ruling kings there. They report on the internodists of the descendants of Kirdik, about new wars with Mercia and Welsh. Sasex returned independence. In the year, the king of Wessex Kinevulf was killed. The Troubles in the Kingdom took advantage of the Off Mercyan. He put his protege Beorrita on Wessex's throne. By order of the new king, a number of Uessex aristocrats and relatives of the dynasty were in exile.Among them was Egbert, a distant relative of the royal house.

Medieval genealogies called the only crowned ancestor of Egbert King Kevlin. Once in exile, Egbert lived at the king’s court later - Emperor Franks Karl the Great. Egbert became the king of Wessex in the year. Presumably he received the throne thanks to the support of Karl the Great. Little is known about his board up to a year. The only famous act is the devastation of the Celtic kingdom of Dumnonia.

In the year, Egbert's ascent to power began. First, the king broke the invading Mersians in the battle of Alland. Following this, he subjugated Kent, Surrey and the Kingdoms of Eastern and Southern Saxons. The kings of Kent and Eastern Saxons were expelled. Before the war, the rulers of these lands were dependent on Mercia. Egbert’s desire to subjugate these lands could provoke Beornvulf of the Mercia to start a war.

Battle of Ellandun. Commons soon Egbert identified the conquered lands to his son Ethelvulf. The king proclaimed that he claimed the lands of the southeast by virtue of his family ties. In the year, Beornvulf of the Mercyian died, trying to suppress the uprising of Eastern England. The following year, the new King of Mercia Ludek again went to go to East England.

He died and destroyed the army there together with five oldders. Two defeats weakened Mersia, and Egbert had a chance to deal with his longtime rival of his kingdom. In the year, he invaded Mercia and expelled King Wilaf. Egbert began to mint coins on which he designated himself as the King of the Mercians. The King of Eastern England Ethelkan, who defeated two Mercian kings, recognized his dependence on Wessex.

Presumably, Northumbria also recognized the supreme power of Egbert. Even if the latter is wrong, Egbert united all the Anglo-Saxon lands south of the Hamber River by the year. Following this, according to the Anglo-Saxon chronicle, Egbert invaded Wales and forced the Welships to obey his power. But he did not have time to strengthen his power behind the shaft of offma, because Mercia rebelled in the rear.

King Wilaf regained his kingdom. Six years later, he, along with the Archbishop of Canterbury, is mentioned as presiding at the church cathedral. This suggests that King Mercia restored influence and power. Following the whigam, the King of East England Ethelistan, who had previously recognized dependence on Egbert, rebelled. The question of why Egbert has rapidly achieved such success and also quickly lost it, is discussed.

The most popular version is the support of the quarrels. It is known that the king of Wessex maintained contacts with Karl and his successors and after accession.

It was their support that allowed Egbert to achieve such successes.