The Earliest English Kings

by Kirby,D. P.

• ISBN13: 9780415242103
• ISBN10: 041524210X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-11-07
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The Earliest English Kingsis a sweeping and thorough overview of Anglo-Saxon History from the sixth century to the eighth century and the death of King Alfred. Kirby explains and explores the 'Heptarchy' or the seven kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England, as well as the various peoples within them, wars, religion, King Offa, and the coming of the Vikings. In this completely revidsed edition, the author brings this classic book up to date to reflect on current findings on this line of rulers. With maps and family trees, this book reveals the complex, distant and tumultuous events of Anglo-Saxon politics. David Kriby held a personal chair in History at the University of Whales, Aberystwyth and is now retired. He is the author ofThe Making of Early Englandand is co-author ofA Bibliographical Dictionary of DarkAge Britain

Table of Contents

Abbreviations
List of figures
Preface to second edition
Preface
The people and kingdoms of pre-Viking England	p. 1
The 'Heptarchy'	p. 1
The Tribal Hidage	p. 9
Angles or Saxons?	p. 12
Hierarchies of command: the Brytenwealda	p. 14
The problem of nomenclature	p. 20
Early Kent	p. 23
The reign of Aethelberht	p. 24
The pagan reaction under Eadbald	p. 30
The sequel	p. 35
The early kings of the western Saxons	p. 38
The Anglian territories in the late sixth and early seventh centuries	p. 50
The struggle for political and military leadership	p. 52
The Deirans and the Bernicians	p. 55
The wars with the northern Britons	p. 58
The northern Anglian hegemony in the seventh century	p. 63
The Humbrian overlordship of Eadwine	p. 63
Edwine's British wars	p. 69
The reign of Oswald	p. 73
The battle of the Winwaed	p. 78
The last phase of northern domination in southern England	p. 81
Military recovery in north Britain under Oswiu and Ecgfrith	p. 84
Ecclesiastical politics	p. 86
The southumbrian kingdoms from the mid-seventh to the mid-eighth century	p. 94
The reign of Wulfhere	p. 94
The ascendancy of Caedwalla and its aftermath	p. 98
Reconstruction	p. 105
The reign of Aethelbald	p. 109
Northumbria in the eight century	p. 118
Offa	p. 134
The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the first three-quarters of the ninth century	p. 151
The Mercian successors of Offa	p. 151
Ecgberht, king of Wessex	p. 155
Northumbria	p. 161
King Aethelwulf and his sons	p. 164
The coming of the Vikings	p. 171
Appendix	p. 179
Notes	p. 187
Index	p. 241
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