The Earliest English Kings

by Kirby,D. P.

• ISBN13: 9780415242110
• ISBN10: 0415242118
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• 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	vii
List of figures	viii
Preface to second edition	x
Preface	xii
The peoples and kingdoms of pre-Viking England	1	(22)
The `Heptarchy'	1	(8)
The Tribal Hidage	9	(3)
Angles or Saxon?	12	(2)
Hierarchies of command: the Brytenwealda	14	(6)
The problem of nomenclature	20	(3)
Early Kent	23	(15)
The reign of Aethelberht	24	(6)
The pagan reaction under Eadbald	30	(5)
The sequel	35	(3)
The early kings of the western Saxons	38	(12)
The Anglian territories in the late sixth and early seventh centuries	50	(13)
The struggle for political and military leadership	52	(3)
The Deirans and the Bernicians	55	(3)
The wars with the northern Britons	58	(5)
The northern Anglian hegemony in the seventh century	63	(31)
The Humbrian overlordship of Eadwine	63	(6)
Eadwine's British wars	69	(4)
The reign of Oswald	73	(5)
The battle of the Winwaed	78	(3)
The last phase of northern domination in southern England	81	(3)
Military recovery in north Britain under Oswiu and Ecgfrith	84	(2)
Ecclesiastical politics	86	(8)
The southumbrian kingdoms from the mid-seventh to the mid-eighth century	94	(24)
The reign of Wulfhere	94	(4)
The ascendancy of Caedwalla and its aftermath	98	(7)
Reconstruction	105	(4)
The reign of Aethelbald	109	(9)
Northumbria in the eighth century	118	(16)
Offa	134	(17)
The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the first three-quarters of the ninth century	151	(20)
The Mercian successors of Offa	151	(4)
Ecgberht, king of Wessex	155	(6)
Northumbria	161	(3)
King Aethelwulf and his sons	164	(7)
The coming of the Vikings	171	(8)
Appendix	179	(8)
Notes	187	(54)
Index	241