Cissa of Sussex

Cissa is considered earlier, possibly only fictional king of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Sussex in the early 6th century.

Life

There are no contemporary sources to Cissa. The written about 400 years after the events Anglo-Saxon Chronicle refers to him as the son of Aelle. To what extent the reports of the chroniclers correspond to the historical reality, is hard to assess. Although some local names might be due to Ælles sons ( cymene: Cymenesora, Wlenking: Lancing and Cissa, " Cissa 's ceaster " = Chichester ), but can the sons have been extrapolated from the place name.

ASES is ( " South Saxons " ) be at Cymenesora (probably the Selsey Peninsula, West Sussex ) landed in the year 477 with his sons cymene, Wlenking and Cissa in three ships with other Saxon troops on the coast of Sussex named after them. They beat the resident Romano-British in a battle and chased them into the woods Andredesleage at Pevensey. Archaeological finds indicate Germanic settlement traces by at Brighton between the rivers Ouse and Cuckmere already somewhat earlier time. The city Andredes ceaster ( fort Anderitum, today Pevensey ) was besieged and stormed 491 of the Anglo-Saxons beneath their leaders Aelle and Cissa. The defenders were massacred without exception. This is probably the last attachment of the Litus saxonicum had fallen into Saxon hands. Finally Aelle was the imperium ( sovereignty ) awarded in the south of the English area if this preeminence is also of limited duration was. The Germanic settlers or at least their culture spread throughout the archaeological record by rapidly throughout Sussex. Settlement focused on the coastal plain and the river valleys of the South Downs, while in the northeast wooded Weald remained largely uninhabited.

Henry of Huntingdon, a chronicler of the 12th century, noted that Aelle " at this time " (around 519/530 ) died and his son, Cissa and his descendants were kings, whose influence, however, was always lower. These statements about the succession to the throne are considered as unsecured. Roger of Wendover wrote in the 13th century in his Flores Historiarum that Aelle died in 514 and his son Cissa followed him on the throne. Cissa said to have died in the year 590, which is not consistent with his landing in England in the year 477.

Swell

Lancing, West Sussex Romano-British culture River Cuckmere Saxon Shore
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