Cynric of Wessex

Cynric (also Cinric; † 560 or 581 ) was in the 6th century king of Gewissæ, an ethnic group as the " West Saxons " the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex was formed in the late 7th century.

Source location

Family

Cynric is from the House of Wessex, and is the son of Cerdic or Creoda. After the Anglian Collection Cynric was a son of the otherwise unknown Creoda goes back its mythical ancestors on Cerdic, ALUCA, Giwis, fire, Bældæg, Woden on Frealafing. Bishop Asser Vita Alfredi adds between Woden and Frealafing a one Frithowald and extended the line of ancestors back to Adam and Eve.

His sons were after the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Ceawlin, Cutha, Ceolwulf and CELM.

Rule

After the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle landed Cerdic and his son Cynric in 495 with five ships at Cerdicesora and established themselves on the coast. In the year 508 they won in Natanleaga ( Netley Marsh, Hampshire) against the British king Natanleod. 514 Cerdic landed and Cynrics Related ( nefum = " nephew ", often generally for " relative" ) Stuf and Wihtgar at Cerdicesora with three ships as reinforcement.

In 519 Cerdic and Cynric received the royal crown, so this year is considered the beginning of the kingdom of Wessex. They fought against the British at Cerdicesford ( Charford in Hampshire ). More fights against the British followed 527 at Cerdicesleaga ( location unknown), the output of which is unknown. In 530 Cerdic and Cynric conquered in the battle of Wihtgarabyrg ( Carisbrooke ) the Isle of Wight. On Cerdic and Cynric Wight continued their relatives Stuf and Wihtgar as a ruler. Cerdic died in 534 and was succeeded by Cynric.

Cynric defeated the Britons in 552 in a battle of Searobyrig ( Old Sarum ) to flee and fought together with Ceawlin in 556 at Beranburh ( Barbury Castle) again against the British. After Cynrics death his son Ceawlin followed in the year 560 to the throne.

State of research

The source location poses some intractable problems. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was written almost 400 years after the actual events and many details given there must be regarded as legendary. A possible historical core was distorted in the tradition and rather points to the ideas of the 9th century on the origin of the kingdom, as historical facts.

The chronology is certainly flawed and some events seem to be called twice in a span of 19 years. For example, the landing Cerdic and Cynrics 495 and the landing of Stuf and Wihtgar in the year 514 be regarded as a later copy errors or misunderstandings, which date back to the Easter calculation of Dionysius Exiguus, grouped the events into 19 - jahrigen cycles. Cerdic 's reign 519-534 coincides indeed with the 16- jahrigen tenure in the westsächischen king lists, but suggest differences between the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and other lists of kings out that is dated his reign too soon., See A dating of Cerdic and Cynrics " arrival" to 532 and Cynrics reign 554-581 has been proposed.

The arrival of a founder couple with alliterative names and few ships, as do other Anglo-Saxon origin myths (eg Hengest and Horsa ) and is part of the Indo-European tradition. Another topos of people are derived place names such as Natanleaga ( after King Natanleod ), which means likely " wet forest ". Presumably, the reverse is also true that the people are named after existing place names.

The contradictory specify to his father ( Cerdic or Creoda ) could not be finally resolved by the research. A possible explanation could be that Cynrics or Ceawlins line were not Cerdicingas but were subsequently linked to the dynasty founder Cerdic. Cynric, who has already " grown up" was after the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 495 and 560 died, would have achieved the extraordinary in this age of over 80 years. Hence his " early years" of the legend seem to belong and Creoda seems more plausible as a father. Also noteworthy is the indication that Cynric is said to have ruled jointly with Cerdic since 519, while the count of his 26 or 27 years of rule by death Cerdic 534 began.

The conquest of the Isle of Wight is apparently a later addition which should legitimize the West Saxon expansion to the south. Cynric or a successor widened the sphere of influence probably in the second half of the 6th century on the current Wiltshire. This region was settled by Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century. The struggles of the year 552 ( according to ASC) at Searobyrig ( Old Sarum ), and together with Ceawlin in 556 ( under ASC ) at Beranburh ( Barbury Castle ), both places with Iron Age hill forts were thus not necessarily performed against the British. The mapping of archaeological features associated with uncertainty because Gewissæ hardly be distinguished from other Saxon groups of that time. After Cynrics death his son Ceawlin succeeded to the throne.

Swell

• Anonymous: Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Online in Project Gutenberg (English)
• Asher Vita Alfredi; The Life of King Alfred Online ( English) at Online Medieval and Classical Library
• Æthelweard: Chronica