Kingdom of Sussex

The Kingdom of Sussex or Kingdom of the Südsachsen ( Old English Sūþseaxna rīce ) was one of the seven traditional Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in early medieval England, which formed the Heptarchy.

Location

In Tribal Hidage the size of Sussex was given as 7,000 Hides. It thus belongs to the middle great empires of his time. Geographically, it was located in the south of present-day England and was the kingdoms of Wessex in the west, in the north of Essex and Kent adjacent to the east. Thus, it was largely in line today, consisting of the two counties and West Sussex East Sussex Sussex countryside. The term includes on the one hand to the people of Saxony, which founded the kingdom of the end of the 5th century, on the other, to its southern location in the association of the other Saxon kingdoms of Wessex ( "West - Saxons " ) and Essex ( " East Saxons " ). Together with these two kingdoms, Kent, Mercia, East Anglia and Northumbria Sussex belonged to the seven kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy.

History

Independence

The most important source for the early Anglo-Saxon period is the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. This Sussex mentioned for the first time for 477 this year Aelle to have landed as a leader of a Saxon army on the south coast, or around a quarter of a century after the first landing of Hengest and Horsa in neighboring Kent. Aelle to have been very successful in his battles against the native Romano-British, so he 827 ( 829 ) of the A manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which in turn is based on information provided in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, designated in the entry of the year as the first Bretwalda will. From Sussex and her kings, there is no historical tradition for the following period of the 6th century. Only the struggles against Ceolwulf of Wessex at 607 Sussex brought to the attention of the chroniclers.

Archaeological finds indicate Germanic settlement traces by at Brighton between the rivers Ouse and Cuckmere already somewhat earlier time. However, the Germanic settlers or at least their culture spread quickly 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.

Supremacy of Mercia

From the late 7th and 8th centuries some kings are occupied by charters, but no royal genealogy was narrated so that a dynastic or connection of kings each other could not be determined. Obviously temporarily ruled several kings simultaneously, suggesting a division of the kingdom. In East Sussex, the ethnic group of the Hæstingas had emerged in the area of ​​Hastings, which may have had its own rulers. The River Adur probably formed a boundary between two sub- kingdoms.

The conversion of the population to Christianity apparently happened in spite of the proximity to Canterbury quite late until the end of the 7th century, when most of the other Anglo-Saxon kings were Christians for the past two generations. Wulfhere of Mercia, the godfather of King Æthelwalh ( 661? / Before 674 to 682 ) conquered by Jutes populated Isle of Wight and the Meon Valley. Both regions, which were a " buffer zone" between Sussex and Wessex before, he assumed Æthelwalh, probably recognized him as chief king.

Under the rule of Wessex

To 682 fell Caedwalla, a "warlord " of Wessex, plundering in Sussex, killing Æthelwalh. The ealdormen Berthun and Andhun could drive him and took over the rule in Sussex. In the year 686 reached Caedwalla, now King of Wessex, Sussex, and sat again the supremacy of Wessex by. King Nothhelm ( 688/692-717/724 ) was related to the House of Wessex, and probably used by Ine of Wessex. Before 705 Sussex own diocese based in Selsey, the church was subordinate to the bishops of Wessex. Independence movements in Sussex suppressed Ine in 722 violent.

End of the Kingdom of Sussex

In the year 731 Sussex came under the domination Æthelbalds of Mercia, but was able to retain a degree of autonomy for the next 40 years. Offa of Mercia conquered 771 fully Sussex and incorporated it his kingdom one. Several minor kings of Sussex resulted in charters since only the title dux or ealdorman. Between 776 and 785 to the control Offa Sussex seems to have withdrawn, but Offa could then prevail again. Sussex was stood under the direct rule Mercia until 825 after winning Ecgberhts of Wessex over Mercia at the Battle of Ellandun in the Kingdom of Wessex integrated.

Once the ruler of Wessex were finally ascended in the 10th century kings all over England, Sussex has been from the developed counties today a province of the empire.

Kings of Sussex

The kings of the 8th century are almost invariably known only by the evidence.

  • 477- after 491/514? Aelle
  • After 491/514? -? Cissa ( uncertain)
  • ...
  • Unknown kings
  • ...
  • To 660 to 682 Æthelwalh
  • 683? -685? Ecgwald
  • 682? - 686 Berthun ( Ealdorman )
  • 682 686? - Before Andhun ( Ealdorman )
  • To 686-688 Caedwalla ( Wessex )
  • 688/692-717/724 Nothhelm
  • 688/692-nach 700 Watt
  • Before 714- after 714 Æthelstan
  • 733 - after 757 Aethelberht
  • Fl 772 Oswald
  • Fl 758/765-772 Osmund
  • Fl 765-780 Ælfwald
  • Fl 765-780 Oslac
  • Fl 765-791 Ealdwulf

Swell

  • Venerable Bede Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, online in Medieval Source Book (English)
  • Anonymous: Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Online at Project Gutenberg (English)
Hide (unit) Hengist and Horsa Romano-British culture River Cuckmere Cædwalla of Wessex Berthun of Sussex Andhun of Sussex Nothhelm of Sussex Egbert of Wessex Counties of England Cissa of Sussex Watt of Sussex Oswald of Sussex Osmund of Sussex Oslac of Sussex Ealdwulf of Sussex Internet History Sourcebooks Project Barbara Yorke
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