Web. 2 Following the lead of Michael Dolley, it has been customary to attribute these pennies to either Southampton or Winchester. +SVVEFNEARD. Egbert (also spelt Ecgberht) (c. 775 –839) was King of Wessex from 802 until 839. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Although later scribes quite likely did embellish on Egbert’s lineage to link him with Cerdic, there is nothing in the contemporary accounts which support the claim that Egbert was anything less than a capable and efficient medieval king. Charlemagne seems to have disliked Offa as it is said he was outraged when Offa proposed an alliance which would be sealed by the marriage of Offa’s son Ecgfrith (r. 796 CE) to one of Charlemagne’s daughters, Bertha. Kent defeated Mercia in battle c. 776 CE under the reign of Egbert II and maintained its independence through the reign of Eahlmund but King Offa of Mercia (r. 757-796 CE) reasserted his power in 785 CE and again took control of the kingdom. "King Egbert of Wessex." 19/05/2020 Dernier match 334-255-1 Record 56.61% Pourcentage de victoire Ecgberht of Northumbriawasthe son of King Aelle. By the time Egbert was born in c. 770 CE, Mercia was the dominant power and was ruling Kent through client-kings (as they had, on and off, from as early as 664 CE). Æthelbald (died 860) was King of Wessex from 855 to 860. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Cite This Work Ecgberht of Wessex Penny December 18, 2020 December 26, 2020 Peter 0 Comments. … During the period when Wiglaf returned as King of Mercia, Sigered is recorded as king of the East Saxons in a lease of land in Hertfordshire dated [829/37] [231] . Mercia dominates Kent; rules through client kings. Then sent he his son, Aethelwulf into Kent with a large detachment from the main body of the army, accompanied by his bishop, Elstan, and his alderman, Wulfherd; who drove Baldred, the king, northward over the Thames. Details of the Battle of Ellandun have been lost, or were never recorded, and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles are notorious for brief and tantalizing entries so there is no account of how Egbert mobilized or led his army. Related Content Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Unlike many of his fellow Christians in Wessex, Ecbert possesses an understanding of a pagan culture like the Vikings, mainly as a result of his fascination with the Romans and their world-view prior to their Christianization. The Vikings were diverse Scandinavian seafarers from Norway, Sweden... Reign of Eahlmund of Kent, Egbert's probable father. In 786 CE, Cynewulf of Wessex died and the nobleman Beorhtric (r. 786-802 CE) was in line to assume the throne but was challenged by Egbert – who seemingly comes out of nowhere to assert his right to rule Wessex (thus arguing for Wessex nobility as his origin). fled from his cousin Beorhtric, taking refuge in the court of Charlemagne, returning when Beorhtric died, poisoned by his wife. However he conducted the campaign, it was successful. Many different theories have been suggested for the cause of Mercia’s revival but the most probable is loss of support for Wessex from the Carolingian Empire. In 815 the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that he sent an army to fight the Dumnonia, who ruled an area roughly equivalent to Cornwall. Sculpture of Charlemagne - Abbey of Saint John at Müstairby Wladyslaw Sojka (GNU FDL). None of these events has any historical basis but the seamless succession of Aethelwulf, with the support of the church, is the probable historical inspiration. Æthelberht ([ˈæðelbeo̯rˠxt] ; also spelled Ethelbert or Aethelberht) was the King of Wessex from 860 until his death in 865. Wiglaf (r. 827-829, 830-839 CE) then took the throne and did his best to retain some form of Mercian autonomy from Wessex. The tendency among historians is to either downplay Egbert’s contributions entirely or attribute them to double-dealing or later exaggeration. $50.00 0 Bids 4d 12h. It was not just the magnitude of the empire that posed a challenge, however, but the loss of the commanding presence of Charlemagne. Egbert was gathering the forces which would win the Battle of Ellandun & shatter Mercian supremacy. Fils du roi Ecgberht, il devient le souverain du Kent et des autres royaumes du sud-est de l'Angleterre en 825, après la victoire de son père à la bataille d'Ellendun. Even so, contrary to the claims of a number of scholars, it is not as though Wessex declined in power after 830 CE. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, the Viking-Dumnonia forces seem to have declared war on Wessex and taken up a position in present-day Cornwall, daring Egbert to meet them. Egbert, also spelled Ecgberht, or Ecgbryht, (died 839), king of the West Saxons from 802 to 839, who formed around Wessex a kingdom so powerful that it eventually achieved the political unification of England (mid-10th century). The Vikings appear to have made a treaty with the Cornish people of Dumnonia, who had been subject to Wessex since Egbert’s campaigns in c. 815 CE. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Beornwulf survived the Battle of Ellandun but was killed fighting against the East Angles in 826 CE and was succeeded by Ludeca (r. 826-827 CE) who died in battle the following year trying to complete Beornwulf’s campaign to suppress East Anglia’s revolt. An Anglo-Saxon coin of any description is on the wish-list of lots of detectorists. Egbert died of natural causes in 839 CE and his son Aethelwulf succeeded him without opposition due to support from the church. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Mercia. The son of Ealhmund, king in Kent in 784 and 786, Egbert was a member of a family that had formerly held the West Saxon kingship. In 829 he conquered Mercia itself, but he lost it in the following year to the Mercian king Wiglaf. Baldred was the client-king of Kent under Beornwulf and his loss would have been significant to Mercia. He immediately removed Wessex from the Mercian confederation and consolidated his power as an independent ruler. Although Wessex did not retain the kind of power it had over Mercia after c. 830 CE, Egbert could still mobilize a force and win battles as late as 838 CE, one year before his death. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Mercia. In 850, Æthelbald's elder brother Æthelstan defeated the Vikings in the first recorded sea battle in English history, but he is not recorded afterwards and … His father was Ealhmund of Kent.In the 780s Ecgberht was forced into exile to Charlemagne's court in the Frankish Empire by Offa of Mercia & Beorhtric of Wessex, but on Beorhtric's death in 802 Ecgberht famous and took a throne. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Afterwards, he swiftly took Mercian territory, installed his son Aethelwulf (r. 839-858 CE) as sub-king, and neutralized Mercian aggression. +AECCBEAFLH" … Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. If one assumes a Kentish origin, then he would have grown up during the period of Mercian supremacy of the kingdom. Ecgberht; Depiction of Ecgberht from the Genealogical Chronicle of the English Kings, a late 13th-century manuscript in the British Library. At this time, Francia was a united empire under the rule of Charlemagne (King of the Franks 768-814 CE, Holy Roman Emperor 800-814 CE) who protected the young exile. By virtue of long-dormant hereditary claims, Egbert was accepted as king in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and Essex. Issue. Wiglaf regains throne of Mercia; asserts Mercian autonomy. England Around 910 CEby Philg88 (CC BY-SA). Mark, J. J. In 828 CE he conquered North-Wales and in 829 CE he accepted the submission of the Kingdom of Northumbria and, at the same time, drove Wiglaf from his throne and took direct control of Mercia. His father was Ealhmund of Kent.In the 780s Ecgberht was forced into exile to Charlemagne's court in the Frankish Empire by Offa of Mercia and Beorhtric of Wessex, but on Beorhtric's death in 802 Ecgberht returned and took the throne. Ecgberht, King of Wessex. Written by Joshua J. What exactly the Vikings did after the Battle of Charmouth is unknown but there is no doubt they remained in the region because, in 838 CE, they and the army of Dumnonia met Egbert and his army at the Battle of Hingston Down. During the late 8th century, when King Offa of Mercia (reigned 757-96) ruled most of England, Egbert … These campaigns were probably encouraged by Dumnonia’s lucrative ports and trade contacts, skill in metalworking, and other resources Egbert would require to enlarge and equip an army. Ecgberht 771/775 – 839, also spelled Egbert, Ecgbert, or Ecgbriht, Ecgbeorht, was King of Wessex from 802 until his death in 839. Mercia was an autonomous state by 831 CE, operating without regard to Wessex’s interests, but it was nowhere near as powerful as it had been and never would be again. Æthelwulf. Egbert remained in exile in Francia at this time but, when Beorhtric died in 802 CE, Charlemagne seems to have supported Egbert’s bid for power and he became king of Wessex. Ealhmund's wife is not known, however, he is identified as the father of: Ecgberht, King of Wessex (2018, November 19). Ecbert appreciates that the Roman gods allowed them rule the world and grasps the implications of that notion. Egbert was possibly born in Kent, “the son of the short-lived ruler of that kingdom called Eahlmund r. 784-785 CE” (Collins,196). He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level. 25 Jan 2021. Throughout the character’s appearance in Vikings, he is routinely depicted as clever, conniving, and untrustworthy which, as noted, has no historical basis but may draw upon supposition concerning his rise to power and consolidation of Wessex. Following the outing of Baldred, Egbert claimed kingship of Kent as overlord to Aethelwulf who served as his client king there as well as over Essex, Sussex, and Surrey. This achievement should not be seen as a true unification of the kingdoms it was as fleeting in historical terms, as the supremacy of the Mercian Kings, Ethelbald and Offa. Even though Mercia would later assert itself and reclaim some of its lands and independence, it would never be the power it had been before Ellandun. Egbert is often characterized by historians as operating outside the boundaries of acceptable diplomacy. King Egbert is featured in the TV series Vikings (where he is called Ecbert, played by English actor Linus Roache) and is depicted as mercenary, manipulative, and self-serving for the most part, though still a cultured, intelligent, and articulate monarch. The entry in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles for 825 CE reads: Egbert, king of the West-Saxons, and Beornwulf, king of Mercia, fought a battle at Wilton [modern day Wiltshire], in which Egbert gained the victory, but there was great slaughter on both sides. King of Wessex; Reign: 802 – 839: Predecessor: Beorhtric: Successor: Æthelwulf: King of Kent; Reign: 825 – 839 : Predecessor: Baldred: Successor: … Wessex had been under Mercia’s control since 785 CE and there are no records of any military activity under the reign of Beorhtric. THE COINAGE OF ECGBEORHT, KING OF WESSEX, 802-39 By C. E. BLUNT THE recent discovery in Gloucestershire of a new variety of the early penny of Ecgbeorht, with a head of the king similar to that found on the coins of Baldred of Kent, has prompted me to put down some notes on the coinage of the Wessex king. In the 780s Egbert was forced into exile by Offa of Mercia and Beorhtric of Wessex, but on Beorhtric's death in 802 Egbert returned and took the throne. ANGLO-SAXON, Kings of Mercia. Egbert seems to have taken time to assemble his military and resources and then met the Mercian armies and defeated them at the Battle of Ellandun in 825 CE. Shortly after his death, the first Viking raid struck at West Francia in 820 CE. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Mark, Joshua J. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Offa died in 796 CE and Ecgfrith, his successor, soon after. When Ecgberht, King of Wessex was born in 0775, in Wessex, his father, Ealhmund of Kent, was 25 and his mother, Princess of Kent name unknown, was 13. Beorhtric becomes king of Wessex with Mercian support; Egbert in exile in Francia. It is probable that he did engage in duplicity and back-door deals to achieve his ends but in this, he would have been no different than Charlemagne or any other leader, past or present. AR Penny. In the 780s Egbert was forced into exile by Offa of Mercia and Beorhtric of Wessex, but on Beorhtric's death in 802 Egbert returned and took the throne.He was the father of Athelwulf of Wessex. Egbert of Wessex (l. c. 770-839 CE, r. 802-839 CE; also given as Ecgberht, Ecbert) was the most powerful and influential king of Wessex prior to the reign of Alfred the Great (r. 871-899 CE). He was the son of a Kentish noble but claimed descent from Cerdic (reigned 519-34), founder of Wessex, the kingdom of the West Saxons in southern England. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt. Egbert exiles Wiglaf of Mercia; rules Mercia directly. Omissions? Egbert came to the throne at a time when the neighboring Kingdom of Mercia had dominated Wessex and controlled the sitting king Beorhtric (786-802 CE) through an alliance sealed by marriage. It’s a Ecgberht of Wessex penny, who reigned … His father was Ealhmund of Kent. Egbert was the first king of Wessex to completely subdue Mercia and the stability he provided allowed for further development of the kingdom as well as the resources to withstand the Viking raids. Ecgberht, King of WessexVue d'ensemble. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 1 daughter. The historian Roger Collins, for example, refers to him as “the Kentish adventurer”, not a noble or prince, and credits his later prominence in history to “West Saxon propaganda” (196). His father was Ealhmund of Kent. We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Just as the Vikings were easily defeated by the Shore Guard of West Francia in 820 CE, it is likely that Egbert was defeated in 836 CE for the same reason: he had no idea what to expect from his opponents. Egbert of Wessex (also spelled Ecgberht, Ecgbert or Ecgbriht; 769 or 771 – 839) was King of Wessex from 802 until his death in 839. Crowned at … The new coin may be described as follows: Obv. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Ecgberht was presumed to become King of Northumbria after the death of his father at the hands of Bjorn and his defeat against the Great Heathen Army. This category has the following 4 subcategories, out of 4 total. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... King, a supreme ruler, sovereign over a nation or a territory, of higher rank than any other secular ruler except an emperor, to whom a king may be subject. It is probable that Egbert came from Kent, however, and was descended from the king Egbert of Kent (r. 664-673 CE) or, almost certainly, Egbert II (r.765-c.779 CE) the father of Eahlmund. His Kentish origin is supported by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles but has been called into question by recent scholarship claiming he was originally from Wessex. The victory was a turning point in English history because it destroyed Mercian ascendancy and left Wessex the strongest of the English kingdoms. The kingdom he stabilized and developed would pass to his successors until it was elevated to its height under the reign of Albert the Great and became the birthplace of the Kingdom of England; that would not have been possible without the contribution of Egbert of Wessex. His defeat in 836 CE, sometimes attributed to a lack of resources or support from Louis the Pious, could as easily have been caused by lack of preparation and surprise. Between 825-829 CE, Egbert continued expanding his realm at Mercia’s expense. Throughout his reign, Charlemagne had engaged almost incessantly in successful military campaigns. License. He established his rule over Kent, Essex, Sussex, Cornwall, much of modern Wales, and set his sights on Mercia, the erstwhile though oft-contested dominant power in Britain. Sculpture of Charlemagne - Abbey of Saint John at Müstair, by The HISTORY Channel (Copyright, fair use). See Details . Please support Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation. This claim is made by later genealogies, however, which were written by the scribes of Wessex after Egbert had already established himself as a powerful king and so may not be reliable. The empire of the Franks was secure under the reign of Charlemagne but, when he died in 814 CE, he was succeeded by his son Louis the Pious (r. 814-840 CE) who had greater difficulty managing his enormous realm. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Egbert, The Catholic Encyclopedia - Biography of Egbert. Submitted to him ; as did also the inhabitants of Surrey and Sussex, and was in... De victoire King Æþelwulf of Wessex died on 13th January 858 AD have also been recommended educational. 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