From Exile to First King of England

Egbert (Ecgberht) was a Saxon King, and arguably the first monarch of England. Egbert’s reign lasted from around 802AD until 839AD. 

Egbert was the first monarch to establish a stable and extensive rule over all of England.

Egbert was born in Wessex or Kent in 770AD, He had two children Athelwulf and Athelstan with his wife, Redburga. Athelwulf succeeded his father, Egbert, when he died in 839AD. Egbert is buried in Winchester. 

Wessex or Kent? 

I have done a lot of reading on where Egbert was born, there is a lot of disagreement. Some say Wessex others say Kent. The reason this is so debatable is because very little, if anything, is known about his youth. 

We know that his father was Eahlmund, a short lived ruler of Kent, Eahlmund reigned over Kent between 784AD until 785AD. There is also a claim that he can trace his ancestry back to Cerdic. Cerdic was the founder and first King of Wessex. However this claim was written by scribes of Wessex but not until after Egbert had established himself as a powerful king. Therefore, the question is how reliable is this claim, as linking Egbert to Cerdic would have strengthened his status.

It was a common practice for scribes of kings to make claims to strengthen their kings attributes even if they could not be proven. 

It is more than likely he came from Kent, which means he would have grown up during the period of Mercian supremacy. 

Exile to Francia. 

In 786AD, Cynewulf of Wessex died and the Nobleman Beorhtric was in line to take the throne. Egbert challenge Beorhtric to the throne asserting his right to rule Wessex. 

However, Beorhtric was supported by Offa. Offa was king of Mercia from 757AD until 796AD, remember during this time Mercia held a lot of power as this was during the Mercian Supremacy. 

Offa showed his support to Beorhtric and his alliance to Beorhtric and Wessex by marrying his daughter, Eadburh, to Beorhtric. Egbert was driven into exile and fled to Francia. 

Francia at this time was under the rule of Charlemagne, king of franks. Charlemagne protected Egbert, Charlemagne disliked Offa, which would explain why he protected Egbert. 

Offa died in 796AD and Ecgfrith become successor. In 798AD, Cenwulf of Mercia took the throne, rumour has it that Cenwulf assassinated Ecgfrith. 

Cenwulf took the same leadership and copied a lot of Offa’s policies, including his relationship with Wessex and Beorhtric. As we are still in the time of Mercian supremacy, Beorhtric become Cenwulf’s puppet, making Wessex, Merica’s kingdom puppet. While all these changes where happening Egbert stayed in exile and under the protection of Charlemagne. 

That all changes in 802AD, when Beorhtric dies and Charlemagne supports Egbert’s claim to the throne. Egbert is finally made King of Wessex. 

Egbert’s Early Reign

Egbert reasserted Wessex’s independence from Mercia. There are no records of any military campaigns between Wessex and Mercia. 

In 815AD, Egbert led Wessex west, on a campaign to conquer Dumnonia (modern Cornwall). This campaign last for 5 years, 815AD until 820AD, Egbert led a successful campaign against Dumnonia. 

5 years later, in 825AD, Egbert and his army managed to defend Wessex against a attack from Mercia. 

Battle of Ellandun

It was this battle that put Egbert in the History books and made him a key figure in Saxon History. 

This is a battle that shook and changed Saxon Britian. 

Cenwulf of Mercia died in 821AD and was succeeded by his brother Ceolwulf I, Ceolwulf reigned from 821AD until 823AD. Ceolwulf I was then deposed by a nobleman, Beornwulf who reigned from 823AD until 826AD. 

While this was happening Egbert was building an army. Egbert marched his army to battle against Mercia, in 825AD. 

Egbert and his army was successful and ended the Mercian Supremcy. 

Saxon Britian now entered the aged of Wessex Supremcy. 

There will be more information in my next blog, “The Most Decisive Battle of English History”. 

Wessex Supremcy.

Mercia had lost territory, power and prestige but was still ruled by Mercian Kings. Bournwulf survived the battle of Ellandun but he was killed fighting against the East Angles in 826AD. 

Bournwulf was succeeded by Ludeca. Ledeca reigned over Mercia between 826AD until 827AD, Ledeca died in battle the following year trying to complete Bournwulf’s campaign to suppress east Anglia’s revolt. 

Wiglaf then took the throne of Mercia and reigned from 827AD until 839AD. Wiglaf did his best to retain some of Mercia from Egbert and Wessex. 

Egbert sent Aethelwulf, his son, to Kent to depose Baldred. Baldred ruled over Kent at this time. This is rumoured to be in 826AD, but the date is debatable. 

Egbert claimed kingdomship over Kent as overlord to Aethelwulf who served as his client king. Authelwulf was also the client king to Essex, Sussex and Surrey. 

Kent would have been a big lost for Mercia and  Wiglaf.

Between 825AD and 829AD, Egbert countiuned his campaign conquering England. In 828AD he conquered North Wales. A year later in 829AD he accepted the submission of the kingdom of Northumbria. In the same year he managed to drive Wiglaf from the throne of Mercia and took control of Mercia. 

In 830AD he was the most powerful king in the land and Wessex controlled all resources and trade from the south of Britian all the way to the north. 

Egbert’s Final Years. 

Egbert would remain in control of the North, however Wiglaf returned from exile and regained the throne of Mercia. 

Wessex lost support from the Carolingian Empire, this was because Charlemagne died in 814AD and his successor, his son, Louis the Pious, had difficultly managing the enormous realm. 

The vikings appeared to make a treaty with the Cornish people of Dumnonia, who had been under Egbert’s rule since his campaign in 815AD. 

In 838AD, the vikings and an army from Dumnonia met Egbert’s Army at the battle of Hingston Down. 

Egbert died of natural causes in 839AD and his son Aethelwulf succeeded him without opposition due to support from the church. 

My final say.

That ends Egbert’s reign and end of this post. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I think Egbert had such a interesting life. We don’t know what he was like as a ruler to his subjects but you have to admire him, he went from being exiled in 786AD to being the most powerful man in England in 830AD. He held his own against Mercia and the Vikings, and he remained in control of a lot of England until his death. He changed and shook the face of Saxon Britian, and he really did deserve to make the history books. 

Look out for! 

I am going to be posting some pictures on my Instagram and Twitter following this post. I am going be focusing on pictures from Egbert’s reign and Egbert himself. So make sure you keep an eye on my Twitter and Instagram. 

Sneek peak! 

My next post, “The Most Decisive Battle of English History”. I am going to be finding out as much information as I possibly can about the Battle of Ellandun. 

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Until next time, 

The History Teller.