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  1. Home
  2. Medieval People
  3. Kings of Wessex
Rulers
Rulers
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Kings of Wessex (588 .. 918)

he West Saxons started out as a number of individual tribes that captured land in the south of Britain. Initially starting in the areas to the north of Isle of Wight, the West Saxons conquered lands further west into the area of Somerset and south into Dorset. Below is a list of kings of Wessex, some of which ruled their own tribes at the same time.

The Gewisse

The rulers of Wessex called themselves the Gewisse. The third noted invasion of Britain by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is that of the Saxon Cerdic and his son (or grandson) Cynric in 495. With five ships they landed in the south where Southampton is now and moved north into Hampshire and Wiltshire. This date may have been too early and could have 519. It could be that Cerdic never existed and is a legend.

The third person listed as a king of Wessex is Ceawlin, the son of Cynric. The Anglo-Szxon Chronicles list a series of battle that Ceawlin fought in mostly against the Britons but also against the Kent.

It wasn't until the reign of Ine (688-726) that the different tribes of Wessex united under one ruler.

Heptarchy Interactive Map Link
Wessex Map

View this page on a laptop/desktop to use interactive map.

The Gewisse or West-Saxons

From
Date
Ruler Relationship to Predecessor To
Date
Comments
591Ceol-597Defeated his uncle Ceawlin in battle to become ruler.
597CeolwulfBrother611Brother of Ceol.
611CynegilsSon or nephew(?)643Ruled jointly with Cwichelm (his son?).
614?CwichelmSon?636Ruled jointly with Cynegils.
643CenwealhSon of Cynegils672/674During his reign Cenwealh was driven out of Wessex by Penda of Mercia. After three years in exile in East Anglia Cenwealh returned to Wessex as its ruler.
After the death of Cenwealh the sub-kings divided Wessex and ruled individually. It wasn't until the reign of Centwine that Wessex was reunited under a single ruler.
?Cuthred-648?Cuthred may have ruled part of Wessex during Cenwealh's exile.
672SeaxburhWidow of Cenwealh673/4As queen of Wessex Seaxburh ruled for several years after the death of her husband Cenwealh.
674Aescwine-676Claimed to be a descendent of Ceolwulf and may have ruled over the whole of Wessex. Aescwine defeated Wulfhere of Mercia in 675.
To Be Completed
Details
Name:
Ceol
Reign:
588/591 to 594/597
Defeated his uncle Ceawlin in battle to become ruler.
Name:
Ceolwulf
Reign:
594/597 to 611
Brother of Ceol.
Name:
Cynegils
Reign:
611 to 643
May have ruled jointly with Cwichelm (his son?).
Name:
Cwichelm
Reign:
614? to 636
Ruled jointly with Cynegils.
Name:
Cenwealh
Reign:
643 to 672/674
During his reign CenWealh was driven out of Wessex by Penda of Mercia. After three years in exile in East Anglia Cenwealh returned to Wessex as its ruler.
Name:
Cuthred
Reign:
? to 648?
Cuthred may have ruled part of Wessex during Cenwealh's exile.
Name:
Seaxburh
Reign:
672 to 643/4
As queen of Wessex Seaxburh ruled for several years after the death of her husband Cenwealh.
Name:
Aescwine
Reign:
674 to 676
Claimed to be a descendent of Ceolwulf and may have ruled over the whole of Wessex. Aescwine defeated Wulfhere of Mercia in 675.
 

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