The Kingdom of Mercia (c. 527-879 CE) was an Anglo-Saxon political... Reign of Eahlmund of Kent, Egbert's probable father. Kings of Wessex (786-924), Ecgberht (802-839), Portrait type, Canterbury mint; Bosel, moneyer; Group III (c.828-839) Manage my collection When his kinsman Beorhtric died, Egbert (also spelled Ecgberht, Ecgbert or Ecgbriht) came home and became king of Wessex. World History Encyclopedia. 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. By virtue of long-dormant hereditary claims, Egbert was accepted as king in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and Essex. 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). King of Wessex; Reign: 802 – 839: 11 May 2021. Web. 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. 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. Egbert of Wessex (also spelled Ecgberht, Ecgbert or Ecgbriht; 769 or 771 – 839) was King of Wessex from 802 until his death in 839. He immediately removed Wessex from the Mercian confederation and consolidated his power as an independent ruler. 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. 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. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt. 2. ,, Tribrach Werheard 20-7 B.M.C. If you have bookmarks or links to our site on your blog or website, please update them. World History Encyclopedia. Beorhtric was supported by Offa, however, who sealed a contract with Wessex by marrying his daughter Eadburh to Beorhtric; Egbert was driven into exile and fled to Francia. License. fled from his cousin Beorhtric, taking refuge in the court of Charlemagne, returning when Beorhtric died, poisoned by his wife. King Egbert: During this time, a new dynasty of rulers was begun by Egbert, King of Wessex, who reigned from 802 to 839. 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. The victory was a turning point in English history because it destroyed Mercian ascendancy and left Wessex the strongest of the English kingdoms. read more. (2018, November 19). Ecgberht's nearest connection to a previous king of Wessex was as a great-great-grandson of Ingild, brother of King Ine (688–726), but he was believed to be a paternal descendant of Cerdic, the founder of the West Saxon dy… Instead, in c 815 CE, Egbert led his armies west to conquer the region of Dumnonia (modern Cornwall) on his border. Updates? ex Lockett 455; from the Dorset hoard (PI. Egbert of Wessex dies; succeeded by son Aethelwulf. Egbert is known as the first king of all England. Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! type Moneyer Wt. Cerdic led the Saxon conquest of Britain from the Briton tribes. XXVII, 1). We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. 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. Reverse. 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. type Rev. The son of the great West Saxon king. Egbert is son of King Ealhmund of Wessex who descends from Cerdic, King of the West Saxons (reigned 519-34) - see AEM Charts. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/King_Egbert_of_Wessex/. He married Rædburh of Francia in Wessex. 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. 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