The British Kings and Queens

Egbert 827-839

827

Egbert, in Old English Ecgbehrt, the first King of all England. He was the son of Ealhmund, King of Kent, who is mentioned in a charter of 784.
Following the murder of King Cynewulf, Egbert's kinsman, Beothric was elected to the vacant throne of Wessex in 786, but Egbert, who considered himself to have a better claim, contested his right.
Egbert was forced to take refuge at the court of the powerful Offa. Beothric responded by proposing an alliance between himself and Offa.

Aethelwulf 839-858

839

King of Wessex, son of Egbert and father of Alfred the Great. In 825 Aethelwulf was given the task of subduing the Anglo-Saxon states of Sussex, Kent and Essex. He then ruled these areas as sub-king on behalf of his father. When Egbert died in 839 Aethelwulf became king of Wessex. Aethelwulf had the responsibility of protecting his kingdom from the invasion by the Danes when the number and frequency of the attacks increased. In 851 Aethelwulf defeated a Danish army at the battle of Oakley

Aetheldald 858-860

858

The second son of Aethelwulf, Æthelbald was born around 834. He was crowned at Kingston-upon-Thames in southwest London, after forcing his father to abdicate upon his return from pilgrimage to Rome. Following his father's death in 858, he married his widowed stepmother Judith, but under pressure from the church the marriage was annulled after only a year. He is buried at Sherbourne Abbey in Dorset.

Aethelbert 860 866

860

Became king following the death of his brother Æthelbald. Like his brother and his father, Aethelbert (pictured to the right) was crowned at Kingston-upon-Thames. Shortly after his succession a Danish army landed and sacked Winchester before being defeated by the Saxons. In 865 the Viking Great Heathen Army landed in East Anglia and swept across England. He is buried at Sherborne Abbey.

Aethelred 866 – 871

866

Aethelred succeeded his brother Aethelbert. His reign was one long struggle with the Danes who had occupied York in 866, establishing the Viking kingdom of Yorvik. When the Danish Army moved south Wessex itself was threatened, and so together with his brother Alfred, they fought several battles with the Vikings at Reading, Ashdown and Basing. Aethelred suffered serious injuries during the next major battle at Meretun in Hampshire; he died of his wounds shortly after at Witchampton in Dorset

ALFRED THE GREAT 871 – 899

871

Son of AETHELWULF Born at Wantage in Berkshire around 849, Alfred was well educated and is said to have visited Rome on two occasions. He had proven himself to be a strong leader in many battles, and as a wise ruler managed to secure five uneasy years of peace with the Danes, before they attacked Wessex again in 877. Alfred was forced to retreat to a small island in the Somerset Levels and it was from here that he masterminded his comeback, perhaps 'burning the cakes' as a consequence.

EDWARD (The Elder) 899 – 924

899

Succeeded his father Alfred the Great. Edward retook southeast England and the Midlands from the Danes. Following the death of his sister Aethelflaed of Mercia, Edward unites the kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia. In 923, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles record that the Scottish King Constantine II recognises Edward as "father and lord". The following year, Edward is killed in a battle against the Welsh near Chester. His body is returned to Winchester for burial.

Athelstan 924 – 939

924

Son of Edward the Elder, Athelstan extended the boundaries of his kingdom at the Battle of Brunanburh in 937. In what is said to be one of the bloodiest battles ever fought on British soil, Athelstan defeated a combined army of Scots, Celts, Danes and Vikings, claiming the title of King of all Britain. The battle saw for the first time individual Anglo-Saxon kingdoms being brought together to create a single and unified England. Athelstan is buried in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.