How did Wessex become the single anglo-saxon kingdom?

How did Wessex become the single anglo-saxon kingdom?

• How did Wessex become the single anglo-saxon kingdom? what aspect of life helped to unify people under the rule of Wessex?

• Answer:

  Anglo-Saxon England was a turbulent country with a number of competing kingdoms, always under threat from European invaders. As the Anglo-Saxons slowly colonised the country seven kingdoms were established which later became known as the “Heptarchy”. They were: East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Mercia, Northumbria, Sussex and Wessex There were many squabbles between them and the last three of the kingdoms; Mercia, Northumbria and Wessex were in a continuous state of war. Mercia, founded in about 500 A.D. occupied much of southern England up to the Trent basin. The first identifiable king was Creoda, who ruled from 586 to 593. He was succeeded by his son Wybba, who ruled until his death in 615 and followed by Ceorl and Penda who was one of the most powerful Mercian kings. A major influence was the coming of Christianity in the sixth and seventh centuries. It was brought by Irish monks to many places such as Iona in 563 and Lindesfarne in 635. King Penda who ruled from 632 to 654 was followed by his sons, Peada, Wulfhere and Ethelred. Tradition has it that King Wulfhere founded the Abbey of St. Mary at Wolverhampton (now St. Peter’s Church) in 659 but there is no proof of this. The diocese of Lichfield was formed when St. Chad was appointed as bishop of the Mercians in 669 with a central church at Lichfield. Ethelred conquered Kent in 676 and founded the monastery at Worcester in 679. In 685 Mercia became the supreme power when Northumbria was invaded by the Picts. Ethelred retired in 704 to a monastic life, to be succeeded by his nephew Cenred. His successors were Ceolred followed by Aethelbald. King Aethelbald came to power in 716. In his early years a hermit called Guthlac predicted that he would have great success in the future and he tried to live up to this by ruthlessly suppressing several of the smaller adjacent kingdoms. He attacked Northumbria with little success but Cynewulf, king of Wessex eventually acknowledged Aethelbald’s superiority. He had control of most of the country and almost became the king of the whole of England. He gave grants to many churches, created a number of monasteries and gave alms to the poorer members of society. In 757 he was killed in battle near Burford, Oxfordshire and his cousin Offa seized power. Offa is probably the best known Mercian king and was the first ruler to be called “King of the English”. To consolidate his position he formed alliances with Northumbria and Wessex and his daughters were married to their kings. Like his predecessor he ruthlessly suppressed any opposition. Between 784 and 786 he built Offa’s Dyke, a long earthwork running 149 miles along the western boundary of Mercia to keep out the Welsh. He introduced the English penny, which was the forerunner of modern coins. Most of the coins carried his portrait and some carried the portrait of his wife, Cynethryth. The coins were probably minted at Canterbury. He formed links with the Emperor Charlemagne and visited Rome in 792 to strengthen his links with the papacy.