The Earliest English Kings

by D. P. Kirby

Overview

The Earliest English Kings is a fascinating survey of Anglo-Saxon History from the sixth century to the eighth century and the death of King Alfred. It explains and explores the 'Heptarchy' or the seven kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England, as well as the various peoples within them, wars, religion, King Offa and the coming of the Vikings. With maps and family trees, this book reveals the complex, distant and tumultuous events of Anglo-Saxon politics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415242103
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/28/2000
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	284
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Lexile:	1820L (what's this?)

Table of Contents

Abbreviation — List of figure — Preface to second edition — Preface — The peoples and kingdoms of pre-Viking England — The 'Heptarchy' — The Tribal Hidage — Angles or Saxons? — Hierarchies of command: the Brytenwealda — The problem of nomenclature — Early Kent — The reign of Aethelberht — The pagan reaction under Eadbald — The sequel — The early kings of the western Saxons — The Anglian territories in the late sixth and early seventh centuries — The struggle for political and military leadership — The Deirans and the Bernicians — The wars with the northern Britons — The northern Anglian hegemony in the seventh century — The Humbrian overlordship of Eadwine — Eadwine's British wars — The reign of Oswald — The battle of the Winwaed — The last phase of northern domination in southern England — Military recovery in north Britain under Oswiu and Ecgfrith — Ecclesiastical politics — The southumbrian kingdoms from the mid-seventh to the mid-eighth century — The reign of Wulfhere — The ascendancy of Caedwalla and its aftermath — Reconstruction — The reign of Aethelbald — Northumbria in the eighth century — Offa — The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the first three-quarters of the ninth century — The Mercian successors of Offa — Ecgberht, king of Wessex — Northumbria — King Aethelwulf and his sons — The coming of the Vikings — Appendix — Notes — Index.