The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
A thesis submitted to the University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities.
2015
Peter J W Burch
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
Peter J W Burch
2
Table of Contents
List of Abbreviations p. 5
List of Figures, Illustrations and Tables p. 8
Abstract p. 11
Declaration p. 12
Copyright Statement p. 13
Acknowledgements p. 14
Introduction p. 15
Early Anglo-Saxon Kingship and the Historian p. 16
Approach and Programme of Study p. 25
Section One: Anglo-Saxon Kingship and Archaeology p. 29
Elite Burial p. 30
Probably Kingly Burials p. 34
Possibly Kingly Burials p. 46
Discussion p. 49
Conclusions p. 63
Elite Settlement p. 65
Roman Military Sites of Northern Britain p. 68
Lincoln, Wroxeter and the Towns of Roman Britain p. 74
Yeavering and Rural Settlements p. 79
Enclosed Settlements p. 91
Conclusions p. 95
Post-Script on Numismatic Evidence p. 98
Section Two: Anglo-Saxon Kingship and History p. 103
The Fifth and Sixth Centuries p. 104
Zosimus’s New History p. 107
Constantius’s Vita Germani episcopi p. 111
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
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The Writings of Saint Patrick p. 113
The Gallic Chronicles of 452 and 511 p. 116
Gildas’s De excidio et conquestu Britanniae p. 118
Procopius’s History of the Wars p. 126
Conclusions p. 127
The Seventh and Early Eighth Centuries: Narrative Sources p. 130
Papal Letters and Conversion p. 131
Church Councils and Reform p. 135
Archbishop Theodore and the Early Church p. 137
The Career and Writings of Aldhelm p. 139
Bede and the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum p. 145
Hagiography in the Early Eighth Century p. 171
Conclusions p. 176
The Seventh and Early Eighth Centuries: Documentary Sources p. 180
Law Codes p. 180
Diplomas p. 189
Genealogies and Regnal Lists p. 199
The Tribal Hidage p. 203
Conclusions p. 211
Section Three: The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship? p. 214
Conclusions p. 215
Appendices p. 227
I: Probable and Possible Kingly Burial Sites p. 227
II: Female Bed Burials p. 228
III: Calculation for Estimating the Volume of a Burial Mound p. 230
IV: Coefficient to Estimate Man-Hours p. 232
V: Estimated Volumes of Kingly Burial Mounds p. 233
VI: Categories of Kingly Activity in the Narrative Sources p. 234
Peter J W Burch
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VII: Activities of Kings in the Historia ecclesiastica p. 236
VIII: Activities of Kings, by King, in the Historia ecclesiastica p. 252
IX: Activities of Kings in the Early Hagiographies p. 278
X: Activities of Royal Women in the Narrative Sources p. 286
XI: Names and Associated Hides in the Tribal Hidage p. 293
Bibliography p. 295
Word Count: 85, 414
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
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List of Abbreviations
Abt. The Laws of Æthelberht I of Kent. Edition and Translation: L. Oliver, The
Beginnings of English Law (Toronto, 2002). Also F. Liebermann (ed.),
Die Gesetze der Angelsachsen, (trans.) F. Liebermann, 3 vols (Halle,
1903-16). References are to clauses in Oliver’s edition with the
corresponding clauses in Liebermann’s edition indicated in brackets.
Anon.VC Anon, Vita sancti Cuthberti auctore anonymo. Edition and Translation:
B. Colgrave (ed.), Two Lives of St. Cuthbert: A Life by an Anonymous
Monk of Lindisfarne and Bede's Prose Life, (trans.) B. Colgrave
(Cambridge, 1940). Narrative sources are referenced by book and
chapter, as relevant, unless otherwise specified.
Anon.VG Anon, Vita sancti Gregorii pape. Edition and Translation: B. Colgrave
(ed.), The Earliest Life of Gregory the Great, (trans.) B. Colgrave
(Cambridge, 1968).
ASC The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Edition: B. Thorpe (ed.), Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle, According to the Several Original Authorities, (trans.) B.
Thrope, 2 vols (London, 1861). Modern Translation: M. Swanton
(trans.), The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles (London, 2000). Referenced by
year.
Bede.VC Bede, Vita sancti Cuthberti auctore Beda. Edition and Translation:
Colgrave (ed.), Two Lives of St. Cuthbert.
Beo Anon, Beowulf. Edition: R. D. Fulk, R. E. Bjork, J. D. Niles, and F.
Klaeber (eds), Klaeber's Beowulf: And the Fight at Finnsburg (Toronto,
2008). Translation: S. Heaney (trans.), Beowulf (London, 1999).
Reference by line.
Con.VG Constantius of Lyon, Vita sancti Germani. Edition and Translation: R.
Borius (ed.), Vie de saint Germain d'Auxerre, (trans.) R. Borius (Paris,
Peter J W Burch
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1965). English Translation: F. R. Hoare (ed.), The Western Fathers:
Being the Lives of SS. Martin of Tours, Ambrose, Augustine of Hippo,
Honoratus of Arles and Germanus of Auxerre, (trans.) F. R. Hoare
(London, 1954).
DEB Gildas, De excidio et conquestu Britanniae. Edition and Translation: M.
Winterbottom (ed.), The Ruin of Britain and Other Documents, (trans.)
M. Winterbottom (London and Chichester, 1978).
Epp Gregory I, Registrum epistularum. Edition: D. Norberg (ed.), Registrum
epistularum, 2 vols (Turnhout, 1982). Translation: J. R. C. Martyn
(trans.), The Letters of Gregory the Great, 3 vols (Toronto, 2004).
Felix.VG Felix, Vita sancti Guthlaci. Edition and Translation: B. Colgrave (ed.), B.
Colgrave (trans.) Felix's Life of Saint Guthlac (Cambridge, 1956).
HA Bede, Historia Abbatum. Edition and Translation: C. Growcock and I. N.
Wood (eds), Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow: Bede's Homily i. 13 on
Benedict Biscop; Bede's History of the Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow;
The Anonymous Life of Ceolfrith; Bede's Letter to Ecgberht, Bishop of
York, (trans.) C. Growcock and I. N. Wood (Oxford, 2013).
HB Anon, Historia Brittonum. Edition and Translation: J. Morris (ed.),
British History and the Welsh Annals, (trans.) J. Morris (London, 1980).
HE Bede, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum. Edition and Translation:
R. A. B. Mynors and B. Colgrave (eds), Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of
the English People, (trans.) B. Colgrave (Oxford, 1992).
Hl. The Laws of Hlothhere and Eadric of Kent. Edition and Translation:
Oliver, Beginnings of English Law. Also Liebermann (ed.), Die Gesetze
der Angelsachsen.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
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In. The Laws of Ine of the West Saxons. Edition: Liebermann (ed.), Die
Gesetze der Angelsachsen. English Translation: F. L. Attenborough (ed.),
The Laws of the Earliest English Kings, (trans.) F. L. Attenborough
(Cambridge, 1922).
S P. H. Sawyer, Anglo-Saxon Charters: An Annotated List and Bibliography
(London, 1968). An up-dated version is available from
http://www.esawyer.org.uk/. Charters are cited by Sawyer number.
VCeol Anon, Vita Ceolfridi. Edition and Translation: Growcock and Wood
(eds), Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow.
VW Stephen of Ripon, Vita sancti Wilfridi. Edition and Translation: B.
Colgrave (ed.), The Life of Bishop Wilfrid by Eddius Stephanus, (trans.)
B. Colgrave (Cambridge, 1927).
Wht. The Laws of Whitred of Kent. Edition and Translation: Oliver, Beginnings
of English Law. Also Liebermann (ed.), Die Gesetze der Angelsachsen.
Peter J W Burch
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List of Figures, Illustrations and Tables1
Fig.1 Imprint of the Ship in 1939, Mound One, Sutton Hoo
(photograph: © Trustees of the British Museum) p. 35
Fig.2 Gold and Garnet Shoulder Clasp, Mound One, Sutton Hoo
(photograph: © Trustees of the British Museum) p. 36
Fig.3 Reconstructed Helmet from Mound One, Sutton Hoo
(photograph: © Trustees of the British Museum) p. 37
Fig.4 Replica Drinking Horns Based on Artefacts from Mound One,
Sutton Hoo (photograph: © Trustees of the British Museum) p. 38
Fig.5 Replica Whet Stone ‘Sceptre’, Mound One, Sutton Hoo
(photograph: © Trustees of the British Museum) p. 39
Fig.6 Iron Axe-Hammer, Mound One, Sutton Hoo (photograph:
© Trustees of the British Museum) p. 40
Fig.7 Reconstructed Mound Two, Sutton Hoo (photograph) p. 43
Fig.8 Reconstructed Mound Two, Sutton Hoo, Viewed from
Across the River Deben (photograph) p. 44
Fig.9 View to the East of Sutton Hoo (photograph) p. 54
Fig.10 View to the West of Sutton Hoo, Across the River Deben
(photograph) p. 55
Fig.11 St. Botolph’s Church, Iken and the River Alde (photograph) p. 56
Fig.12 View of Yeavering Bell from the Yeavering Settlement Site
(photograph) p. 88
Fig.13 View of Yeavering Bell from Adjacent to the Maelim
Heritage Trail (photograph) p. 89
Fig.14 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica (graph) p. 151
Fig.15 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped
by King (graph) p. 152
Fig.16 Categories of Activity Associated with Kings in Bede's
Historia ecclesiastica (graph) p. 152
Fig.17 Categories of Activity Associated with Kings in Bede’s
Historia ecclesiastica (graph, excluding the sub-category of
1
Unless otherwise stated, all figures, illustrations or tables are copyright of the author.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
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‘narrative reference point’) p. 153
Fig.18 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica –
Association with Religion (graph) p. 154
Fig.19 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped
by King – Association with Religion (graph) p. 154
Fig.20 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica –
Intra-Dynastic Relations (graph) p. 157
Fig.21 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped
by King – Intra-Dynastic Relations (graph) p. 157
Fig.22 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica –
Extra-Dynastic Relations (graph) p. 161
Fig.23 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped
by King – Extra-Dynastic Relations (graph) p. 161
Fig.24 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica –
Warfare (graph) p. 163
Fig.25 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped
by King – Warfare (graph) p. 163
Fig.26 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica –
Other (graph) p. 167
Fig.27 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped
by King – Other (graph) p. 168
Fig.28 Probable Kingly Burial Sites (table) p. 227
Fig.29 Possible Kingly Burial Sites (table) p. 227
Fig.30 Female Bed Burials (table) p. 228
Fig.31 Further Possible Female Bed Burials (table) p. 228
Fig.32 Burial Mound in Radial Section (diagram) p. 230
Fig.33 Burial Mound Modelled as a Spherical Cap (diagram) p. 230
Fig.34 Estimated Volumes of Probable Kingly Burial Mounds
(table) p. 233
Fig.35 Estimated Volumes of Possible Kingly Burial Mounds
(table) p. 233
Fig.36 Activities of Kings in the Historia ecclesiastica (table) p. 236
Fig.37 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped
by King – Association with Religion (table) p. 252
Peter J W Burch
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Fig.38 Activities of Kings in Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica Grouped
By King – Warfare (table) p. 258
Fig.39 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped
by King – Extra-Dynastic Relations (table) p. 263
Fig.40 Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped
by King – Intra-Dynastic Relations (table) p. 268
Fig.41 Activities of Kings in Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica Grouped
By King – Other (table) p. 272
Fig.42 Activities of Kings in the Vita sancti Cuthberti auctore
Anonymo (table) p. 278
Fig.43 Activates of Kings in the Vita sancti Gregorii pape (table) p. 278
Fig.44 Activities of Kings in the Vita sancti Wilfridi (table) p. 279
Fig.45 Activities of Kings in Homily I.13 On Benedict Biscop
(table) p. 282
Fig.46 Activities of Kings in the Historia Abbatum (table) p. 283
Fig.47 Activities of Kings in the Vita Ceolfridi (table) p. 283
Fig.48 Activities of Kings in the Vita sancti Cuthberti auctore
Beda (table) p. 284
Fig.49 Activities of Kings in the Vita sancti Guthlaci (table) p. 284
Fig.50 Activities of Royal Women in the Vita sancti
Cuthberti auctore anonynmo (table) p. 286
Fig.51 Activities of Royal Women in the Vita sancti Gregorii
pape (table) p. 286
Fig.52 Activities of Royal Women in the Vita sancti Wilfridi (table) p. 286
Fig.53 Activities of Royal Women in the Vita sancti Cuthberti
auctore Beda (table) p. 288
Fig.54 Activities of Royal Women in the Historia ecclesiastica
(table) p. 288
Fig.55 Activities of Royal Women in the Vita sancti Guthlaci
(table) p. 292
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
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Abstract
The origins of kingship have typically been accepted as a natural or inevitable
development by scholars. The purpose of this thesis is to question that assumption. This
work will re-examine the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship through a coherent and
systematic survey of the available and pertinent archaeological and historical sources,
addressing them by type, by period and as their varying natures require.
The thesis begins with the archaeological evidence. ‘Elite’ burials, such as
Mound One, Sutton Hoo, will be ranked according to their probability of kingliness. This
process will point to elite burial as being a regionally-specific, predominately-seventhcentury,
phenomenon of an ideologically-aware, sophisticated and established political
institution. Consequently, elite burial cannot be seen as an indication of the origins of
kingship, but can instead be interpreted as a development or experiment within kingship.
Analysis of ‘elite’ settlements, such as Yeavering, and numismatic evidence, will lead to
similar conclusions. Further, consideration of various other settlement types – former
Roman military sites in Northern Britain, former Roman Towns, and enclosed
settlements – will point to various potential origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship in the form
of continuities with previous Roman, Romano-British or British power structures.
The thesis will go on to consider the historical sources. Those of the fifth and
sixth centuries, primarily Gildas’s De excidio et conquestu Britanniae, point to several
factors of note. The cessation of formal imperial rule over Britain following c.410
effectively created a power vacuum. Various new sources of political power are
observable attempting to fill this vacuum, one of which, ultimately, was kingship.
Through analogy with contemporary British kingdoms, it is possible to suggest that this
development of kingship in England may be placed in the early sixth, if not the fifth,
centuries. This would make the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship significantly earlier
than typically thought. This kingship was characterised by the conduct of warfare, its
dependence on personal relationships, and particularly by its varying degrees of status
and differing manifestations of power covered by the term king.
Further details will be added to this image through the narrative and documentary
sources of the seventh and early eighth centuries. These predominately shed light on the
subsequent development of kingship, particularly its growing association with
Christianity. Indeed, the period around c.600 can be highlighted as one of notable change
within Anglo-Saxon kingship. However, it is possible to point to the practice of food
rents, tolls and the control of resources serving as an economic foundation for kingship,
while legal intervention and claimed descent from gods also provide a potential basis of
power. Several characteristics of seventh- and early-eighth-century kingship will also be
highlighted as being relevant to its origins – the conduct of warfare and the exercise of
over-kingship – relating to the general propensity for amalgamation through conquest.
Other trajectories are also highlighted, specifically continuity from previous
Roman and British entities and the development of ‘pop-up’ kingdoms. The overall
result is one in which long-term amalgamation and short-term disintegration and reconstitution
were equally in evidence, set against the wider context of broad regional
continuities. Overall, therefore, the thesis will not fully resolve the issue of the origins
of Anglo-Saxon kingship, but it does offer a means to re-frame discussion, explore the
social and economic underpinnings of kingship and assess its primacy as an institution
within early Anglo-Saxon England.
Peter J W Burch
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Declaration
No portion of the work referred to in the thesis has been submitted in support of an
application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other
institute of learning.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
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Copyright Statement
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The University Library’s regulations (see http://www.manchester.ac.uk/library/
aboutus/regulations) and in The University’s policy on Presentation of Theses.
Peter J W Burch
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Acknowledgements
The debts incurred in the production of this thesis are many and varied. Thanks in the
first instance must go to the Arts and Humanities Research Council without whose
financial support this thesis would not have been possible. Likewise, I would like to
thank my erstwhile supervisors, Nicholas Higham and Paul Fouracre, for their patience,
encouragement and unstinting generosity with their time and expertise over the past four
years. Production of this thesis has only been made achievable through their guidance
and support. Special mention must also go to Ann-Marie McCormack who has been
instrumental in helping me organise my thoughts, my time, and actually get the thesis
written, and to Simon Hall and Katherine Sheldrick who have generously accommodated
me at unexpected and intermittent intervals over the last four years. I would also like to
thank Jennifer Care, Lucy Care, Charles Insely, Luca Larpi, Stephen Mossman, Martin
Ryan, David Rollason and Mary Winter, whom have variously read the thesis in whole
or in part, discussed issues or ideas with me, or furnished me with their work in advance
of publication. Together they have saved me from numerous errors or omissions and
made the thesis far better than it would have been otherwise. Finally, I would like to
thank my family for their unceasing support and forbearance, Jennifer Care for putting
up with more conversations about kingship than anyone can be reasonably expected to
tolerate, and all those who have taught me over the years, formally and informally: it was
you who kindled my interest in the past and set me on the road to this point. All errors
and omissions, of course, remain my own.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
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Introduction
This thesis is concerned with the exercise of authority, how it becomes established and
why it is accepted. It focuses on a specific historical context – early Anglo-Saxon
England – and a specific form of authority – Anglo-Saxon kingship. Attempting such a
study might be regarded as antiquated or inherently dated.1
Certainly, recent
historiographical trends have moved away from the exclusive study of kings and
institutions – areas which have traditionally formed the core of Anglo-Saxon
scholarship.2
Nonetheless, early Anglo-Saxon society as it appears in the historical
sources is dominated by two institutions: kingship and the Church. All of the written
sources dating from this period are their products. Moreover, the written sources deal
primarily with these two institutions, and their interface, only rarely or indirectly
addressing broader society. As a result, early Anglo-Saxon England can only be fully
appreciated through an understanding of these two phenomena. This thesis will focus
upon the former, although due to the nature of the sources it will also necessarily touch
upon the latter.
It is perhaps surprising, in light of its significance, that the origins of AngloSaxon
kingship, as opposed to the origins of kingdoms, have often been ignored by
scholars. Kingship has typically been assumed to be a natural or inevitable political
development. Scholars, while accustomed to thinking in terms of kingly authority, have
not sought to question its beginnings or its nature. Moreover, interpretations of the period
have often been based upon highly problematic theorisations, the single concept of
invasion often serving as an all-encompassing explanation, extending even to the origins
of kingship. It must be acknowledged that the source material germane to the origins of
Anglo-Saxon kingship is both sparse and highly intractable and that this has undoubtedly
served as an impediment to its study. Nonetheless, it is not so sparse or so intractable as
not to allow for a meaningful investigation. This thesis, therefore, sets out to survey
systematically the available evidence in order to facilitate a coherent re-evaluation of the
origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. This will also allow the limits of what it is possible or
reasonable to know to be established. First, however, it is necessary to examine the
1
Upon detailing my research, one colleague, who shall remain nameless, described it as a ‘Proper
Medieval Topic’, with all the pejorative overtones that might imply.
2
As, for example, Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World; or the articles in Hamerow, Hinton, and
Crawford (eds), Handbook of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology.
Peter J W Burch
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historiography of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. Only by doing so can previous
problematic interpretations be transcended and a new understanding of the origins of
Anglo-Saxon kingship be reached.
Early Anglo-Saxon Kingship and the Historian
The origins of what might be considered the academic study of the Anglo-Saxons lie
with Turner’s 1799 The History of the Anglo-Saxons from Their First Appearance above
the Elbe, to the Death of Egbert.3
Turner, originally trained in the legal profession, was
a pioneering historian. He set out to establish a new paradigm for the study of AngloSaxon
history, and to a large extent was successful in achieving this.4
He brought new
sources to public attention and emphasised the importance of the Anglo-Saxon period to
the history of England.5
Underpinning his work was a wide-ranging use and analysis of
sources. Indeed, in his use of British sources, Turner was much in advance of many of
those who followed him. This marked a notable shift from the previous century where
works such as Hume’s 1754-62 The History of England saw Anglo-Saxon history as
nasty and brutish, leading to its treatment being correspondingly short.6
More problematically, Turner also saw the foundations of present-day institutions
in the early Anglo-Saxon period. Institutions such as the witan were emphasised as part
of a balanced constitution.7
Turner saw this balancing of powers as continuing to
underpin the English State.8
This was perhaps the most influential aspect of his work, as
this attitude can be seen throughout nineteenth-century scholarship, if not beyond.9
It
might be thought that given this premise Turner would have afforded the origins of early
Anglo-Saxon kingship in-depth treatment, but he did not. He addressed the narrative and
succession of early Anglo-Saxon kings in detail but barely theorised on the origins or
nature of their power. Furthermore, what interpretation he did offer – that Anglo-Saxon
kingship was ultimately Roman in origin, deriving from the conquest of independent
3
Subsequently expanded as Turner, History of the Anglo-Saxons, 4 vols.
4
Turner, History of the Anglo-Saxons, vol I, pp. iii-vii; Lyon, 'Turner, Sharon'.
5
Turner, History of the Anglo-Saxons, vol 4, pp. 399-408, for example, provided the first English
translations of Beowulf.
6
Hume, History of England, vol I, p. 1.
7
Turner, History of the Anglo-Saxons, vol 4, pp. 273-87. Further: Wormald, Making of English Law, pp.
4-14.
8
Turner, History of the Anglo-Saxons, vol 1, p. 2.
9
As Green, History of the English People, vol I, p. 13; Green, Making of England, pp. v-vi; Stubbs,
Constitutional History, vol I, pp. v-vi; Freeman, History of the Norman Conquest, vol I, pp. 1-7; Kemble,
Saxons in England, vol I, pp. v-viii.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
17
kingdoms which had evolved from former Roman civitates – did not gain lasting
currency.10
1849 saw the publication of Kemble’s Saxons in England. As with Turner’s
work, Kemble saw the Anglo-Saxon period as explaining his own. Saxons in England
would set the interpretative agenda for the following century, although rarely would the
expertise or subtlety of its scholarship be matched. It provided another significant
advance in Anglo-Saxon historiography, introducing German intellectual advances to an
English-speaking audience.11
The essential premise of the work was that early AngloSaxon
England was settled by Continental Germanic peoples and that by understanding
these peoples in their Continental homelands – in large part through Tacitus’s Germania
– early Anglo-Saxon England could also be understood.12
Kemble envisaged these
peoples as forming the population of early England through a complex process of trade,
contact, intermarriage and settlement.13
This held very different implications for the
origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship than those espoused by Turner, not least because
Kemble saw kingship as innate to Germanic society. The origins of Anglo-Saxon
kingship were thus directly linked to the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons. Its immediate
origins lay in internecine strife between the small political entities established by the
Germanic migrants.14
More broadly, it was akin to Germanic kingship, seen by Kemble
as the fusion of sacral, judicial and latterly military roles. These roles were originally
elective, but over time had become hereditary.15
In less subtle hands aspects of this interpretation could become exceedingly
problematic. Where Kemble had rejected early sources such as the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle, the Historia Brittonum, and even to an extent Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica
gentis Anglorum, as being so many insubstantial and unreliable origin myths,16
they were
enthusiastically embraced by many of those who followed him.17
This transformed a
complex process of interaction and settlement into a simplistic narrative of violent
conquest.18
Prime amongst such works were those of the late-nineteenth-century
10
Turner, History of the Anglo-Saxons, vol I, pp. 127-44, 162-77.
11
Haigh, 'Kemble, John Mitchell'. More broadly: Arnold, What is Medieval History?, p. 11-12; Evans,
In Defence of History pp. 17-18; Bentley, Modern Historiography, 36-42.
12
Kemble, Saxons in England, 2 vols, passim.
13
Kemble, Saxons in England, vol I, pp. 1-21.
14
Kemble, Saxons in England, vol II, pp. 2-5.
15
Kemble, Saxons in England, vol I, pp. 137-52.
16
Kemble, Saxons in England, vol I, pp. 1-33, particularly 22-33.
17
Typified by Freeman, Old English History, p. 33.
18
As Green, Making of England, pp. 27-130.
Peter J W Burch
18
triumvirate of Stubbs, Green and Freeman.19
The work of these three was highly
influential, both academically and popularly.20
Their books tapped into the emerging
ideas of race, natural selection and nationalism. The result was a racially-oriented
developmental approach to early Anglo-Saxon history which saw the past as the direct
precursor to the present and saw the Anglo-Saxons as a series of discrete and readilyidentifiable
ethnic units.21
The origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship were similarly
incorporated into this all-consuming narrative. Kingship was treated as a natural byproduct
of the conquest of England by the Anglo-Saxons, their leaders becoming the
earliest kings.22
This interpretation, especially those aspects concerning ethnicity and
invasion/migration, has proved, and continues to prove, particularly influential within
the then emerging field of archaeology. For much of the nineteenth century, with a few
notable exceptions, archaeology was largely antiquarian in nature, seeking to describe
artefacts rather than to offer broader explanations of material culture.23
However, around
the end of the nineteenth century archaeologists started to become increasingly
ambitious. Typifying this was the work of Leeds – famous, amongst other things, for
discovering the first Anglo-Saxon settlement at Sutton Courtenay – who attempted to
offer archaeological interpretations of early Anglo-Saxon England.24
However, rather
than establishing new, archaeological, interpretative paradigms, Leeds adopted those of
his historical counterparts. Thus he saw England as becoming Anglo-Saxon through a
process of migration and the mapping of Germanic customs onto British soil.25
Much as
19
Variously Green, Short History of the English People, 2 vols; Green, History of the English People, 4
vols; Green, Making of England; Stubbs, Constitutional History, 3 vols; Freeman, Old English History;
Freeman, History of the Norman Conquest, 6 vols; Stubbs (ed.), Select Charters. Further: Barlow,
'Freeman, Edward Augustus'; Campbell, 'Stubbs, William'; Brundage, 'Green, John Richard'.
20
Stubbs (ed.), Select Charters, was particularly important in this regard. Further: Slee, Learning and a
Liberal Education, pp. 90-91; Trevelyan, An Autobiography and Other Essays, p. 12; Tanner, 'Teaching
of Constitutional History', p. 54.
21
Wood, Modern Origins, pp. 199-217; Geary, Myth of Nations, pp. 15-40; MacDougall, Racial Myth in
English History, pp. 89-103; Horsman, 'Origins of Racial Anglo-Saxonism'.
22
Green, Making of England, passim; Stubbs, Constitutional History, vol I, pp. 75-77; Freeman, History
of the Norman Conquest, vol I, pp. 23-27.
23
As Fausett, Inventorium Sepulchrale; Bateman, Ten Years' Diggings; Wylie, Fairford Graves;
Bateman, Vestiges of the Antiquities of Derbyshire; Akerman, Archaeological Index. But c.f. Wright,
The Celt, the Roman; Kemble, Horae Ferales; Akerman, Remains of Pagan Saxondom. Further:
Williams, 'Anglo-Saxonism and Victorian Archaeology'; Williams, 'Heathen Graves and Victorian
Anglo-Saxonism'; Williams, 'Remains of Pagan Saxondom?'.
24
Leeds, Archaeology of the Anglo-Saxon Settlements; Leeds, Early Anglo-Saxon Art and Archaeology.
On Sutton Courtenay: Leeds, 'Sutton Courtenay: Third Report'; Leeds, 'Sutton Courtenay (Second
Report)'; Leeds, 'Sutton Courtenay'.
25
Leeds, Archaeology of the Anglo-Saxon Settlements, passim; Leeds, Early Anglo-Saxon Art and
Archaeology, pp. 20-40.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
19
with Kemble, this was a gradual process of contact and settlement and consequently
kingship did not feature substantially in his work. Typifying this approach were his
distribution maps of Anglo-Saxon brooch types which he used to show the progress of
Anglo-Saxon settlers across early England.26
A precursor to this approach may be found
in the work of Guest who, using historical geography and place-names, effectively
plotted the narrative of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in a series of maps.27
Such maps,
however, and archaeology generally, are hugely dependent upon their interpretation.28
This, in essence, is the difficulty of archaeology. It has the potential to reveal
new and important insights concerning the past, but making sense of and contextualising
its offerings is often challenging due to its mute nature. It is particularly susceptible to
being absorbed into the historiographical debates and interpretative paradigms. Much of
the recent history of archaeology has revolved around the insistence that it speak with its
own voice, although there remains a tendency to resort to problematic historiographical
paradigms for interpretative assistance.29
Not at all helpful in this respect has been the
tendency of historians to ignore or neglect archaeological information,30
although it
should be noted that there are exceptions to this pattern.31
The interpretation of migration and conquest reached its apogee in Stenton’s 1943
Anglo-Saxon England.32
This was undoubtedly a masterpiece of scholarship. It distilled
the previous century-and-a-half’s research across a range of sources and quickly reached
canonical status.33
Stenton’s work also marked the culmination of a process of gradual
re-assessment which had led to the teleological tones and excessive nationalism fading
26
Leeds, 'Distribution of Angles and Saxons'.
27
Guest, 'Early English Settlements'; Guest, 'The English Conquest of the Severn Valley'; Guest,
'Boundaries that Separated the Welsh and English'. But c.f. Stevenson, 'Dr. Guest and the English
Conquest'.
28
A distribution map of Roman Britain, for example, shows two linear features: Hadrian’s Wall and
HS1! More broadly: Goffart, 'Map of the Barbarian Invasions?'.
29
Halsall, 'Archaeology and Historiography', pp. 26-38.
30
Halsall, 'Archaeology and Historiography', pp. 38-48; Biddle, 'Archaeology and the Beginnings of
English Society', pp. 391-92.
31
As Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World; Halsall, Worlds of Arthur; Fleming, Britain after Rome.
32
Along similar lines from the intervening period: Jolliffe, Constitutional History of Medieval England;
Hodgkin, History of the Ango-Saxons; Liebermann, National Assembly; Beck, 'Teutonic Conquest of
Britain'; Oman, England before the Norman Conquest. Also, subsequently, Whitelock, Beginnings of
English Society.
More innovative in their approaches: Collingwood and Myres, Roman Britain and the English
Settlements; Chadwick, Studies on Anglo-Saxon Institutions; Chadwick, Origin of the English Nation;
Maitland, Domesday Book and Beyond; Pollock and Maitland, History of English Law, 2 vols. This
period also saw the inception of the Victoria County History series and the beginnings of the English
Place-Name Society and associated publications.
33
Holt, 'Stenton, Sir Frank Merry'; Campbell, 'Stenton's Anglo-Saxon England'.
Peter J W Burch
20
from the levels seen with Freeman, Stubbs and Green. The reliance on the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle had similarly lessened, but the explanatory motif of invasion by Germanic
peoples, and the consequent import of culture and institutions, still took centre stage in
the interpretation.34
This invasion was accomplished, much as with Kemble, by ‘bodies
of adventurers’ who came with pre-existing ideas of kingship, potential kings being those
able to claim divine ancestry.35
Stenton saw the beginnings of early Anglo-Saxon
kingship in this process of conquest and saw kings as developing from the war-leaders
of this period. This picture was expanded by the idea of over-kings, who formed larger
confederacies, although these lasted only as long as the over-king was alive and could
maintain his power, it being a personal position.36
Stenton’s conception of kingship,
therefore, was both hierarchical and militaristic, although there are also implications of
wider functions. However, such glimpses are relatively few. Stenton had much to say
concerning the deeds of kings, but little about their actual position. He was interested in
verifiable, ‘factual’ political history rather than more abstract theorising or reflection.
Early Anglo-Saxon kingship, in his view, was simply a natural development.
Prior to the publication of Anglo-Saxon England, various dissenting strands had
begun to emerge within Anglo-Saxon scholarship. These sought new ways of viewing
early Anglo-Saxon England and, at times, Anglo-Saxon Kingship.37
Subsequent to the
publication of Anglo-Saxon England these dissenting voices only gained in strength.
Blair, for example, in his 1956 Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England, although following
similar interpretative channels to Stenton, afforded kingship a much more systematic and
in-depth examination.38
John, meanwhile, in typically iconoclastic style, sought to
undermine and demolish Stenton’s work directly.39
John focused primarily upon issues
of land tenure, but the implications of his work, although underappreciated, went much
further. Indeed, there was a general shift away from an emphasis on the Germanic origins
of the Anglo-Saxons associated with a broader re-evaluation of the extant written
records. Particularly important in this respect was the work of Dumville and Sims-
34
Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 1-31.
35
Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, p. 37.
36
Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 33-36.
37
As Seebohm, English Village Community, and the works of Maitland and Chadwick, note 33.
Specifically on kingship: Larson, King's Household. Although following historiographical paradigms,
the disciplines of archaeology and place-name studies also offered new, challenging, perspectives.
38
Blair, Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 194-222.
39
John, Orbis Britanniae, p. v. Further: John, Reassessing Anglo-Saxon England; John, Land Tenure in
Early England, passim.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
21
Williams.40
The ethnic assumptions of Stenton’s thesis were similarly being challenged
as the mutable and flexible nature of ethnicity became increasingly appreciated.41
Similarly, archaeology was being placed on an entirely new footing, first by the advent
of ‘New Archaeology’, and then by post-processual archaeology, which increasingly
sought to separate archaeology from history as a discipline.42
Central to many of these interpretative shifts was the work of Wallace-Hadrill.
His 1970 Ford Lectures, published as Early Germanic Kingship in England and On the
Continent, undoubtedly represent the single most important piece of scholarship on
Anglo-Saxon kingship of his generation. They demonstrated the validity, even the
necessity, of approaching Anglo-Saxon history with a Continental awareness.43
Its thesis
regarding the origins of kingship, crudely put, was that whatever its potential German
origins, kingship amongst the Anglo-Saxons and in the other post-imperial kingdoms
was essentially a product of the Roman Empire.44
As such it pointed to a very different
conceptualisation of the early Anglo-Saxon past from that of Stenton. The greatest
strength of the work was its skill in handling the available sources and its subtle
unravelling of the interplay between ecclesiastical ideal and kingly reality. Although
hardly an extensive treatment of kingship, it continues to reward the diligent reader.
Similarly typical of this new approach was the work of Campbell, who, in his The AngloSaxons,
avoided direct statements regarding the nature or number of Anglo-Saxon
migrants, and emphasised the potential influence of England’s British inhabitants,45
together with its Roman legacy.46
Kingship also received much greater attention,
although Campbell’s caution meant that he felt unable to theorise with regard to its
40
Sims-Williams, 'Gildas and the Anglo-Saxons'; Sims-Williams, 'Settlement of England'; Dumville,
'History and Legend'; with the essays in Dumville, Histories and Pseudo-Histories. Also Yorke,
'Contribution of Written Sources'; Yorke, 'Fact or Fiction?'.
41
Classically Geary, 'Identity as a Situational Construct'. Also, the essays in Pohl and Reimitz (eds),
Strategies of Distinction. Further: Anderson, Imagined Communities; Moreland, 'Ethnicity, Power and
the English'; Sims-Williams, 'Genetics, Linguistics, and Prehistory'; Reynolds, 'What Do We Mean by
"Anglo-Saxon"'.
42
Johnson, 'Theoretical Scene', pp. 74-82; Halsall, 'Archaeology and Historiography', pp. 26-38.
43
In this it followed Levison, England and the Continent.
44
Wallace-Hadrill, Early Germanic Kingship, pp. 1-20. In this it was akin to the concept of Late
Antiquity, as Brown, World of Late Antiquity, passim. Further, the essays in Johnson (ed.), Handbook to
Late Antiquity.
45
The role of the Britons had largely been ignored up until this period: Williams, 'Forgetting the Britons';
Lucy, 'Pots to People', pp. 148-49. This was changed by Morris, Age of Arthur; Alcock, Arthur's Britain.
But c.f., Dumville, 'History and Legend'.
46
Campbell (ed.), Anglo-Saxons, pp. 23-44.
Peter J W Burch
22
origins.47
Continuity and transition were thus incorporated alongside migration and
change.
Modern scholarship on the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship can be dated quite
closely to the years around 1989. This year saw the publication of the edited volume,
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms. In his introduction to the volume, Bassett laid
out two models of kingdom formation.48
It is these models which have come closest to
theorising the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship and they have formed the basis for
subsequent discussion. The first model posited that the early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms
were based upon ongoing continuities with previous Romano-British governmental
units. The second postulated a more complete societal breakdown following the
cessation of formal Roman rule in Britain, creating a series of small tribal units.
Kingdoms then emerged through a process of conquest and amalgamation between these
units. It is the second of these models which has been by far the more influential.49
Neither model, in fact, precludes the validity of the other. Equally, neither is without its
flaws, especially when applied to the origins of kingship as opposed to the origins of
kingdoms. The first model sits uneasily with much, if not all, of the archaeological
evidence for early Anglo-Saxon England, which is suggestive of strong material
discontinuities.50
Both models, meanwhile, assume that kingship was a natural corollary
of a certain political mass.51
Nonetheless, they offer the most explicit historical
theorisation regarding the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship to date. In theory it would
be possible to import models of kingship and kingdom formation from ancillary
disciplines to assist in this theorisation.52
However, in practice, it is preferable for any
such models to arise out of the available evidence rather than to be forced upon it.
Either side of 1989 was the publication of a series of works which also dealt with
early Anglo-Saxon England and the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. 1988 saw the
publication of Arnold’s An Archaeology of the Early Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms; 1989,
47
Campbell (ed.), Anglo-Saxons, pp. 53-61. Further: Campbell, 'Bede's reges and principes'.
48
Bassett, 'In Search of Origins', pp. 23-26.
49
Variously Fleming, Britain after Rome, pp. 102-19; Wickham, Inheritance of Rome, pp. 155-59;
Wickham, Framing the Early Middle Ages, pp. 313-14; Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms, pp. 9-15 and 157-
62. Also Hamerow, 'Earliest Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms', pp. 280-87; to a lesser extent Higham and Ryan,
Anglo-Saxon World, pp. 137-44.
50
Fleming, Britain after Rome, pp. 25-60; Faulkner, Decline and Fall of Roman Britain, pp. 158-80;
Cleary, Ending of Roman Britain, pp. 131-61.
51
Further: Falk, 'Dark Age Peter Principle'; Sahlins, 'Poor Man, Rich Man'.
52
As Fukuyama, Origins of Political Order; Mann, Sources of Social Power; Carneiro, 'Theory of the
Origin of the State'; Weber, Social and Economic Organization. These works inform what follows but
have not been explicitly utilised.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
23
Hodges’s The Anglo-Saxon Achievement; 1990, Yorke’s Kings and Kingdoms of Early
Anglo-Saxon England; 1991, Kirby’s The Earliest Anglo-Saxon Kings; and 1992,
Higham’s Rome, Britain and the Anglo-Saxons. The interpretations offered, and indeed
the areas covered, by these works differed substantially, but collectively they point to
many of the trends which have dominated subsequent scholarship. Arnold and Hodges’
works both adopted exclusively archaeological approaches and came out of what was
then called ‘New Archaeology’. Both eschewed migration as an explanatory concept
and sought to understand the origins of Anglo-Saxon England through reference to
internal developments.53
The origins of kingship were linked to the increasing social
stratification observable in the burial and settlement records from the mid-sixth century
onwards, most notably at Yeavering and Sutton Hoo.54
A similar argument was put
forward by Higham, although he differed in drawing equally on historical records, dating
the origins of kingship somewhat earlier and linking its emergence more explicitly to
war-leadership.55
These three works, therefore, differed substantially from the ideas
offered by Stenton and others. However, works by scholars such as Welch demonstrate
that it continued to be possible to think along similar lines to Stenton.56
Yorke’s and Kirby’s books, as their titles suggest, addressed both Anglo-Saxon
kingship and kingdoms directly, albeit in very different ways. Kirby’s was a relatively
traditional narrative history from the late sixth to ninth centuries. Kings were seen as the
natural outgrowth of war-leaders, as various scholars had suggested previously.57
Yorke’s work represented a more innovative kingdom-by-kingdom survey, followed by
a concluding synthesis. This had much to offer regarding the nature of early AngloSaxon
kingship, addressing over-kingship, the material support of kings, the nature of
royalty and royal families, and the relationship between kings and the Church.58
However, with respect to the origins of kingship Yorke felt that the absence of available
evidence rendered them effectively invisible.59
Nonetheless, like Arnold and Hodges she
53
Arnold, Archaeology of the Early Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms, passim; Hodges, Anglo-Saxon Achievement,
pp. 4-42. On migration as an explanatory concept: Hamerow, 'Migration Theory and the Migration
Period'.
54
Arnold, Archaeology of the Early Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms, pp. 197-221; Hodges, Anglo-Saxon
Achievement, pp. 38-42, 58-61.
55
Higham, Rome, Britain and the Anglo-Saxons, particularly pp. 209-36.
56
Welch, Anglo-Saxon England, passim; similarly Härke, '"Warrior Graves"?'. Further: Tys, 'Beyond
Migration and Ethnicity?'; Halsall, 'Archaeology and Migration'; Halsall, 'Ethnicity and Early Medieval
Cemeteries'.
57
Kirby, Earliest English Kings, pp. 1-3, 14-17.
58
Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms, pp. 157-78.
59
Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms, pp.15, more broadly 1-24.
Peter J W Burch
24
drew attention to settlements such as Yeavering and burials such as those at Sutton Hoo
as possible indications of the origins of kingship, as well as highlighting potential
continuities with the Romano-British past whilst considering the distinctive contribution
of the incoming ‘Anglo-Saxons’.60
Subsequent to the publication of these works, the most significant developments
regarding the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship have originated in the field of
archaeology. As already alluded to, significant changes occur in the material record,
particularly in settlement and burial archaeologies, from the 570s onwards. This has
come into particular focus through the recent publication of Hines and Bayliss’s AngloSaxon
Graves: A Chronological Framework.61
As above, these changes have typically
been interpreted as symptomatic of wider societal changes, amongst which might be
included the origins of kingship.62
Building on these observations, scholars such as Scull
have developed models of kingship formation based on ‘peer competition’ and
‘competitive exclusion’, whereby a decreasing number of progressively more powerful
entities compete over prestige, status and access to resources.63
In many ways this work
is akin to Bassett’s model of kingdom formation via conquest and amalgamation. It
differs primarily in that it is based upon archaeological evidence; the underlying
theorisation is still broadly comparable. Indeed, these contributions suffer from the same
fundamental problem, namely that it presupposes that the development of kingship was
the inevitable product of the attainment of a certain level of social complexity and
political mass. It does raise to prominence, however, issues of access to and control of
resources, which are only implicit in Bassett’s theorisation. Although such issues are
easier to trace in reference to the later development of Anglo-Saxon kingship particularly
through the potentially-royal trading settlements of the later seventh
60
Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms, pp. 6-9.
61
Further: Hamerow, Rural Settlements, pp. 72-83, 102-09; Welch, 'Mid Saxon "Final Phase"', pp. 266-
73; Hamerow, 'Earliest Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms', pp. 269-80; Geake, Grave-Goods in Conversion-Period
England, pp. 31-136.
62
Hamerow, 'Earliest Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms', pp 276-80. Further: Fleming, Britain after Rome, pp. 89-
115; Carver, 'Kingship and Material Culture'. Also Thacker, 'England in the Seventh Century', pp. 467-
69, 474.
63
Scull, 'Archaeology, Early Anglo-Saxon Society and the Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms'. Also
Scull, 'Anglo-Saxon Kingdom Origins'. Further: Carneiro, 'Political Expansion as Competitive
Exclusion'; Carneiro, 'Theory of the Origin of the State'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
25
century64
– this does add an important additional aspect to the investigation of the origins
of Anglo-Saxon kingship.65
Various other works of note have also been published in the intervening period.
Lucy’s Anglo-Saxon Way of Death was a masterful elucidation of what post-processual
archaeology has to offer to the topic of Anglo-Saxon burial practices. Rollason’s
Northumbria, 500-1100 explored ideas of kingdom and kingship formation in the context
of a specific kingdom, Northumbria. Recent synthetic approaches may be found in
Fleming’s Britain after Rome and Higham and Ryan’s Anglo-Saxon World, which in
their different ways survey early Anglo-Saxon England. Yorke has also developed and
refined her ideas in various contexts.66
Wickham’s Framing the Early Middle Ages,
meanwhile, cogently re-iterated the importance of a comparative approach. This is
perhaps particularly challenging for Anglo-Saxon scholars, who at times have been
criticised for the insularity of their approaches.67
Important as these works are, however,
they have not shifted the parameters of the study of the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship.
Certainly, some dissenting voices have been apparent. Halsall has urged caution and
reassessment in various contexts.68
Dumville, in an unrelated context, has posited 8
models conceptualising early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, although few actually address
their origins.69
But such voices only really emphasise the dominance of Bassett’s, and
by extension Scull’s, models, and prompt the suggestion that they are due for revision.
This is exactly what this thesis sets out to do.
Approach and Programme of Study
This thesis, therefore, sets out to re-examine the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. In so
doing, it will also, indirectly, re-assess much of the existing theorisation regarding the
origins of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Fundamentally, the thesis seeks to question the
64
Often termed Emporia, although this thesis generally utilises the broader term ‘productive site’ as
Pestell, 'Markets, Emporia, Wics, and 'Productive' Sites'.
65
As Brooks, Church, State and Access to Resources, passim; Maddicott, 'Prosperity and Power'.
Further: Harrington and Welch, Beneath the Tribal Hidage, passim. More broadly, the essays in Pestell
and Ulmschneider (eds), Markets in Early Medieval Europe; and Hansen and Wickham (eds), Long
Eighth Century; particularly Moreland, 'Production in Eighth-Century England'.
66
Recently Yorke, 'Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms 600–900'; Yorke, 'Kings and Kingship'.
67
As Halsall, Worlds of Arthur, passim. Scholars such as Kemble and Wallace-Hadrill are obvious
exceptions to this pattern.
68
Most provocatively: Halsall, Worlds of Arthur, pp. 270-307. Also Halsall, Barbarian Migrations, pp.
311-19.
69
Dumville, 'Medieval Foundations of England', pp. 290-93.
Peter J W Burch
26
perceived inevitability of the development of kingship, not least because various
comparable and seemingly acephalous groups can be identified, viz. the Continental
Saxons and the pre-thirteenth century inhabitants of Iceland.70
This re-evaluation will
also require examination of the nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. These twin
questions of origins and nature will be addressed via a coherent and systematic survey of
the pertinent archaeological and historical evidence. The thesis will re-assess the
archaeological evidence dating to the period c.400-c.650 – thus addressing both the
origins and the early development of Anglo-Saxon kingship – while a later date range of
c.400-c.750 is adopted for the historical evidence – so as to benefit from Bede’s Historia
ecclesiastica and the various hagiographical sources of the early eighth century. This
discrepancy in date ranges is entirely deliberate. Not only is there very little incremental
advantage in pursuing the archaeological evidence significantly beyond c.650, but to do
so would overwhelmingly shift the balance of the thesis onto the development of
kingship at the expense of the study of its origins. One consequence of this decision is
to preclude any detailed archaeological examination of the potentially-royal trading
settlements of the later seventh century, but such phenomena are relatively peripheral to
the overall scope of the thesis.71
The principal areas of archaeological evidence – elite burial and elite settlement
– will be examined first, so as to isolate them from historiographical paradigms.
Numismatic evidence will also be briefly considered in this context. Wider
archaeological patterns will also be touched on as relevant or required in these sections,
but they are not addressed directly due to the relatively limited marginal gains they are
able to offer. The historical sources – principally Gildas’s De excidio et conquestu
Britanniae, Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica, and various documentary sources – will then
be analysed. These will be grouped by date and by type. The thesis will also be
conducted within a broad awareness of comparable Insular and Continental
developments, although the level of direct comparison will vary as the Anglo-Saxon
evidence dictates.
70
HE¸V.10; Vésteinsson, Christianization of Iceland, pp. 1-16. Further: Wormald, 'Kings and Kingship',
pp. 571-73.
71
Such sites are nonetheless addressed in passing, as required. A sustained and illuminating exploration
of their relevance to the development of kingship in the North Sea Basin can be found in Nicolay,
Splendour of Power, although this did not appear in sufficient time to be utilised in the production of this
thesis.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
27
Fundamental to the success of such an approach is the accurate identification of
kings within the historical, and indeed archaeological, sources. With respect to the
historical sources, as a general rule those individuals of whom the description rex is used
are assumed to be kingly.72
The same is true of those figures to whom cyning, or a variant
thereof, is applied.73
It cannot be taken as axiomatic, however, that the terminology of
kingship, or the institution itself, was universally this transparent, consistent or
unproblematic. Not only is the term rex often modified in the historical sources,
potentially indicating varying grades of power viz. subregulus, regulus, but, as Campbell
has been able to argue convincingly, it does not follow that every figure who would have
been recognised as a king by their contemporaries would necessarily be described as such
in the historical sources.74
Alternatives terms such as comes, dux, iudex, or princeps may
potentially also suggest kingly status. Consequently, the thesis adopts a bi-part inductive
approach to the definition and identification of early Anglo-Saxon kings. On the one
hand, those figures who are explicitly described as rex or cyning¸ or some variant thereof,
are taken as being kingly. On the other, figures described by alternative titles who seem
to wield power akin to those described in these terms and are credible as being viewed
as kingly by their contemporaries are also taken as potential kings, albeit with an inherent
degree of uncertainty. The identification of kings through the archaeological evidence is
more problematic. The difficulties surrounding this are discussed in detail in the relevant
sections as they are directly connected to the nature of archaeological information.
The term kingship, by extension, as used in this thesis is, therefore, comparatively
elastic in its application. Furthermore, it is deliberately left undefined at this juncture so
as to avoid prejudicing the study and precluding avenues of enquiry. The study itself, in
effect, will work towards a more precise definition. Indeed, so as to enable a full
appreciation of the potential origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship, the thesis will also
examine instances of coercive or political power more generally. Thus the potential
relationships of various manifestations of coercive or political power to early AngloSaxon
kingship can be evaluated and defined contextually. Nonetheless, some
preliminary comments are required. Anthropological and sociological studies would
suggest that there is an inherent difference between a generic solitary leader and a king,
72
Latham, Howlett, and Ashdowne (eds), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British sources, s.v.
73
Bosworth, Toller, and Campbell (eds), Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, s.v.
74
Campbell, 'Bede's reges and principes', pp. 85-92. Further: Dumville, 'Terminology of Overkingship';
Yorke, 'Vocabulary of Overlordship'.
Peter J W Burch
28
the principle difference being that a king exists within a wider ideological framework
which explains, justifies and contextualises their position.75
By extension, kingship
implies some sort of mechanism to transfer power or authority between individuals in
order to perpetuate this wider system, as well as the at least implicit acceptance of the
system and the king’s role within it by the population at large. This need not necessarily
be via inheritance or direct succession, although this is normative for kingship. Any
examination of the origins of kingship, therefore, must include an examination of the
ways through which such a system became established and accepted.
75
Bealey, Dictionary of Political Science, s.v. Further: Falk, 'Dark Age Peter Principle'; Sahlins, 'Poor
Man, Rich Man'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
29
Section One
Anglo-Saxon Kingship and Archaeology
Peter J W Burch
30
Elite Burial
The later sixth and early seventh centuries saw a shift in the burial rites practiced in
England, described for convenience as Anglo-Saxon.1
This included an increased
incidence of above-ground mortuary structures and the emergence of a small number of
extremely wealthy, usually male, burials within a context of generally diminishing levels
of grave goods. These wealthy burials, often termed ‘elite’, have typically been
interpreted as indicative of an increasingly stratified Anglo-Saxon society. As such, they
have frequently been linked to the emergence of Anglo-Saxon kingship.2
This section
sets out to examine the validity of this link in order to determine if these elite male burials
can indeed be interpreted as an indication of the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship, and
by extension, what, if anything, they reveal regarding its origins. It will achieve this by
first exploring the issue of what an Anglo-Saxon kingly grave might have looked like,
before compiling a list of conceivably kingly graves and examining them in detail.
There are problems, however, with using archaeological evidence to answer what
are effectively historical questions. To quote Grierson’s dictum: ‘It has been said that
the spade cannot lie, but it owes this merit in part to the fact that it cannot speak’.3
In a
general sense, as has been seen, it is all too easy for archaeological evidence to be filtered
through inappropriate paradigms. This section, therefore, largely eschews historical
information and attempts to address the archaeological evidence on its own terms so that
its unique insights can be appreciated. More specifically, material objects do not
necessarily have set interpretations, but can be malleable or negotiable in meaning.4
Indeed, objects are an active part of the dynamic of society and can be used to create or
convey meaning, resulting, in effect, in a material language. Objects cannot, therefore,
be interpreted as passively reflecting society as they are part of its creation and
definition.5
1
Welch, 'Mid Saxon "Final Phase"', pp. 266-84, particularly 266-75; Lucy, Anglo-Saxon Way of Death,
pp. 4-5; Geake, 'Burial Practice in Seventh- and Eighth-Century England', pp. 84-89. Further: Hines and
Bayliss (eds), Anglo-Saxon Graves: A Chronological Framework, pp. 231-492; Geake, 'Persistent
Problems', pp.144-46; Geake, Grave-Goods in Conversion-Period England, pp. 31-105, 123-36.
2
As Thacker, 'England in the Seventh Century', pp. 474; Hamerow, 'Earliest Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms',
pp. 276-80; Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms, pp. 8-9; Carver, 'Kingship and Material Culture'.
3
Grierson, 'Commerce in the Dark Ages', p. 127.
4
The classic demonstration is Pader, 'Material Symbolism and Social Relations'. Her straw hat analogy,
p. 144 – which can indicate an Eton school boy, a gondolier, a butcher, or a vaudeville performer,
depending on the context – is particularly revealing. Further: Pader, Interpretation of Mortuary
Remains.
5
Halsall, 'Archaeology and Historiography', pp. 31-38.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
31
Stemming from this, it cannot be established with certainty whether any given
Anglo-Saxon burial is kingly or not. Bereft of written records, the identity of those
interred must always remain enigmatic.6
Status cannot be directly read from burial
evidence.7
Indeed, there is no inherent reason why the burial of a king should be any
different from that of anyone else.8
Alongside this, there has been an increasing
appreciation within archaeology of the constructed nature of burials. As Carver has put
it: ‘Bodies and grave goods were not absent-mindedly dropped into holes, like broken
pottery into a rubbish pit. The dead do not bury themselves, the grave assemblage has to
be chosen by someone else; and if chosen, it is constructed, and if constructed, it becomes
a creative or an active assemblage intended to have meaning.’9
If the burials of early Anglo-Saxon kings can be identified, therefore, then an
appreciation of their intended meaning or meanings has the potential to shed light on the
origins and nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. It is helpful in this respect that
Frankish archaeology provides at least one, if not several, burials known to be of kings.
These burials can, at least in part, be used to create a broadly contemporary comparative
template so that the nature of an early Anglo-Saxon kingly burial can be approached. In
1653 workmen discovered a richly furnished grave under the church of Saint Brice,
Tournai, containing: gold and garnet belt fittings, gold buckles, a gold arm ring, a golden
fibula, a spear, a throwing axe, the fittings for two swords, the famous golden ‘bees’
(actually cicadas), a small golden bull, a seal ring and a collection of 300 hundred coins,
200 silver and 100 gold.10
The seal ring featured the inscription CHILDERICI REGIS,
allowing the burial to be identified as that of Childeric I. The association with Childeric
I is further strengthened by the coin sequence, which ends with coins of the emperor
Zenon (474-491). Assuming that Childeric was buried during Zenon’s rule, this date
range correlates with Gregory of Tours’s date of c.481 for the death of Childeric I with
pleasing exactness11
Subsequent excavation in the 1980s revealed that the burial was
6
Wallace-Hadrill, 'Graves of Kings'. Also Campbell, 'Impact of Sutton Hoo', pp. 62-83.
7
Pearson, 'Mortuary Practices, Society and Ideology'. Also Pearson, Archaeology of Death and Burial,
pp. 21-44, 72-94; James, 'Burial and Status'; Hodder, 'Social Structure and Cemeteries'. A salutary
warning against unwarranted assumptions is provided by Ucko, 'Ethnography and Archaeological
Interpretation'.
8
The recent burial of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, buried in an unmarked grave in a public
cemetery, typifies this: Marszal, 'Saudi Arabia Buries King Abdullah.'
9
Carver, 'Burial as Poetry', p. 34. More generally Pearson, Archaeology of Death and Burial, pp. 1-20.
10
Chifflet, Anastasis Childerici. Summarised in James, 'Royal Burials', pp. 245-47; James, Franks, pp.
58-64.
11
Halsall, 'Childeric’s Grave', pp. 169-73.
Peter J W Burch
32
surrounded by at least three pits containing the remains of at least 21 horses, and further,
suggested that the burial was once situated under a burial mound.12
It is also possible that two graves discovered in 1655 under Saint-Germain-desPrés,
Paris are also royal, although the account describing them is somewhat confused.13
One was interred in a sarcophagus which bore the inscription CHILDR REX and based
on this it has been suggested that the individuals were Childeric II and his wife
Belechildis who were murdered in 675. This is called into question, though, by the fact
that traditionally Childeric II and Belechildis are thought to have been buried at SaintOuen,
Rouen. It is also possible that Salin’s Burial Sixteen under Saint-Denis, Paris is
Chlotar III, who is known to be buried there.14
Other rich burials have also been found
under both Cologne Cathedral and Saint-Denis for which royal status has been suggested
but not demonstrated.15
Drawing meaningful patterns from these instances is problematic. They cover a
range of dates and thus burial practices. The majority spring from a Christian context,
although Childeric I’s is assuredly pagan.16
Moreover, the uncertainty of many details,
and of royalty in some instances, makes conclusions difficult to come by. Nonetheless,
certain similarities can be opined. The wealth of these burials is their most apparent
unifying feature, exemplified most spectacularly by that of Childeric I. Arms, armour,
personal adornment and vessels of various types are all also common to these burials.
Strikingly, two of the graves were associated with sceptres.17
In addition, all of these
burials might be seen to have some religious association, while all are likely to have been
associated with large above-ground structures, be they churches or burial mounds.
However, with the possible, and problematic, exception of the sceptres, none of these
features can be construed as exclusively royal. It is rather the extent of the wealth of
these burials which distinguishes them. This is hardly a precise template, but it does
12
Brulet (ed.), Les fouilles du quarteir Saint-Brice, 2 vols, passim; Brulet, 'La tombe de Childéric', pp.
59-78. Further: Effros, 'Grave Goods and the Ritual Expression', p. 191, who posits that the horse burials
were products of on-going commemoration.
13
This confusion was no doubt a product of the gap of several generations between its writing and the
original discovery, combined with the fact that the grave goods had by that point been sold to purchase a
new organ. Montfaucon, Les Monuments de la Monarchie, pp. 173-75; summarised by Wallace-Hadrill,
'Graves of Kings', p.45.
14
Salin, Les tombes Gallo-Romaines at Mérovingiennes, pp. 25-45.
15
Werner, 'Frankish Royal Tombs'. Also Wilson, 'Ring of Queen Arnegunde'; James, 'Royal Burials', p.
249-50.
16
It is hard to conceive of any Christian context in which horse inhumation would be appropriate:
Halsall, 'Childeric’s Grave', p. 174.
17
One at Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the child’s grave at Cologne.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
33
suggest a crude correlation between the wealth of funerary deposits, in terms of both their
bullion value and the time invested in them, and the status of those interred. It was surely
only the richest and most powerful in society who could be buried in truly lavish style.
The very richest male burials, therefore, should be equated with kings, although not all
kings need be buried in this way.
Using this as a basis, therefore, the early Anglo-Saxon elite male burials can be
ranked according to their wealth. This allows them to be categorised into groups of
probable and possible kingly status. The utilisation of a deliberately high wealth
threshold minimises the risk of accidentally including non-kingly burials in the probable
and possible kingly groupings. Such a process is, of course, innately subjective, but
rather than being a flaw, this allows complex and multi-faceted phenomena to be dealt
with sympathetically. Further, a ranking exercise is by its nature relative; a subjective
approach, therefore, is not only more honest but also entirely appropriate. Additionally,
while the rankings can never be entirely removed from doubt, the nature of the ranking
process means that potential errors of judgement will be minimal and unlikely to have a
significant impact on the overall conclusions.
This approach is complicated by a number of factors. In the first instance, many
early Anglo-Saxon graves have been disturbed or excavated under less than ideal
circumstances.18
Additionally, variations in soil, climatic conditions and agricultural
practices can have varying impacts on the levels of preservation observed. Deriving an
accurate assessment of the wealth of a burial is, therefore, difficult. Further, the
archaeological record as it currently stands cannot be assumed to be completely
representative of early Anglo-Saxon mortuary practice. As recently as 2003, a
previously-unknown elite burial was discovered at Prittlewell, in Southend-on-Sea,
Essex;19
similarly, a high-status bed burial was discovered at Street House cemetery, near
Saltburn in Yorkshire in 2006.20
There is no way to predict what further burials may be
discovered. Any conclusions, therefore, need to be understood with these caveats in
mind.
Nonetheless, following this methodology, a group of five probable kingly burials
can be identified: Mound One, Sutton Hoo; Prittlewell Chamber Grave; Taplow Barrow;
Mound Two, Sutton Hoo; and the Snape Ship Burial. Likewise, a group of five possible
18
Further: Marsden, Early Barrow Diggers.
19
Barnham, Blackmore, and Blair, 'My Lord Essex'.
20
Sherlock and Simmons, 'Royal Cemetery at Street House'.
Peter J W Burch
34
kingly burials can be identified: Benty Grange; Broomfield Barrow; Asthall Barrow;
Caenby Barrow; and Wollaston Barrow. These burials are addressed in detail in the
following two sections. After establishing their natures and exploring the reasoning
behind their attribution of probable or possible kingly status, the burials will be analysed
in order to evaluate the validity of the commonly postulated link between elite male
burial and the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. This will involve situating the probable
and possible kingly burials in the context of elite male burial more generally. The leading
archaeological explanations for elite burial will be assessed as will their potential social
and political contexts. Additionally, the material associations of the contents of the
burials will be examined. Together, these will provide the basis for assessing the nature
of early Anglo-Saxon kingship, and will also indirectly shed light on its origins.
Probably Kingly Burials
Closest to the wealth found in Childeric I’s grave is Mound One at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk.
First uncovered on the eve of the Second World War, and subsequently excavated in
1965-71 and 1985-92, Mound One is one of around nineteen mounds in a barrow
cemetery overlooking the River Deben in Suffolk.21
Near to the modern county border
with Essex, it is situated in an area of poor quality-soils, part of the larger ‘Sandlings’
which runs down the Suffolk coast. 22
It also lies close to a larger early Anglo-Saxon
flat-grave cemetery sited on top of a small Bronze Age cremation burial and ring ditch,
while both sites overlay prehistoric field systems and boundaries.23
The original dimensions of Mound One are not completely clear due to slippage
and erosion. However, excavations in the 1960s suggested that the mound was originally
near-circular, with a diameter ranging between 98 and 110ft (29.9 and 33.5m). The
maximum height of the mound at this point was 10ft 6in (3.2m), although it could be
seen to be slightly higher in photographs from 1939 at 10ft 8in (3.3m); the mound also
seems to have had a flattened top and was not surrounded by a ditch or any other separate
21
Carver, Burial Ground of Kings?, pp. 2-92. Also Carver, Sutton Hoo, pp. 3-66, particularly 3-12;
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol I, pp. 137-344; Philips, 'Sutton Hoo Ship-Burial:
Excavation'.
22
Williamson, Sutton Hoo and its Landscape, p. 1.
23
Anon, 'Sutton Hoo's "Folk Cemetery"'; Carver, Sutton Hoo, pp. 447-58, 483-86; Newman, 'Sutton Hoo
Before Raedwald'. Also Fern, Before Sutton Hoo.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
35
structure.24
The volume of Mound One can thus be estimated as being at least 1300m³,
which can be equated to at least 4400 man-hours.25
Underneath the mound, at a depth of up to 10ft (3m) below the original ground
level, lay an oak clinker-built long-ship (Fig.1). Built with 18 strakes and 26 ribs, the
boat was symmetrical in design, with a wide but shallow keel and projecting cutwaters
fore and aft. Both prow and stern had high end posts, at least as high as 12ft (3.7m)
above the keel, if not higher. The boat was 89ft (27.2m) long and had a maximum beam
of 15ft (4.6m). It would have been rowed by 40 oarsmen and while there were no
indications that it had ever been fitted with a mast and sail, it is possible that a sail could
have been fitted. The ship also showed clear signs of wear and evidence of several
repairs.26
In the central section of the ship, between the ninth and sixteenth ribs, a
wooden chamber had been constructed, 17ft 6in (5.3m) long and the full width of the
24
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol I, pp. 144-56, 303-29.
25
See Appendices III-V for estimates for all probable and possible kingly burials.
26
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol I, pp. 345-424. More accessibly summarised in Evans,
Ship Burial, pp. 23-28. On ship burial more generally: Müller-Wille, 'Boat Graves in Northern Europe'.
Fig.1, Imprint of the Ship in 1939, Mound One, Sutton Hoo (© Trustees of the British
Museum)
Peter J W Burch
36
ship. The precise construction of this chamber remains uncertain due to its collapse and
decomposition, although it had sufficient structural integrity to exclude sand from the
chamber for a significant period of time.27
It was within this structure that the grave goods were deposited.28
These included
several items of jewellery, notably two gold and garnet shoulder clasps and a belt buckle
with zoomorphic interlace (Fig.2); a purse containing 37 Merovingian tremisses, 3 coin
blanks and 2 ingots; a helmet, shield and mailcoat (Fig.3); a sword, and a number of
spears and angons; a series of vessels, buckets and cauldrons, including a Byzantine
27
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol I, pp. 176-80, 484-86. Also Philips, 'Sutton Hoo ShipBurial:
Excavation', pp. 12-13; with Evans, Ship Burial, pp. 32-33.
28
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol I, pp. 439-57, provides a full inventory.
Fig.2, Gold and Garnet Shoulder Clasp, Mound One, Sutton Hoo (© Trustees of the
British Museum)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
37
silver plate; a pair of large drinking horns, with gilt silver rims and vandykes, carved
from aurochs horns (Fig.4); a ‘sceptre’, wood, bone or possibly ivory rod, axe-hammer
and metal stand, all of whose purposes remain enigmatic (Figs.5-6); and finally, a series
Fig.3, Reconstructed Helmet from Mound One, Sutton Hoo (© Trustees of the
British Museum)
Peter J W Burch
38
of maple fragments that were eventually reconstructed as a lyre.29
Traces of 26 different
weave types, mostly found fused into the oxidation of various metal items, were also
discovered.30
Many of the items seem to be of a domestic manufacture, but a significant
number point to various pan-European provenances.31
No body was found in the grave, although its position can be assumed to be
roughly central, the only suitably-shaped gap being along the keel of the boat, between
the Byzantine dish and the west wall of the chamber.32
It was the opinion of the initial
excavator that, given the absence of a body, the grave was in fact a cenotaph.33
However,
given the acidic nature of the soil and the presence of a significant quantity of phosphate
residue – which is left behind when bone is dissolved by acid – in the space where the
29
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol III; Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol II; BruceMitford,
Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol I, passim.
30
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol III, pp. 409-78; Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial,
vol I, pp. 458-61, 476-80.
31
Carver, 'Sutton Hoo in Context', pp. 102-8.
32
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol I, p. 489.
33
Philips, 'Sutton Hoo Ship-Burial: Excavation', pp. 20-21.
Fig.4, Replica Drinking Horns Based on Artefacts from Mound One, Sutton Hoo (©
Trustees of the British Museum)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
39
body is presumed to have lain, it would seem that a body was indeed originally present.
Fig.5, Replica Whet Stone ‘Sceptre’, Mound One, Sutton Hoo (© Trustees of the
British Museum)
Peter J W Burch
40
This residue cannot be satisfactorily explained
through reference to anything else known to have
been in the chamber.34
Mound One was one of the later burials on
the Sutton Hoo site.35
The 37 Merovingian coins
form the basis for dating Mound One. As these coins
do not bear the name of a ruler, they must be dated
based on the gradual debasement of Merovingian
coinage. Kent dated the majority of the coins to the
period c.585-615, although there were three coins
that suggested a later date. Judging by the relatively
close grouping of the coins, he tentatively placed
these in the period c.615-c.625 and noted the absence
of coins with characteristics of the period 625-635.36
Others have argued for a revised terminus post quem
of 613.37
Radiocarbon dates derived from the site are
not conclusive.38
Nonetheless, the burial can be
dated to the first half of the seventh century, perhaps
the first quarter.39
Mound One, therefore, represents
a considerable investment in terms of time, wealth
and effort, and is thus likely to have had a kingly
occupant.
Of closely comparable wealth to Mound One
is the recently discovered chamber grave at
Prittlewell, Essex. Situated in modern Southend-OnSea,
it sits on a slight rise, on the edge of the Thames
Estuary. The site was first discovered in 1887, and
re-excavated in 1923, although the chamber burial
34
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol I, pp. 493- 511, 529-43. Also Bethel and Carver,
'Inhumations at Sutton Hoo'.
35
Carver, Sutton Hoo, pp. 307-12.
36
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol I, pp. 588-607.
37
Stahl and Oddy, 'Date of the Sutton Hoo Coins'; Stahl, 'Sutton Hoo Coin Parcel'.
38
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol I, pp. 681-82.
39
Carver, Sutton Hoo, p. 308.
Fig.6, Iron Axe-Hammer, Mound One,
Sutton Hoo (© Trustees of the British
Museum)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
41
itself was not discovered until 2003.40
Like the Sutton Hoo cemetery, Prittlewell
Chamber Grave is associated with a larger flat grave cemetery, but in this instance it is
incorporated within it.41
It is the only burial mound known from the site, although the
continuous use of the area and the inferior quality of previous excavations mean that the
former existence of other mounds should not be ruled out. At approximately 10m in
diameter and of an unknown height – it seems to have rapidly disappeared – the mound
was considerably smaller than that of Mound One. The mound covered a 4m square,
1.4m deep, wood-lined chamber, which had remained undisturbed. Much as at Sutton
Hoo, the acidity of the sandy soil had a deleterious effect on wood, textile and bone
remains such that all that was left of the body were a few fragments of tooth enamel. 42
The scale and investment of Mound One, therefore, were not surpassed.
Nonetheless, many of the objects found at Prittlewell were broadly similar to those
unearthed at Mound One, and while the level of workmanship at Prittlewell was generally
poorer, it still makes most sense in a kingly context. The body seems to have been
interred wearing a triangular gold belt buckle, decorated with three embossed rivets of a
similar design to the buckle from Mound One, albeit lacking the zoomorphic interlace;
traces of gold braid were also found covering the chest area, which may once have
formed part of the incumbent’s clothing; two gold foil crosses were found in the head
area, which may have formed part of a veil. A sword and two spear heads were also
found, together with the remains of a shield. A large number of vessels, containers and
buckets were discovered, including a pair of drinking horns decorated with gilded copper
interlace together with other horn and glass drinking vessels and a Byzantine flagon. The
grave also contained a metal folding stool, a 1.33m metal stand of uncertain purpose, a
lyre suspended from the wall, and a set of 57 bone gaming pieces.43
Stylistically, these
artefacts allow the Prittlewell burial to be dated to the first half of the seventh century.44
Similar comments can be made of Taplow Barrow, Buckinghamshire. This again
contained similar items, although the range and wealth of the items is a step below those
found at Prittlewell. The excavation of this site was sadly cavalier, many of the items
being damaged during the process of recovery, so it is only really through comparison
40
On the early excavations: Pollit, 'East Saxons of Prittlewell'; Pollit, 'Saxon Settlements, Southend-onSea'.
A provisional guide for the 2003 discoveries has been released: Anon, Prittlewell Prince. Also
Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World, pp. 120-25.
41
Tyler, 'Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Prittlewell'.
42
Anon, Prittlewell Prince, p. 23-24.
43
Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World, pp. 120-25; Anon, Prittlewell Prince, pp. 27-37.
44
Anon, Prittlewell Prince, p. 39.
Peter J W Burch
42
with Mound One or Prittlewell that its original splendour can be appreciated.45
It is also
through analogy with Mound One and Prittlewell that Taplow can be dated to the first
half of the seventh century.46
Nonetheless, it was a singularly wealthy burial. Situated
in the now disused churchyard in the grounds of Taplow Court, the mound commands
an impressive prospect on a bluff overlooking the Thames Valley, with the chalk uplands
of the Chilterns to the north.47
The site lay adjacent to an iron-age hill fort,48
and may
have contained several earlier burial mounds which the early Anglo-Saxons possibly
used to construct their barrow.49
The site was first investigated in 1883, and at that point
the mound measured some 240ft (73.2m) in circumference and 15ft (4.6m) in height,
although it may once have been wider as it was reported that the edges had been cut away
by subsequent medieval inhumations.50
The mound, therefore, was of considerable size,
although slightly smaller than Mound One at an estimated 1050m³ equivalent to
approximately 3450 man-hours.
The burial, as at Prittlewell, was in a chamber, measuring 12ft (3.7m) by 8ft
(2.4m), below the original ground level. The body was found with the remains of gold
edging from the incumbent’s clothing and a large gold buckle at the left shoulder and
further gold clasps at the waist. The grave also contained a pattern-welded sword, the
remains of three shields, two spears and an angon. A bronze bowl containing two
drinking horns decorated with gilt bronze at the tips and silver rims, two claw beakers,
five wooden drinking vessels and another possible drinking horn were also found,
together with other vessels of varying types including a cast bronze Coptic bowl and a
set of 44 gaming pieces, as were the remains of what turned out to be a lyre, on
comparison with similar maple fragments discovered at Sutton Hoo.51
The skeleton was
badly preserved, but numerous fragments of bone were discovered including vertebrae
and a jaw bone.52
Mound Two, Sutton Hoo, can also be posited as kingly by analogy (Figs.7-8).
The 1938 excavations found that Mound Two had been previously pillaged. The
45
Webster, 'The Rise, Fall and Resuscitation of the Taplow Burial'.
46
Pollington, Anglo-Saxon Burial Mounds, p. 169.
47
Webster, 'Death's Diplomacy', p. 78.
48
Allen and Lamdin-Whymark, 'Taplow Hillfort'; full report Allen, Hayden, and Lamdin-Whymark,
Taplow Hillfort, Buckinghamshire.
49
Kerr, Taplow Revisited; cited in Pollington, Anglo-Saxon Burial Mounds, p. 168.
50
Stevens, 'Anglo-Saxon Tumulus at Taplow', pp. 61-62. Also Burgess, 'Opening of a Tumulus'; in
summary Pollington, Anglo-Saxon Burial Mounds, pp. 168-71.
51
Bruce-Mitford and Bruce-Mitford, 'Sutton Hoo Lyre', pp. 190-93.
52
Stevens, 'Anglo-Saxon Tumulus at Taplow', pp. 63-66; Burgess, 'Opening of a Tumulus', pp. 332-34.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
43
excavations of the 1980s, however, provided indications that Mound Two, despite the
previous removal of an indeterminable number of items, may once have been the equal
of Mound One. Based on the volume of earth extracted from the quarry ditch, Mound
Two had an estimated original volume of 543m3
, although 790m3
of soil had in fact been
excavated during its construction, the unused soil being returned to the ditch. The
original diameter of the mound was estimated to be 22.3m to account for slippage, with
an original height of between 2.7 and 3.8m. The excavators, working with the rough
estimate of 1m3
equating to a man-day, suggested that 800 man-days were involved in
the construction of Mound Two.53
This estimation, however, is perhaps overly cautious
and might be reduced to 2650 man-hours, or approximately 350 man-days, assuming an
8-hour day.54
53
Carver, Sutton Hoo, pp. 169-71.
54
Appendix IV.
Fig.7, Reconstructed Mound Two, Sutton Hoo
Peter J W Burch
44
Despite the disturbance of the burial, a number of ship rivets were uncovered.
Reference to the discovery and removal of ‘a considerable number (nearly two bushels)
of iron screw bolts’ can also, in all probability, be associated with Mound Two.55
Reexcavation
allowed these rivets to be interpreted as a ship of similar plan, construction
and dimensions to that found in Mound One, overlaying a 2m-deep, 1.5m-wide and
3.8m-long wood-lined chamber. It was in this chamber that the body would have been
placed. While little remained of the original contents, those uncovered included a goldplated
bronze disc decorated with interlace and other small bronze items; some fragments
of silver foil with zoomorphic designs; the end of a sword blade and the remains of the
wooden scabbard; several knives of varying designs; the remains of several buckles of
varying types; and a vessel of blue glass. Subsequent analysis and further excavation has
indicated that these items contributed to an assemblage that included a sword, a
scramasax with a silver buckle, a shield, bowls, cauldrons, buckets, drinking horns and
other drinking vessels.56
Mound Two may be placed at a similar time period to Mound
55
Hoppitt, 'Sutton Hoo 1860'.
56
Carver, Sutton Hoo, pp. 153-77, 256-62.
Fig.8, Reconstructed Mound Two, Sutton Hoo, Viewed from Across the River
Deben
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
45
One as drinking horns found across the two burials shared a common die. The artefacts
within Mound Two, however, suggest a slightly earlier date.57
17km from Sutton Hoo, Snape Ship Burial, like its better known neighbour, sits
atop a ridge overlooking a river valley, although due to the gentleness of the slope, it is
in fact 2.5km from the River Alde. It too is sited on the heath land of the ‘Sandlings’.58
One of between ‘at least eight and ten’ mounds on the site, as was seen at both Sutton
Hoo and Prittlewell, Snape is associated with a wider flat grave cemetery.59
The flat
graves were a combination of inhumation and cremation graves in roughly equal
proportions, although due to modern plough damage, the exact location of the ship burial
is unknown.60
The site also contained at least one Bronze Age barrow – an upturned
Bronze Age cremation urn was discovered under the ship burial, suggesting that the ship
burial supplanted a pre-existing barrow.61
Given this, the possibility exists that other
barrows and ring ditches on the site may also be Bronze Age in date.62
The mound over the ship burial measured 72ft (22m) in diameter and 4ft 6in
(1.4m) high. The barrow was thus relatively small, having a volume of approximately
250m³, equating to around 900 man-hours, despite the diameter of the mound being
similar to that of Taplow and Mound Two.63
The low estimated volume may, therefore,
be a product of particularly high erosion on what is a relatively exposed site. The ship
itself was clinker-built. Its excavator, Davidson, recorded that it measured 48ft (14.6m)
long and had a beam of 9ft 9in (3m). The rivet pattern indicated nine strakes per side,
and while the diagram produced in Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries indicated a
flat transom stern, Davidson’s description would seem to suggest a more conventional
‘double-ended’ design.64
Comparison with the ships found in Mound One and Mound
Two, Sutton Hoo, would also suggest that a ‘double-ended’ design was the more likely,
57
Carver, Sutton Hoo, pp. 307-12.
58
Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, p. 1.
59
Davidson, 'Antiquities on Snape Common', quote at p. 177; Francis, 'Recent Discoveries at Snape'.
The 1862-63 excavations are summarised in Bruce-Mitford, 'Snape Boat Grave'. On the 1985-92
excavations: Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery; summarised Filmer-Sankey,
'Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery: The Current State of Knowledge'. Also West and Owles, 'Anglo-Saxon
Cremation Burials from Snape'; Owles, 'Archaeology in Suffolk', p. 103.
60
Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, p. 5-6, 193.
61
Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, p. 233; Davidson, 'Antiquities on Snape
Common', p. 179.
62
Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, pp. 233, 236-38.
63
Davidson, 'Antiquities on Snape Common', p. 178.
64
Davidson stated that “All the rows [of rivets] terminated in two rivets lying parallel with each other –
the one at the stem, the other at the stern”: Davidson, 'Antiquities on Snape Common', p. 181.
Peter J W Burch
46
giving the Snape ship a longer length of approximately 54ft (16.5m).65
Additionally, the
iron strip included with the collection of rivets in Aldeburgh Museum may be an
indication of the presence of a mast and sail, although the use of metal ‘chain plates’ is
otherwise unattested in this period. Regardless, the craft would certainly have been
capable of being propelled by oars.66
Prior to Davidson’s excavation, the site had been opened on at least two
occasions. It is variously reported that a great many ‘vessels’ – presumably cremation
urns – and ‘quantities of gold rings, broaches, chains etc.’ were removed from the site,
the latter occurring in 1827. The site was also subsequently disturbed by the Ordnance
Survey, but with entirely unknown consequences.67
The true wealth of the burial is,
therefore, unknowable, but as with Mound Two the suspicion exists that the burial was
once impressive – two spear heads, a glass claw beaker and the so called ‘Snape Ring’,
an intricate piece which made use of a Roman carved onyx, were found with the burial.68
On the basis of this ring, which is unlikely to pre-date c.550, and the Evison type 3c claw
beaker, the ship burial can be tentatively dated to the second half of the sixth century.69
Little is known of the layout of the grave, nor was a body identified, explicable through
either previous disturbance or the acidity of the soil.
Possibly Kingly Burials
Other sites, found elsewhere in the country, exhibit broadly similar assemblages and
structures. Few of these, however, are comparable to the wealth and opulence found or
implied in the above burials. The barrow at Benty Grange, Derbyshire, is one such
example. Sited on an escarpment overlooking the Roman Road that runs between Buxton
and Ashbourne, the burial was placed upon the original ground level, under a low mound,
reported as not more than two feet, but spread out over a large area and surrounded by a
ditch.70
The barrow may, therefore, have once been reasonably large, but this cannot be
65
Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, pp. 194-95.
66
Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, p. 195. On ‘chain plates’: McGrail, Ancient
Boats in Northwest Europe, p. 229.
67
Davidson, 'Antiquities on Snape Common', p. 177. Exert taken from a letter published in The Field in
March 1863, quoted in Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, p. 5.
68
Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, pp.195-96; Davidson, 'Antiquities on Snape
Common', pp. 179, 181.
69
Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, p. 196.
70
Bateman, 'Contents of a Saxon Barrow', p. 276. Subsequently expand as Bateman, Ten Years'
Diggings, p. 28.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
47
verified. Only the hair of the individual interred remained. A leather cup decorated with
silver rim and wheel and cross emblems was discovered, as was a mass of bone and gold
fragments of finely worked nature, that Bateman, its excavator, felt were once attached
to silk in some way. There were also several fragments of hanging bowl, while the most
significant find from the site was the remains of a helmet made of an iron frame with
bone panels, decorated with silver rivets and a silver cross, surmounted by a bronze
plaque upon which stood a bronze boar decorated with silver studs. This is one of only
three complete helmets of the period found in Anglo-Saxon England.71
However, no
weapons were discovered, which is perhaps surprising. Bruce-Mitford later asserted that
the grave had been previously robbed.72
However, Bateman was a skilled excavator,
who was easily capable of identifying differing soil types and possible intrusions, and he
gave no indication that the grave had been disturbed. The wealth is thus sufficient to
suggest kingly status, but not to demonstrate it persuasively.
Comparable to Benty Grange in terms of wealth, but more akin to Taplow in
terms of assemblage is Broomfield Barrow, Essex. Discovered by gravel diggers in 1888
who unearthed a sword, spear and knife, the grave was more thoroughly excavated in
1894 by Read. The grave cut seems to have been 8ft (2.4m) long, and possibly equally
wide forming a square. The grave cut also seems to have been burnt at some stage, there
being a layer of soot or charcoal on its sides. In addition to the items found in 1888, a
bronze circular pan, a quantity of fabrics, 2 possible drinking horns, 2 blue glass bowls,
two wooden cups with gilt bronze rims and two wooden buckets were also found. There
were no remains of a body. Neither were there any indications of a mound, although that
does not mean that there was not originally one.73
The grave itself was sited overlooking
the River Chelmer on the edge of a slight rise, close to the intersection of two Roman
roads. Analogy with other similar burials would place both Benty Grange and
Broomfield in the first half of the seventh century.
Of a similar nature is Asthall Barrow, Oxfordshire. The barrow was sited on the
edge of a limestone spur on the southern edge of the Cotswolds, overlooking the Thames
valley, adjacent to the route of the Roman Akerman Street. The barrow itself was
singularly large, measuring 12ft (3.7m) high and 55ft (16.8m) in diameter, although by
71
Bateman, Ten Years' Diggings, pp. 28-33. Also Bruce-Mitford and Luscombe, 'Benty Grange Helmet',
pp. 223-42.
72
Bruce-Mitford and Luscombe, 'Benty Grange Helmet', p. 229.
73
Read, 'Saxon Grave at Broomfield'.
Peter J W Burch
48
the modern era the sides had been shorn by a 4 ½ft (1.4m) retaining wall. If the raised
area to the south west can be interpreted as part of the original barrow structure, the
diameter may once have been as much as 68ft (20.7m). This would give an original
volume of as much as 650m³, equivalent to 2150 man-hours. Asthall Barrow is also
unusual in that it was a cremation burial. Due to the cremation process, there were few
finds, although there was a substantial layer of ash and cremated material discovered.
This overlay a layer of clay that had been specially imported and covered the base of the
centre of the barrow. Of the cremated material, two copper alloy bowls – one Byzantine
– drinking vessels, a Merovingian pottery vessel and other vessels of various sorts have
been identified, as well as the fragments of several strap-ends and a set of gaming
pieces.74
Leeds, Asthall’s excavator, did not feel that the burial had been previously
disturbed and although modern scholarship has suggested that this might have been the
case, this is purely speculative.75
Leeds also dated Asthall Barrow to the first half of the
seventh century, which has been corroborated by subsequent study.76
Similar comments apply to other sites. The barrow burial at Caenby,
Lincolnshire, for example, was sited adjacent to the line of Roman Ermine Street on an
elevated spot. It had a circumference of 304ft (92.7m) and a height of 8ft (2.4m) giving
a volume of around 850m³, equivalent to a total of 2750 man-hours. The grave contained
a sword, a shield decorated with gilt bronze and a wooden stool similarly decorated. The
incumbent was found seated on the stool in one corner of a much larger grave cut. The
burial may also have contained the fragments of a helmet and of a horse’s harness.
Possible pieces of bone and parts of horseshoes were also found. It is possible, therefore,
that a horse was included in the burial.77
Sadly, any more detailed discussion is
complicated by the fact that the site had been disturbed and the report is highly confused,
although those items found do suggest reasonable wealth.78
Stylistically, the artefacts
found at Caenby date it to the first half of the seventh century.79
This pattern is echoed at Wollaston, Northamptonshire. Discovered in 1997, the
site is directly adjacent to a Roman road. There was no trace of a mound, but as the site
74
Original report: Leeds, 'Cremation Burial in Asthall Barrow'. Cogently reassessed: Dickinson and
Speake, 'Seventh-Century Cremation Burial'.
75
Dickinson and Speake, 'Seventh-Century Cremation Burial', p. 101.
76
Dickinson and Speake, 'Seventh-Century Cremation Burial', pp. 106-07; Leeds, Early Anglo-Saxon Art
and Archaeology, p. 35; Leeds, 'Cremation Burial in Asthall Barrow', pp. 123-25.
77
More broadly: Fern, 'Anglo-Saxon Horse Burial'.
78
Jarvis, 'Caenby, Lincolnshire'.
79
Speake, Anglo-Saxon Animal Art, pp. 39-42.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
49
had been subjected to extensive ploughing, it could easily have been obliterated. The
grave revealed sufficient skeletal data to point to a male occupant of around 25 years.
Interred with him were a pattern-welded-sword, a bronze hanging bowl and a helmet.
This was of similar construction to the one found at Sutton Hoo, although like the Benty
Grange Helmet it had a boar mounted on the crest. Fragments of a leather lining
remained and there are indications that it was placed on a feather pillow.80
This burial
would seem to be slightly later than the other burials discussed.81
In comparison to the graves previously discussed this is of a poor level of wealth.
Yet even graves of this level of richness are relatively rare. Sites such as Rodmead
Down, Wiltshire,82
Lowbury Hill, Berkshire,83
Cuddesdon, Oxfordshire,84
Lapwing Hill,
Derbyshire,85
Coombe, Kent,86
and others often feature barrows, although rarely of a size
comparable to Mound One.87
Indeed, there are a large number of Anglo-Saxon barrow
burials which do not exhibit an exceptional degree of wealth, epitomised by the barrow
cemeteries of Kent where the burial rite seems to have been accessible to all and the
general level of wealth in the graves is relatively poor. Similarly, there are poor chamber
graves, such as at Coombe, Kent, although these are rarer.88
It is hard to conceive of
these burials as kingly. All too quickly, therefore, one is left with graves where the level
of wealth is so low that the probability that they are kingly is negligible.89
Discussion
Immediately there is a problem with connecting these burials, and elite male burial more
generally, to the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. With the possible exception of Snape
Ship Burial, all of the probable and possible kingly burials date from the first half of the
seventh century. However, at this point the available narrative and documentary sources
indicate that kingship was firmly established in early Anglo-Saxon England. By
80
Meadows, 'Wollaston'; Webster and Meadows, 'Helmet with Boar Crest'. The site remains
unpublished.
81
Webster and Meadows, 'Helmet with Boar Crest', p. 3.
82
Hoare, Ancient History of South Wiltshire, pp. 46-47.
83
Atkinson, Lowbury Hill in Berkshire, pp. 15-23.
84
Akerman, Remains of Pagan Saxondom, pp. 11-12, 28-29; Anon, '[Untitled]'.
85
Bateman, Ten Years' Diggings, pp. 68-70; Bateman, Vestiges of the Antiquities of Derbyshire, p. 27.
86
Akerman, Remains of Pagan Saxondom, pp. 47-48, 53.
87
Pollington, Anglo-Saxon Burial Mounds, pp. 106ff.
88
Akerman, Remains of Pagan Saxondom, pp. 47-48.
89
The best introduction to early Anglo-Saxon burial rites is Lucy, Anglo-Saxon Way of Death. Barrow
burials are more fully addressed by Shephard, 'Anglo-Saxon Barrows', pp. 2.1-2.31 and vol II. Also
Meaney, Gazetteer, which is invaluable if dated.
Peter J W Burch
50
definition these burials, and by extension elite male burial more generally, cannot
illustrate the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. Alternative explanations of elite burial,
and a revised understanding of the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship, are, therefore,
required.
Moreover, kingship cannot be directly connected to lavish burial. None of the
items or structures of the probable and possibly kingly graves, with one or two possible
exceptions, seem exclusively kingly. This is only reinforced by the slightly later
instances of elite female burial. Rather, there exists a continuous spectrum between the
very richest Anglo-Saxon burials and the very poorest, all utilising a shared material
language. The majority of the objects found in the probably kingly graves are also found
in the possibly kingly graves. Indeed, it is not uncommon to find quite exceptional items
in otherwise very modest graves, such as the exquisite brooch found in grave 205,
Kingston Down with two other lesser items.90
Furthermore, the probable and possible kingly graves are only found in certain
areas. Three graves were found in Suffolk, with two across the county border in Essex.
There were also clusters in the Peak District, with a few in the Thames valley. This
leaves large areas of Anglo-Saxon England without candidates for kingly burials. It is
not that there was an absence of kings in these areas, as we know from historical sources
that they were present. Nor can such gaps be entirely explained away by the haphazard
nature of archaeological discovery, as these areas are often well provided with other
forms of burial. It is simply that lavish burial was far from universal among early AngloSaxon
kings. Lavish burial, therefore, was not innately kingly and cannot be used as an
indicator of the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
Nonetheless, the fact remains that some kings were, in all probability, buried in
this way. Insight into Anglo-Saxon kingship, and to an extent its origins, can thus still
be derived from understanding these burials. In order to achieve this, the probable and
possible kingly burials need to be seen in the context of elite burials more generally. This
reveals that the distribution of probable and possible kingly burials strongly correlates
with wider patterns in the burial record. East Anglia and Essex, as seen at Sutton Hoo
and Prittlewell, seem to have had small numbers of burial mounds associated with larger
flat grave cemeteries. Sussex, the Isle of Wight and most especially Kent, meanwhile,
were dominated by large cemeteries made up entirely of relatively small barrow burials.
90
Webster and Backhouse (eds), Making of England, pp. 50-51.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
51
Many of these graves contained a few quite exceptional items.91
Burial in the Peak
District (principally in Derbyshire) the Chilterns, and the North Wessex downs, as at
Benty Grange and Taplow, was dominated by isolated barrows of either primary or
secondary interments. Yorkshire, meanwhile, was notable for multiple secondary
interments in barrows.92
In western and northern Britain, furnished burial was not
practiced at all in any meaningful sense, although mortuary structures such as barrows,
cist graves and marker stones were all variously used.93
The instances of probable and
possible kingly burials can thus be seen as exceptional extensions of wider patterns of
burial practice.94
These variations in burial practice might be taken to indicate wider cultural
differences between different areas of early Anglo-Saxon England. This in turn might
suggest that different origins or natures of kingship might be found in these areas,
although this goes beyond the available evidence. It is nonetheless interesting to note
that there is a secondary correlation between areas of Anglo-Saxon England with lesslavish
burial traditions and areas whose subsequent kings or kingdoms held Britishderived
names.95
While none of this is conclusive, it does raise the important possibility
that various and varying origins of kingship were found across early Anglo-Saxon
England.
A number of explanations of elite burial have been offered, which, to varying
extents, can help develop an appreciation of the purposes of the probable and possible
kingly burials. It has been relatively common, for example, to emphasis the ‘pagan’
associations of these burials. On a general level, barrow burial has often been associated
with a defiant paganism in a rapidly Christianising world.96
Such burials have been
characterised as ‘flagships of the unconverted’.97
More specifically, Carver has argued
that Sutton Hoo should be seen as a statement of Scandinavian, pagan identity and
allegiance, as a counter to the Christian Merovingian kingdom and its Kentish ally.98
91
Webster and Backhouse (eds), Making of England, pp. 22-26, 48-51.
92
Shephard, 'Anglo-Saxon Barrows', pp. 1.11-1.13, with fig.1.1ff, especially fig.2.2, 3.1 and 4.1.
93
James, 'Cemeteries in Wales', pp. 92-94; Alcock, 'Burials in Scotland'; Close-Brooks, 'Pictish and
Other Burials'.
94
More generally: Williams, 'Death Warmed Up'.
95
This was kindly brought to my attention by Higham.
96
As Lutovsky, 'Sutton Hoo and Chernaya Mogila'; Van de Noort, 'Context of Early Medieval Barrows';
Carver, 'Ideology and Allegiance', pp. 180-82; Carver, 'Sutton Hoo in Context', p. 99.
97
Carver, 'Meanings of Monumental Barrows', p. 140.
98
Carver, 'Meanings of Monumental Barrows', pp. 139-41; Carver, 'Politics of Early Medieval
Monumentality', pp. 5-9; Carver, 'Ideology and Allegiance'. Also Carver, 'Cemetery and Society at
Sutton Hoo'.
Peter J W Burch
52
Elements of this hypothesis are certainly plausible. The influence of Frankia in this
period was pronounced, with some going as far as to suggest some form of Frankish
hegemony over southern and eastern England.99
The siting of Sutton Hoo on a riverine
estuary facing Frankia and Kent would seem to accord with this (Fig.8). Snape and
Prittlewell are similarly located. There are also compelling Scandinavian associations at
Sutton Hoo, principally through the helmet, shield, sword and ship from Mound One.
Similarly, pagan associations are found in other possibly kingly burials such as the horse
burial at Caenby and the cremation burial at Asthall, cremation being extremely rare in
Christian contexts.
However, there are difficulties with this interpretation. Christian associations can
also be demonstrated at a number of these burials. The baptismal spoons from Mound
One are a prime example. Even more telling are the gold trefoil crosses placed over the
eyes of the individual interred at Prittlewell. Similarly, Scandinavian associations are
readily found in Kentish mortuary archaeology, particularly through the incidence of
bracteates.100
The interpretation relies upon placing pagan and Christian in binary
opposition. Calling this into question, Halsall has drawn attention to the fact that in
Frankish archaeology grave goods reach their highest point in the generation after the
conversion of the Frankish monarchy, while the emergence of barrow building also
significantly pre-dates the major phase of Merovingian church building.101
The
interpretation also rests, at least implicitly, on the assumption that lavishly furnished
burial is somehow innately pagan, which is demonstrably not the case.102
The idea that
these burials can be used to signal identities, allegiances and associations is plausible
enough. But what is being signalled, deliberately or implicitly, should not be reduced to
simple oppositions. Roman, Germanic and British associations can all also be posited.103
These burials stand at the nexus of a variety of competing and overlapping associations
which from our current perspective can only be partially untangled.
99
Wood, Merovingian North Sea; Wood, 'Frankish Hegemony'.
100
Behr, 'Kingship in Early Medieval Kent', pp. 33-47; with Behr, 'New Bracteate Finds'. On the
mortuary archaeology of Kent more generally: Welch, 'Kent to AD 800', pp. 209-35.
101
Halsall, Cemeteries and Society, pp. 249-50.
102
Halsall, 'Christianization of the Region of Metz', pp. 264-68; Young, 'Myth of the Pagan Cemetery';
Young, 'Paganisme, christianisation'.
103
Variously Filmer-Sankey, ''Roman Emperor' in the Sutton Hoo Ship Burial'; Carver, 'Ideology and
Allegiance'; Enright, 'Sutton Hoo Sceptre'. The hanging-bowls are also considered to be classic British
items, although they may in fact have been made locally. Further: Bruce-Mitford, Late Celtic Hanging-
Bowls.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
53
Associated with this signalling is the siting of these burials. Again,
interpretations vary. Shephard, for example, noted a correlation between marginal
grazing lands and isolated barrows, and suggested that such monuments were a way of
legitimising inheritance and enforcing land or resource claims in a pre-literate society.104
Along related lines, Williams has argued that the frequent reuse of ancient monuments,
as several of these sites do, was a way of linking the early Anglo-Saxon present to an
imagined past, thus creating a sense of identity, community and shared history and in the
process legitimating the present.105
Both of these interpretations can be seen as having a
socially cohesive effect, although it should be noted that the identity created may have
been entirely new, perhaps even a deliberate over-writing of the past.106
Elite burials were also frequently sited on boundaries, communication routes or
in liminal positions, suggesting signalling to an external audience.107
Most suggestive in
this context is Taplow Barrow. Sited in a liminal area between the territories of Wessex,
Mercia, Sussex and Essex, it dominates the surrounding landscape. Strikingly, the goods
in the assemblage have their most compelling associations with Kent; they are either of
Kentish manufacture or have been transmitted through Kent. It has thus been suggested
that Taplow represents an outpost of Kentish hegemony, a visible marker of an attempt
at political ascendency.108
Sutton Hoo, Snape and Prittlewell can be seen in a similar
light.109
None of these interpretations are entirely certain or provable. Indeed, our
knowledge of early Anglo-Saxon cosmology is insufficient to test them satisfactorily.
104
Shephard, 'Anglo-Saxon Barrows', pp. 3.1-3.13.
105
Williams, 'Monuments and the Past'; Williams, 'Ancient Landscapes and the Dead'.
106
Halsall, Cemeteries and Society, pp. 257-60. The case for this seems particularly strong at Snape
where the Bronze Age cremation urn was found, perhaps intentionally, upturned under the ship burial
which ‘swamped’ the pre-existing Bronze Age barrow: Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon
Cemetery, pp. 233, 266.
107
Brookes, 'Walking with the Anglo-Saxons'. Also, Semple, 'Burials and Political Boundaries';
Goodier, 'Boundaries in Anglo-Saxon England'; Shephard, 'Anglo-Saxon Barrows', pp. 3.1-3.13; more
broadly, Reynolds, 'Burials, Boundaries and Charters'; more problematically Bonney, 'Boundaries and
Estates'.
108
Webster, 'Death's Diplomacy', pp.78-81.
109
This suggestion of an externally focused statement of identity and power is also echoed in the poem
Beowulf, where after being mortally wounded by the Dragon, Beowulf asks Wiglaf to construct a barrow
on a headland to preserve his memory and so that passing ships can see it, Beo, ll, 2802-08. Of course,
the problems of using Beowulf to illuminate this period are manifold and it should not be relied upon, as
Frank, 'Beowulf and Sutton Hoo', but the parallels are nonetheless suggestive. More generally: Lucy,
'Significance of Mortuary Ritual'.
Peter J W Burch
54
The mechanisms that underpin them, however, are certainly plausible. While the precise
purpose, or purposes, of these monuments must, therefore, remain elusive, they can be
seen to be engaging in an interchange of territorial claim and counter-claim, local
influence and power, identity and allegiance, across the Anglo-Saxon landscape.
As confirmation of this need for caution, it is noteworthy that the initial burials
at Sutton Hoo would not have been visible from the river. 110
When it is remembered
that Sutton Hoo was associated with an older flat grave cemetery, the reasons for its
siting, and so what it communicated, seem very different. Williamson has drawn
attention to the characteristics of the landscape around Sutton Hoo. The surrounding
area is notably flat due to its geology; little land reaches more than 30m above sea
level.111
In the seventh century a considerable proportion of the area would have been
open heath land, the majority of the currently wooded areas being modern plantations.112
Rivers and estuaries, therefore, would have made notable breaks in the otherwise open
110
Williamson, Sutton Hoo and its Landscape, p. 105.
111
Williamson, Sutton Hoo and its Landscape, pp. 29-33.
112
Williamson, Sutton Hoo and its Landscape, pp. 53-66.
Fig.9, View to the East of Sutton Hoo
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
55
landscape. At Sutton Hoo this effect is amplified by the high escarpment which rises up
from the east side of the River Deben upon which Sutton Hoo sits and the contrast with
the flat open expanse of water below it and the comparatively flat expanse of land to the
east (Figs.9-10).113
Given this, it stands to reason that the flat grave cemetery and Sutton
Hoo were sited so as to permit a view of the river, rather than the other way around. It
was only at a later stage, with the construction of Mounds One and Two, that other issues
potentially came to the fore.114
Had visibility been a primary concern then other sites
would have been preferable.115
Similar arguments can also be made regarding Snape
which inhabits a comparable landscape setting. Indeed, had visibility been a priority,
Snape would have been located on the site of the current church of St. Botoloph, which
is sited much more prominently in relation to how the landscape was used (Fig.11).
Nor should the probable and possible kingly burials be addressed purely as
monuments. The process of burial also needs to be considered, as it is this which
contemporaries would have primarily experienced. The utilisation of ships, chambers
113
Williamson, Sutton Hoo and its Landscape, p. 31.
114
Carver, Sutton Hoo, pp. 307-09, 490-92.
115
Williamson, Sutton Hoo and its Landscape, pp. 101-06.
Fig.10, View to the West of Sutton Hoo, Across the River Deben
Peter J W Burch
56
and mounds suggests that the processes involved in the probable and possible kingly
burials were highly elaborate.116
Certainly they were time-consuming. The effort
involved in transporting at 27.2m oak ship up a 30m escarpment is immense, while the
largest mound, Mound One, required an estimate 4400 man-hours simply to construct
the mound.117
Moreover, such features can be thought of as providing a setting, or series
of settings, framing and situating the ceremonies or rituals enacted.118
Such features, and
indeed the contents, are thus suggestive of possible funerary rites although they hardly
reveal them in detail.
It needs to be asked, therefore, why such choices were made. Burial on this scale
was exceptional. What caused those who were burying the probable and possible kings
to make such choices? Growing out of his research into Frankish mortuary archaeology,
Halsall has developed the idea that lavish furnished burial can be linked to social
instability and the difficulty of transferring power and authority from one generation to
116
As Williams, Death and Memory, pp. 137-41; Carver, Sutton Hoo, pp. 179-99; Carver, 'Burial as
Poetry', pp. 42-47.
117
Appendix IV.
118
Williams, Death and Memory, pp. 117-44; with Halsall, Cemeteries and Society, pp. 242-47. Also
Halsall, 'Burial, Ritual and Merovingian Society', pp. 205-11; Halsall, 'Burial Writes', pp. 215-24.
Fig.11, St. Botolph’s Church, Iken and the River Alde
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
57
another.119
This offers a potential explanation. Halsall has convincingly argued that the
act of burial and any associated rituals would serve to create and maintain social bonds;
these bonds would justify and support the position of those who would replace the dead.
Furthermore, such an act can be seen as sending a message of competency and legitimacy
to both internal and external audiences. Lavish burial, therefore, might be seen as a
mechanism for ensuring succession.
This, however, needs to be qualified. As has been seen, elite burial was filtered
through local custom. Such choices were undoubtedly circumscribed in this way.
Moreover, non-political motivations are possible. Implicit in Halsall’s idea is that death
is socially disruptive, but that mourning rituals such as those associated with burial
potentially help to mitigate this disruption.120
Indeed, it is possible to transcend this
disruption and create a positive social effect out of death.121
Of course, it needs to be
borne in mind that the social impact of the death of an individual is not uniform, nor is
the sense of loss created by their passing. The death of a significant figure, or king,
creates a much larger social problem than the death of someone with few personal
connections or influence. Differing responses, depending on the personal or political
circumstances, are thus to be expected. This is poignantly illustrated by the burial of the
small boy under Cologne Cathedral who, along with a cot and child’s chair, was found
buried with adult arms and armour and other objects typically associated with adult
graves.122
Lavish burial, cannot, therefore, be taken as a direct proxy for the insecurity
of political power. Nonetheless, a connection can be seen to exist.
These observations, therefore, add further complexity to the interpretations
offered above. Halsall’s idea of burial as a negotiator of the transfer of power also refines
the light within which they should be viewed. They seem very much as tools of kingship
as one generation seeks to inherit from its predecessors. Indeed, given this, and the
variety of interpretations and factors discussed above, early Anglo-Saxon kings seem to
be both sophisticated and ideologically capable. This sophistication, of course, together
with the resources invested in the burials, reinforces the initial point that these burials
cannot be seen as an indication of the origins of kingship. They were products of an
119
Halsall, 'Origins of the Reihengräberzivilisation'; Halsall, 'Burial, Ritual and Merovingian Society';
Halsall, 'Childeric’s Grave', pp. 175-87. In a similar vein: Knüsel, 'Of No More Use to Men'.
120
Durkheim, Les formes élémentaries de la vie religieuse, pp. 557-75. Also Hertz, Death and the Right
Hand, pp. 29-86, particularly 76-86.
121
Davies, Death, Ritual and Belief, particularly pp. 40-54. More generally: Bloch, Prey into Hunter.
122
Werner, 'Frankish Royal Tombs', pp. 205-08.
Peter J W Burch
58
established institution. While not directly connected to kingship, therefore, the probable
and possible kingly burials demonstrate the ability of early Anglo-Saxon kings to exploit
existing practices for their own purposes. Developing Halsall’s idea further, it can be
suggested that the incidence of elite burial points to a development or change, perhaps
even an experiment, in Anglo-Saxon kingship. It was these developments or changes
that such burials sought to justify and legitimate. Nor was elite burial the only change
that can be observed in this period. Extensive changes can be seen across early AngloSaxon
society, and Europe generally, in social structure, the use of objects, settlement
types, trade patterns and religious practices.123
The contents of these burials can also shed light on the nature of early AngloSaxon
kingship. The suggested developments of kingship which these burials represent
complicate this process, but they do not render it invalid. As previously discussed, a
burial is the product of a series of choices. By understanding these choices it is possible
to achieve an understanding of how those who buried the individual wanted them to be
perceived.124
When those individuals were kings these choices take on a particular
significance. Thus, by examining a range of kingly burials – the probable and possible
kingly graves – it is possible to appreciate the nature of kingship more generally by, in
effect, ‘reading’ their material language.125
The first, and in many ways the most obvious, unifying feature of these graves is
the wealth preserved and invested in them. Many of the items included are of exceptional
quality. To take just one example, the shoulder clasps from Mound One are exquisite,
exceptional works (Fig.2). They are made of gold with cloisonné garnet, millefiori glass
and blue glass. On each side of the clasp there is an inner rectangle surrounded by
zoomorphic designs. The inner rectangle is backed by gold leaf stamped with a grid
pattern and features an arrangement of cloisons with varying inlays in a complex, regular
pattern. The surrounding pattern is of gold with garnet inlay. The ends of the clasps are
decorated by interlocking boars of a similar construction and gold filigree. All four
123
As Welch, 'Mid Saxon "Final Phase"', pp. 266-69, 277-84; Geake, Grave-Goods in ConversionPeriod
England, pp. 31-141; Halsall, 'Social Change Around 600 AD'.
124
This approach has been developed particularly by Halsall, who has demonstrated how it is possible to
‘read’ funerary deposits, as Halsall, 'Burial, Ritual and Merovingian Society', pp. 204-11. Halsall’s
approach has developed over time, gaining in nuance. He is now at pains to emphasise the partial nature
of the archaeological ‘text’ that is read: Halsall, 'Burial Writes'. Also Halsall, Cemeteries and Society,
pp. 242-47; Williams, Death and Memory, pp. 117-44; Lebecq, 'Two Faces of King Childeric'; Carver,
'Burial as Poetry', pp. 37-48, particularly 37-38.
125
What follows builds, at least in part, on Evans, Ship Burial, pp. 41-94.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
59
halves of the two clasps are almost identical. The skill and precision involved in the
construction of such items with contemporary technologies is phenomenal.126
Of potentially greater significance is the presence of a number of imported items.
Filmer-Sankey has demonstrated that the Snape ring would most likely have had a
Continental provenance.127
Prittlewell included spoons and a flagon from the Byzantine
Empire, as well as a Coptic bowl and two Merovingian tremisses. Mound One
meanwhile featured items from all over Europe: the silverware came from the Eastern
Mediterranean, as did the Coptic bowl; the coins came from Merovingian France; the
combs from Saxony; and the helmet, shield and sword are of possible Swedish
extraction.128
Such items are, perhaps unsurprisingly, significantly more common in the
coastal burials of the south east. Similarly, such items are indications of contact with
Continental Europe, although by what route or mechanism is not evident. It might be
speculated that access to such items was exclusively kingly, which would in turn lend
kings power through the ability to control their distribution, but this goes significantly
beyond the available evidence.129
Greater certainty is possible with respect to the arms and armour found across the
probable and possible kingly burials. The burials usually included a sword and often one
or more shields, spears or angons. Seaxes are also relatively common. Less common
are helmets which have only been conclusively found at Mound One, Benty Grange and
Wollaston.130
Rarer still are mail coats which were only conclusively discovered at
Mound One, although something which may have served a similar purpose may also
have been found at Benty Grange. Such items were often highly decorative. The
shoulder clasps, for example, seem to have been designed to connect two halves of a
leather cuirass together.131
The pattern-welding of many of the swords discovered, as
well as decoration on many of the hilts, falls into a similar category, as do the helmets
found in Mound One, Benty Grange and Wollaston.
126
Webster and Backhouse (eds), Making of England, pp. 29-30. It should be noted that given the
methodology adopted, the presence of such objects is, to a large degree, to be expected.
127
Filmer-Sankey and Pestell, Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, pp. 195-96.
128
Carver, 'Sutton Hoo in Context', p. 102; Bruce-Mitford, 'Sutton Hoo Ship Burial: Foreign
Connections', pp. 149-75, 187-95. Also references to individual items in Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo
Ship Burial, vol III; Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol II. The direct importation of the
Helmet, sword and shield are contested by Wilson, 'Sweden - England'.
129
Pestell, 'Markets, Emporia, Wics, and 'Productive' Sites'. Also Moreland, 'Production in EighthCentury
England'.
130
Another was possibly discovered at Newhaven Low, although this is otherwise a poor site: Bateman,
Ten Years' Diggings, pp. 45-46. The Staffordshire Hoard also contains a number of helmet fragments.
131
Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol II, pp. 523-33.
Peter J W Burch
60
Such objects are naturally associated with war-leadership. The ability to
command and lead forces can thus be posited as an aspect of the nature of Anglo-Saxon
kingship. Moreover, the decoration associated with these items emphasizes the
importance of such activities. War-leadership naturally has an offensive side, effective
military leadership allowing kings to exert their authority and influence. War-leadership
can thus be seen as a source of kingly power. Implicit in this, however, is its reciprocal
defensive character. Successful war-leadership allowed kings to protect their territory
and their followers. In what can be surmised as an uncertain and insecure context,
protection would have proven highly appealing.
Various sorts of vessels were also found in many of these burials. These included
drinking horns, cups and jars, as well as larger plates, bowls, cauldrons and buckets.
Various associations can be derived from these vessels, but they all revolve around food
production, provision, entertainment and hospitality. The inclusion of gaming counters
in several of the graves, as well as lyres in two, might also be taken as supporting this
supposition. The role of king as provider can also be seen as central to kingship. It is
possible to go beyond this and tentatively suggest that such provision, in the context of
the protection detailed above, provided the basis of personal relationships between kings
and their immediate followers. Such relationships would in turn provide early AngloSaxon
kings with a source of power and authority. Indeed, if the Gododdin of the poet
Aneirin is to be credited, then the consumption of alcohol played a key role in the
formation and maintenance of these putative relationships.132
Further, the fact that the
drinking horns found at Taplow and Mound One are too large and heavy to be practical
personal vessels and are thus suggestive of some form of collective, perhaps ritualised,
imbibing, reinforces this impression.133
Certain items are also suggestive of exclusively kingly purposes, although such
are by their very nature uncertain. There is a range of items of uncertain purpose, which
might fall into this category, but two require particular attention. These are the whetstone
and axe-hammer (Figs.5-6).134
The whetstone is hugely enigmatic, but it is hard to
132
Koch, Gododdin of Aneirin.
133
Neuman de Vegvar, 'Sutton Hoo Horns'. More problematically: Enright, Lady with a Mead Cup; with
the comments of Rollason, 'Protection and the Mead-Hall', pp. 26-35. Further: Bullough, Friends,
Neighbours and Fellow-Drinkers.
134
Arguments can also be made that the stools found at Prittlewell and Caenby are exclusively kingly:
Anon, Prittlewell Prince, p. 30. Similarly with that metal stands of Mound One and Prittlewell if they
are corruptions of Roman military standards, and analogous to the tufa that Bede records that Edwin had
carried before him: HE, II.16; Bruce-Mitford, Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, vol II, pp. 403-31. Likewise, if
the Snape ring can be considered a seal ring, then it too would be kingly: Filmer-Sankey and Pestell,
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
61
envisage it being used in anything other than a symbolic context; it has certainly never
been used as an actual whetstone. Saying more than this requires venturing into
excessive speculation, but the suggestion itself is enough. The Celtic-derived design of
the whetstone is also highly suggestive, prompting ideas of British influence, origins or
borrowings in early Anglo-Saxon kingship.135
The axe-hammer is equally problematic.
It is without parallel and there are no indications of carpenters or shipwrights using such
a tool. Indeed, its geometry would make it almost useless as a wood-working tool. A
battle usage has also been suggested, although problems with that are troubling for
similar reasons. The most compelling suggestion to date has been that it was used in the
ritual sacrifice of animals through pole-axing. This is, of course, hardly certain, but if
correct it is suggestive of sacral kingship; certainly it implies a kingly involvement in
religion.136
To generalise, such items reinforce the supposition previously mooted that
Anglo-Saxon kingship was ideologically capable and aware. Further, this exploitation
provides another indication of the sources of power underpinning early Anglo-Saxon
kingship.
One final area also needs to be addressed. Alongside the elite male burials, with
their probable and possible kingly sub-set, there existed a class of elite female burials.
These largely date to the mid or late seventh century and are not as grand as the richest
male burials.137
Consequently, it is not possible to adopt the same methodology as was
used with the elite male burials. Nonetheless, allowing for the general trend towards
progressively less-lavish graves, the elite female burials stand out by their exceptional
wealth.138
Confines of space mean that a full examination of the topic is not possible.
Instead, a sub-set consisting of bed burials will serve as a proxy for female elite burials.
This distinctive burial rite was almost exclusively associated with female burial and is
characterised by generally high levels of wealth.139
A few examples must suffice to illuminate their character. Swallowcliffe Down,
Wiltshire, is one of the better-known bed burials. The burial was that of a young woman
between 17 and 25 years; the bed was placed in a chamber built inside a re-used Bronze
Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, pp. 96-98. The helmets might also be interpreted as indicators of
kingship: Ambrosiani, 'Regalia and Symbols', p. 25.
135
Enright, 'Sutton Hoo Sceptre'.
136
Dobat, 'King and his Cult'.
137
Hines and Bayliss (eds), Anglo-Saxon Graves: A Chronological Framework, pp. 339-458. More
broadly: Lucy, 'Gender and Gender Roles'; Crawford, 'Anglo-Saxon Women'.
138
As Lucy et al., 'Burial of A Princess?'; Speake, Bed Burial on Swallowcilffe Down.
139
Appendix II.
Peter J W Burch
62
Age barrow. The burial contained glass palm cups, a yew bucket and a bronze mounted
bucket, as well as knives, a skillet, items of jewellery and a bronze sprinkler or strainer
amongst other items. It has been dated to the late seventh century by analogy with other
similar burials, although this may need to be brought forward slightly in light of the
recent re-assessment of early Anglo-Saxon archaeological chronologies.140
A number of
these elements are found elsewhere, such as at Trumpington, Cambridgeshire, which
contained a pectoral cross, chatelaine, beads (possibly in a purse), and a knife,141
or in
Burial 42 at Street House, North Yorkshire. This burial was also most likely to have
been under a burial mound. It contained, in addition to the bed and its presumed textile
furnishings, an impressive gold and garnet cloisonné shield brooch, two gold cabochon
pendants, and miscellaneous other items. The bed was also raised on some form of
platform or bier and, unusually, was associated with some sort of structure. The cemetery
at Street House has been dated to c.630-c.670, with burial 42 in the second half of this
range.142
Many of the difficulties encountered with the elite male burials are also found in
the elite female burials. It is not known who was buried in the burials nor what their
status might have been. While it has been suggested that some of the burials are of royal
women, this cannot be proven, and the lower levels of wealth at these sites mean that it
cannot be considered as a probability.143
It also might be suggested that these burials
derive from monastic communities, but no direct or compelling spatial links have been
established. The burials do seem to broadly respect the distributions observed with the
elite male burials, but there are a number of outliers. In the context of Frankish mortuary
archaeology, Halsall has demonstrated that power and status were often negotiated
through female burials.144
These burials may, therefore, represent a continuation of the
issues and concerns seen in the elite male burials. It is not clear, however, why these
concerns should shift from male to female burials.
140
Hines and Bayliss (eds), Anglo-Saxon Graves: A Chronological Framework; Speake, Bed Burial on
Swallowcilffe Down.
141
Dickens and Lucy, Anglo-Saxon Teen Buried in Bed.
142
Sherlock, Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Street House; Simmons, 'Bed Burial from Street House'.
143
As Sherlock, Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Street House, pp. 126-32; or more obliquely Lucy et al.,
'Burial of A Princess?'. A distinction needs to be draw between kingship and the idea of royalty.
Although they are clearly related, it is conceivable that kingship could exist without a concept of royalty.
Royalty is a broader concept which subsumes ideas of kingship. However, the instances of elite female
burial, and the possibility of queenship, allow ideas of royalty to be suggested.
144
Halsall, 'Female Status and Power'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
63
It is appealing, therefore, to link these burials to female status.145
This is not to
suggest that these burials directly reflect the status of those buried in them, but rather to
suggest that issues of female power and status were being negotiated through them. It
needs to be borne in mind that these burials were broadly contemporary with the early
flourishing of the early Anglo-Saxon church and the important role that aristocratic and
royal women played within it.146
Seen in this context, therefore, the elite female burials
are suggestive of the potential power and authority of women in early Anglo-Saxon
society.
Three further suggestions follow on from this. In the first instance, this potential
female power leads naturally to the idea that one must look beyond kingship in order to
fully appreciate the exercise of power and authority in early Anglo-Saxon society.
Moreover, by extension, it is possible that an idea of queenship existed alongside that of
kingship. As a final supposition, given the interpretation of elite male burial offered
above, it might be taken that the instances of elite female burial point to a development
or change in queenship and further, given the chronological relationship between male
and female elite burial, that queenship followed on from kingship. Indeed, it might be
possible to locate the origins of queenship within kingship. As they stand, these ideas
are of course highly speculative, but they raise important possibilities.
Conclusions
The perceived link, therefore, between elite male burial and the origins of Anglo-Saxon
kingship did not prove to be verifiable. Rather, it seemed that elite male burial was an
indication of a change in the nature of Anglo-Saxon kingship. This was linked to much
broader changes in Anglo-Saxon society. Elite burial was demonstrated to be a flexible
and ideologically sophisticated tool at the disposal of early Anglo-Saxon kingship, albeit
one which was filtered through local cultural, social and political contexts. Elite burials
did not directly shed light on the origins of kingship. Insight was, however, gained into
the nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. War-leadership and protection, feasting and
personal relationships were all highlighted as being of significance, along with several
more speculative suggestions. These ideas explain in part what the power of kings was
145
As Blair, Church in Anglo-Saxon Society, pp. 230-33.
146
Nicholson, 'Feminae gloriosae'. Further: Ortenberg, 'Virgin Queens'; Pelteret, 'Bede's women'; Hollis,
Anglo-Saxon Women and the Church.
Peter J W Burch
64
based upon, and in part why rule by kings became accepted. They thus cast light
indirectly onto the origins of kingship and provide a basis upon which to progress.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
65
Elite Settlement
Following a similar trend to the burial evidence, changes can also be observed in AngloSaxon
settlement patterns during the later sixth and early seventh centuries.1
New forms
of settlement emerge, including some ‘elite’ settlements characterised by notably large
buildings and obviously planned layouts. As with the elite burials, these elite settlements
have often been linked to the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship.2
However, unlike the
burial evidence, other potentially elite settlement types exist outside this relative narrow
time-period, being identifiable across the entire period under consideration. As with the
previous section the validity of this association between elite settlements of the later sixth
and early seventh centuries and the origins of kingship needs to be re-evaluated.
Additionally, possible links between kingship and other, typically earlier, forms of elite
settlement will be assessed. The character and potential uses of these various elite
settlement types will be used to cast light on the nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship,
and by association its origins. Where possible, the architecture of specific buildings on
these sites will be examined. Through this it will be possible to create a new conception
of the relationship between elite settlements and the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship.
Bede identified six sites as specifically royal in his Historia ecclesiastica:3
Ad
Murum, Bamburgh, Campodonum,4
Milfield, Rendlesham and Yeavering,5
while he also
implied that Catterick was a royal settlement site, it being compared to Yeavering as the
setting of a comparable instance of mass-conversion.6
There are further references to
royal settlements adjacent to the River Derwent, Yorkshire and near Bamburgh, as well
as a later royal settlement near Leeds.7
In turn, Stephen of Ripon’s Vita sancti Wilfridi
1
Hamerow, Rural Settlements, pp. 72-83, 102-09; Ulmschneider, 'Settlement Hierarchy', p. 159;
Hamerow, 'Earliest Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms', pp. 275-80. More generally: Rahtz, 'Buildings and Rural
Settlement'; Hamerow, 'Archaeology of Early Anglo-Saxon Settlement'. As above, the term AngloSaxon
is used as a term of convenience, referring to a chronological period and material culture, without
ethnic prejudice or assumption: Hamerow, Rural Settlements, p. 1.
2
Hamerow, 'Earliest Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms', pp 276-80, particularly 278-80; Thacker, 'England in the
Seventh Century', p. 474; Hamerow, 'Anglo-Saxon Oxfordshire', pp. 29-32; Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms,
pp. 8-9.
3
Yeavering, for example, is described as villa regia: HE, II.14.
4
Potentially a Roman site near Dewsbury, Yorkshire: Wallace-Hadrill, Bede's Ecclesiastical History, p.
75.
5
Ad Murum: HE, III.21 and III.22; Bamburgh: HE, III, 6, III.12 and III.16; Campondonum: HE, II.14;
Millfield: HE, II.14; Rendlesham: HE, III.22; Yeavering: HE, II.14. More broadly: Campbell, 'Bede's
Words for Places'.
6
HE, II.14.
7
HE, II.9, III.23, II.14 respectively.
Peter J W Burch
66
explicitly refers to Dunbar and an unidentified place, In Broninis, as royal.8
It is also
possible that the Medilwong, mentioned in the anonymous life of Saint Cuthbert, was a
kingly settlement.9
The recent discovery of pre-ecclesiastical settlement at Lyminge can
similarly be posited as kingly in nature,10
as can pre-ecclesiastical settlement at
Coldingham, which has been located on St. Abb’s Head, Berwickshire.11
Later
ecclesiastical sites occupying former Roman shore forts in southern England, as Dover
and Reculver, might be thought of as possessing a similar profile. However, to-date,
archaeological evidence of pre-ecclesiastical settlement has not been forthcoming from
these sites.12
Clearly not all of these kingly sites have been identified, fewer have been
located, and fewer still have been excavated. Nonetheless, such sites provide a
comparative basis upon which to identify other sites as potentially kingly through
analogy with sites it has been possible to excavate.13
Of the sites which have been identified and located, two distinct categories can
be proposed. Pre-ecclesiastical Lyminge, together with Milfield, Rendlesham and
Yeavering can be classified as rural settlements, while Bamburgh, pre-ecclesiastical
Coldingham and Dunbar seem best described as enclosed sites.14
Additionally, two
further categories of elite settlement can be suggested on a purely archaeological basis:
the utilisation of former military sites in northern Britain, particularly along Hadrian’s
Wall; and the potential continuities at several former Roman towns. These four
categories form the basis of the following analysis. Each settlement type will be
addressed in turn, in approximate chronological order. It should be acknowledged that
such categorisations inevitably introduce problems and difficulties of their own.
However, sub-division is essential in what is a highly heterogeneous body of information.
8
VW, 36, 38 respectively. It has been suggested that In Broninis can be identified with Fenwick,
Northumberland, and the tidal island of Lindisfarne, although this is far from certain: Jones, '"Broninis"'.
9
Anon.VC, IV.6. This supposition rests on the fact that a Northumbrian king was killed there in 759 by
his familia.
10
Lyminge is known to have possessed a double monastery by c.700, although certain traditions would
place this significantly earlier: Kelly, 'Lyminge Minster and its Early Charters'. Given that kings were
the main source of ecclesiastical patronage, the most plausible explanation is that the earliest phases of
settlement at Lyminge are kingly in nature. Drawing a chronological divide between royal and
ecclesiastical phases remains difficult.
11
A similar rationale applies here also. Coldingham was presided over by Aebbe, the sister of Oswiu of
Northumbria, HE, IV.19; VW, 39, so there is a high probability that it utilised a pre-existing royal
settlement. Additionally, Bede’s description of the site as Coludi urbs implies that the pre-ecclesiastical
royal settlement was a non-Roman, enclosed site, as Campbell, 'Bede's Words for Places', pp. 99-102.
12
As Philp, Anglo-Saxon Dover; with Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World, pp. 136-37. More
generally: Welch, 'Kent to AD 800', pp. 198-99.
13
Further: Ulmschneider, 'Settlement Hierarchy'. Also Hamerow, Rural Settlements, pp. 98-101;
Hamerow, 'Overview', pp. 124-26.
14
Campbell, 'Bede's Words for Places'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
67
As with the previous section, various caveats apply. Historiographical paradigms
are deliberately eschewed to ensure that the archaeological evidence can be appreciated
on its own terms. Similarly, recent discoveries at Rendlesham and Lyminge underline
the fact that future discoveries may also be forthcoming.15
Further, in addition to the
general difficulties associated with archaeological information and its interpretation,
particular challenges are associated with settlement archaeology. Very few of the
settlements have been excavated in anything approaching totality; it is thus difficult to
determine how representative current understandings are.16
Furthermore, certain areas
of the country are much better represented than others, while the discovery of settlements
is itself highly prejudiced by soil type, settlements appearing more readily in aerial
surveys of free-draining soils and gravels. Moreover, settlements are often extremely
difficult to date with any precision as archaeologists frequently unearth little in the way
of diagnostic finds, or even stratigraphy.17
This is most problematic when such sites are
known only from aerial reconnaissance. Further, typically only the foundations of
buildings, or their imprints, remain, rendering any discussion of superstructure or
architecture highly speculative.18
Caution, therefore, needs to be exercised so as not to
exceed the available evidence.
Finally, it is necessary to pause briefly and explore exactly what early AngloSaxon
kings required from settlements. Various practical requirements can be opined
such as the necessity of shelter and storage. This provision needed to extend to those
who surround the king as well as the king himself. The ways in which these needs were
met has the potential to reveal much regarding both the existence of kings and early
Anglo-Saxon society more generally. More broadly, kingly settlements might be thought
of as being designed to enhance kingly power. This may be through practical or tangible
activities, such as the production of food or the manufacture of items, or more intangible
ideological factors. They may also, more problematically, be thought of as centres of
administration. Not all of these aspects will necessarily be readily apparent in the
15
Thomas, 'Life Before the Minster'; Minter, Plouviez, and Scull, 'Rendlesham Rediscovered'.
16
Hamerow, 'Overview', p. 119.
17
Hamerow, Rural Settlements, pp. 1-6; Hamerow, 'Overview', pp. 120-21.
18
Smith, 'Inference from Archaeological Evidence'; Reynolds, 'Substructure to Superstructure'. Also
Johnson and Waddington, 'Settlement Remains from Cheviot Quarry', pp. 256-69; Mills,
'(Re)constructing Northumbrian Timber Buildings'; Charles, 'Construction of Buildings with IrregularlySpaced
Posts'; Fowler, 'Temporary Works'.
Peter J W Burch
68
archaeological record but it is through examining such issues that these settlements can
shed light on the origins and nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship.19
Roman Military Sites of Northern Britain
Formal imperial governance of Roman Britain ceased c.410. The political circumstances
and implications of this cessation are addressed in the following section; at this juncture
it is only certain archaeological aspects which are of relevance. It has, at times, been
assumed that all imperial personnel – soldiers and bureaucrats alike – were withdrawn
from Britain during the period leading up to c.409.20
However, this, as will be
demonstrated below, seems unlikely. Nor does the archaeological evidence from the
military sites of northern Britain support the idea of a sudden or systematic
abandonment.21
Indeed a number of the sites, the evidence being strongest at
Birdoswald,22
Vindolanda,23
South Shields,24
Binchester,25
and Piercebridge,26
exhibit
indications of ongoing settlement activity well into the fifth and possibly even the sixth
centuries.27
There are, broadly speaking, two explanations which can be offered for this
continuity: firstly, that there continued to be some form of ostensibly, or originally,
Roman presence at these sites; or secondly, that the sites were re-occupied or re-used
almost immediately by other communities.28
In either scenario, these settlements
represented local centres of power and authority. Consequently, the power and authority
wielded from these sites needs to be assessed so that any potential relationship to the
19
Campbell, 'Anglo-Saxon Courts'; Sawyer, 'Royal Tun', pp. 273-74. Larson, King's Household,
continues to be of use. This section has also been greatly enhanced by various discussions with
Rollason.
20
As Wickham, Inheritance of Rome, p. 151.
21
Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire, pp. 74-110; in summary Collins, 'Military
Communities and Transformation'. On Hadrian’s Wall more generally: Bidwell and Hodgson, Roman
Army in Northern England; Breeze, Handbook to the Roman Wall; Breeze and Dobson, Hadrian's Wall.
22
Wilmott, Birdoswald 1987-1992, pp. 209-31. Also Wilmott, Birdoswald Roman Fort, pp. 113-26;
Wilmott, Cool, and Evans, 'Excavations at Birdoswald (Banna)'.
23
Birley and Blake, Excavations of 2005 - 2007, pp. 48-51; Birley, Birley, and Blake, 1998 Excavations
at Vindolanda; Bidwell, Vindolanda at Chesterholm. Vindolanda has been the subject of a series of
research campaigns, for further references: Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire, p. 173.
24
Bidwell and Speak, Excavations at South Shields; also Hodgson, 'Arbeia', p. 82.
25
Ferris, Beautiful Rooms are Empty. Excavations at Binchester are still ongoing, details of which can
be found on the excavation blog: http://binchester.blogspot.co.uk/; and Petts, 'Military and Civilian', pp.
319-22.
26
Cool and Mason (eds), Roman Piercebridge.
27
Other sites: Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire, pp. 101-06, 171-75, with summary
bibliographic material; Wilmott, 'Late Roman Transition at Birdoswald', pp. 13-16. Carlisle, Catterick
and York are addressed in the following section.
28
Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire, pp. 33-35.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
69
origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship can be evaluated. Complicating such an evaluation are
the difficulties surrounding archaeological dating in this period. The cessation of both
significant new sources of currency and the mass-production of pottery types removes
much of the dating framework utilised with respect to previous centuries.29
Moreover, it
is only in the last 30 years that fifth-century activity has been identified at these sites.30
Nonetheless, evidence is available. This is most explicit at Birdoswald, where
excavations around the western gate have revealed strong indications of continuity of
use. In the mid fourth century, the sub-floor of the south granary, building 197, was
infilled and re-laid; around the same time, the roof of the north granary, building 198,
collapsed, in two stages, and this building was used as a quarry. The south granary was
occupied for some domestic function – it contained two successive hearths – while the
north was used for intermittent dumping. The south granary itself collapsed after 388-
95, as a coin of the Emperor Theodosius was sealed in its final deposits, the worn nature
of this coin suggesting a later rather than an earlier date for this collapse.31
Broadly
contemporary with this activity was the modification of building 803, the praetorium,
into an apsidal structure. This has been tentatively interpreted as a church. It is not
certain how long it remained in use, although it did remain standing for longer than the
other buildings in its vicinity.32
Following, and possibly overlapping, this phase was a series of timber structures.
Building 199 was built on the former north granary, and another, building 4426, was built
abutting the western wall of the fort immediately to the south of the western gate.
Another timber structure, building 200, was subsequently built on top of building 199.
At some point two further buildings, 4298 and 4299, were built against the eastern wall
and gate, although it is not clear how these related to the other buildings on the site. The
chronologies of these buildings are problematic. Building 199 was constructed later than
367-78, as a coin of the Emperor Valens was found in the deposits in building 198. The
relationship between building 199 and the re-floored south granary is less clear, although
it is conceivable that building 199 was intended as a replacement for this structure,
pushing its construction forward by at least a decade. Given that the timber structures
seem to have been well constructed, a sequence lasting into the mid fifth century seems
29
Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire, pp. 4-5.
30
Wilmott, 'Late Roman Transition at Birdoswald', p. 13.
31
Wilmott, Birdoswald 1987-1992, pp. 203-09, 218-20.
32
Wilmott, Cool, and Evans, 'Excavations at Birdoswald (Banna)', pp. 248, 395.
Peter J W Burch
70
certain. With appropriate maintenance and a less literal view of the coin dates, this might
be extended considerably further. Intriguingly, Collingwood-Bruce illustrated and
discussed a small-long brooch, of sixth-century type, which had supposedly been found
at Birdoswald, in the second edition of his The Roman Wall. This would strengthen the
case for a longer chronology, although the veracity of this find has been doubted.33
Similar sequences can be suggested elsewhere, although the evidence is never as
strong. At Vindolanda, there are slight indications that the defences of the fort were
refurbished in the fifth century. The walls of the fort, as far as can be discerned, were
reinforced with earth and rubble embankments.34
An apsidal structure, again interpreted
as a possible church, was discovered in the praetorium courtyard in 1998, which may be
linked to a late-fifth- or early–sixth-century tombstone discovered nearby in the late
nineteenth century.35
A number of dry-stone structures of post-Roman date have also
been discovered in various places on the fort site.36
Similarly, the fort at South Shields exhibits indications of both defensive
remodelling and possible occupation in the fifth century. In the area of the southwest
gate, the inner and outer defensive ditches, ditches F and G, were re-cut during the late
fourth century. These ditches filled with silt before a new ditch, ditch H, of up to 3m in
depth and 6m width, was cut through the deposits in ditch F. This ditch also cut the road
leading to the southwest gate, which by this point was derelict. The surface of this road
trapped a coin of Theodosius (388-402). This coin in combination with the silting
deposits allows ditch H to be confidently dated to the fifth century, quite possibly after
c.409. Ditch H was itself allowed to silt up. Subsequent to the excavation of this ditch,
the southwest gate was brought back into use and remodelled in timber.37
Four
inhumation burials, with radio-carbon dates consistent with a fifth-century date, interred
subsequent to the silting of ditch H, were also discovered in the vicinity of the southwest
gate.38
Internal evidence for fifth-century occupation was found tangentially in the
form of a series of demolitions and quarrying, although to what purpose is not clear.39
33
Wilmott, Birdoswald 1987-1992, pp. 209-18, 220-24. Summarised: Wilmott, Birdoswald Roman Fort,
pp. 119-26.
34
Bidwell, Vindolanda at Chesterholm, pp. 45-46, 76.
35
Birley, Birley, and Blake, 1998 Excavations at Vindolanda, pp. 20-23; with Jackson, 'Brigomaglos and
St. Briog', p. 62.
36
Birley and Blake, Excavations of 2005 - 2007, pp. 48-51; Birley and Blake, Vindolanda, the 1999
Excavations, pp. 9-10, 16-17; Birley, Birley, and Blake, 1998 Excavations at Vindolanda, p. 24.
37
Bidwell and Speak, Excavations at South Shields, pp. 138-43.
38
Bidwell and Speak, Excavations at South Shields, pp. 143-44.
39
Bidwell and Speak, Excavations at South Shields, pp. 101-06, discussion 45-47.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
71
As with the other sites, it is also possible that a church once stood on the principia
forecourt during the fifth century, although the evidence supporting this is thin.40
These
indications of continuity, however, need to be balanced against the discovery of two
burials of seeming fifth-century date in the courtyard house.41
Burial in a settlement
context was not typical Roman practice; evidence suggesting continuity, therefore, may
in fact be evidence of re-occupation.
South of Hadrian’s Wall similar observations are possible. At Binchester,
sequences extending into the fifth century have been found in the praetorium, the vicus,
and in those barracks which have been excavated under controlled archaeological
conditions. All three areas have produced extensive faunal remains and evidence of
animal processing. Indications of industrial activity were also found. A radio-carbon
date taken from a barrack block in the eastern corner of the fort points to this activity
occurring at some point during the late fourth or early fifth centuries.42
Likewise, at
Piercebridge, as elsewhere, the defences were remodelled during the late fourth or early
fifth centuries. Specifically, an inner ditch, to the south of the east gate, was dug, or recut
so as to remove all traces of any preceding ditch, the earliest fills of which included
a coin of Theodosius (388-402) and a late-type green bead. This ditch was subsequently
remodelled.43
The drainage system of the baths house was also remodelled, at the earliest
in the very late fourth century.44
More significantly, the ceramic evidence indicates that
North African olive oil continued to be imported until the late fifth century.45
A small
amount of ‘Anglian’ pottery found on the site would reinforce this image of occupation
continuing to the end of the fifth century.46
Similarly, the small finds, including a pierced
gold solidus of 467-72 and a silver pennanular brooch of fifth-century date, would also
suggest sustained high-status occupation during the fifth century.47
Seen individually, few if any of these sites present a particularly compelling case
for continuity. Certainly the intensity of settlement at these sites in the fifth century
would seem to be significantly below that of the second or third centuries. This, however,
40
Bidwell and Speak, Excavations at South Shields, pp. 102-04.
41
Hodgson, 'Arbeia', p. 82.
42
Petts, 'Military and Civilian', pp. 319-22; Ferris, Beautiful Rooms are Empty, pp. 82-91, 553-55, 566-
70.
43
Cool and Mason (eds), Roman Piercebridge, pp. 73-77, 269, 308.
44
Cool and Mason (eds), Roman Piercebridge, pp. 45-47, with discussion 308.
45
Cool and Mason (eds), Roman Piercebridge, pp. 208-11.
46
Cool and Mason (eds), Roman Piercebridge, pp. 231-33.
47
Cool and Mason (eds), Roman Piercebridge, pp. 267-269, 308-11.
Peter J W Burch
72
is also true of the fourth century, albeit to a lesser extent.48
Seen collectively the overall
image is much more persuasive. There is a distinct pattern of activity at these sites
extending into the fifth century if not further in some instances. This is not to suggest
that the activity at each of these sites was necessarily the same in nature, extent or
duration, only that in their continuing activity they share certain features.
Archaeologically, it is difficult to determine the nature of this ongoing activity.
The fact that these settlements occupy fort sites would perhaps suggest a military
function. As has been discussed this has both offensive and defensive implications,
although the relative importance of these two aspects is hardly clear from the
archaeology. The faunal and amphorae remains at a number of these sites, similarly
found at Carlisle and York, might also suggest a culture of feasting. The faunal remains
at York, for example, contained a high proportion of suckling pigs.49
Indeed, in his
interpretation of the wooden hall-structures at Birdoswald, Wilmott suggested exactly
that and drew a comparison with both later British and Anglo-Saxon parallels.50
Without
more information, historical or archaeological, it would be unwise to develop these ideas
further. It is conceivable, for example, that the local power represented by these sites
was wielded by individuals to whom the term warlord might be meaningfully applied,
but this is not the only viable interpretation.51
It is also possible, although less probable,
that a more communal structure was in evidence whereby those occupying the former
Roman forts looked after the defence of the surrounding area in exchange for materials
and provisions.52
Indeed, a variety of differing phenomena may have been in evidence
at different times at different sites. Distinguishing between them is not possible with the
evidence available.
At the outset, two differing models of continuity were proposed: continuous
Roman occupation or abandonment followed by re-occupation. The archaeology is not
sufficient to rule out either scenario. Certain indications, such as the burials at South
Shields and the intentional destruction at various sites might point to the latter. Equally,
the lack of an obvious break in any of the archaeological sequences would point to the
former. The nature of the forces occupying Hadrian’s Wall, the limitanei – the division
48
Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire, pp. 51-54.
49
Carver (ed.) Excavations at York Minster: Volume I, pp. 533-55.
50
Wilmott, Birdoswald 1987-1992, pp. 226-28; also Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire, pp.
164-66.
51
As Smyth, Warlords and Holy Men; more problematically Laycock, Warlords.
52
As Casey, 'End of the Garrisons on Hadrian's Wall', pp. 74-78.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
73
of the late imperial army responsible for the Empire’s frontiers – would also support this
possibility. As a static force, the limitanei would have become increasingly integrated
into frontier society over successive generations, increasing their viability in the absence
of imperial superstructures of command and supply.53
Indeed, it is possible that to a large
extent the limitanei were supplied locally during the fourth century, as the abandonment
of military granaries across northern Britain suggests that bulk storage was no-longer
necessary.54
Absolute continuity might, thus, be regarded as the most probable scenario,
but it is not the only one.55
Nonetheless, the recognition of these settlements as centres of power is itself
significant. It remains, therefore, to determine how they related to early Anglo-Saxon
kingships. Certainly, in the crudest sense, the combination of feasting and military
capabilities echoes what was previously seen in the burial evidence, but this combination
is hardly unique to Anglo-Saxon kingship. More problematically, none of the settlements
give any indications of continuing in use into the historical Anglo-Saxon period, although
it is interesting to note that the lower Tyne Valley was also a centre of power for the later
Northumbrian kings, while South Shields has been suggested as a royal settlement.56
Various options can be proposed to explain this. The power present at these sites might
simply have dissolved of its own accord over time. Equally, it might have relocated to
places of greater geographic or economic convenience. The linear distribution of these
settlements along Hadrian’s Wall and key Roman roads can hardly be considered
conducive to the establishment of stable governance.57
The sites may also have been
conquered, suppressed or subsumed by other entities. None of these scenarios is
mutually exclusive. Nor, unfortunately, can they be evaluated. One is simply left with
the existence of these power structures and the possibility that in some way they were
related to early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
53
Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire, pp. 54-57, 106-10.
54
Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire, pp. 57-66, 93-95, 96-101.
55
Continuity is the interpretation favoured by Collins, who posits that Roman forces remained, but that
political and military power became devolved on to individual forts: Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End
of Empire, pp. 106-10, 154-69. However, see also, the differing interpretations of Gerrard, Ruin of
Roman Britain, pp. 161-68; Wilmott, 'Late Roman Transition at Birdoswald', pp. 16-18; Higham, Rome,
Britain and the Anglo-Saxons, pp. 86-97, 217-18; more problematically Dark and Dark, 'Reoccupation of
Hadrian's Wall'; and Dark, 'Re-Defence of Hadrian's Wall?'.
56
Wood, 'Geography of Power'; Wood, Origins of Jarrow.
57
Further: Petts, 'Military and Civilian', pp. 322-25, more problematically 325-30.
Peter J W Burch
74
Lincoln, Wroxeter and the Towns of Roman Britain
Contemporary with the elite activity at former Roman military sites are indications of
possible elite associations at several former Roman towns. The evidence is most
compelling at the former provincial capital of Lincoln,58
but can also potentially be
observed at Carlisle,59
Catterick,60
York,61
Wroxeter,62
St Albans,63
and Canterbury.64
The interpretative difficulties surrounding these sites are, if anything, even greater as the
extant evidence is minimal. However, the implications of elite activity at these sites are
potentially of great import. Unlike the military sites, all bar two of the towns in question
became places of demonstrable significance and royal associations during the seventh
century.
To start with Lincoln, a sequence of three buildings was discovered in the Roman
forum during the late 1970s. Little is known of the first building of this sequence, other
than it was of timber and at earliest late fourth-century in construction – a coin of the
emperor Theodosius was found trodden into what has been presumed to have been its
floor.65
The second building, also of timber, was formed of a semi-circular eastern apse
and a rectangular east-west nave. On this basis, together with the later ecclesiastical use
of the site, it has been convincingly interpreted as a church. A cist burial, which
contained a hanging bowl, is also thought to have been associated with the structure,
although there is no explicit connection. The third structure was significantly later,
stone-built, and unconnected to the earlier two, the site being used as a burial ground in
the interim period. It is on the basis of the burials and the hanging bowl that the potential
church must be dated. The hanging bowl, which exhibited considerable wear, is a type
58
Gilmour, 'Sub-Roman or Saxon'; Steane, Upper City and Adjacent Suburbs, pp. 129-211; Vince,
'Lincoln in the Early Medieval Era'; Jones, 'Colonia Era', pp. 124-38; Steane, 'St Paul-in-the-Bail: A
Dated Sequence?'. Also Jones, 'St Paul in the Bail'; and the papers in Vince (ed.), Pre-Viking Lindsey.
59
McCarthy, 'Carlisle Cathedral'; Zant, Carlisle: The stratigraphy, pp. 327-70, 463-71; Howard-Davis,
Carlisle: The Finds; McCarthy, Blackfriars Street, Carlisle. Also McCarthy, Roman Carlisle, pp. 134-
40.
60
Wilson, Cataractonium, 2 vols; Wilson et al., 'Early Anglian Catterick'.
61
Carver (ed.) Excavations at York Minster: Volume I; Radley, 'Early Medieval Stone Tower'. Also
Hall, 'Recent Research into Early Medieval York', pp. 71-74; Ottaway, Roman York, pp. 131-49.
62
Barker et al., Baths Basilica Wroxeter. Also White, Gaffney, and Gaffney, Wroxeter, the Cornovii,
and the Urban Process: Volume 2; White and Gaffney, Wroxeter, the Cornovii, and the Urban Process:
Volume 1; White and Barker, Wroxeter, pp. 118-36.
63
Frere, Verulamium Excavations: Vol. III; Frere, Verulamium Excavations: Vol. II; Frere, Verulamium
Excavations: Vol. I. Also Niblett, Verulamium, pp. 128-46.
64
The main site of relevance is the Marlowe Car Park: Blockley et al., Excavations in the Marlowe Car
Park. Further bibliographic information can be found on the Canterbury Archaeological Trust website:
http://www.canterburytrust.co.uk/publications/.
65
Gilmour, 'Sub-Roman or Saxon', pp. 232-33.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
75
which has been placed by Bruce-Mitford to the first half of the seventh century.66
Six
burials also cut the foundations of the second building. Radio-carbon analysis of these
burials would suggest, contrary to the cist burial, that the latest date at which the church
could have been in use was the early- to mid-seventh century. A terminus ante quem in
the sixth century would, therefore, seem more credible, suggesting that the cist burial
was not in fact associated with this building.67
Some form of elite presence can thus be assumed as occupying Lincoln during
the fifth and sixth centuries. This presence seems to be religious rather than secular, but
there are circumstantial indications that a secular element was present also. In the first
instance, Lincolnshire features a large number of fifth-century Anglo-Saxon cremation
cemeteries. These form a ring surrounding Lincoln and its hinterland, suggesting that
there was some form of effective coercive or cultural power wielded from Lincoln which
negated this Anglo-Saxon activity.68
Moreover, the later Anglo-Saxon kingdom of
Lindsey derives its name from the British name *Lindēs, which translates as ‘the people
of (the territory of the city of) Lincoln’.69
Furthermore, the later genealogy of the
kingdom of Lindsey includes the British name Cædbæd.70
Individually, these indications
are all open to question. The cemetery evidence relies upon a problematic archaeological
interpretation of ethnicity;71
the British provenance of the name Lindsey does not mean
the kingdom shared that provenance; while genealogies are more revealing of
perceptions of the past than the past itself.72
Nonetheless, seen with the archaeology of
Lincoln, they are suggestive of the emergence of a British polity based upon Lincoln in
the fifth century.73
66
Bruce-Mitford, Late Celtic Hanging-Bowls, pp. 34-40, 191-99.
67
Gilmour, 'Sub-Roman or Saxon', pp. 232-54; Steane, Upper City and Adjacent Suburbs, pp. 153-63;
Jones, 'Colonia Era', pp. 127-30; Vince, 'Lincoln in the Early Medieval Era', pp. 147-52; Steane, 'St Paulin-the-Bail:
A Dated Sequence?'. The dating of the first two buildings remains oddly contentious. For
contrasting opinions, c.f. Green, Britons and Anglo-Saxons, pp. 65-67; and Sawyer, Anglo-Saxon
Lincolnshire, pp. 226-30.
68
Leahy, Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Lindsey, pp. 33-56, particularly 50; Green, Britons and AngloSaxons,
pp. 60-65.
69
Bassett, 'Anglo-Saxon See of Lindsey', pp. 31-32; Green, Britons and Anglo-Saxons, pp. 57-60.
70
Dumville, 'Anglian Collection of Royal Genealogies'. Discussion: Green, Britons and Anglo-Saxons,
pp. 99-106; Foot, 'Kingdom of Lindsey', pp. 129-35.
71
Stocker, 'Review [Kingdom of Lindsey]'; Pickles, 'Review [Britons and Anglo-Saxons]'.
72
Dumville, 'Kingship, Genealogies and Regnal Lists'.
73
Green, Britons and Anglo-Saxons, pp. 56-77; in summary Green, 'British Kingdom of Lindsey', pp. 1-
30. Further: Sawyer, Anglo-Saxon Lincolnshire, pp. 32-46; Foot, 'Kingdom of Lindsey'; Yorke, 'Lost
Kingdom Found?', pp. 141-43; Eagles, 'Lindsey', pp. 206-10.
Peter J W Burch
76
A similar image can be derived from Wroxeter. Barker’s excavation of the Bath’s
Basilica was once seen as a paradigm of intensive settlement continuity.74
This is no
longer credited to the same extent as revised interpretations and new discoveries
elsewhere make this seem increasingly unlikely.75
Nonetheless, it remains highly
probable that the Baths Basilica remained standing well into the fifth century and
subsequent settlement activity, including a number of timber buildings, can still be
postulated. Slight indications of comparable activity elsewhere in Wroxeter have also
been found.76
Wroxeter did not survive into the historical Anglo-Saxon period.
Nonetheless, a similar argument can be made to that at Lincoln if the activity at Wroxeter
can be associated with the later polity of the Wroecensæte. Both names are linguistically
linked with the name Wrekin, a hill adjacent to Wroxeter and the site of an Iron-Age hill
fort associated with the Cornovii.77
If correct, then Wroxeter can also be posited as the
centre of a nascent British kingdom.78
A similar argument might also be created in the case of Canterbury.79
The name
Kent, itself linked linguistically to Canterbury, derives from the Roman name for the
civitas Cantium.80
Excavations in the Marlowe Car Park point to habitation continuing
through the first quarter of the fifth century, if not further.81
Canterbury differs from the
previous two examples in that instances of early ‘Anglo-Saxon’ activity, predominantly
in the form of sunken feature buildings dating to the mid fifth century onwards, have also
been discovered.82
These buildings were dug into dark earth deposits which overlaid the
latest sub-Roman levels suggesting a period of abandonment, although the archaeology
of Canterbury, albeit comparatively well excavated, is not sufficiently understood or
dated so as to rule out continuous occupation entirely.83
If the archaeological evidence
for continuity between British and Anglo-Saxon entities can be accepted, it would point
74
White and Barker, Wroxeter, pp. 118-36; Barker et al., Baths Basilica Wroxeter, pp. 68-168, 221-48.
75
Lane, 'Wroxeter and the End of Roman Britain'. Also Fulford, 'Wroxeter... and the 'Great Rebuilding' '.
More broadly: Loseby, 'Towns in Late Roman Britain', pp. 331-45; Brooks, 'Continuity in British
Towns'.
76
Ellis and White (eds), Wroxeter Archaeology, p. 163.
77
Gelling, West Midlands in the Early Middle Ages, p. 66.
78
Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World, pp. 137-38.
79
Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World, p. 137.
80
Brooks, 'Early Structure of the Kingdom of Kent', pp. 57-58.
81
Blockley et al., Excavations in the Marlowe Car Park, pp. 171-259.
82
Blockley et al., Excavations in the Marlowe Car Park, pp. 280-329, 345-50; Welch, 'Kent to AD 800',
pp. 201-02.
83
Blockley et al., Excavations in the Marlowe Car Park, pp. 260-66; Brooks, 'Continuity in FifthCentury
Canterbury'; also Loseby, 'Towns in Late Roman Britain', pp. 338 and 340.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
77
to a much earlier change-over to Anglo-Saxon control than was seen at Lincoln. In either
case, Canterbury seems to have been a centre of early Anglo-Saxon activity.
Two further observations can be made here. Firstly, the street plan of Canterbury
became re-aligned so as to converge on the former Roman theatre, which remained
standing throughout the Anglo-Saxon period. This is suggestive of some form of ritual
or ceremonial focus or importance for the monument. Certainly, similar instances of
such significance can be found in Continental Europe.84
Moreover, with the adoption of
Christianity by Æthelberht I of Kent, Canterbury became an early focus of Christian
activity.85
Canterbury can perhaps be posited, therefore, as an ideological experiment by
early Anglo-Saxon kings.
Residual occupation and possible indications of continuity can also be observed
elsewhere. At St Albans, Insula XXVII, 2 was built c.380. This building went through
a series of alterations and modifications which push its occupation well into the fifth
century. The building was ultimately replaced by Insula XXVII, 1, for which the
excavator felt the most plausible interpretation was a barn.86
This sequence, however,
seems to be something of an exception. Elsewhere, much of St Albans seems to have
been largely abandoned, although it needs to be borne in mind that St Albans has been
subject to substantial plough damage and more recent excavations have unearthed a
variety of post-Roman timber structures, albeit of uncertain date.87
The evidence is even
thinner at York. Excavations under the Minster, the principia of the Roman fort, revealed
a potentially fifth-century depositional layer which included large amounts of animal
bones, and a particularly high percentage of juvenile pigs, although the dating evidence
can be interpreted in more than one way. Evidence for metal working was also
discovered. Interpretations as some form of market or a use for butchery activity have
been suggested.88
At some point prior to the Viking period the city walls were also
repaired by the construction of the Anglian tower, although the date of this structure is
unclear.89
Evidence for fifth-century settlement has also been uncovered from elsewhere
in the city.90
Meanwhile, excavations at Catterick have uncovered evidence that stone
84
Brooks, Early History of the Church of Canterbury, pp. 24-25; c.f., Loseby, 'Towns in Late Roman
Britain', p. 340, n. 54.
85
Welch, 'Kent to AD 800', pp. 237-38; Brooks, Early History of the Church of Canterbury, pp. 22-27.
86
Frere, Verulamium Excavations: Vol. II, pp. 214-26.
87
Niblett, Verulamium, pp. 128-36, 140-43.
88
Carver (ed.) Excavations at York Minster: Volume I, pp. 187-91, 533-55.
89
Radley, 'Early Medieval Stone Tower'; Buckland, ''Anglian Tower''.
90
Hall, 'Recent Research into Early Medieval York', pp. 73-74.
Peter J W Burch
78
buildings continued to be constructed or repaired well into the fifth century.91
Additionally, a number of sunken feature buildings and burials covering the late
fifth/early sixth centuries onwards have also been discovered.92
Settlement activity at Carlisle correlates with these instances. Within the Roman
fort, in and adjacent to the principia, extensive faunal remains have been discovered.
These were associated with a large number of coins, including a coin of Theodosius
dating to 388-92, which again suggests butchery or trading activity. The excavators felt
that this activity continued into the fifth century.93
Nor is this the latest activity on the
site, as stray finds and the disturbance of these deposits point to continuing, if
unquantifiable, subsequent activity. However, problematically, many of the fort
buildings, including the principia, also seem to have been demolished.94
Excavations
elsewhere in the town of Carlisle, meanwhile, point to various settlement sequences
extending into the fifth century, if not later, including in the vicinity of the current
cathedral, although as elsewhere much of the town was also uninhabited.95
These observations cast Lincoln, Wroxeter and Canterbury in a very different
light. The occupation at St. Albans, York, Catterick and Carlisle is minimal and the
status of this occupation is at best equivocal. Indeed, former towns such as London or
Winchester do not exhibit any indications of occupation at all, although Winchester may
have been used as a market-place.96
The activity at St. Albans, York, Catterick and
Carlisle cannot be considered as characteristically ‘urban’ or as elite. Nonetheless, the
archaeological evidence is comparable to that found in Lincoln, Wroxeter and to an
extent Canterbury. The main difference between these two groups is that, unlike at
Canterbury, Lincoln and Wroxeter, no suggestive place-name evidence is forthcoming.
This clearly casts doubt on the continuity and political developments postulated for
Lincoln, Wroxeter and Canterbury. However, it is also important to recognise that
considerable variety is in evidence. Nor should it be assumed that all former Roman
towns followed the same trajectory. The place-name evidence and other circumstantial
indications that Lincoln, Wroxeter and Canterbury were places of particular significance
91
Wilson, Cataractonium, discussion vol II, pp. 73-75.
92
Wilson et al., 'Early Anglian Catterick'.
93
Zant, Carlisle: The stratigraphy, pp. 327-52, 463-67.
94
Zant, Carlisle: The stratigraphy, pp. 352-69, 469-71; Howard-Davis, Carlisle: The Finds, passim.
95
McCarthy, 'Carlisle Cathedral', pp. 191-92, 202-04, 240-42, 249-50; McCarthy, Blackfriars Street,
Carlisle; Keevill, Shutter, and McCarthy, 'Solidus of Valentinian II'; also McCarthy, Roman Carlisle, pp.
134-40.
96
Loseby, 'Towns in Late Roman Britain', pp. 342-44.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
79
can thus be given credence, although this makes them the exceptions rather than the
norm. Lincoln and perhaps Wroxeter and Canterbury, therefore, can be postulated as
power centres of British polities which emerged following the cessation of formal
imperial rule over Britain. How these entities became Anglo-Saxon is difficult to
determine, although some process or combination of conquest, marriage or acculturation
can be opined. Equally, the nature of power wielded from these settlements remains far
from clear. Nonetheless, the recognition of the potential British origins of these later
Anglo-Saxon entities is itself significant.
Canterbury, and to a lesser extent Catterick, meanwhile, can be inferred as sites
of early Anglo-Saxon significance, Canterbury possibly being built on a previous or preexisting
British entity. Indeed, from the late sixth century onwards, Canterbury can be
suggested as a site of ideological experimentation by the early Kentish kings. This,
however, does not reveal the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship, only certain facets
of its development. In all of this, it is important not to exceed the evidence. Putting these
exceptions to one side, in the majority of cases former Roman towns do not seem to have
been of particular significance during the fifth or sixth centuries. They may have seen
some residual occupation, but it does not seem to have been elite in status. Suggestive
exceptions aside, therefore, former Roman towns cannot be seen as being particularly
important to the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. Although future archaeological
discoveries might disrupt this conclusion, on the available evidence that does not seem
particularly likely.
Yeavering and Rural Settlement
As referred to above, Bede makes reference to Yeavering,97
Milfield,98
and
Rendlesham,99
as specifically royal settlements. The pre-ecclesiastical settlement at
Lyminge can also be added to this category.100
By analogy, it is additionally possible to
97
Hope-Taylor, Yeavering. Also Miket and Semple, Landscape of the Northumbrian Kings, pp. 12-24;
Gates, 'Yeavering and Air Photography', pp. 82-83; Tinniswood and Harding, 'Industrial Features in the
Henge Monument at Yeavering'; McCord and Jobey, 'Northumberland and Durham - II', p. 120, plate
XII, 2. Identification: Gates, 'Yeavering and Air Photography', pp. 65-70; Knowles and St. Joseph,
Monastic Sites from the Air, pp. 270-72.
98
Scull and Harding, 'Cemeteries at Milfield'; with Gates and O'Brien, 'Cropmarks at Milfield'.
99
Minter, Plouviez, and Scull, 'Rendlesham Rediscovered'. Also Harrison and Williamson, 'Earthworks
at Rendlesham'; Newman, 'Settlement Pattern in the Sandlings', pp. 36-38; Bruce-Mitford, 'Saxon
Rendlesham'.
100
Thomas, 'Life Before the Minster', pp. 116-28. Also Knox, 'Discovering an Anglo-Saxon Royal Hall'.
Peter J W Burch
80
identify sites at Atcham, Shropshire,101
Cowdery’s Down, Hampshire,102
Foxley,
Wiltshire,103
Sprouston, Roxboroughshire,104
and Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire,105
as
being potentially royal. This deduction is based in the first instance upon the congruence
of notably large buildings across these sites. Yeavering, the most extensively excavated
of the sites, featured a series of large, centrally situated, buildings: A2, A4 and A1(a),
A3(a) and A1(b), and A3(b) and A1(c). The largest of these, A4, measured in excess of
280m2
in interior floor plan, and all were of considerable size.106
While it has not been
excavated, aerial survey of Milfield would suggest comparable buildings there also.107
Rendlesham has so far only been very briefly excavated. No information regarding
significant buildings has been forthcoming, although some sunken feature buildings have
been identified.108
This situation is replicated at those sites which are not explicitly
known to be kingly. Cowdery’s Down featured a series of large buildings across several
settlement phases, the largest of which, C12, measured c.22x8.5m.109
Sutton Courtenay
also contained at least six large buildings, in unknown phasing, the largest being
c.25x10m.110
The recently discovered hall at Lyminge similarly measured 21x8.5m,111
while the indications are that similar structures also existed at Atcham, Foxley and
Sprouston.112
These sites may, therefore, be inferred as being kingly. This deduction is
undoubtedly crude, but following a similar rationale as was employed with the burial
evidence, it is arguably only the truly elite – kings – who could justify or afford such
buildings.
101
St. Joseph, 'Air Reconnaissance: Recent Results, 39'.
102
Millett and James, 'Cowdery's Down', pp. 192-261.
103
Hinchliffe, 'Cowage Farm, Foxley'.
104
Smith, 'Sprouston, Roxburghshire: An Early Anglian Center'; St. Joseph, 'Sprouston, Roxburghshire'.
105
Hamerow, Hayden, and Hey, 'Drayton Road, Sutton Courtenay', pp. 109-23, 154-90; Hawkes, 'Early
Saxon Period', pp. 88-89; Benson and Miles, 'Cropmarks near Sutton Courtenay'. Brennan and
Hamerow, 'Great Hall Complex at Sutton Courtenay', did not appear in sufficent time for its insights to
be utilised.
The site was first excavated in the 1920s and 1930s by Leeds who found a number of sunken
feature buildings, but failed to recognise the full significance of the post-holes he uncovered: Leeds,
'Sutton Courtenay: Third Report'; Leeds, 'Sutton Courtenay (Second Report)'; Leeds, 'Sutton Courtenay'.
Commentary: Radford, 'Saxon House: A Review', pp. 28-30, 36-38.
106
Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, pp. 46-69; with O'Brien, 'Great Enclosure', pp. 148-51.
107
Gates and O'Brien, 'Cropmarks at Milfield', pp. 1-3, fig.1.
108
Minter, Plouviez, and Scull, 'Rendlesham Rediscovered', p. 52.
109
Millett and James, 'Cowdery's Down', pp. 215-18, more generally 201-46; with Alcock and Walsh,
'Architecture at Cowdery's Down'.
110
Hamerow, Hayden, and Hey, 'Drayton Road, Sutton Courtenay', pp. 115, 160-67.
111
Thomas, 'Life Before the Minster', pp. 126-27.
112
St. Joseph, 'Air Reconnaissance: Recent Results, 39'; Hinchliffe, 'Cowage Farm, Foxley', pp. 241-47;
Smith, 'Sprouston, Roxburghshire: An Early Anglian Center', pp. 276-80, respectively.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
81
Likewise, Hope-Taylor, Yeavering’s excavator, was able to demonstrate a series
of complex spatial relationships and alignments.113
Indeed, he went so far as to postulate
a unit of measurement specific to Yeavering. This has subsequently been contested, but
the fact remains that Yeavering was laid-out with impressive levels of accuracy in the
context of a wider spatial plan which self-evidentially required surveying.114
Similarly,
Milfield can be inferred as having a deliberate and potentially complex layout, being
aligned between two pre-historic henge monuments.115
The settlements known only
from archaeological discovery again follow this paradigm. Cowdery’s Down
demonstrates a complex series of relationships with buildings both aligned and
perpendicular to each other; the entrances to some of these buildings were also aligned
with the entrances of certain enclosures.116
The other settlements have not been
excavated in sufficient detail to reveal such complicated relationships, but similar
comments can nonetheless be made with respect to Foxley, Sprouston and Sutton
Courtenay.117
Arguing that such organisation automatically equates with kingly status
would be unwise. Various settlements can be highlighted as possessing planned layouts
but of otherwise seemingly low status.118
Nonetheless, the existence of such alignments,
in the context of the scale of the buildings on these sites, makes a strong case for their
kingliness.119
Additionally, the construction of the buildings on these sites emphasises the
probability of their kingly status. The care and attention with which they had been
constructed is impressive.120
Furthermore, the resources required to make such structures
are considerable.121
Indeed, it has been estimated that in order to build such structures
the woodland resources of early Anglo-Saxon England would have had to be extensively,
113
Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, pp. 124-47.
114
Huggins, 'Yeavering Measurements'.
115
Scull and Harding, 'Cemeteries at Milfield', p. 3.
116
Millett and James, 'Cowdery's Down', pp. 192-97, 247, fig.31.
117
Hinchliffe, 'Cowage Farm, Foxley', pp. 240-41; Smith, 'Sprouston, Roxburghshire: An Early Anglian
Center', p. 247, ill. 4; Hamerow, Hayden, and Hey, 'Drayton Road, Sutton Courtenay', pp. 187-89,
respectively. More broadly: Reynolds, 'Boundaries and Settlements', pp. 105-10.
118
As Chalton, Hampshire: Addyman and Leigh, 'Chalton: Second Report'; Addyman, Leigh, and
Hughes, 'Anglo-Saxon Houses at Chalton'; as would be Pennylands, Buckinghamshire: Williams,
Pennyland and Hartigans, pp. 49-97.
119
More broadly: Hamerow, Rural Settlements, pp. 102-05.
120
Particularly A2 and A4 at Yeavering: Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, pp. 51-53, 58-63, 125-41; and C12 at
Cowdery's Down: Millett and James, 'Cowdery's Down', pp. 215-18, 229-46; with Alcock and Walsh,
'Architecture at Cowdery's Down'. More broadly: Leahy, Anglo-Saxon Crafts, pp. 15-52.
121
Reynolds, 'Substructure to Superstructure', pp. 188-90.
Peter J W Burch
82
and intensively, managed.122
A number of the structures, such as the external buttressing
of A4 at Yeavering, also show indications of being deliberately structurally redundant.
They thus over-use resources in what may be an example of conspicuous consumption.123
Such features suggest, in all probability, that these settlements are the products of AngloSaxon
kingship.
Dating these sites with any precision is an undoubted challenge. The most
impressive phase of settlement at Cowdery’s Down can be dated through a combination
of Carbon 14 and thermoluminescence dating techniques to the period 609+57, while the
earlier phase can be placed at 580+67.124
Similarly, the settlement at Foxley gave a single
Carbon 14 date of the period 555-660.125
The pre-ecclesiastical settlement at Lyminge
can be placed to approximately the first half of the seventh century.126
Likewise, the
high-status settlement at Sutton Courtenay can only be placed very generally in the late
sixth or seventh centuries based on the small number of metal finds derived from the
site.127
On a similar basis, the numerous finds from Rendlesham indicate that the most
intensive period of settlement activity fell in the sixth to eighth centuries.128
Settlement
activity at Yeavering can be dated with the most precision, as according to Bede it was
in use during the reign of Edwin of Northumbria, c.616-633.129
Moreover, given the
complexity of the settlement sequences at Yeavering, activity in the reigns of Æthelfrith
and Oswald can also be assumed. It is difficult to say any more than this with certainty.
Hope-Taylor attempted a complex chronology of the site which integrated historical
sources with the archaeological evidence.130
This, however, suffers from the inevitable
problems of such an approach leaving Yeavering as a product of the late sixth and/or
early seventh centuries.131
Those which have not been excavated or at least
archaeologically sampled cannot be dated except by analogy.
122
Grocock, 'Barriers to Knowledge'. On woodland in early Anglo-Saxon England more generally:
Hooke, Trees in Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 113ff; in summary Hooke, 'Woodland Landscape of Early
Medieval England'. Also Rackham, History of the Countryside, pp. 62-152.
123
Millett and James, 'Cowdery's Down', p. 247; Barnwell, 'Anglian Yeavering', p. 182.
124
Millett and James, 'Cowdery's Down', pp. 197-200.
125
Hinchliffe, 'Cowage Farm, Foxley', p. 249.
126
Thomas, 'Life Before the Minster', p. 127.
127
Hamerow, Hayden, and Hey, 'Drayton Road, Sutton Courtenay', pp. 184-86.
128
Minter, Plouviez, and Scull, 'Rendlesham Rediscovered', p. 52.
129
HE, II.14.
130
Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, pp. 276-324; with Rahtz, 'Yeavering Revisited', p. 210.
131
Further: Scull, 'Phase 1 at Yeavering', pp. 57-60. Also O'Brien, 'Great Enclosure', pp. 146-51; Gates,
'Yeavering and Air Photography', pp. 71-75, 80-81. A slightly different chronology is offered by Blair,
Church in Anglo-Saxon Society, pp. 54-57. Additionally Higham, Ecgfrith, pp. 53-55.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
83
Despite the uncertainties involved, it is striking that these settlements can be
placed in broadly the same period as the elite burials: the late sixth or first half of the
seventh centuries. This raises exactly the same difficulty as was encountered with the
burial evidence, namely that it is difficult to see the settlements as signs of the origins of
kingship as there are indications that early Anglo-Saxon kingship was already in
existence and established. Indeed, the evidence of the rural settlements themselves points
to kingship being an established institution by this period. As with the burial evidence,
therefore, established thinking needs to be re-evaluated and an alternative explanation is
required. By analogy with the burial evidence, it might be suggested that such
settlements represent a development or experiment within Anglo-Saxon kingship. In
order to assess this the specific characteristics and potential uses of the sites need to be
examined in greater detail.
Unfortunately, this approach immediately presents certain difficulties: with the
exception of Lyminge and Rendlesham, these sites preserve very few artefacts. It is thus
difficult to determine what sorts of settlement activity took place on these sites. The
absence of settlement debris, however, may itself be of significance. While none of the
sites have been excavated in totality, Cowdery’s Down and Yeavering have been
extensively and systematically excavated. The sparseness of settlement debris should be
considered as representative at both these sites.132
Although this needs to be qualified in
light of the innately friable nature of early Anglo-Saxon pottery, the most plausible
explanation for this absence must simply be that these sites, despite the time, effort and
resources invested in them, were not heavily utilised. Indeed, it would suggest that the
sites were only occupied intermittently. Occasional use, in turn, is suggestive of a degree
of itinerancy in early Anglo-Saxon kingship.133
Indeed, at least in Northumbria, the
variety of settlements, at least some of which can be deduced as being in use
concurrently, would rather seem to confirm this suspicion.
132
Millett and James, 'Cowdery's Down', pp. 249-50; Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, pp. 170-199. It seems
likely that further settlement activity existed to the south of Yeavering: Miket and Semple, Landscape of
the Northumbrian Kings, p. 13; Gates, 'Yeavering and Air Photography', pp. 81-83; Tinniswood and
Harding, 'Industrial Features in the Henge Monument at Yeavering'; McCord and Jobey,
'Northumberland and Durham - II', p. 120, plate XII, 2. Nonetheless, the debris from these sites is
exceedingly sparse.
133
Charles-Edwards, 'Early Medieval Kingships', pp. 28-33. Also Campbell, 'Bede's reges and
principes', pp. 95-97. Later diplomas would seem to confirm the itinerant aspect of Anglo-Saxon
kingship: Hill, Atlas of Anglo-Saxon England. Discussion: Keynes, 'Church Councils, Royal
Assemblies', pp. 17-39.
Peter J W Burch
84
Itinerancy can be seen as holding two principal advantages for early Anglo-Saxon
kings. From a purely logistical perspective, itinerancy allowed for the provisioning and
support of kings without the need to transport large volumes of foodstuffs and other
materials long distances. This may have been through some sort of hospitality system,
but the presence of kingly settlements would suggest that to a large extent early AngloSaxon
kings looked after their own provisioning . Clearly for such a system to work,
some form of estate and collection centres must have been in operation in order to collect
and re-distribute resources from the surrounding area.134
These were not necessarily the
kingly settlements themselves.135
While the specifics of such a system may be
questioned, and must remain occluded, the occurrence of food rents in later royal law
codes would seem to confirm the validity of the general inference. Itinerancy also
allowed kings to exercise their power and authority in person over a relatively large area.
This would have been particularly important in a kingdom such as seventh-century
Northumbria, which at its greatest extent ran from the Wash to the Tay, with its influence
extending even further.136
By extension, this might be taken to imply some form of
assembly function for these sites. However, the issue of assemblies, at least in this
period, is at best nebulous and is beset by archaeological difficulties. Nor were
assemblies necessarily associated with kings.137
None of these ideas should be assumed to apply consistently or evenly across
early Anglo-Saxon England. The requirements of different kings in different areas may
have been quite distinct. The more extensive settlement debris found at Rendlesham and
Lyminge should not, therefore, be taken to undermine the general image of itinerancy.
However, it should qualify it; in the relatively compact kingdoms of East Anglia and
Kent, it would be expected that kings would spend proportionally more of their time at
fewer sites, with a requisite decrease in time spent travelling. Rendlesham is also at one
134
This has been termed the ‘multiple estate’ model: Jones, 'Multiple Estates and Early Settlement'; with
Brookes, 'Multiple Estate Formation'.
135
Thirlings, Northumberland, for example has been suggest as just such a settlement: O'Brien and
Miket, 'Thirlings, Northumberland', p. 90, although the absence of settlement debris here might suggest
otherwise.
136
Rollason, Northumbria, 500-1100, pp. 20-53, more broadly 57-208; Higham, Kingdom of
Northumbria, pp. 43-104. Also Higham, Ecgfrith, pp. 30-75.
137
It has been suggested that Yeavering served as an assembly site: Semple, 'Locations of Assembly', p.
137; also Blair, Church in Anglo-Saxon Society, pp. 56-57, although this activity most likely pre-dates
any royal presence. More generally: Pantos and Semple, 'Introduction', pp. 11-19; Pantos, 'Anglo-Saxon
Assembly-Places'. With the ongoing work of the ‘Landscapes of Governance: Assembly Sites in
England, 5th-11th Centuries’ project: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/research/projects
/assembly/index.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
85
edge of the East Anglian kingdom, complicating any idea of centrally-located royal
settlements. The everyday practicalities of kingship may, therefore, have differed
considerably between different areas of early Anglo-Saxon England. Likewise, itinerant
kingship would allow for a certain variety in kingly settlement. Thus, while it seems
likely that Rendlesham saw both manufacturing and trading activity, other sites need not
have.138
The nature of the architecture across these sites is also of relevance – as, indeed,
is the nature of early Anglo-Saxon architecture more generally. There are clear
similarities between early Anglo-Saxon and Continental building traditions, to the extent
that they share certain architectural models.139
There are nonetheless also distinct
differences, such as the seeming absence of large buildings designed to accommodate
both humans and animals from Anglo-Saxon England which are relatively common in
Continental contexts.140
Indeed, early Anglo-Saxon architectural practice seems to
incorporate Continental elements into a pre-existing Insular tradition.141
This distinctive,
hybrid, nature is often subsumed into debates regarding migration and ethnicity, with its
inevitable implication that the culture of early Anglo-Saxon England drew upon both
Continental and domestic sources.142
The important point in the current context is that
the buildings on the kingly settlement sites are very much part of this mixed tradition. A
similar hybrid nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship might thus also be opined. This is
clearly slim evidence upon which to base a hypothesis, but it is nonetheless suggestive.
A particularly strong case for such a hybrid nature can be made at Yeavering.
Indeed, Hope-Taylor explicitly made this case in his original report.143
Although a
number of the premises upon which this argument was based have subsequently been
disproven,144
indications of a degree of hybridity still remain. The burials found at
138
In this respect Rendlesham is perhaps more akin to Bamburgh, and some of the later trading
settlements. Further: Pestell, 'Markets, Emporia, Wics, and 'Productive' Sites'; papers in Pestell and
Ulmschneider (eds), Markets in Early Medieval Europe.
139
Hamerow, 'Anglo-Saxon Timber Buildings'; also Hamerow, Rural Settlements, pp. 17-22. More
broadly: Hamerow, Early Medieval Settlements.
140
Hamerow, 'Anglo-Saxon Timber Buildings', p. 124.
141
James, Marshall, and Millett, 'Early Medieval Building Tradition'. Also Marshall and Marshall,
'Differentiation, Change and Continuity'; Marshall and Marshall, 'Buildings of Early and Middle AngloSaxon
England'; Dixon, 'Saxon House?'; Addyman, 'Saxon House: A New Review'; Radford, 'Saxon
House: A Review'. More broadly: Hamerow, Rural Settlements, pp. 17-33.
142
Hamerow, 'Migration Theory and the Migration Period', pp. 169-73.
143
Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, pp. 267-75, discussion 276-324. Further: O'Brien, 'Yeavering and Bernician
Kingship', pp. 207-18.
144
Variously Gates, 'Yeavering and Air Photography', pp. 71-75; Scull, 'Phase 1 at Yeavering'; Bradley,
'Time Regained'; Miket, 'Bernician Anglo-Saxon Burials', pp. 301-04. However, also Miket,
'Excavations on Yeavering Bell'; Gates, 'Yeavering and Air Photography', pp. 75-80.
Peter J W Burch
86
Yeavering, as with those recently discovered at Bamburgh, share as many affinities with
their northern British neighbours as they do with their southern, more typically ‘AngloSaxon’
counterparts.145
The name Yeavering is itself British, translating as ‘Hill of the
Goats’.146
A ‘British’ strand to Northumbrian kingship, as the evidence of the enclosed
settlements will also suggest, thus needs to be considered. The enclosure on the eastern
side of the Yeavering site is noteworthy in this context.147
The purpose of this enigmatic
structure is far from clear. Interpretations as a defensive structure, assembly site or
perhaps most convincingly a cattle corral have all been suggested, although none are
verifiable.148
The closest parallels are found at both Sprouston and Milfield, while
nothing comparable is found south of the Humber.149
There is thus something distinctive
about these structures. This cannot be directly translated into ‘British’ origins, as these
structures have only been discovered in a Northumbrian context, but their distinctive
nature is worthy of note.
It is possible to be much more specific with the prime diagnostic feature of these
sites, the large halls. This is primarily due to Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica. Here, Bede
uses the hall as a metaphor for human existence:
‘mihi uidetur, rex, uita hominum praesens in terries, ad comparationem eius quod
nobis incertum est, temporis, quale cum te residente ad coenam cum ducibus ac
ministris tuis tempore brumali, accenso quidem foco in medio et calido effecto
coenaculo, furentibus autem foris per omnia turbinibus hiemalium pluuiarum uel
niuium, adueniensque unus passerum domum citissime peruolauerit; qui cum per
unum ostium ingrediens, mox per aliud exierit, ipso quidem tempore, quo intus
est, hiemis tempestate non tangitur, sed tamen minimo spatio serenitatis ad
momentum excurso, mox de hieme in hiemem regrediens, tuis oculis elabitur.’150
145
Lucy, 'Burial at Yeavering'. The burials at Bamburgh are discussed below.
146
Ekwall, Dictionary of English Place-Names, s.v.; Milfield similarly derives from a British root.
Additionally Frodsham, '“Stronghold of its own Native Past”', pp. 27-29.
147
Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, pp. 78-88.
148
Variously Alcock, Kings and Warriors, pp. 237-38; Alcock, Forts of the North Britons, pp. 19-20;
Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, passim.
149
Smith, 'Sprouston, Roxburghshire: An Early Anglian Center', pp. 272-74; Gates and O'Brien,
'Cropmarks at Milfield', pp. 1-3.
150
HE, II, 13: ‘This is how the present life of man on earth, King, appears to me in comparison with that
time that is unknown to us. You are sitting feasting with your ealdormen and thegns in the winter time;
the fire is burning on the hearth in the middle of the hall and all inside is warm while outside the wintery
storms of rain and snow are raging; and a sparrow flies swiftly though the hall. It enters in at one door
and quickly flies out through the other. For a few moments it is inside, the storm and wintery tempest
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
87
If the layers of Christian symbolism are peeled away, the hall seems very much a place
of warmth and shelter; a place to eat and socialise; a place to feast, drink and bond with
the king. Although Bede’s narrative would suggest that the hall described was akin to
those found at Yeavering, this passage and its wider context should not be taken literally
as they are literary constructs. Nonetheless, the activities and relationships described in
the passage should not be rejected simply because of this either.151
An ideological element might also be considered in relation to the hall structures.
Careful analysis of the plans of these buildings suggests that they actively and
intentionally controlled space.152
Of course without knowledge of their superstructures
it is not possible to be certain, but the extant substructures are strongly suggestive. This
is particularly the case at Yeavering and Cowdery’s Down, where a series of enclosures
and internal divisions controlled and presumably restricted access to certain areas. How
these areas were used can never be known, but they are suggestive of the comparable
ways in which seventeenth-century architects restricted space and access to the king at
palaces such as Versailles and Hampton Court by manipulating the disposition of rooms
and utilising an enfilade. Similar ideas can be found in both Roman villas and in
contemporary British enclosed settlements. Certainly, such control can be surmised as
amplifying and augmenting the power of kings.
Yeavering also directly interacts with elements of its past. The settlement
complex is aligned between a pre-historic stone circle and a Bronze Age Barrow. It also
stands in the shadow of Yeavering Bell and its singular hillfort.153
It should be noted that
Yeavering Bell is a highly distinctive landscape feature; association with such a feature
raises the prominence of Yeavering in both the physical and the mental landscape
(Figs.12-13). Furthermore, Yeavering seems to have been a place of long-term
significance and ritual focus.154
How much actual continuity is represented here is
cannot touch it, but after the briefest moment of calm, it flits from your sight, out of the wintry storm and
into it again.’
151
Further: Rollason, Early Medieval Europe, pp. 124-25, more broadly 117-34; Bullough, Friends,
Neighbours and Fellow-Drinkers; more problematically Enright, Lady with a Mead Cup; also Pollington,
'Mead-Hall Community'. This section also benefits from my sight of the text of Rollason, 'Palaces,
Mead-Halls, Cult-Sites, and Hunting Lodges'.
152
Ware, 'Use of Space at Gefrin'. Further Walker, 'Recursive Structuring of Space'; Walker, 'Articulate
Architecture?'.
153
Miket, 'Excavations on Yeavering Bell'; Oswald and Pearson, 'Yeavering Bell Hillfort'.
154
Of Yeavering Bell, Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, p. 6 writes: ‘It is Yeavering Bell which is the key feature
in the landscape. Its bulk, position and characteristic shape make it an instantly recognizable landmark
from far off. At close range it dominates the site of the ancient township and establishes those qualities
Peter J W Burch
88
questionable, but Yeavering certainly appropriates and lays claim to its past.155
Similar
observations can be made at Milfield which, like Yeavering, is aligned between two prehistoric
henges. These also formed a focus for burials.156
Suggestions of similar
relationships might be posited at Cowdery’s Down, Sprouston and Sutton Courtenay
where prehistoric monuments are also in evidence, but nowhere else are such
relationships so detailed or explicit.157
The layout and location of these sites thus
demonstrate a notable degree of ideological awareness. They create links to the past,
justifying the present, even if those links are imagined.
of character and atmosphere which, though partially indefinable, are yet not wholly irrelevant to studies
such as this. Local people sill gauge time and distance, weather and the progress of the seasons by
reference to the Bell; and its temporary excavating neighbours were not unaware that in December and
January its broad, twin peaks occluded the sun for all but an hour of each day.’
Also Waddington, 'Yeavering in Its Stone Age Landscape'; Frodsham, '“Stronghold of its own
Native Past”', pp. 17-26, more broadly 13-63. People continue to have an emotional response to the site
to this day: Frodsham, 'Forgetting Gefrin', 192.
155
Bradley, 'Time Regained'. More broadly: Rollason, 'Tintagel to Aachen'; Driscoll, 'Picts and
Prehistory'; Bradley, 'Monuments and Places'.
156
Scull and Harding, 'Cemeteries at Milfield'.
157
Millett and James, 'Cowdery's Down', pp. 159-72; Smith, 'Sprouston, Roxburghshire: An Early
Anglian Center', pp. 266-71; Hamerow, Hayden, and Hey, 'Drayton Road, Sutton Courtenay', pp. 133-54
respectively.
Fig.12, View of Yeavering Bell from the Yeavering Settlement Site
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
89
A general pattern of the activity at these settlements has, therefore, emerged.
Nuance must be added to this image in the form of the variety and difference observed
between different settlements and different regions. This variety would not seem to
simply be a product of differential preservation and excavation but indications of real
differences between the exercise and application of kingship in different areas. Perhaps
the most significant implication of this pattern is the recognition of the ideological
sophistication exhibited at many of these sites. This points to kingship being an
established phenomenon by this period, meaning that the origins of Anglo-Saxon
kingship must be sought earlier than the flourishing of these settlements in the late sixth
and early seventh centuries.
This insight can be developed in two ways. Firstly, it can be asked how the
activity at these sites might be projected backwards. Secondly, it might be asked whether
these settlements represent a development, or experiment, within early Anglo-Saxon
kingship. With respect to the first question, several limited observations can be offered.
The practice of itinerancy and food rents can be scaled up or down with relative ease.
Likewise, the role of communal feasting is also flexible in nature. These aspects,
Fig.13, View of Yeavering Bell from Adjacent to the Maelim Heritage Trail
Peter J W Burch
90
therefore, might be considered as being compatible with the nature of early Anglo-Saxon
kingship, on a potentially smaller scale, in the period prior to the construction of the rural
settlements. Greater certainty is possible with the second question, at least in the case of
Yeavering. Yeavering stands as something of an exception, although a possible parallel
might be found in Canterbury. A disproportionate amount of the ideological sensitivity
so far observed has been drawn from its structural phases. Indeed, based on this,
Yeavering can be seen as a sophisticated ideological experiment. The sheer density of
ideologically-tuned structures at the site is remarkable. Taken together, they create a
sophisticated ideological programme. It is also interesting to observe that Yeavering
coincides with the period of Northumbrian history dominated by the expansion of
Northumbria and its emergence out of the unification of Bernicia and Deira. The
temptation to connect these two occurrences is strong.158
Further, in addition to the features and structures discussed so far, there are two
further structures which need to be examined. The first is building E. The structural
imprint of this building formed a series of eight expanding concentric rings oriented
toward a series of post holes. Hope-Taylor ingeniously interpreted this structure as an
amphitheatre or grandstand facing onto a largely enclosed stage.159
Quite what this
structure would have been used for is not clear from the archaeology. The amount of
timber required to make it, though, is considerable; its construction was not undertaken
lightly. The most obvious parallel is with Roman theatres, the nearest known prototypes
being located at Chester and Aldborough. This Roman inspiration is perhaps an
indication of an aspiration to Roman authority. Such structures were on occasion used
in the process of local government in Frankia, and one can easily imagine that some sort
of ceremonial or assembly function was carried out there, even if precisely what remains
elusive.160
The precise purpose of the structure is less important than the fact that this is
experimental, aspirational, architecture pointing to a similarly experimental and
aspirational kingship.
The second structure, building D2, is even more suggestive. This building
contained a large number of animal bones – predominantly oxen, an unusually high
proportion of which were skulls – which had been deliberately stacked. 161
Such an
158
As Higham, Ecgfrith, pp. 53-55.
159
Barnwell, 'Anglian Yeavering', pp. 175-77; Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, pp. 119-22.
160
Barnwell, 'Anglian Yeavering', pp. 178-84. A comparable usage might be suggested for the Roman
theatre at Canterbury.
161
Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, pp. 97-102, 158-61, 277-79, 325-32.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
91
occurrence would be entirely atypical of normal butchery activity, and rather suggests a
more singular, ritual, interpretation. Animal sacrifice seems the most compelling
explanation. In this context, it is striking that one possible interpretation of the axehammer
found in Mound One at Sutton Hoo was for the pole-axing of cattle during ritual
sacrifice. This reinforces the potential involvement of early Anglo-Saxon kings with
religion. Similar structures, although lacking the faunal evidence, have been suggested
as existing elsewhere, including at Cowdery’s Down, but the evidence is far from
compelling.162
Further indications of this association with religion can also be found at
Yeavering. The cultic site seems to have been remodelled as a church in accordance with
the recommendations of Pope Gregory I’s letter to Bishop Mellitus concerning the
conversion of pagan shrines into churches.163
Another Church, building B1, has also
been postulated.164
Yeavering, therefore, seems to provide evidence for an evolving and
sustained engagement with religion by Northumbrian kings.
Enclosed Settlements
As we saw earlier, Bede and Stephen of Ripon make reference to Bamburgh and Dunbar
respectively as being specifically kingly enclosed Anglo-Saxon settlements.165
Edinburgh might also be included in this category following 638 if the modern
interpretation of the Annals of Ulster are credible. Certainly Northumbrian influence
extended over the Lothian region by the mid-seventh century, which coincides with the
disappearance of the Gododdin from the historical record.166
Additionally, the later
monastic site of Coldingham, on St. Abb’s Head, Berwickshire, Bede’s urbs Colidi, can
be posited as having a kingly pre-history.167
Doon Hill, Berwickshire might also
162
Blair, 'Anglo-Saxon Pagan Shrines'.
163
HE, I.30; Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, pp. 277-78.
164
Hope-Taylor, Yeavering, pp. 73-78, 164-68.
165
Bamburgh: Groves, 'Bowl Hole Burial Ground'; Groves et al., 'Bowl Hole Cemetery'; Young,
'Digging the Home of Northumbria's Kings'; Wood, 'Geophysical Survey at Bamburgh Castle'; HopeTaylor,
'Report for 1961 (Bamburgh)'; Hope-Taylor, 'Report for 1960, Bamburgh'. Also the intermittent
updates on the Bamburgh Research Project website: http://bamburghresearchproject.co.uk/; and blog:
https://bamburghresearchproject.wordpress.com/.
Dunbar: Blackwell, 'Anglo-Saxon Dunbar'; Moloney, 'Origins and Evolution of Dunbar'; Perry,
Castle Park, Dunbar.
166
Edinburgh would seem to have been the principal kingly settlement of the Gododdin, and following
the Northumbrian takeover, it can be surmised as passing into the control of the Northumbrian kings.
Historical discussion in Fraser, Caledonia to Pictland, pp. 170-71; Stancliffe, '"Most Holy and Most
Victorious King"', p. 58. On the archaeology of Edinburgh: Driscoll and Yeoman, Excavations within
Edinburgh Castle.
167
Alcock, Alcock, and Foster, 'Excavations Near St Abb's Head', pp. 255-77.
Peter J W Burch
92
conceivably be added to this group. Hall A is comparable in size to the largest buildings
at Yeavering, at nearly 23m long, but this is the only aspect of the site which suggests a
kingly association.168
It is, therefore, excluded from the ensuing analysis. There is thus
a particularly small number of kingly enclosed settlements. Moreover, the limited nature
of excavations conducted at them makes any discussion particularly challenging.
Bamburgh has been excavated on two occasions by Hope-Taylor, and is now
subject to an ongoing campaign by the Bamburgh Research Project. Unfortunately none
of these investigations have been satisfactorily published. Nevertheless, the AngloSaxon
kingly settlement known from the written sources can be assumed to have
occupied the same naturally defensible basalt outcrop as Bamburgh Castle, where
archaeological sequences stretching back to the pre-historic have been uncovered.169
The
most notable product of the excavations conducted to date has been the re-discovery and
partial excavation of the Bowl Hole cemetery 300m south-east of Bamburgh Castle. A
number of the interments proved to be partial cist burials, placing the cemetery in a
northern context, although a variety of burial rites seem to have been practiced.
Osteoarchaeological analysis also revealed good levels of nutrition amongst the
population and suggests access to high-status foods such as fruit, honey, meat and refined
flour.170
Excavations within the castle itself, although mostly uncovering later activity,
point to the conduct of trade, manufacture and industrial activity.171
Even less is known concerning Coldingham. Reconnaissance excavations led by
Alcock in 1980 identified two palisade structures and a clay and turf bank with a workedstone
foot enclosing a flat area of approximately 3 hectares. The relationship between
the two palisades is not certain, but Palisade A, which is stratigraphically earlier than the
subsequent clay and turf embankment, gave radiocarbon dates centring on the seventh
century. In addition to the outworks, the site was flanked by sea cliffs to the east and a
168
Crone, 'Doon Hill'; Wilson and Hurst, 'Dunbar, Doon Hill'.
169
Hope-Taylor, 'Report for 1961 (Bamburgh)'; Hope-Taylor, 'Report for 1960, Bamburgh'. On location:
Alcock, Forts of the North Britons, p. 13.
It is also known that there was a second royal settlement adjacent to Bamburgh. It was at this
settlement that Aidan ended his days. While the location of this settlement is not known, it is possible
that the dedication of the church in the village of Bamburgh to Saint Aidan, the only known non-modern
instance of such a dedication, indicates the location of this settlement and the subsequent cult site: HE,
III.17; Cambridge, 'Archaeology of the Cult of St Oswald', p. 136.
170
Groves, 'Social and Biological Status'; Groves, 'Bowl Hole Burial Ground'; Groves et al., 'Bowl Hole
Cemetery'.
171
This section also benefits from my presence at the 2012 Royal Archaeological Conference, Legacies
of Northumbria: Recent Thinking on the 5th - 14th Centuries in Northern Britain, which included a paper
by Young, ‘The Anglo-Saxon Fortress of Bamburgh: The Archaeological Evidence’.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
93
steep slope to the landward-west. The excavators preferred to associate the clay and turf
embankment with the monastic site on the basis of its utilisation of worked stone,
although this does not immediately follow. Nonetheless, the palisades make most sense
in the context of a kingly, enclosed site.172
Slightly greater certainty is possible with Dunbar. As at Bamburgh, seemingly
the most likely location for the kingly settlement would be the coastal rock stack
currently occupied by Dunbar Castle.173
Excavations have revealed the existence of a
promontory fort to the south of the Castle, although this dos not precluded the rock stack
forming part of this larger settlement.174
The stratigraphy of this site is problematic,
making both dating and interpretation difficult. However, it is possible to observe a
series of settlement phases, including some relatively substantial buildings, over a
seemingly large area, during the period under investigation. There are also indications
of industrial activities.175
Similar observations are possible at Edinburgh also, although
the only settlement activity located is in the form of middens. These middens, however,
are significant in that they do not seem to exhibit a noticeable break in usage from the
Roman period onwards. Moreover, in the early medieval period the faunal remains
reveal a high incidence of game species such as deer.176
Drawing meaningful conclusions from such a limited sample is problematic.
Nonetheless, certain observations are possible. In the first instance, these settlements all
occupy naturally defensible sites. There are also indications that their natural defences
were deliberately augmented, a supposition which the available historical sources would
seem to confirm.177
The inference that these sites served a defensive purpose can thus
be drawn. This in turn, as has been seen previously, raises ideas of protection, and by
implication warfare, as being associated with the conduct of early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
The archaeology, however, would indicate that this was not their sole purpose. They also
seem to have been centres of habitation, manufacture and trade. Such activities cannot
172
Alcock, Alcock, and Foster, 'Excavations Near St Abb's Head', pp. 265-66, 268-77.
173
Alcock, Forts of the North Britons, p. 15.
174
Perry, Castle Park, Dunbar, p. 312.
175
Blackwell, 'Anglo-Saxon Dunbar', pp. 364-68; Moloney, 'Origins and Evolution of Dunbar', pp. 285-
89; Perry, Castle Park, Dunbar, pp. 29-64.
176
Driscoll and Yeoman, Excavations within Edinburgh Castle, pp. 28, 43-45, 201-12, 226-29. This
might in turn suggest the potential significance of hunting and by extension hawking. The evidence
connecting hunting to kingship in early Anglo-Saxon England is at best ambivalent, although its
significance is much more apparent in later and continental sources. Further: Rollason, 'Forests, Parks,
Palaces', pp. 428-49.
177
As HE, III.16. Also Alcock, Kings and Warriors, pp. 198-202.
Peter J W Burch
94
be assumed to have been directly associated with kingship, but kings can be assumed to
have benefited from their presence. Moreover, the density of settlement activity points
to a very different nature and usage to that exhibited by the majority of the rural
settlements above. It is also interesting to note that enclosed settlements seem to be
unique to Northumbria, specifically Bernicia, amongst the early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
By extension they imply a differing nature, origin, or simply differing practical
requirements of early Northumbrian kingship.
The affinities of Bamburgh, Coldingham, Dunbar and Edinburgh allow this
suggestion to be developed further. The Bernician enclosed settlements fit into a broader
pattern of defended, usually hill-top, settlements in northern and western Britain. They
are characterised by their readily defensible locations, fortifications, hierarchical
arrangement, and their manufacturing, trading and habitation debris.178
These
settlements, therefore, place Bernician, and by extension Northumbrian, kingship in a
British archaeological context. This in turn prompts two interrelated questions: how does
this British context relate to the origins of Northumbria and, crucially, how does it relate
to the origins of Northumbrian kingship?
Neither question can be completely answered. However, an attempt at framing
the questions is itself revealing. In his recent book on Northumbria, Rollason proposed
three distinct models for the origins of Northumbria, what he termed a continuity model,
a controlled handover model and a conquest model.179
This intellectual framework can
be usefully borrowed. Rollason himself ultimately argued for a military conquest to
explain the origins of Northumbria.180
Edinburgh would certainly seem to have entered
Northumbrian control in this way. Dunbar might also be seen as entering into
Northumbrian control as part of the expansion of Northumbrian power during this
period.181
The Historia Brittonum ascribes a similar provenance to Bamburgh, positing
an earlier British settlement conquered by Ida.182
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, by
178
Variously Laing and Longley, Mote of Mark; Lane and Campbell, Dunadd; Alcock, Cadbury Castle,
Somerset; Rahtz, Cadbury Congresbury. With the articles by L. Alcock and E. A. Alcock in Proceedings
of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 117 (1987), pp. 119-47, 119 (1989), 189-226, and 121 (1991),
pp. 95-149, on Dunoillie, Dundurn and Dumbarton respectively. In summary: Alcock, Kings and
Warriors, pp. 179-233; Alcock, 'Activities of Potentates'.
179
Rollason, Northumbria, 500-1100, pp. 65-66, discussion 57-109. Also Rollason, Early Medieval
Europe, pp. 18-34, 37-59.
180
Rollason, Northumbria, 500-1100, pp.108-09.
181
Rollason, Northumbria, 500-1100, p. 81.
182
HB, 61. But also Fraser, Caledonia to Pictland, pp. 149-51; Dumville, 'Historical Value of the
Historia Brittonum'; Dumville, 'North British Section of the Historia Brittonum'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
95
contrast, would suggest that Bamburgh was in fact built by Ida, but given the late
composition of both these sources, and the problems associated with them, neither
account can be relied upon.183
Nonetheless, evidence can also be found to support the
continuity and controlled handover models, although Bernicia does seem to have rapidly
expanded from a relatively small entity to a supra-kingdom, in the form of Northumbria,
in the relatively brief space of two generations.184
With respect to the origins of kingship in Northumbria it is likewise important to
look beyond military processes. The British archaeological context of the enclosed
settlements has already been noted. Additionally, the name Bernicia, and indeed Deira,
both stem from British roots.185
Using a similar argument to that employed with the
former Roman towns, this would suggest some pre-existing British entity pre-dating
Anglo-Saxon control. What affect this had on Anglo-Saxon kingship cannot be
quantified, but it does need to be considered, raising issues of acculturation and
intermarriage as well as outright conquest.186
Moreover, a rapid expansion over such a
large area would have presented Northumbrian kings with unique challenges. Such
challenges would also have prompted changes within the exercise and nature of
Northumbrian kingship. The enclosed settlements are thus symptomatic of broader
differences between Northumbrian and other early Anglo-Saxon kingships.
Conclusions
The overwhelming impression gathered from this section has been variety. Four quite
distinct types of elite settlement have been explored. Each has provided their own
implications for the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. The ongoing activity at
former military sites in northern Britain pointed to the emergence, or continuation, of a
distinctive form of power. This was militaristic and local. It may or may not have been
under an ostensibly Roman aegis, but it drew upon and utilised the infrastructure and the
social and economic context created by the former imperial presence in northern Britain.
How these enclaves of power related to the development of early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms
183
ASC [A, E], s.a. 547. But also Sims-Williams, 'Settlement of England', pp. 25, discussion 26-41. On
the British origins of these sites generally: Alcock, Forts of the North Britons, pp. 3-7.
184
Higham, Ecgfrith, pp. 30-75.
185
Jackson, Language and History, pp. 419-20, 701-05.
186
As Dumville, 'Origins of Northumbria'. Further Higham, 'Britons in Anglo-Saxon England'; Higham,
'Britons in Northern England'. It is equally possible to see Northumbria through a northern, British, lens
as it is an Anglo-Saxon one, as Fraser, Caledonia to Pictland, pp. 121-233, particularly 149-54; Alcock,
Kings and Warriors.
Peter J W Burch
96
in northern England could only be guessed at, but they provided an element in the
dynamic of its emergence not found in southern England.
Contemporary with this were the much more ambiguous indications of elite
activity at a number of former Roman towns. In no instance was the archaeology of these
settlements conclusive in characterising the nature of the activity at these sites. However,
by drawing on other evidence, primarily linguistic, it was possible to posit that some of
these towns formed the basis of emerging British polities. Overall, the evidence of the
former Roman towns was inconclusive, but they did point to the possibility of a quite
different nascent power. Again, it was not possible to determine how these potential
polities related to the origins or development of early Anglo-Saxon kingship, but their
recognition was nonetheless significant.
A pronounced chronological gap separates these two types from the later rural
settlements. These date from the late sixth century and are much less ambiguous in their
royalty. Indeed, in many instances it is possible to be certain that they were kingly.
These settlements are characterised by their large, well-constructed buildings and their
obviously planned layouts. As such they seem very much the products of a stable and
established institution. Certain inferences can be made regarding this institution. Kings
seem to have been peripatetic; few of the settlements indicated intensive settlement
activity, although they may have been in use for considerable periods of time. On this
basis, some form of local provisioning can be surmised, although this seemed to be of a
different nature in different places. Likewise, an element of collective feasting can be
inferred at these settlements. These observations apply to all of the rural settlements
examined. Certain settlements, however, most especially Yeavering, stand apart. These
show a sophisticated ideological awareness and a willingness to be associated with ritual
activity. This sophistication emphasises the difference between these settlements and
those of a century previous.
The final settlement type provides a potential link between these two periods.
The enclosed settlements are again a distinctively northern phenomenon. They raise
suggestions similar to those seen with the former military sites with respect to the
protective and offensive aspects of kingship. Indeed, it might be possible that they arose
out of similar needs and contexts. The enclosed sites are also part of a much larger
pattern of enclosed and defended settlements in western and northern Britain during the
fifth, sixth and seventh centuries. Again, therefore, this suggests a British strand to early
Anglo-Saxon kingship and prompts a discussion of acculturation and conquest. These
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
97
settlements also differ from the majority of rural settlements in that they exhibit
indications of manufacture.
Overall, it is not possible to construct a detailed archaeological plan of the
development of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. The evidence is simply too sparse.
Moreover, it is entirely possible that a future excavation will overturn any conclusion
offered. Nonetheless, the evidence of elite settlement is sufficient to suggest that any
simple or linear model is entirely artificial. Early Anglo-Saxon kingship seems to have
been forged from divergent strands in various ways in differing places. It thus took
different natures in different contexts. However, as responses to essentially the same
situation, and through their mutual interaction, these natures and contexts ultimately also
have much in common.
Peter J W Burch
98
Post-Script on Numismatic Evidence
Coinage is another area which typically invites discussion of kingship. By the mid eighth
century, the relationship between kings and coinage was relatively clear-cut.1
However,
in the period in question the connection between kings and coinage is often uncertain.
The minting of coins in this period was typically small-scale, relatively-sporadic, and is
poorly-understood. What coinage has to offer with regards to the origins and nature of
early Anglo-Saxon kingship is thus limited. Nonetheless, it does have some relevance.
This section, therefore, will offer a brief survey of coinage in the period c.400-c.750,
highlighting aspects of relevance to the origins and development of kingship.
Late Roman Britain was predominately dependent upon coins minted in and
imported from elsewhere in the Roman Empire, mostly from northern Gaul. However,
the supply of bronze coinage largely ceased c.402, while the large-scale importation of
silver and gold issues seems to have terminated around c.410.2
Although some coins
continued to reach Britain, as the Patching Hoard demonstrates, the circulation of coinage
in subsequent centuries was on a much lesser scale and based on the unregulated re-use
of imperial or Continental issues.3
The extent to which this situation can be considered
a true monetary economy should be questioned, as many coin finds derive from graves
where their function seems to have been as items of jewellery, as ornamentation or as
weights.4
However, recent metal-detectorist discoveries are countermanding this
qualification, increasingly pointing to a much wider usage and circulation of coinage,
albeit seemingly as part of a bullion economy.5
It should also be noted that there are
potential indications in both the writings of Saint Patrick and in Gildas’s De excidio of
ongoing monetary activity.6
1
Further: Williams, 'Coins and Kingship', pp. 43-61.
2
Reece, The Coinage of Roman Britain, pp. 62, more broadly 13-62.
3
Williams, 'Coins and Kingship', pp. 37-39; Williams, 'Use of Coins in East Anglia', pp. 121-28;
Williams, 'Anglo-Saxon Gold Coinage. Part 1', pp. 55-58; Williams, 'Circulation and Function of
Coinage', pp. 158-61. C.f. the historiographically important, but dated, Kent, 'From Roman Britain to
Anglo-Saxon England', which posits a complete cessation in coin use. On Patching: White et al., 'MidFifth
Century Hoard'; White, 'Patching Hoard'.
4
White, Roman and Celtic Objects, pp. 62-101.
5
Williams, 'Circulation and Function of Coinage', pp. 150-54, 161-69; Williams, 'Anglo-Saxon Gold
Coinage. Part 1', p. 59. Also the Corpus of Early Medieval Coin Finds, available from
http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac. uk/dept/coins/emc/; Abdy and Williams, 'Catalogue of Hoards'; Abdy,
'After Patching'. A somewhat different perspective is offered by Moorhead and Walton, 'Coinage at the
End of Roman Britain'; Moorhead, 'Roman Bronze Coinage'.
6
Patrick, Epistola, 10 seems to indicate the existence of an active land market: Higham and Ryan,
Anglo-Saxon World, p. 43. DEB, 67 makes reference to the purchasing of priesthoods and to the sale of
worldly goods.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
99
For present purposes, the most significant aspect of this period is the clipping of
silver coinage during the early decades of the fifth century, highlighted particularly
through the Hoxne Hoard.7
This clipping, purely of the silver coinage, respects the
iconography of the coins, seems to have been an iterative process, and is largely confined
to Britain. Although the clipping of coinage is typically linked to privateer debasement,
based on these factors it has been plausibly, if tentatively, suggested that such clipping
may in fact represent official attempts to bolster and perpetuate the supply of money.
The clippings would then be available to produce imitative coins, or more probably to be
used as bullion. Such, if correct, of course implies the existence of organised forms of
authority to orchestrate this clipping.8
Based solely on this evidence, these putative
power structures cannot be linked to the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship, but their
potential existence will become relevant in the following section.
Coin-like objects – bracteates – were manufactured in Anglo-Saxon England,
particularly in Kent, during the sixth century, but they cannot be considered as coinage.9
A significant change – the minting of coins – is thus signalled by the Liudhard Medalet.10
This development can be broadly linked to the adoption of Christianity, although the
Liudhard Medalet pre-dates the Augustinian Mission.11
Certainly there seems to be a
notable correlation between the adoption of Christianity and the resumption of minting,
with Churchmen also possessing the necessary literacy skills to facilitate the production
of coinage.12
Early issues can be linked to the kingdoms of Kent and Northumbria, as
well as possibly to East Anglia and the East Saxons, their dates broadly mirroring the
conversion of those kingdoms, although it should be noted that many of the early coins
cannot be specifically linked to particular kingdoms.13
Coin finds more generally,
including imported coins which continued to circulate alongside the Anglo-Saxon, are
7
Johns, Hoxne Late Roman Treasure; Guest, Coins from the Hoxne Treasure.
8
Abdy, 'Patching Hoard', pp. 109-13; Abdy, 'Patching and Oxborough'; Abdy, 'After Patching'. Further:
Guest, Coins from the Hoxne Treasure, particularly pp. 102-15. Also Guest, 'Hoards from the End of
Roman Britain'.
9
Bracteates are nonetheless interesting in that they connect Kent to wider archaeological trends of the
North Sea area, particularly Scandinavia. They might also be seen as imitative of the Imperial coinage
tradition. Although a connection to kingship is possible, it is uncertain and almost impossible to
evaluate. However, see further: Behr, 'Kingship in Early Medieval Kent'.
10
Grierson, 'Canterbury (St. Martin's) Hoard', pp. 39-43; Sutherland, Anglo-Saxon Gold Coinage, pp. 31-
32. Also Werner, 'Liudhard Medalet'.
11
The burial of the St. Martin’s Hoard can be date to sometime around c.580: Grierson, 'Canterbury (St.
Martin's) Hoard', pp. 49-50.
12
Williams, 'Coins and Kingship', pp. 39-40; Williams, 'Use of Coins in East Anglia', pp. 128-31;
Williams, 'Circulation and Function of Coinage', pp. 186-88.
13
Gannon, British Museum Anglo-Saxon Coins I, pp. 61-63, 85-98. Also Grierson and Blackburn,
Medieval European Coinage I, pp. 159-64; Metcalf, Thrymsas and Sceattas, pp. 29-62.
Peter J W Burch
100
most common in Kent, but are found in varying degrees across the south east and up the
east coast of England, suggesting a correlation with economic and trading activity.14
The
early issues were exclusively gold and seem to have been relatively few in number,
although there is no reason to feel that particular issues were unusually small. Over the
course of the seventh century successive gold issues were steadily debased such that the
issues of the 670s had as little as 15% gold content. These pale gold issues were replaced
by fine silver issues in the 670s, broadly contemporary with a similar shift in
Merovingian coinage. The silver coinage was also issued in significantly greater
quantities than its gold precursors.15
Two questions need to be asked of this coinage, namely how it was connected to
kingship and what was its function? With respect to the first of these, the majority of the
issues, both gold and silver, do not bear the names of kings, in line with Frankish practice.
Rather, many bear the names of the individuals, often ecclesiastical, by whom they were
issued. A number also bear the names of the mints from which they were coined. There
are, however, two exceptions to this. Five, possibly six, gold coins bearing the name of
Eadbald of Kent have been discovered.16
The five certain coins were issued in London,
all sharing the same obverse die but with different reverse dies, while the possible sixth
was issued in Canterbury. The second exception is the silver coinage attributable to
Aldfrith of Northumbria which may have totalled as much as 2,500,000 coins.17
Envisaging royal agency behind these two sets is relatively unproblematic; indeed it is
difficult to explain their nature without it. By extension, they also raise the possibility
that all Anglo-Saxon coins were kingly in inspiration, at least to some extent. This
suggestion is strengthened by the appearance of busts on the many of the coins, both gold
and silver. Furthermore, the level of organisation required, and the potential benefits that
could be accrued from issuing coinage, are most explicable in a kingly context.18
14
Williams, 'Anglo-Saxon Gold Coinage. Part 1', pp. 57-60. Also Williams, 'Use of Coins in East
Anglia', pp. 131-36.
15
Gannon, British Museum Anglo-Saxon Coins I; Grierson and Blackburn, Medieval European Coinage
I, pp. 155-89; Metcalf, Thrymsas and Sceattas, 3 vols. Also Gannon, Iconography of Anglo-Saxon
Coinage, pp. 10-13; Grierson, Coins of Medieval Europe, pp. 26-28; Abdy and Williams, 'Catalogue of
Hoards'.
16
Blackburn, 'Two New Types of Anglo-Saxon Gold Shillings', pp. 127-35; Williams, 'Gold Coinage of
Eadbald'. Also Metcalf, Thrymsas and Sceattas, vol I, p. 61; Sutherland, Anglo-Saxon Gold Coinage, pp.
52-53.
17
Metcalf, 'Coinage of King Aldfrith'.
18
Metcalf, Thrymsas and Sceattas, pp. 10-25. C.f. Grierson and Blackburn, Medieval European Coinage
I, pp. 158-59. Also Williams, 'Coins and Kingship', p. 42; Gannon, Iconography of Anglo-Saxon
Coinage, pp. 23-63.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
101
With respect to the function of the early Anglo-Saxon coins a single answer is
inappropriate. Certainly with the later silver issues, which are commonly found on
trading or ‘productive’ sites, and were issued in reasonable quantities, there is a strong
argument for a monetary function. This might be extended to the earlier gold issues,
although their usage would necessarily have been restricted to high-value transactions.
Thus, the economic benefits of issuing such coins, particularly those in silver, would
have been pronounced, facilitating and enhancing trade within early Anglo-Saxon
England and with the Continent. Kings would have benefited both through greater access
to goods and resources, but possibly also through increased revenue from tolls on
shipping and trade as discussed below.19
This, however, is not the only possible function of coinage. It has been suggested
that the gold issues in particular were used in various gift or symbolic exchanges.20
This
is perfectly compatible with a monetary function. Indeed, the benefit of coinage, as
opposed to bullion, is that it is inherently more flexible in that it combines ideological
communication with practical functionality. Early Anglo-Saxon coinage is no exception,
as Gannon has demonstrated.21
This, then, provides a second possible motivation for the
issuing or control of coinage on the part of Anglo-Saxon kings. To do so was simply
inherently kingly. It connected them to imperial and Continental models of ruler-ship,
of which they would have been well aware, and allowed them to project an image of
kingship. The issuing of coins, particularly the explicitly kingly ones of Eadbald and
Aldfrith, thus represents a significant development or innovation within early AngloSaxon
kingship. Not all kingdoms, however, seem to have issued coins, certainly not for
all of the period in question. Finds of certain coin types are often concentrated in certain
areas, allowing them, at times, to be connected to particular kingdoms. Thus, some
kingdoms, particularly Kent, seemingly minted coins with relative frequency and
consistency, while others such as Northumbria did so much more sporadically. Likewise,
minting in Mercia and amongst the East Angles and West Saxons only began in earnest
in the early eighth century.22
The issuing of coinage was thus seemingly not an
experiment or development which made equal sense across all of the early Anglo-Saxon
19
Williams, 'Use of Coins in East Anglia', pp. 131-35; Yorke, 'Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms 600–900', p. 80.
Also Yorke, Rex Doctissimus, pp. 14-15; Metcalf, 'Coinage of King Aldfrith'.
20
More broadly: Grierson, 'Commerce in the Dark Ages', pp. 130-39.
21
Gannon, Iconography of Anglo-Saxon Coinage.
22
Gannon, British Museum Anglo-Saxon Coins I, pp. 84-136. Also Metcalf, Thrymsas and Sceattas.
Peter J W Burch
102
kingships. Indeed, the distribution of coins and minting would seem to suggest that it
made most sense in conjunction with trade or contact with Continental Europe.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
103
Section Two
Anglo-Saxon Kingship and History
Peter J W Burch
104
The Fifth and Sixth Centuries
The previous section focused on archaeological evidence, examining elite burial, elite
settlement, and briefly coinage in turn. Although it did not allow for any comprehensive
conclusions, it did provide a number of important insights with regard to both the origins
and nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. Both the elite burials and the elite settlements
seemed to be products of an established, sophisticated and ideologically aware
institution; indeed it was possible, particularly in the case of the elite burials and
particular royal settlements, to interpret these phenomena as indications of developments
or even experiments within kingship. Similar interpretations were offered regarding the
numismatic evidence, although the issuing of coinage could also be linked to more
practical economic aims. As a result, it proved necessary to look for the origins of AngloSaxon
kingship in the sixth or possibly even fifth centuries. Two potential early power
sources were identified, which may have been related to early Anglo-Saxon kingship, in
the form of ongoing activity at former Roman military sites in northern Britain and at
certain former Roman towns, but it was not possible to provide a direct connection in
either case. Indications of potential British origins were also uncovered, but again these
proved difficult to evaluate.
With regard to the nature of Anglo-Saxon kingship several observations were
possible. Both the burials and the settlements provided evidence to suggest that the
conduct of warfare, both offensively and defensively, was integral to kingship. The role
of feasting and entertainment was also highlighted as being important. Additionally, it
was observed that kings seemed to have been itinerant and that some sort of system for
provisioning them was in operation. This, however, varied between regions. Indeed,
regional variation was noted in a variety of contexts, with Northumbrian kingship
looking particularly different.
In order to develop these ideas further it is necessary to turn to the written sources.
Those pertaining directly to fifth- and sixth-century Anglo-Saxon England, however, are
limited in the extreme.1
It is thus necessary to look broadly across British and
Continental contexts for sources which can illuminate early Anglo-Saxon England
tangentially. Those of most relevance are: Zosimus’s New History; Constantius of
Lyons’s Vita Germani episcopi; the writings of Saint Patrick; the Gallic Chronicles of
1
Yorke, 'Contribution of Written Sources', p. 26; also Yorke, 'Fact or Fiction?'. More broadly: Halsall,
'Sources and Their Interpretation'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
105
452 and 511; Gildas’s De Excidio; and some brief passages in the eighth book of
Procopius’s History of the Wars. None of these address early Anglo-Saxon England in
detail, but important insight can still be garnered, particularly by placing England in its
Insular and, to an extent, Continental context. Various other sources which seemingly
pertain to fifth and sixth century Britain, such as Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica, the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the Historia Brittonum, can also be identified. However,
these sources all date from much later periods and given this remove their testament
cannot be relied upon with respect to the fifth or sixth centuries.2
Each source will be
examined in turn in approximate chronological order of the events recorded. Particular
attention will be given to issues which may affect their interpretation and any indications
of the exercise of power or authority. This will allow a framework for fifth- and sixthcentury
Britain and the origins early Anglo-Saxon kingship to be established and permit
the observations of the previous section to be developed further.
In this respect, the current chapter is principally concerned with the interplay
between two related issues: how Britain ceased to be imperial; and how Anglo-Saxon
England came to be ruled by kings. At the beginning of the period, sources such as
Ammianus Marcellinus’ Res gestae,3
and the purportedly administrative document the
Notitia Dignitatum,4
convincingly place Britain in the wider cultural and political
structures of the Roman Empire. By the end of the period, by contrast, a new, nonimperial,
ruling order had emerged and the political culture of England seems to have
been rewritten. England was no longer part of a greater whole, but was instead ruled by
kings, as testified by the comments of Gregory of Tours in his Decem libri historiarum,
where he refers to Æthelberht I of Kent as ‘the son of a certain king in Kent [sic]’.5
Running through these two issues, is, of course, a third, namely the ‘Anglo-
2
As Yorke, 'Contribution of Written Sources'; Yorke, 'Fact or Fiction?'; Dumville, 'Historical Value of
the Historia Brittonum'; Sims-Williams, 'Settlement of England'; Dumville, 'History and Legend'.
3
Seyfarth (ed.) Rerum gestarum. Translation: Hamilton (trans.), Later Roman Empire. With comments
of Jones, Later Roman Empire, vol I, pp. 115-16; but also Barnes, Ammianus Marcellinus and the
Representation of Historical Reality.
4
Seeck (ed.), Notitia dignitatum; with the useful tables in Jones, Later Roman Empire, vol II, pp. 1429-
50. The dating and status of the Notitia continues to be much disputed. In the current context, it is
sufficient to note that an initial date of composition after c.395, with subsequent revisions, remains
credible: Jones, Later Roman Empire, vol II, pp. 1417-28. Further: O’Hara, 'Assessment of the Notitia',
pp. 17-29. With specific reference to Britain: Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire, pp. 38-39;
Mattingly, An Imperial Possession, pp. 238-47.
5
Libri historiarum, IX.26. Bertha, Æthelberht’s Frankish wife, is described as ‘in Cantia regis cuisdam
filius matrimonio’. Krusch and Levison (eds), Libri historiarum X. Translation: Thorpe (trans.), History
of the Franks.
Peter J W Burch
106
Saxonification’ of England.6
This, while important contextually, can be put to one side
for the current purposes as it is superseded by and subsumed into the twin issue of how
Britain ceased to be imperial, and how Anglo-Saxon England came to be ruled by kings.
With regard to the first of these issues, scholarly approaches can be broadly
characterised as adopting one of two interpretations: continuity or collapse. Notable
proponents of continuity can be found in Dark,7
and Barnwell,8
who in different ways
have both argued for the continuation of Roman cultural and political institutions, at least
at a local and regional level, and their gradual transformation during the fifth and sixth
centuries. Proponents of collapse, meanwhile can be found in the person of Cleary,9
and
to an even greater extent in Faulkner,10
who have posited, broadly speaking, that latefourth-
and fifth-century Britain suffered a catastrophic societal and systems collapse.
Naturally, various interpretations can be found between these two poles, which might be
characterised as transformation interpretations, but the adoption of binary contrasts will
help to clarify the interpretation and approach in what follows.11
With respect to the second issue, as has been observed previously, the origins of
Anglo-Saxon kingship have not been the focus of notable scholarly attention. The most
relevant scholarly works, therefore, deal with the origins of kingdoms rather than
kingship itself. Nonetheless, they form a useful point of departure. Two models are
conventionally adopted in any discussion of the origins of kingdoms which map naturally
onto the continuity and collapse models. These were set out by Bassett in his introduction
to The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms where he proposed a continuity model –
whereby ongoing former Romano-British administrative units formed the basis of
subsequent early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms – and a model of gradual amalgamation and
conquest – where, following a breakdown of the administrative and political structures
of society the resulting small, tribal, units, through a process of competition, conquest
6
Contrast the views of Welch, Anglo-Saxon England; Higham, Rome, Britain and the Anglo-Saxons, for
maximal and minimal views of Anglo-Saxon migration respectively. Further: Halsall, 'Movers and
Shakers'.
7
Dark, Britain and the End, pp. 27-104; Dark, Civitas to Kingdom, particularly pp. 50-96.
8
Barnwell, Emperor, Prefects & Kings. Also Barnwell, Kings, Courtiers & Imperium, pp. 133-71.
9
Cleary, Ending of Roman Britain, pp. 131-61, 188-205. Cleary has drawn back from his more extreme
ideas over recent years: Cleary, 'Study of A.D. 410', pp. 5-7. The poverty of fifth- and sixth-century
Britain’s material culture is well brought out by Fleming, 'Recycling in Britain'; Fleming, Britain after
Rome, pp. 22-44.
10
Faulkner, Decline and Fall of Roman Britain, pp. 158-80. Further: Faulkner and Reece, 'Debate About
the End'.
11
As Gerrard, Ruin of Roman Britain, pp. 245-62; Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World, pp. 41-56;
Collins, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire, pp. 74-110, 154-69. Further: Cleary, 'Study of A.D.
410'; Higham, 'Debating the Insular Dark Ages'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
107
and amalgamation, gradually created early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms – which he termed
the FA cup model.12
It is primarily the second of these models, in conjunction with
Cleary’s The Ending of Roman Britain which has proved to be the more influential.13
Collectively these models are helpful, but they can only take the discussion so
far. This, in part, is because of their conflicting natures. The previous section, for
example, highlighted evidence supportive of both continuity and collapse. More
particularly, none of the models is without its problems.14
With respect to the two models
specific to the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, a number of later kingdoms seem to
exist without any obvious or discernible relationship to early Romano-British units of
organisation. Likewise, neither model explains how their respective units came to be
ruled by kings; they merely assume that once a certain political mass is reached, kingship
is the inevitable result. This cannot automatically be held to be the case. It was
established in the introduction that kingship requires the existence of a broader
intellectual superstructure within which to situate itself. In the current context the failure
of these models to address these issues is their greatest weakness. This chapter, therefore,
will use the various models as a provisional framework through which to approach the
period, but will alter the parameters of the discussion so that it is focused explicitly upon
the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. This in turn will inevitably lead to a reevaluation
of the original models, with the potential for conclusions of wider import, but
it will remain the origins of kingship upon which this section is primarily focused.
Zosimus’s New History
Several Roman writers address the final years of Britain’s presence in the Roman Empire,
but the most pertinent as regards current purposes is the New History of the Byzantine
historian Zosimus.15
The New History contains many demonstrable errors and
misunderstandings. Additionally, many of the sources that it is based upon are no longer
12
Bassett, 'In Search of Origins', pp. 23-26. The term ‘tribal’ is used by Bassett to indicate a society of
small units linked together primarily through bonds of kinship.
13
As variously Fleming, Britain after Rome, pp. 102-19; Wickham, Inheritance of Rome, pp. 155-59;
Wickham, Framing the Early Middle Ages, pp. 313-14; Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms, pp. 9-15, 157-62.
Also Hamerow, 'Earliest Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms', pp. 280-87; to a lesser extent Higham and Ryan,
Anglo-Saxon World, pp. 137-44.
14
As Dark, 'Review [Decline and Fall of Roman Britain]'; Cleary, 'Review [Britain and the End]';
Cleary, 'Review [Civitas to Kingdom]'; Wood, 'Internal Crisis in Fourth-Century Britain'.
15
Paschoud (ed.) Historie nouvelle. English Translation: Ridley (trans.), New History; based upon
Mendelssohn (ed.) Historia Nova.
Peter J W Burch
108
extant, potentially occluding further errors.16
Indeed, the final section from which the
passages of relevance are drawn was never fully revised.17
Further, Zosimus wrote in
the eastern Empire at some point after 498, most likely prior to 518,18
and set out to
narrate the perceived fall of Rome’s Empire, much as Polybius narrated its rise.19
The
New History, therefore, needs to be understood as a retrospective rationalisation from the
perspective of an early sixth-century Byzantine, rather than as the account of a
contemporary witness.20
Despite these difficulties, there is little choice but to utilise the New History, as it
contains two passages of principal importance. The first concerns the results of a
barbarian rebellion, apparently deliberately incited by the general Gerontius in 409 to
distract the usurper Constantine III.21
It reads:
The latter [Constantine] was not able to oppose them [the barbarians] because
most of his army was in Spain, which allowed the barbarians over the Rhine to
make unrestricted incursions. They reduced the inhabitants of Britain and some
of the Gallic peoples to such straits that they revolted from the Roman Empire,
no longer submitted to Roman law, and reverted to their native customs. The
Britons, therefore, armed themselves and ran many risks to ensure their own
safety and free their cities from the attacking barbarians. The whole of the Gallic
provinces, in imitation of the Britons, freed themselves in the same way, by
expelling the Roman magistrates and establishing the government they wanted.22
The second passage, from 410, concerns the so called ‘rescript of Honorius’ which
records:
Honorius sent letters to the cities in Britain, urging them to fend for themselves.23
16
Paschoud (ed.), Historie nouvelle (nouvelle édition), vol I, pp. xxxvi-lxxi, particularly lxix-lxxi, lxxivlxxx;
Ridley, 'Zosimus the Historian', pp. 280-83, 288-89, 290-292, 296-302.
17
Paschoud (ed.), Historie nouvelle (nouvelle édition), vol I, pp. xxii-xxvi, particularly xxv.
18
Paschoud (ed.), Historie nouvelle (nouvelle édition), vol I, pp. ix-xvi; Ridley, 'Zosimus the Historian',
pp. 278-80.
19
New History, I, 57; Paschoud (ed.), Historie nouvelle (nouvelle édition), vol I, pp. xx-xxvi.
20
Snyder, Age of Tyrants, p. 34.
21
On these events: Kulikowski, 'Barbarians in Gaul'; with Drinkwater, 'Usurpers'. Still of use, but more
problematic: Thompson, 'Britain A.D. 406-410'; but with Thompson, 'Fifth-Century Facts?';
Bartholomew, 'Fifth-Century Facts'; Thompson, 'Zosimus 6. 10. 2'.
22
New History, VI, 5.2-3.
23
New History, VI, 10.2.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
109
Superficially, the meaning of these two passages seems relatively clear. Barbarian
invasion and lack of imperial assistance led, through necessity, to the establishment of
Insular rule in Britain, this de facto situation being subsequently confirmed and
legitimised by the Emperor Honorius. Britain had ceased to be part of the Roman
Empire.
However, these passages need to be seen in their wider context and with the above
comments regarding the New History in mind. In late 406, or perhaps more plausibly in
late 405, a number of Alans, Sueves and Vandals crossed the Rhine into northern Gaul.
In 406, the imperial forces in Britain elevated a series of three usurpers to the purple, the
third of whom was Constantine III. Assuming the 405 date for the barbarian incursion
is correct, these pretenders would make most sense as being raised in response to the
perceived barbarian threat.24
Constantine III then crossed to the Continent in 407 to
pacify the region and support his imperial claim. During this process, in 409, his
subordinate in Spain, Gerontius, rebelled against him. As the first passage records,
Gerontius managed to persuade the now pacified barbarian peoples to once again become
a nuisance in Gaul. This disturbance, however, was presumably in southern Gaul and
northern Spain so as to play a part in Constantine and Gerontius’s dispute.25
Zosimus
seems to imply that these same barbarian peoples were somehow in Britain as well, which
seems unlikely. One must either suppose that the mere threat of invasion or political
instability was sufficient to incite rebellion, or that there was a more direct threat to
Britain from an alternate source. The Chronicle of 452 might be taken to support the
later scenario, although that source itself is not without its problems.26
Either scenario is
conceivable, although neither fits Zosimus’s account.
The revolt itself is broadly credible – rebellion as response to political uncertainty
had, and has, a long pedigree – even if the nature of the political authority it established
is doubtful. From Zosimus’s perspective the rebellion precipitated the cessation of
formal imperial rule over Britain. However, hindsight can be misleading. It must be
remembered that the rebellion was against Constantine III, and was, therefore, at least as
likely to be for the Empire as it was for any attempt at self-rule. Indeed, although
24
Kulikowski, 'Barbarians in Gaul', pp.325-31.
25
Kulikowski, 'Barbarians in Gaul', pp. 332-39; Drinkwater, 'Usurpers', pp. 275-80, 282-86.
26
Chronicle of 452, s.a. 410. Burgess, 'Gallic Chronicle of 452'. Translation, Murray (ed.), Roman to
Merovingian Gaul, pp. 76-85. With the comments of: Wood, 'Final Phase'. Also Thompson, 'Britain
A.D. 406-410', p. 307; but c.f. Bartholomew, 'Fifth-Century Facts', pp. 261-70.
Peter J W Burch
110
attempts at self-rule without the assistance of a usurping Emperor did happen, such as
with the various Bacaudae uprisings on the Continent, they were rare.27
The second passage, if it in fact refers to Britain, would support this supposition.28
The rescript of Honorius makes most sense as a response to a request for help; such a
request would only be sent from an entity at least nominally allied with the Empire.
Throughout his reign Honorius issued a number of temporary memoranda granting
specific powers in times of wider imperial crisis – such as that associated with
Constantine III. These memoranda usually granted the right to bear arms, allowing
citizens to enforce the law more effectively in times of difficulty. The rescript, therefore,
is highly unlikely to represent the entirely unprecedented recognition of a unilateral
declaration of independence that it at first seems.29
Thus, while from Zosimus’s
perspective it was clear that formal imperial rule of Britain ceased c.409, it is unlikely
that this would have been apparent at the time.
Two important aspects emerge from this observation. Firstly, it would be
perfectly possible to maintain a Roman identity or allegiance subsequent to c.409;
indeed, the residents of Britain had every reason to believe, at least initially, that direct
imperial rule would be restored. Secondly, Britain was faced with an unprecedented
political crisis. Although it would not necessarily be immediately apparent, the cessation
of formal imperial rule created, in effect, a power vacuum in Britain. How Britain
responded to these twin issues, and their associated political instability, is thus essential
to any understanding of this period. Additionally, as a corollary to these events, it can
be surmised that Britain was removed from the imperial economic system. Although
part of much longer economic trends, this would still have created a profound economic
crisis.30
This would only exacerbate the political and social instability which Britain
faced after c.409. However, this crisis should not be taken as an automatic indication of
27
Halsall, Worlds of Arthur, pp. 179-80; Wood, 'Final Phase', pp. 432-33. Also Wood, 'End of Roman
Britain', pp. 2-6.
28
It is possible that the rescript was in fact addressed to the Italian province of Bruttium, which is also
plausible in the context of c.410. This suggestion was first raised by Mendelssohn (ed.) Historia Nova,
p. 291. Further: Halsall, Worlds of Arthur, p. 179; Bartholomew, 'Fifth-Century Facts', pp. 262-63. The
counter argument is put convincingly by Paschoud (ed.) Historie nouvelle, vol III, 2, pp. 57-60. Also
Thompson, 'Fifth-Century Facts?', p. 272; Thompson, 'Zosimus 6. 10. 2', p. 445-49.
29
Halsall, Worlds of Arthur, pp. 179-80.
30
Fleming, 'Recycling in Britain', pp. 22-44; Fleming, Britain after Rome, pp. 1-29, particularly 22-29;
Mattingly, An Imperial Possession, pp. 530-32, more broadly 529-39. With the revisionist ideas of Cool,
'Which 'Romans'; What 'Home'?'; Gerrard, 'Roman Pottery in the Fifth Century'; Cleary, 'Study of A.D.
410', p. 6.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
111
the absence of complex power structures, as the previously discussed systematic clipping
of coinage well into the fifth century suggests the continued existence of such.31
Constantius’s Vita Germani episcopi
Written by Constantius of Lyons at some point between the 460s and the 480s, the Vita
Germani was composed relatively soon after Saint Germanus’s death, whether that
happened in c.437, or c.448.32
Access to contemporary witnesses would still, therefore,
have been possible, although even such a relatively short period allowed miracles and
legends to develop and become associated with Germanus.33
As Higham has recently
put it: ‘there is a prima facie case… to think Constantius comparatively well informed
about Germanus.’34
The Vita has also been described as ‘a work in which literary and
theological concerns may well triumph over factual accuracy’, but that does not mean
that the events described therein are necessarily fictitious; it is merely necessary to be
aware of the innate limitations of hagiography as source material.35
The Vita Germani records two separate visits to Britain to deal with Pelagian
heretics.36
It was on the first of these visits that Germanus recorded his famous Allelulia
Victory, leading a British ambush against a Pictish and Saxon force.37
There seems little
reason to doubt the truth of the first visit, not least because it is also mentioned in Prosper
of Aquitaine’s Chronicle, placing it in c.429.38
The reality of the second visit has,
however, been questioned. On literary grounds the account closely resembles that of
31
Also Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World, pp. 50-51.
32
Borius (ed.) Vie de saint Germain. English Translation: Hoare (ed.), Western Fathers, pp. 283-320;
based upon Levison and Krusch (eds), Passiones Vitaeque Sanctorum Aevi Merovingici, pp. 303-21.
A composition date of c.480 is traditional, as Wood, 'End of Roman Britain', p. 9; Thompson,
Saint Germanus of Auxerre, p. 1; Harries, 'Germanus'. This has recently been challenged: Sharpe,
'Matyrs and Local Saints', pp.115-16, who put forth a date of as early as c.460. The date of Germanus’s
death is also contentious. This was traditionally placed in c.448, as Borius (ed.) Vie de saint Germain,
pp. 45, 78, 99-106. However, an earlier date of c.437 has been suggested independently by Thompson,
Saint Germanus of Auxerre, pp. 55-70; and Wood, 'End of Roman Britain', pp. 14-15. But see recent
criticisms of Barrett, 'Saint Germanus and the British Missions', pp. 208-14; Mathisen, 'Last Year of
Saint Germanus of Auxerre'.
33
Harries, 'Germanus'; Halsall, Worlds of Arthur, p. 79.
34
Higham, 'Germanus and Fifth-Century Britain', pp. 117-22, quote 118; but c.f. Barrett, 'Saint
Germanus and the British Missions'.
35
Wood, 'Fall of the Western Empire', p. 251. Further: Wood, 'End of Roman Britain', pp. 9-12. The
uses and difficulties associated with hagiography are discussed in the following section.
36
Con.VG, 12-18, 25-27.
37
Con.VG, 17-18. In defence of its historicity: Jones, 'Historicity of the Alleluja Victory'. Also Jones,
'Historicity of the Alleluja Victory'; Higham, 'Germanus and Fifth-Century Britain', pp. 128-30.
38
Chronicle, s.a. 429. Mommsen (ed.), Chronica minora, vol I, pp. 341-499. Translation: Murray (ed.),
Roman to Merovingian Gaul, pp. 62-76. Prosper also mentions Germanus’s visit in his Contra
Collatorem, 21. Migne (ed.), Patrologiae cursus completus, vol LI, col. 211-76.
Peter J W Burch
112
Germanus’s first visit;39
it is also difficult to account for the visit within the chronology
of Germanus’s life.40
Nonetheless, the second visit contains information not present in
the first which does differentiate the two, adding to its credibility.41
Further, to posit that
the second visit did not happen is to argue that Constantius not only made a fundamental
error, but one that was detrimental to his overall purpose, a second visit implying the
failure of the first; from an author who is generally well regarded, this is inherently
problematic. Ultimately such questions cannot be put beyond doubt, nor, if it occurred,
can the second visit be satisfactorily dated. Despite these uncertainties, however, the
second visit remains plausible, if not verifiable.
That any such visit occurred is itself significant. It illustrates that at least in terms
of the exercise and control of religion, Britain continued to exist within the orbit of
Continental concerns. Indeed, it might be extrapolated from this that imperial power
continued to have some meaning in Britain at this time.42
Germanus is indirectly reported
to have been able to enforce a 418 imperial edict granting the power to exile Pelagians.43
Britain is further described as Roman in the Prosper’s slightly later Contra Collatorem.44
The plausibility of this statement might be questioned, but the fact that such a view was
possible is significant in itself. Ties with the Continent were clearly ongoing. Britain
was not isolated from Continental affairs and continued to have a role in them, even if it
was a peripheral one.
Germanus’s visits are particularly important for the glimpses they provide into
British power structures. Problematically, governing structures are notable
predominantly by their absence from the narrative.45
The only figures of note are the uir
tribuniciae potestatis – ‘man of tribunary power’ whose daughter Germanus cures of
blindness in his first visit, and Elafius, a regionis illius primus – ‘a leading man of the
region’ whom Germanus meets on the second visit.46
The nature of these figures is not
elaborated upon, but their descriptions are such as to suggest no more than local
39
First noted by Chadwick, Poetry and Letters, pp. 255-59. Also, Rees, Pelagius, p. 109.
40
Barrett, 'Saint Germanus and the British Missions', pp. 206-14.
41
Higham, 'Germanus and Fifth-Century Britain', pp. 131-34.
42
Charles-Edwards, 'Palladius, Prosper and Leo', pp. 1-10. Also Wood, 'Fall of the Western Empire'.
43
Con.VG, 27; with Thompson, Saint Germanus of Auxerre, pp. 28-30. Prosper, by contrast, in his
Contra Collatorem, 21, associates this exile with Germanus’s first visit. Discussion: Charles-Edwards,
'Palladius, Prosper and Leo', pp. 7-8; Wood, 'Fall of the Western Empire', pp. 251-52.
44
Prosper, Contra Collatorem, 21. The Contra Collatorem can be dated to c.433 as Prosper makes
passing reference to it being 20 years since the start of the Pelegian heresy, which he dates to 413 in his
Chronicle.
45
Thompson, Saint Germanus of Auxerre, pp. 26-27.
46
Con.VG, 15, 26-27 respectively.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
113
significance. There were also, presumably, secular authorities able to enforce the exile
of the heretics. Some form of authority had also presumably communicated with the
Continent leading to Gemanus’s visit in the first place.47
Military leaders for both the
Pictish and Saxon force and the opposing British force, despite Germanus’s involvement,
can also be assumed.48
Despite all of this the absence of power structures remains
striking. Elsewhere in the Vita Germani Constantius is most forthcoming concerning
Germanus’s interactions with secular authorities.49
Instinctively, one feels that secular
authorities ought to play a role in the British portions of the narrative also. Presumably
such figures would either be Pelagian and therefore needed to be heroically corrected –
a feat we might feel that Constantius was sure to report – or they were orthodox and
presumably keen to assist Germanus in sorting out their internal heresy problem. One
could plead ignorance on Constantius’s part, but the links between Britain and the
Continent identified above make this seem unlikely. Political super-structures are simply
not apparent in the Vita Germani.
It is dangerous based on this testimony to suggest that political structures on a
macro level were not in existence. Certainly there was sufficient organisational power
in society to field and control armies, although it is not clear how large they or the entities
who fielded them actually were. Moreover, Germanus presumably only visited the South
East of the country – the most northerly point of the Vita Germani being St. Albans – so
the political situation elsewhere cannot be extrapolated reliably. Nonetheless, the
absence of any sort of large-scale or over-arching political power remains credible, at
least in certain areas, with power negotiated and wielded at a local level.
The Writings of Saint Patrick
In this respect, it is of great historical fortune that two writings, the Confessio and the
Epistola, unquestionably authored by Saint Patrick, remain extant.50
These writings offer
direct, if obscure, insight into fifth-century Britain. Dating Patrick’s life is unfortunately
problematic, not least because the figure of Patrick has become conflated in later tradition
47
Con.VG, 12.
48
Con.VG, 17-18.
49
As Con.VG, 7, 28, 36, 38, 39, 42-44. Also Thompson, Saint Germanus of Auxerre, p. 26.
50
Hood (ed.) Patrick: Writings. Also Bieler, 'Libri Epistolarum Sancti Patricii'; with Bieler, 'Libri
Epistolarum Santi Patricii Episcopi: Part 2'.
Peter J W Burch
114
with that of an earlier missionary to Ireland, Palladius.51
Nonetheless, his early years
tend to be placed in either the late fourth or early fifth centuries.
The Confessio, essentially a justification and an explanation of Patrick’s
missionary work in Ireland, can be dealt with relatively quickly. It reveals that Patrick
was the son of a Christian deacon, Decurion and landowner – himself the son of a
Christian Priest – from a place called Bannavem Taberrniae, possibly located in the West
Country.52
It relates how he was captured by Irish raiders at 16, held captive for six years
escaping to return home, only to return to Ireland as a missionary and subsequently
bishop.53
Patrick seems to have existed within a context which still exhibited a number
of ‘Roman’ characteristics. The fact that Patrick was seemingly able to sell his family
estate prior to his consecration suggests the continuation of an active land market.54
Likewise, although Patrick bemoans the state of his Latin, this can potentially be
explained through simple rhetorical modesty; certainly Patrick received sufficient
education to be competently literate and at the very least such comments would imply
the existence of contemporaries trained to a high level.55
Equally, the Confessio, and the
Epistola, are directed at a broad, literate audience, again suggestive of the continuation
of a literate society.56
Further, both texts use the typically imperial terms cives –
‘citizens’ and patria – ‘fatherland’ as if they would have been widely understood by his
audience.57
The Confessio, therefore, reinforces the above comments regarding the
continuation of Roman culture, identity and allegiance.
The Epistola, by contrast, is suggestive of the potential new power sources which
emerged in the post-imperial power vacuum. It is an open letter, of sorts, sent to a certain
Coroticus to remonstrate for the release of a number of Christian prisoners captured by
his followers.58
Coroticus has often been connected to Ceretic Guletic, king of
Dumbarton, who appears in the Harleian genealogies, but this connection cannot be
relied upon.59
Certainly the name is British, although Thompson has argued that
51
First noted by O'Rahilly, Two Patricks, pp. 9-19. On dating Dumville, 'Floruit of St Patrick'. Further:
Dumville, 'St Patrick's Missing Years'; Dumville, 'Death Date of St Patrick'.
52
Confessio, 1. Also Epistola, 10; Dark, 'St. Patrick's uillula', pp. 21-23.
53
Confessio, passim. Discussion: Stancliffe, 'Patrick'.
54
Epistola, 10; Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World, p. 43.
55
Confessio, 9-13; Hood (ed.) Patrick: Writings, pp. 18-19; Stancliffe, 'Patrick'. More generally:
Lapidge, 'Gildas's Education', pp. 27-29, 48-50.
56
Dumville, 'Verba militubus mittenda Corotici', pp. 117-20.
57
Confessio; Epistola, passim. Also Snyder, Age of Tyrants, pp. 41, 58-65,73-80.
58
Dumville, 'Verba militubus mittenda Corotici', particulalry p. 118.
59
Dumville, 'Coroticus'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
115
Coroticus was in fact based in Ireland. This supposition is based on the fact that Patrick
appears to excommunicate Coroticus in the Epistola and that Patrick would only have
had the power to do so if Coroticus was under his episcopal jurisdiction, in Ireland.60
It
must be remembered that the Epistola does not explicitly state that Patrick was
excommunicating Coroticus, and given the context of the letter it is hardly surprising that
Patrick states that Coroticus has displeased both him and God.61
Indeed, Patrick’s
seeming powerlessness – this was the second letter sent – would suggest that Coroticus
was not under Patrick’s direct jurisdiction, and instead in a British context.62
It is perhaps
safest, therefore, simply to locate Coroticus in an Irish Sea context.
This clearly limits the value of the Epistola’s testimony, but it is still worth
examining the nature of Coroticus’s rule. Coroticus, it seems, was a solitary leader
supported by a number of military companions. Together they feasted, plundered and
enslaved. Coroticus’s power seems to have been based upon the power to control and
dispense violence and the economic benefits that that brings. This economic power was
used to reward his followers and ensure their continuing loyalty.63
It is possible to say
little more with confidence. Coroticus may represent an early kingly figure, although
this is hardly certain. The Epistola does not give any indication of this, although it cannot
be assumed that it necessarily would. Taken on face value, it might be opined that
Coroticus’s position ultimately depended upon his own skills as a leader, military and
otherwise. This is an intriguing idea with much to recommend it, but it cannot be relied
upon based solely on this evidence. It would also be illuminating to know the nature and
number of Coroticus’s contemporaries; were there many such figures? Ultimately
interpretations of Coroticus must be left in a state of flux, but he is suggestive of the
emergence of a class of militarily capable leaders who might be meaningfully, if perhaps
overly grandiosely, be termed warlords.64
The emergence of such figures would be in
accordance with the fractured and unstable political context previously opined, and is
certainly plausible.65
60
Epistola, 5-7; Thompson, 'Patrick and Coroticus'. Also Dumville, 'Coroticus'; Dumville, 'Verba
militubus mittenda Corotici', pp. 119-20.
61
C.f. Dumville, 'Verba militubus mittenda Corotici', pp. 118-20.
62
Epistola, 3.
63
Epistola, 7, 12-15.
64
As Smyth, Warlords and Holy Men; more problematically Laycock, Warlords. Further: Falk, 'Dark
Age Peter Principle'; Sahlins, 'Poor Man, Rich Man'.
65
It should be emphasised that such a political system would represent a fundamental shift from Roman
or imperial precedents. Further: Wallace-Hadrill, Early Germanic Kingship, p. 1; Wormald, 'Kings and
Kingship', p. 571.
Peter J W Burch
116
The Gallic Chronicles of 452 and 511
Two related Continental chronicles also have some bearing on fifth-century Britain: the
Chronicle of 452 and the Chronicle of 511, so called because they end in those years
respectively.66
Both are continuations of Jerome’s Chronicon or Universal Chronicle
and draw upon similar sources, while the Chronicle of 511 also draws upon the Chronicle
of 452. Both are also anonymous works and seem to make most sense originating from
a location in southern France, although a location in Northern Spain has also been
suggested for the Chronicle of 511.67
The dating structures, and so the ultimate
reliability, of the Chronicle of 452 have been a source of controversy, exacerbated by the
existence of three parallel dating systems – Olympiads, years of Abraham and imperial
regnal years. Nonetheless, while opinions continue to differ as to certain specifics, a
consensus seems to have emerged that the dates and chronology of the Chronicle of 452
are broadly reliable given an understanding of the innate difficulties of chronicles as
source material.68
A similar position can be posited regarding the Chronicle of 511,
although its dating system is quite different.69
The Chronicle of 452 reports under the sixteenth year of reign of Honorius that:
Hac tempestate prae ualitudine Romanorum uires funditus attenuatae.
Brittanniae Saxonum incursione deuastatae. Galliarum partem Vandali atque
Alandi uasta/uere; quod reliquum fuerat, Constantinus tyrannus obsidebat.
Hispaniarum partem maximam Sueui occupauere. Ipsa denique orbis caput
Roma depredationi Gothorum foedissime patuit.70
66
Burgess, 'Gallic Chronicle of 452'; Burgess, 'Gallic Chronicle of 511'. Translation of both texts:
Murray (ed.), Roman to Merovingian Gaul, pp. 76-85, 98-100, respectively.
67
Burgess, 'Gallic Chronicle of 452', pp. 52-56; Burgess, 'Gallic Chronicle of 511', pp. 85-88.
68
Burgess, 'Gallic Chronicle of 452', pp. 57-60; Burgess, 'Gallic Chronicle of 511', pp. 87-91. The
controversy was initiated by Miller, 'Last British Entry in the Gallic Chronicles'. But c.f. Muhlberger,
'Gallic Chronicle of 452 and its Authority'. More recently: Jones and Casey, 'Gallic Chronicle Restored';
but note Burgess, 'Dark Ages Return'; also Jones and Casey, 'Gallic Chronicle Exploded?'; and Burgess,
'The Gallic Chronicle'.
69
Burgess, 'Gallic Chronicle of 511', pp. 88-91.
70
Chronicle of 452, s.a. 410: ‘At this time, as the host of enemies grew stronger, the powers of the
Romans were weakened to their very foundation. The British provinces were laid waste by an invasion
of Saxons. The Vandals and Alans ravaged part of Gaul; Constantine the usurper took possession of
what was left. The Sueves took over the greater part of Spain. Finally, the capital of the world, Rome
herself, was most foully exposed to the sack at the hands of the Goths.’
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
117
According to the internal dating system, this equates to the year 410, although the events
described actually occurred over the period 407-411.71
Similarly, under the eighteenth
and nineteenth years of the reign of Theodosius II, which correspond to the years 441
and 442, it says:
Brittanniae usque ad hoc tempus uariis cladibus euentibusque laceratae in
ditionem Saxonum rediguntur. Alani, quibus terrae Galliae ulterioris cum incolis
di/uidendae a patricio Aetio traditae fuerant, resistentes armis subigunt et
ex/pulsis dominis terrae possessionem ui adipiscuntur.72
This is put much more succinctly in the Chronicle of 511 in an entry under the sixteenth
year of Theodosius II and Valentinian III, which relates to either the year 440 or 441:
Brithanniae a Romanis amissae in ditionem Saxonum cedunt.73
The first of these entries is clearly part of a larger list of similar barbarian
incursions which rhetorically culminates in Alaric’s sack of Rome. The entry might,
therefore, be doubted on these grounds.74
However, all of the other incursions mentioned
are known to have happened, even if not quite at the time specified. Additionally, as was
seen previously, if problematically, a corresponding incursion was reported in Zosimus’s
New History. Some form of Saxon presence in Britain might, therefore, be deduced for
the time period around c.410.75
The second entry, by extension, could indicate the final
result of these and other subsequent incursions, particularly when it is remembered that
the Vita Germani also puts those of a Saxon identity in Britain during the intervening
period. However, similar doubts have been aired concerning this entry also, although the
underlying rationale is more tenuous.76
It can certainly be deduced that there was a
71
Burgess, 'Gallic Chronicle of 511', p. 74.
72
Chronicle of 452, s.a. 441, 442: ‘The British provinces, which up to this time had endured a variety of
disasters and misfortunes, were subjected to the authority of the Saxons. The lands of Farther Gaul were
handed over by the patrician Aëtius to the Alans to be divided with the inhabitants. They subdued those
who opposed them with arms, drove out the owners, and obtained possession of the land by force.’
73
Chronicle of 511, s.a. [Honorius] XVI: ‘The British provinces, lost to the Romans, yield to the power
of the Saxons.’
74
Muhlberger, 'Gallic Chronicle of 452 and its Authority', pp. 30-31. Also Wood, 'Fall of the Western
Empire', pp. 255-56; Burgess, 'Dark Ages Return', 191-92.
75
Halsall, Worlds of Arthur, pp. 81-82, although Halsall is perhaps overly sceptical.
76
Muhlberger, 'Gallic Chronicle of 452 and its Authority', pp. 31-32. Also Wood, 'Fall of the Western
Empire', pp. 255-56; Burgess, 'Dark Ages Return', pp. 190-92.
Peter J W Burch
118
Continental perception that Britain was under Saxon control, although how accurate this
perception was is difficult to assess.77
It is possible that this may be taken further by the
entry in the Chronicle of 511; its wording, and the use of cedunt the third person plural
of cedo – ‘I yield, surrender’ is such as might imply the existence of some sort of formal
treaty.78
This is only really supposition, although it is intriguing. Ultimately, these
notices are too brief as to support any particular interpretation, but they are suggestive of
an increasing political currency associated with an [Anglo-]Saxon identity during the
fifth century, at the very least in the south east of Britain, if not more widely. It is difficult
to imagine that immigration did not play a role in the process, but it need not have been
considerable, and nor do these sources require it as an interpretation.
Gildas’s De excidio et conquestu Britanniae
By far the most informative source from the fifth and sixth centuries is Gildas’s polemical
De excidio.79
Although hard to characterise, it is perhaps best thought of as an extended
sermon.80
The lengthy tract – covering 110 chapters – is a criticism of the, in Gildas’s
opinion, current Godless state of society and a call to reform by religious and secular
leaders alike. Structurally it can be divided into three sections, a historical introduction
– chapters 1-26 – a section on civil authority – chapters 27-65 – and the most extensive
section concerning religious authority – chapters 66-110. The historical introduction
serves to contextualise Gildas’s wider aims, providing an historical rationalisation of the
present; its purpose and priorities, though, are religious and rhetorical rather than
historical. Gildas did not, therefore, set out to write history and De excidio should not
be treated as such.81
These issues are further compounded by the difficulties of locating
Gildas either chronologically or spatially, neither of which can be satisfactorily achieved
though external means.82
Proposed dates for De excidio have ranged from c.480 to the
77
Jones and Casey, 'Gallic Chronicle Restored', pp. 396-97.
78
I am grateful to Higham for bringing this to my attention.
79
Winterbottom (ed.) Ruin of Britain; largely based upon, Mommsen (ed.), Chronica minora, vol III, pp.
1-90.
80
As Halsall, Worlds of Arthur, pp. 54-55. Also, similarly, Snyder, Age of Tyrants, pp. 43-44; Higham,
English Conquest, p. 9.
81
Higham, English Conquest, pp. 7-29; Kerlouégan, Les destinées de la culture latine, pp. 31-37. Also
Gardner, 'Gildas's New Testament Models'; Gardner, 'Gildas and His Friends'. Brooks, 'Gildas' De
excidio'.
82
Dumville, 'Gildas and Maelgwn'; Sims-Williams, 'Gildas and the Anglo-Saxons', particularly pp. 3-7.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
119
more traditional c.550,83
while a variety of locations have also been put forward.84
It is
perhaps best, therefore, to leave such issues unresolved and simply proceed with this
uncertainty in mind. The characteristics and details of the text, both general and specific,
can still be used to shed light on the origins and nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship,
albeit it principally though analogy with British exemplars.
The quality of Gildas’s Latin prose is excellent, and while sometimes difficult, it
sits comfortably in the company of Continental Late Antique authors.85
There are
suggestions that he had read or at least was familiar with a wide range of classical texts.86
Indeed, Gildas gives every indication of being a highly accomplished author, frequently
employing complex imagery, metaphor and structure amongst a variety of rhetorical
techniques.87
It is also perfectly credible that Gildas was a native Latin speaker. He was
certainly writing for an audience which was at least functionally competent in Latin. In
addition, there is every reason to suppose that Gildas had been educated in the traditional
Roman fashion.88
That Gildas could have received such an education might be
considered surprising. The traditional Roman education was intimately connected to the
needs of the imperial bureaucracy. The existence of one thus suggests the continuing
83
Traditional dating: Miller, 'Dates of Gildas's De Excidio', p. 173-74. This can also be reached based
solely on the internal chronology of the text: Dumville, 'Chronology of De Excidio Britanniae'.
Any dating ultimately relies upon the interpretation of the appeal to ‘Aetius’ in chapter 20 and
the description of the battle of Mount Badon in chapter 26. By discarding the appeal to ‘Aetius’ as a
literary creation, a much earlier dating is possible: Higham, English Conquest, pp. 118-141. Dates in the
middle of this period have also been proposed based on alternate readings of chapter 26: O'Sullivan, 'De
excidio of Gildas', pp. 190-254; Wood, 'End of Roman Britain', pp. 22-23. But this has been strongly
challenged: Wiseman, 'Date of the Badon Entry', pp. 3-6; Charles-Edwards, 'Review Article [Gildas:
New Approaches]'. Unhelpfully, chapter 26 is quite possibly corrupt: Larpi, 'Prolegomena to a New
Edition of Gildas', p. 16.
84
The eleventh century ‘Life’ has been used to justify locations near Chester and on the Clyde, although
the latter would seem implausible given Gildas’s seeming ignorance of northern Britain: Breeze, 'Where
was Gildas Born?'. Chester has also been proposed for quite separate reasons: Thompson, 'Gildas and
the History of Britain', p. 225. As has, more generally, the West Country: Higham, English Conquest,
pp. 90-113; Dark, Civitas to Kingdom, pp. 260-66; Higham, 'Light on the Dark Age Landscape'. A
philological argument has also been made for South Wales: Kerlouégan, Les destinées de la culture
latine, p. 5.
Gildas’s geographical focus is also open to debate. The text can be read as applying to Britain
generally or can be divided by region or section. A holistic interpretation is offered by Wright, 'Gildas's
Geographical Perspective'. C. f. Daniell, 'Geographical Perspective of Gildas'; Halsall, Worlds of Arthur,
pp. 14-16, 187-91.
85
Kerlouégan, 'Le Latin du De Excidio'; Winterbottom, 'Preface of Gildas'; Lapidge, 'Gildas's Education'.
Also Orlandi, 'Clausulae in Gildas'; Wright, 'Gildas's Prose Style', pp. 114-28.
86
Wright, 'Gildas's Prose Style', pp. 108-14; Wright, 'Gildas's Reading'; Kerlouégan, Les destinées de la
culture latine, pp. 71-100.
87
Sutherland, 'Imagery of Gildas'; Lapidge, 'Gildas's Education', pp. 43-46; Kerlouégan, Les destinées de
la culture latine, pp. 144-67. Also George, Gildas and the Early British Church, pp. 29-47, 57-64;
Howlett, Tradition of Biblical Style, pp. 72-78.
88
Lapidge, 'Gildas's Education', pp. 27-48.
Peter J W Burch
120
relevance of the other, at least in some form.89
Other indications within the text seem to
confirm this idea. Gildas uses technical terms concerning the contracting, billeting and
supplying of federate troops: annonae – ‘provisions, supplies’, epimenia – ‘monthly
rations’, foederati – ‘federate troops’, foedus – ‘treaty’, hospites – ‘hosts (for billeted
troops)’.90
There are also references to Roman officials such as to imply that they
continued to have meaningful roles, although these figures could equally be church
officials who adopted such terms: rectores – ‘provincial governors’ and speculatores –
‘watchmen (who serve rectores)’. 91
As was seen in the writings of Saint Patrick,
therefore, Roman culture, and by extension identity, continued to have meaning. Much
more tentatively, it is possible that Roman power structures continued to have relevance
and an imperial association may also have continued to be possible.
This, however, contrasts with other features of Gildas’s text. Gildas actively
portrays a British identity, which would have been unthinkable in imperial Britain.92
This identity is juxtaposed with that of the [Anglo-]Saxons. Gildas also refers to Picts
and Scots.93
Furthermore, a new political order has emerged, certainly among the
Britons, in the form of kings. Gildas’s denunciation in chapters 27-65 allows the nature
of this British kingship to be examined. 94
Chapter 27 reads:
Reges habet Britannia, sed tyrannos; iudices habet, sed impios;95
saepe
praedantes et concutiente, sed innocents; vindicantes et patrocionantes, sed reos
et latrones ; quam plurimas coniuges habentes, sed scortas et adulterantes ; crebro
iurantes, sed periurantes ; voventes, sed continuo propemodum mentientes ;
belligerantes, sed civilia et iniusta bella agentes ; per patriam quidem fures
magnopere insectantes, sed eos qui secum ad mensam sedent non solum amantes
89
Lapidge, 'Gildas's Education', pp.27-29.
90
DEB, 23, 92; Thompson, 'Gildas and the History of Britain', p. 217-18; Morris, Age of Arthur, p. 132.
91
DEB, 1, 14; Morris, Age of Arthur, p. 132-33.
92
Plassmann, 'Gildas and the Negative Image of the Cymry', pp. 4-14. The Old Testament provides a
clear template of nation and identity formation: Turner, 'Identity in Gildas'. Further: Weeks, 'Emergence
of Ancient Jewish Nationalism'.
93
Further: Turner, 'Identity in Gildas', pp. 31-36.
94
The influence of the Old Testament upon Gildas’s thinking must also be borne in mind, especially as
De excidio casts the Britons in the role of the Old Testament Israelites. In much of the Old Testament,
as, for example, the Deuteronomistic History – Joshua to II Kings, excluding Ruth – kings are ipso facto
the figures who led their people astray into apostasy and heresy and subsequently into conquest and
downfall: Gerbrandt, Kingship According to the Deuteronomistic History. Further: Noth,
Deuteronomistic History; qualified by Nelson, Double Redaction of the Deuteronomistic History;
Person, Deuteronomic School.
95
The term iudex had diversified its meaning by this period so that it encompassed a variety of officials,
including ‘barbarian’ kings: Schaffner, 'Britain's Iudices'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
121
sed et munerantes ; eleemosynas largiter dantes, sed e regione inmensum montem
scelerum exaggerantes ; in sede arbitraturi sedentes, sed raro recti iudicii regulam
quaerentes ; inoxios humilesque despicientes, sanguinarios superbos parricidas
commanipulares et adulteros dei inimicos, si sors, ut dictur, tulerit, qui cum ipso
nomine certatim delendi errant, ad sidera, prout possunt, efferentes; victos plures
in carceribus habentes, quos dolo sui potius quam merito proterunt catenis
onerantes, inter altaria iurando demorantes et haec eadem ac si lutulenta paulo
post saxa despicientes.96
Gildas, therefore, holds his kings up to an exacting moral standard. Gildas would have
his kings ruling justly and dispensing justice, protecting the weak and living personal
lives of moral rectitude. Instead they fornicate and transgress against Gildas’s Christian
social mores.
Such criticisms are hardly unusual for a Christian author in this period.97
This,
however, does not automatically mean that they do not have a basis in truth nor that they
cannot shed light on the nature of British kingship. Various aspects of the descriptions
of these figures are reminiscent of the observations made concerning Coroticus, the main
difference being that the five figures Gildas refers to are unambiguously kingly.
Violence, for example, and the ability to dispense and control it can be seen as important.
Further, in the following denunciation, Gildas criticises Constantine of Dumnonia for
killing two royal princes and their protectors in front of an altar whilst disguised as a
monk. The two princes themselves are, ironically, praised for their skill at arms.98
Accusations of warfare and violence are also levelled at the other four kings, Aurelius
96
DEB, 27: ‘Britain has kings, but they are tyrants; she has judges, but they are wicked. They often
plunder and terrorize – the innocent; they defend and protect – the guilty and thieving; they have many
wives – whores and adulteresses; they constantly swear – false oaths; they make vows – but almost at
once tell lies; they wage wars – civil and unjust; they chase thieves energetically all over the country –
but love and even reward the thieves who sit with them at table; they distribute alms profusely – but pile
up an immense mountain of crime for all to see; they take their seats as judges – but rarely seek out the
rules of right judgement; they despise the harmless and humble, but exalt to the stars, so far as they can,
their military companions, bloody, proud and murderous men, adulterers and enemies of God – if chance,
as they say, so allows: men who should have been rooted out vigorously, name and all; they keep many
prisoners in their jails, who are often loaded with chasing chains because of intrigue than because they
deserve punishment. They hang around the altars swearing oaths – then shortly afterwards scorn them as
though they were dirty stones.’
97
Gregory of Tours, for example, is critical of a number of Frankish kings in his Decem libri
historiarum. Further: Goffart, Narrators, pp. 168-74.
98
DEB, 28.
Peter J W Burch
122
Caninus, Vortipor of the Demetae, Cuneglasus and Maglocunus, although they are all of
a highly generalised nature.99
Alongside this violence needs to be placed the relationships between these kings,
their followers and the wider population. The passage would suggest that those
immediately surrounding these kings, perhaps unsurprisingly, received preferential
treatment. They are protected, feasted and rewarded. Indeed, it seems that these kings
and their followers are something of a law unto themselves. One gets the impression that
they are ‘hard’ men leading ‘hard’ lives surrounded by ‘hard’ companions: men who
occupy themselves by fornicating, feasting and fighting. With respect to the population
at large some form of protective aspect is implicit in Gildas’s diatribe. An involvement
with justice can be similarly opined.
This image can be expanded by looking at the five kings mentioned by Gildas in
greater detail. Vortipor, for example, is also addressed as the boni regis nequam fili (sic)
– ‘bad son of a good king’.100
Some form of succession protocol, therefore, and possibly
the existence of a concept of royalty/royal families might be surmised. This, however,
needs to be qualified by the fact that two of the kings – Constantine of Dumnonia and
Maglocunus – are reported as ascending the throne by dispensing with their relatives who
occupied it.101
A certain fluidity or negotiability to kingship, and kingly succession,
might thus be opined. Further, differing levels of kingly power are also possible. The
last of the five kings, Maglocunus, is given significantly more attention than the other
four. He is described as draco insulae – ‘dragon of the island’ and seems to wield more
power than the other figures addressed. This island has typically been assumed to refer
to Anglesey. However, Gildas usually uses the term insula to refer to the whole of
Britain. While it is unlikely that Maglocunus held sway over the whole of Britain, it is
certainly possible that he held a degree of suzerainty over a significant part of it. Indeed,
the rhetorical structuring and descriptions of the various kings would seem to reinforce
this supposition.102
A relatively complex, and established, if fluid, political system can
thus be surmised.
99
DEB, 30, 31, 32, 34 respectively.
100
DEB, 31.
101
DEB, 28, 33. Aurelius Caninus is also accused of patricide: DEB, 30.
102
Higham, '"Overkingship" in Wales', pp. 154-57; I am also grateful to Higham for discussing his
subsequent thinking on this topic with me.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
123
Ideally, it would be possible to locate these figures historically so as to develop
this image further.103
Gildas places Constantine as king of Dumnonia – roughly modern
Devon and Cornwall – although no other information is forthcoming.104
Little else can
be said of Aurelius Caninus except that it is possible that a tombstone found in
Carmarthenshire, and inscribed CVINIGNI, the British Cunignos – ‘hound’, may have
been his.105
Likewise, Vortipor, who is described as tyrant of the Demetae, or Dyfed –
roughly modern Pembrokeshire, with Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire – may well be
associated with the tombstone inscribed VOTEPORIGIS PROTICTORIS – found to the
north east of Narbeth.106
This inscription clearly also opens the possibility that Vortipor
held the Roman title of protector. It has been suggested, meanwhile, that Cuneglasus
might be associated with Rhos, or even the eastern division of Gwynedd – equivalent to
the north-west of modern Wales – as a Cinglas appears in the early stages of a genealogy
of Gwynedd.107
Maglocunus, meanwhile, also appears in a genealogy of Gwynedd.108
However, little can be done with this information, interesting though it may be. Much
of it is insecure or based upon supposition. Moreover, none of it can be dated
satisfactorily.109
It is preferable, therefore, to leave Gildas’s kings unidentified.
Rather than focusing upon the particular kings mentioned by Gildas, therefore, it
might be better ask how kingship came to be established. This has the advantage of also
potentially illuminating the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. However, in order to
approach this, the more problematic historical introduction to De excidio must be utilised.
The historical introduction is not overly furnished with helpful information in this
respect. In summary, De excidio relates that after being abandoned by the Empire,
Britain became subject to various attacks from barbarian peoples, apparently the Picts
and the Scots. The Britons requested assistance from the Empire to repulse these peoples,
which was forthcoming on the first two occasions – leading to the building of two
defensive walls – but not on the third time of asking. They thus took the step of
103
For what follows: Jackson, 'Names of the British Princes', pp. 30-35.
104
It is possible that Constantine can be associated with Constantine of Cornwall of early Welsh
literature: Bromwich, Trioedd Ynys Prydein, pp. 315, 358.
105
Nash-Williams, Early Christian Monuments, no. 142; with Jackson, 'Names of the British Princes', p.
31.
106
The stone was also inscribed WOTECORIGAS in ogam: Nash-Williams, Early Christian
Monuments, no. 138.
107
Bartrum (ed.), Early Welsh Geneaological Tracts, pp. 10, 126; with Jackson, 'Names of the British
Princes', pp. 33-34.
108
Bartrum (ed.), Early Welsh Geneaological Tracts, p. 9.
109
Dumville, 'Gildas and Maelgwn'; Dumville, 'History and Legend', p. 178.
Peter J W Burch
124
employing [Anglo-]Saxon mercenaries to defend them; this decision was taken by a
council of some sort, heavily influenced by one superbus tyrannus – ‘proud tyrant’. This
system was successful in the short term, leading to the arrival of further Anglo-Saxon
mercenaries. However, due to disagreements over payment and provisions, the AngloSaxons
turned on their employers. This led to a prolonged period of warfare, the Britons
being led by one Ambrosius Aurelianus – whose ancestors had apparently been high
Roman officials. There was a notable battle at Badon Hill. In due course peace was
achieved, which continued up until Gildas’s day.110
The origins of kingship, British or
Anglo-Saxon, are simply assumed as part of this narrative. Nonetheless, it can still be of
use in shedding light on the context from which British and Anglo-Saxon kingship
emerged.
Many of the problems with this account are immediately apparent, even in this
cursory form. The two walls presumably refer to the Antonine and Hadrianic Walls,
which were most definitely not built in the fifth century.111
The two initial requests for
assistance are also by implication suspect. The third appeal to one Agitius, presumably
the Gallic commander Aëtius, hence the description ter consuli – ‘thrice consul’, stands
a better chance of being based on something genuine.112
Most problematic is the fact
that De excidio cannot be seen as a viable historical narrative. Putting aside the issues of
factual accuracy, it represents Gildas’s retrospective, polemical interpretation of events,
and without any way of verifying his comments it is exceedingly problematic.
It makes sense, therefore, to dispense with the narrative framework and assess the
different elements of Gildas’s account separately. To start with the incursions of Picts
and Scots, similar events are recorded for other territories on the fringes of the Empire,
so there seems little reason to doubt the inherent plausibility of this.113
Their role in the
causality of events, however, can certainly be questioned.114
The appeal to Aëtius
represents a fascinating possibility, and if true, eloquently underlines the ongoing links
between Britain and the imperial Continent highlighted above. Regardless of its veracity,
the employment of mercenary troops is a plausible occurrence or response. This was a
well-attested policy in the late Empire; the inherent problems of this policy are equally
110
DEB, 13-26.
111
Further: Thompson, 'Gildas and the History of Britain', pp. 206-08.
112
As Higham, 'Gildas and "Agitius"'; Casey and Jones, 'Date of the Letter of the Britons to Aetius'; but
c.f.Jones, 'Appeal to Aetius'.
113
Halsall, 'Northern Britain and the Fall of the Roman Empire', particularly pp. 1-8.
114
Halsall, 'Movers and Shakers'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
125
well attested, though, so the ensuing conflict is hardly surprising either.115
A note of
caution does need to be sounded. Gildas talks of these people arriving in three cyulis,
usually translated as ‘keels’.116
This sounds very much like some form of origin myth,
the arrival of Germanic peoples in a specified number of boats being a common topos in
Germanic origin stories.117
Indeed, the words that Gildas uses for the three ships, as he
acknowledges, are Germanic in provenance. Gildas, by inference, has been in contact
with some Germanic speaking peoples from whom he has acquired the story.
The two most intriguing aspects of the story are the superbus tyrannus and
Ambrosius Aurelianus. These two figures provide potential precursors of the kings of
Gildas’s period. Little, however, can be said of them from Gildas’s account. Ambrosius,
if he existed, was certainly a military leader. What else is not apparent. The superbus
tyrannus is more suggestive. In some versions of the De excidio this description is
replaced with the name Vortigern, or a variant thereof, although this itself may simply
represent a play on a British term for an over-king.118
A figure by the name of Vortigern
features prominently in later narrative sources and was seen as an early British king.119
The impression from Gildas, however, is that while he was a leading figure, he acted in
conjunction with some form of council. A kingly interpretation might, therefore, be
considered unlikely. Neither of these figures, therefore, can be directly equated with the
origins of British kingship. They provide context but cannot be seen as origins.120
Where, then, does this leave the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship? It is
certainly plausible that Anglo-Saxon kingship developed in those areas that saw the
rebellion of Anglo-Saxon federates. Kingship may have been an immediate corollary of
their rebellion – they may in fact have been led by kings as a number of Continental
Germanic peoples were – although this does not immediately follow. It is possible that
certain phrases of De excidio refer obliquely to Anglo-Saxon kings in Gildas’s period.
Higham has suggested that where Gildas refers to the Britons buying priesthoods a
tyrannis et a patre eorum diabolo – ‘from the tyrants and their father, the devil’, the devil
115
Halsall, Barbarian Migrations.
116
DEB, 23.
117
Yorke, 'Contribution of Written Sources', pp. 25-26.
118
Discussion: Larpi, 'Prolegomena to a New Edition of Gildas', pp. 91-96. Also Jackson, 'Names of the
British Princes', pp. 35-40; Dumville, 'History and Legend', pp. 183-87.
119
Dumville, 'History and Legend', pp. 183-87.
120
It is also in this period which King Arthur is commonly held to have flourish. However, Arthur
cannot be considered a historical figure: Halsall, Worlds of Arthur, pp. 3-154, particularly 51-101;
Higham, King Arthur, patricularly pp. 98-169, 267-74.
Peter J W Burch
126
he is referring to is an Anglo-Saxon king, or even over-king.121
This is based, quite
plausibly, on Gildas’s frequent comparisons to the Anglo-Saxons with the devil. This,
while clearly speculative, would be significant as it would place the origins of early
Anglo-Saxon kingship, as suggested by the settlement and burial evidence, much earlier
than conventionally thought. Furthermore, it should be noted that the presence of British
kings necessitates some equally powerful form of leadership so as to provide for the
protection of those peoples living under an Anglo-Saxon identity. This rule may have
been kingly, although it admittedly need not have been. If kingly, the probability exists
that it was comparable in nature to the British institution detailed above as it emerged
from a similar context. Regardless, some form of Anglo-Saxon macro-power structure
or structures can be inferred as existing in England by this period. The earlier the De
excidio can be placed, the earlier their origins can in turn be situated.
Procopius’s History of the Wars
The final source of significant relevance is Procopius’s History of the Wars.122
Despite
revisionist trends, Procopius’s Wars is generally given a high degree of credence.123
Furthermore, Procopius was a member of the Byzantine court and aide to the general
Belisarius, and can be expected to have experienced or been witness to much of what he
describes.124
The eighth book, written c.553, in what is effectively a digression from the
main narrative to address conflict elsewhere, includes a section pertinent to early AngloSaxon
England.125
In this digression Procopius relates how Britain was inhabited by
three peoples – the Angles, the Frisians and the Britons.126
Each of these, apparently,
was ruled by kings. This could be dismissed simply as a reasonable, but potentially
inaccurate, assumption on Procopius’s part.127
However, while much of what Procopius
relates about Britain is fantastical, there does not seem to be any particularly compelling
reason to be pessimistic in this instance.128
The same chapter as contains this digression,
for instance, also relates how a Frankish embassy visited Constantinople, providing a
121
DEB, 67; Higham, English Conquest, pp. 160-61. The tyrants would be the British kings he
previously castigated.
122
Dewing (ed.) Procopius, vols I-V.
123
Further: Cameron, Procopius and the Sixth Century; with Kaldellis, Procopius of Caesarea.
124
Martindale, 'Procopius'.
125
Wars, VIII.20.
126
Wars, VIII.20; Thompson, 'Procopius on Brittia and Britannia', pp. 498-502.
127
As Bartholomew, 'Continental Connections', pp. 26-27.
128
Thompson, 'Procopius on Brittia and Britannia', pp. 504-07.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
127
possible source for Procopius’s knowledge.129
Further, contact between the Byzantine
Empire and Britain can be convincingly established through archaeological means.130
Procopius can thus be credited with a basic understanding of the political situation in
Britain. The reference to Frisians need not present a problem as trade, contact and
migration between eastern England and Frisia are eminently credible. This passage in
Wars, therefore, can act as at least partial confirmation of what was surmised in the
discussion of Gildas, specifically that the Anglo-Saxons, as well as the Britons, were
ruled by kings by the mid-sixth century.131
This strengthens the case for seeing the
origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship as being firmly in the sixth century, if not even earlier
in the fifth.
Conclusions
These various sources, therefore, have provided a series of windows through which to
view England in the fifth and sixth centuries. They do not permit a coherent political
narrative to be established, but they do allow for a series of observations germane to the
two questions at the heart of this section: how Britain ceased to be imperial; and how
England came to be ruled by kings. With respect to the first question, in a direct sense,
the cessation of formal imperial governance in Britain can be linked to Constantine III’s
election as a usurper and his abortive campaigns in France and Spain. This is hardly new
or surprising. However, this perspective is only possible with the benefit of hindsight.
Contemporaries had every reason to expect direct imperial rule to be restored.
Furthermore, there are indications that imperial edicts continued to have relevance in
Britain long after c.409 and that Roman culture and identities continued to have currency
and meaning. The process by which Britain ceased to be imperial was, therefore, gradual,
uneven and not necessarily apparent.
The events of c.409, however, did create certain immediate problems with regard
to political authority. In effect, a power vacuum was created, exacerbated by the
associated economic collapse. The difficulties and insecurities associated with this
power vacuum would only have become more pressing over time. Pointing to responses
to the power vacuum in the written sources was more of a challenge, although the
129
Wars, VIII.20. Further: Thompson, 'Procopius on Brittia and Britannia', pp. 504-05.
130
Fulford, 'Byzantium and Britain', pp. 1-5.
131
Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World, p. 142.
Peter J W Burch
128
previously discussed clipping of coinage did indicate their inherent plausibility. The Vita
Germani illustrated a society which seemed to have authority only at a local level, which
may or may not have been continuation of local Roman power structures. The figure of
Coroticus provides an alternative response, and a new source of power and authority in
the form of military warlords. The previous section highlighted two further responses,
based on the archaeological evidence of settlements, in the form of continuing power at
northern military sites and at certain former Roman towns. Kings can also be observed
amongst the Britons at a later date and it was argued that it would make sense to see
kings amongst the Anglo-Saxons in England also, based jointly on the problematic
testimony of Procopius and the potential British/Anglo-Saxon power imbalance had this
not been the case. Various responses to the power vacuum following c.409 can thus be
suggested. Further responses are also conceivable, although their outlines cannot be
discerned. Ultimately kingship proved the most successful of these various responses.
Further, given the observations regarding variety seen in the settlement section, it can be
posited that kingship emerged from different sources and processes in different contexts.
Running through these two issues, as noted earlier, is the problem of the influence
of Anglo-Saxon immigrants. Anglo-Saxon as well as Pictish aggression is mentioned in
a number of the sources. Its nature and extent is impossible to quantify based on the
written sources; nonetheless, it seems perfectly credible that federate troops were
employed in fifth-century Britain, as reported by Gildas. Further immigration is also
perfectly conceivable. In the context of the previously-mentioned power vacuum, this
Anglo-Saxon presence provides additional potential power sources. These new migrants,
of course, also presented an alternative, and politically viable, identity. It also needs to
be remembered that a sense of Britishness also represents a new, or at least modified,
identity. To generalise, therefore, imperial power structures continued to have some
relevance and meaning beyond c.409 as did Roman culture and identity. However, new
sources of power and identities were also emerging. Out of the confluence of these new
identities and power sources emerged early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
This conclusion is both revealing and contextually useful. However, it does not
fully address the specific issues of the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. It was
established in the introduction that kingship is more than singular rule by an individual.
As such, it requires a broader ideological superstructure and acceptance, at least
implicitly, by the population at large. The evidence of these sources does not allow these
questions to be fully addressed. However, it must be noted that early Anglo-Saxon
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
129
England existed in a king-rich environment. Kingship was progressively becoming the
political norm amongst the early Anglo-Saxon’s immediate neighbours. The movement
of both peoples and material culture demonstrates that the Anglo-Saxons did not exist in
isolation. They thus would have been aware of kingly rule amongst their neighbours.
This is not to suggest that they directly copied the political systems of their neighbours,
but such contact would certainly have raised kingship as a possibility which could be
pursued.132
It might be possible to associate kingship directly with the incoming AngloSaxons.
Acceptance of this position clearly depends on a specific interpretation of the
nature of Anglo-Saxon immigration, rather ignores the contemporary development of
kingship in the remainder of the British Isles, and takes a somewhat simplistic approach
to causality. It is undoubtedly one particular route by which kingship may have emerged
in early Anglo-Saxon England, but is certainly not the only one. Regardless, while the
Anglo-Saxons adopted, and undoubtedly adapted, kingship, it cannot be said that they
invented it. Even this does not address the more esoteric question of why the early
Anglo-Saxons accepted the rule of kings, but this question may not be fully resolvable.
Indeed, it is perhaps more a question of philosophy than history.
Where then, does this leave us with regard to the models with which this chapter
began? Based on this analysis, neither of the extremes of continuity or collapse models
seem entirely plausible, although a spectrum of possibilities between these two poles
remains possible. Further, the mode of conceptualising the period between these
diametrically opposed alternatives also seems inappropriate as change and transition are
equally valid ways in which to approach the period; variety and regional difference also
need to be acknowledged and emphasised. Similar observations make sense with respect
to the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Both of Bassett’s models continue to
have validity, perhaps more than was expected, as the more philosophical aspects of the
origins of kingship cannot yet be unravelled. It is, however, preferable to see the period
as one of differing, sometimes regional, responses to a power vacuum out of which
kingship, and kingdoms, ultimately emerged by various means rather than in the
teleological terms of Bassett’s models.
132
Ian Wood’s idea of a Frankish hegemony of south-eastern England would allow it to be suggested that
the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship might be found in direct continental influence: Wood,
'Frankish Hegemony'; Wood, Merovingian North Sea. However, the evidence used to support this
hypothesis, while persuasive, is far from secure and it should not be allowed to negate the importance of
other potential influences nor the importance of insular, Anglo-Saxon, developments, interpretations and
modifications of kingship.
Peter J W Burch
130
The Seventh and Early Eighth Centuries: Narrative Sources
The previous section further highlighted the potentially varied sources of early AngloSaxon
kingship as well as its regional character. It proved possible to locate kingship as
one of various responses to a political power vacuum following the cessation of formal
imperial governance of Britain in c.409, certainly in western Britain and in all probability
in early Anglo-Saxon England also. Various aspects of the context of the emergence of
early Anglo-Saxon kingship were discerned – the economic and political crisis following
c.409; the continuing validity of an imperial association; the emergence of new identities,
British and Anglo-Saxon; the potential role of migration and federate troops; the
prevalence of kingship amongst the immediate neighbours of the Anglo-Saxons – but no
one model could be established to explain or map the origins of early Anglo-Saxon
kingship. In such circumstances, Bassett’s two models of the origins of kingdoms –
continuity or conquest and amalgamation – but shorn of their mutual exclusivity and
inevitability, must continue to frame the discussion.1
Additionally, as was likewise seen
in previous sections, there seemed to be increasing reason to believe that rather than
emerging in the late sixth or early seventh centuries, as has at times been suggested,2
early Anglo-Saxon kingship emerged in the early sixth or even potentially sometime in
the fifth century. While this cannot be treated as a certainty it is seeming increasingly
plausible.
This and the following section seek to add further detail to and refine this
understanding. This section will examine narrative sources of the seventh and early
eighth centuries, while the following section will examine documentary sources from the
same period. The principal narrative source is Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica. There are
also a number of hagiographical works dating to the early eighth century. In addition to
these, the Historia ecclesiastica also contains a number of papal letters and the records
of two early church councils. Various other papal letters pertinent to early Anglo-Saxon
England are also extant in the papal archives. Additionally, the Penitential of Theodore
and the writings of Aldhelm are potentially revealing.
1
Bassett, 'In Search of Origins', pp. 23-26.
2
As Fleming, Britain after Rome, pp. 102-15; Yorke, 'Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms 600–900', p. 77; Thacker,
'England in the Seventh Century', pp. 467-69; Hamerow, 'Earliest Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms', pp. 280-87;
Wickham, Framing the Early Middle Ages, pp. 339-43; Scull, 'Anglo-Saxon Kingdom Origins'; Carver,
'Kingship and Material Culture', pp. 152-58.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
131
A similar methodology to the previous section will be adopted whereby each
source, or group of sources, is addressed in approximate chronological order. Unlike the
previous section, the sources will be addressed in order of composition so as to
accommodate the long time-span of the events recorded in the Historia ecclesiastica and
the hagiographical sources. Furthermore, rather than simply examining any indications
of power or authority, the analysis will focus specifically upon the nature and
development of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. This is not so as to understand kingship in
the seventh and early eighth centuries, per se, but to facilitate a conception of the
potential origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. The nature and development of
kingship in the seventh and early eighth centuries will be used as a basis to extrapolate
back in an attempt to shed light on what has hitherto remained occluded. Due to the
exclusively Christian provenance of the sources, much of the discussion will centre on
the relationship between early Anglo-Saxon kings and the Church. This is important in
its own right, but other issues will also become apparent allowing for a broader
understanding.
Papal Letters and Conversion
The Historia ecclesiastica preserves copies of fifteen papal letters. Eight of these were
written by Gregory I, three by Boniface V, two by Honorius I, one by John IV prior to
the confirmation of his election and one by Vitalian I.3
Six of the letters of Gregory I are
also preserved in the Registrum epistularum – the collection of 854 letters ostensibly
written by Gregory I – while the two letters of Honorius are also preserved in an
eighteenth-century manuscript.4
The remainder are transmitted solely through the
3
Gregory I: HE, I.23-24, I.27-32; Boniface V: HE, II.8, II.10, II.11; Honorius I: HE, II.17, II.18; John
IV: HE, II. 19; Vitalian I: HE, III.29.
4
Norberg (ed.) Registrum epistularum, 2 vols, whose numbering is adopted here. Also followed by
Martyn (trans.), Letters of Gregory the Great, 2 vols. Ewald and Hartmann (eds), Registrum
epistolarum, 2 vols, remains important. On the two letters of Honorius: Story, 'Bede, Willibrord', pp.
783-84, 797-809.
HE, I.23 equates to Epp, 6.53; HE, I.24 equates to Epp, 6.54, although this letter does not
appear in the Registrum; HE, I.27, usually referred to as the Libellus Responsionum, equates to Epp, 8.37
and is similarly not represented in the Registrum; HE, I.28 equates to Epp, 11.45; HE, I.29 equates to
Epp, 11.39; HE, I.30 equates to Epp, 11.56; HE, I.31 equates to Epp, 11.36; HE, I.32 equates to Epp,
11.37. Bede only quotes around one quarter of Epp, 11.36: Martyn (trans.), Letters of Gregory the
Great, vol I, pp. 66-72.
The genuineness of the Libellus Responsionum has been questioned: Martyn (trans.), Letters of
Gregory the Great, vol I, pp. 61-66. But c.f. Meyvaert, 'Bede's text of the Libellus Responsionum'; with
the convincing assertions of authenticity of Meens, 'Background to Augustine's Mission', pp. 6-11; and
Meyvaert, 'Le Libellus responsionum à Augustin de Cantorbéry'.
Peter J W Burch
132
Historia ecclesiastica. 22 other letters which directly pertain to early Anglo-Saxon
England are also preserved in the Registrum.5
These letters provide contemporary insight
into early Anglo-Saxon England c.600. The extant collections, however, cannot be taken
as representative without qualification. While it seems that some sort of system for
duplicating and preserving papal letters had developed by the late sixth century, those
letters that remain derive solely from a series of subsequent excerptions and collections
taken from this initial repository.6
In addition, Dag Norberg has identified different
levels of papal involvement in the Registrum – those written by Gregory I himself and
those produced by the papal chancery but issued under Gregory I’s name.7
Six of the papal letters preserved are addressed to Anglo-Saxon royal figures –
Æthelberht I of Kent,8
his Frankish consort Bertha,9
Edwin of Northumbria, who
received two,10
his Kentish consort Æthelburh,11
and Oswiu of Northumbria.12
Additionally, there are 19 letters in the Registrum addressed to Frankish royal figures
which can serve as a point of comparison: 10 to Brunhilde, who served as regent for her
two sons Theodebert II, king of Austrasia and Theoderic II, king of Burgundy and
subsequently also Austrasia;13
two to Childerbert II, King of Austrasia ;14
one to Clothar
II, King of Neustria and subsequently Frankia;15
three to Theodebert and Theoderic
5
Epp, 6.10, 6.51, 6.52, 6.55, 6.56, 6.57, 6.59, 6.60, 8.4, 8.29, 9.214, 9.223, 11.34, 11.35, 11.38, 11.40
11.41, 11.42, 11.47, 11.48, 11.50, 11.51. Also of relevance are those addressed to contemporary
Frankish royal figures: Epp, 5.60, 6.5, 6.6, 6.51, 6.58, 6.60, 8.4, 9.213, 9.214, 9.216, 9.227, 11.46, 11.48,
11.49, 11.47, 11.50, 11.51, 13.5, 13.7.
6
The Registrum was formed from three separate collections, the most substantial of which was carried
out under the pontificate of Hadrian I (772-95): Martyn (trans.), Letters of Gregory the Great, vol I, p.
13; Markus, Gregory the Great and His World, pp. 14-15; Jasper and Fuhrmann, Papal Letters in the
Early Middle Ages, pp. 70-72. Also Norberg (ed.) Registrum epistularum, vol I, pp. v-xii; Ewald and
Hartmann (eds), Registrum epistolarum, pp. vii-xxxii. The now extant letters are not evenly distributed
chronologically, with a quarter of those in the Registrum coming from 598-9.
7
Norberg, 'Style personnel et style administratif'. Certain stylistic differences can be perceived between
these classes. As a general rule, those concerning temporal affairs were written by the papal chancery,
often using highly formulaic language, while those concerning spiritual matters were written by Gregory
I himself. There are, however, discrepancies to this pattern. The style of those addressed to the Frankish
queen regent Brunhilde, for example, suggests that they were produced by the papal chancery, although
their contents would lead one to expect Gregory I himself to have written them. Similarly, there are
many administrative letters concerning temporal affairs that seem on stylistic grounds to have been
produced by Gregory I himself.
8
HE, I.32 (Epp, 11.37).
9
Epp, 11.35.
10
HE, II.10, II.17.
11
HE, II.11.
12
HE, III.29.
13
Epp, 6.5, 6.58, 6.60, 8.4, 9.213, 9.214, 11.46, 11.48, 11.49, 13.5. On the Frankish political context:
Van Dam, 'Merovingian Gaul and the Frankish Conquests', pp. 201-05; Wood, Merovingian Kingdoms
450-751, pp. 88-101, 126-36.
14
Epp, 5.60, 6.6.
15
Epp, 11.51.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
133
jointly;16
one to Theodebert;17
and two to Theoderic.18
There is a notable similarity
across how both Frankish and Anglo-Saxon royal figures are addressed in these letters.
The letter to Æthelberht I opens with the address: Domino gloriosissimo atque
praecellentissimo filio Aedilbercto regi Anglorum Gregorius episcopus.19
Letter 9.214
similarly addresses Brunhilde as: Dominae gloriossimae atque praecellentissimae filiae
Brunichildae reginae Gregorius episcopus seruus seruorum Dei.20
Similar terms of
address are also employed in the later letters. Edwin is addressed as Viro gloriso Eduino
regi Anglorum Bonifiatius episcopus seruus seruorum Dei and Domino excellentissimo
atque praecellentissimo filio Eduino regi Anglorum Honorius episcopus seruus
seruorum Dei salute,21
while Æthelburh is addressed as Dominae gloriosae filiae
Aedilbergae reginae Bonifatius episcopus seruus seruorum Dei.22
Likewise, Oswiu is
also addressed as Domino excellenti filio Ouiu regi Saxonum Uitalianus episcopus seruus
seruorum Dei.23
There are also similarities in the language used within these letters. They
frequently, for example, feature paternal language. The letter to Æthelberht I addresses
him as gloriose fili – ‘my distinguished son’ on two separate occasions while similar
paternal expressions are found throughout the letters addressed to Frankish royal figures.
A certain degree of variation is in evidence; letter 6.51 to Theodebert II and Theoderic II
for example is noticeably patronising, but generally the mode of address does not seem
to vary significantly according to the relative power, prestige or age of the monarchs
addressed. This can most easily be explained through their shared papal origins, and
16
Epp, 6.51, 9.216, 9.217.
17
Epp, 11.50.
18
Epp, 11.47, 13.7.
19
‘Bishop Gregory to his most worthy son, the glorious lord Æthelberht, king of the English.’ It has
often been suggested that this title reflects Æthelberht’s status as an imperium wielding king, as HE, II.5,
or a Bretwalda – ‘controller of Britain’ in the term used by ASC [A], s.a. 827, as Colgrave and Mynors
(eds), Bede's Ecclesiastical History, pp.112, 150; Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 33-35. This,
however, is not the only conceivable explanation; nor is it necessarily the most obvious. The address
could equally be interpreted as an attempt at flattery, a product of papal ignorance, or a product of the
implicit assumption that kings and peoples were directly associated. The terms imperium and Bretwalda
and discussed more fully below.
20
‘Bishop Gregory, servant of the servants of God, greets his most glorious and most excellent daughter,
her Ladyship Queen Brunhilde.’
21
‘To Edwin, the illustrious king of the English, Bishop Boniface, servant of the servants of God’ and
‘To my most excellent lord and noble son, Edwin, king of the English, Bishop Honorius, servant of the
servants of God, sends greetings’.
22
‘To his daughter the most illustrious lady, Queen Æthelburh, Bishop Boniface, servant of the servants
of God.’
23
‘To the most excellent lord, our son Oswiu, king of the Saxons, Bishop Vitalian, servant of the
servants of God.’
Peter J W Burch
134
consequently their shared use of papal conventions and formulas. There are occasional
possible indications of a more nuanced contemporary understanding of early AngloSaxon
kingship in these letters, such as the suggestion in certain letters that the Franks
claimed some form of hegemony over Kent, but such are rare and problematic.24
Nonetheless, these letters and their terms of address are significant. They place early
Anglo-Saxon kings alongside their Continental counterparts incorporating them into an
ongoing European discourse of kingship. In all probability, therefore, kingship existed
in early Anglo-Saxon England by this point, certainly in Kent and it would be reasonable
to suppose elsewhere also. This reinforces the supposition of the previous section that
kingship was well-established in early Anglo-Saxon England by the end of the sixth
century, if not earlier.
Commonalities can also be observed in what these letters expect of kings, be they
Frankish or early Anglo-Saxon. In short, there is a papal expectation that kings had
certain responsibilities regarding religion. Indeed, the success of a ruler was equated
with the effective promotion of Christianity in these letters.25
Rulers were expected to
care about and ensure the spiritual wellbeing of their people, although how they were
expected to achieve this was necessarily different. There is an implication in this – not
necessarily matched by reality – that kings were both interested in and capable of
promoting the interests of the Church. It would at least seem that the impetus to convert
can be attributed to the early Anglo-Saxon rulers themselves. Gregory I attributed the
motivation to convert to Æthelberht I and a premium seems to have been placed upon
royal sanctioning and support for Christianity in these letters.26
It, therefore, needs to be asked what early Anglo-Saxon kings hoped to gain from
conversion.27
The generic answer is surely that they saw some advantage in it, either
temporal or spiritual. Certainly the figure of Constantine I was held out as an exemplar
to Æthelberht I of all that he might hope to achieve by conversion. Likewise, the
temporal power and prestige that he might gain through conversion was emphasised to
24
Wood, 'Augustine and Gaul', p. 69, drawing on Epp, 6.51, 11.51.
25
Most clearly in Epp, 8.4, HE, I.32 (Epp, 11.37), Epp, 11.35, but commonly implied across the letters.
More broadly: Straw, 'Gregory's Politics', pp. 47-63. Also Markus, Gregory the Great and His World,
pp. 26-33; Wallace-Hadrill, Early Germanic Kingship, pp. 73-74.
26
Epp, 6.51; Wood, 'Mission of Augustine', pp. 9-10. More broadly: HE, I.32 (Epp, 11.37), Epp, 11.35,
HE, II.10, II.11, II.17.
27
In much greater detail: Higham, Convert Kings. Also Wallace-Hadrill, Early Germanic Kingship, p.
31. On the conversion of England more generally: Yorke, Conversion of Britain; Campbell,
'Observations on the Conversion'; Campbell, 'First Century of Christianity'; Mayr-Harting, Coming of
Christianity.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
135
him.28
Similar comments were also made by Boniface V to Edwin, but whether such
arguments were actually persuasive is another matter.29
With the aid of hindsight, it is
possible to see that the adoption of Christianity brought certain benefits to early AngloSaxon
kings. It connected them to a broader cosmology which had the potential to help
to create that all-important ideological superstructure which justified and supported their
positions.
There was also the distinct potential to exploit Christianity, and its rituals, for
political gain. There was, for example, significant scope to utilise Christianity, and
conversion, in the exercise of over-kingship. Bede reports how Æthelberht I was able to
exert control over his nephew Sæberht of the East Saxons through the promotion of
Christianity in his kingdom.30
Æthelberht I may also have stood as godfather to Rædwald
of the East Angles with all the ritual significance consequent upon this.31
Similarly, the
adoption of Christianity would have given Æthelberht I an increased political currency
with his British, Christian, neighbours and allowed him to become much more integrated
into Continental affairs.32
Certainly the adoption of Christianity in Kent and
Northumbria represents an important change in the nature of early Anglo-Saxon
kingship, although not one that is necessarily quantifiable from the papal letters
themselves. Intriguingly, this change, as was noted earlier, was broadly contemporary
with both the elite burials and elite settlements such as Yeavering, as well as a variety of
much broader societal changes. It too, therefore, might be thought of as an experiment
in kingship.
Church Councils and Reform
The records of a church council held at Hertford in 672 and extracts from a creedal
statement from a council held at Hatfield in 679 are preserved in the Historia
ecclesiastica.33
They illustrate a Church that has grown significantly from c.600, the
council being attended by bishops of the East Angles, West Saxons and Mercians,
together with the bishop of Rochester and the archbishop of Canterbury. The bishop of
28
HE, I.32 (Epp, 11.37).
29
HE, II.10.
30
HE, II.3.
31
Higham, Convert Kings, pp. 102-03, more generally 90-119. Further: Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon
World, pp. 156-59; Campbell, 'Observations on the Conversion', pp. 74-78.
32
Wood, 'Mission of Augustine', pp. 5-10; Wood, 'Augustine and Gaul'.
33
HE, IV.5, IV.17 respectively.
Peter J W Burch
136
Northumbria was represented by his proctors. They also provide further insight into the
relationship between early Anglo-Saxon kings and the Church. The council of Hertford
can be situated in a wider process of restructuring and reform associated with the figure
of Archbishop Theodore.34
Of particular interest is the Council of Hatfield, due to its use
of the reigns of kings as a dating reference point.35
The record states:
Imperantibus dominis piisimis nostris Ecgfrido rege Humbronensium, anno
decimo regni eius sub die xv kalendas Octobres indictione octaua, et Aedilredo
rege Mercinensium, anno sexto regni eius, et Alduulfo rege Estranglorum, anno
septimodecimo regni eius, et Hlothario rege Cantuaroirum, regnio eius anno
septimo.36
Kings of the Humbrensians (Northumbrians), Mercians, East Angles and [the people of]
Kent are thus mentioned. The use of regnal years to date events is part of a longstanding
tradition, but it is a tradition that is only effective if kings are an established part of the
fabric of society. Moreover, by utilising kings in this way, the creedal statement is
situating itself in the context of early Anglo-Saxon kingship; the power of kings was
being implicitly appropriated to support the rulings of the Church. This again provides
an indication of the existence of an ecclesiastical expectation of kingly support for the
church. The description of these kings as being dominis piisimis – ‘most religious lords’
would seem to validate this potential relationship, although given its context this phrase
may have little meaning beyond the formulaic. It is thus apparent that the relationship
between early Anglo-Saxon kings and the Church had continued and developed since
c.600, although its exact nature is not apparent.
Of potentially greater significance is the connection of these kings through their
titles not to geographic areas but to peoples. The nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship
should perhaps, therefore, be sought in the relationships between leaders and their
followers. This would correlate with the archaeological evidence and the earlier
34
HE, IV.1ff; Blair, Church in Anglo-Saxon Society, pp. 79-80; Cubitt, Anglo-Saxon Church Councils,
pp. 8-13. Also Lapidge, 'Career of Archbishop Theodore', pp. 26-28; Keynes, The Councils of Clofesho,
pp. 1-4; Mayr-Harting, Coming of Christianity, pp. 130-39.
35
Further: Cubitt, Anglo-Saxon Church Councils, pp. 10, 252-54.
36
HE IV.17: ‘In the reign of our most religious lords, namely Ecgfrith, king of the Northumbrians, in the
tenth year of his reign – 17 September and the eighth indiction – in the sixth year of the reign of
Æthelred, king of the Mercians: in the seventeenth year of the reign of Ealdwulf, king of the East Angles;
and in the seventh year of the reign of Hlothere, king of Kent.’
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
137
comments regarding the role of feasting and with the personal aspects of rule exhibited
by Coroticus and Gildas’s five kings. By extension, the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship
might be situated in the emergence of specific regional identities, although testing this
hypothesis is not possible.
Archbishop Theodore and the Early Church
The relationship between early Anglo-Saxon kings and Christianity may also be explored
through the writings of Archbishop Theodore (602-690).37
Together with his
contemporary Hadrian, Abbot of St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Canterbury, Theodore
established a religious school at Canterbury. A number of works, specifically the Leiden
Family of glossaries, can be associated with this school.38
A small number of works also
survive which can be connected to Theodore directly. There remains a letter addressed
to Æthelred of Mercia preserved in Stephen of Ripon’s Vita Wilfridi.39
Theodore also
composed a six-line octo-syllable poem to Hæddi, bishop of Winchester; several other
poems in a similarly unique style may also have been composed by him.40
It is more
than likely that Theodore was the author of the Laterculus Malalianus,41
and in addition
that he was the translator of the Passio sancti Anastasii from Greek into Latin.42
It is
also possible to connect the Penitential of Theodore to Theodore, although he himself is
not the author of the text.43
Of these texts, only the letter to Æthelred has any direct
37
Lapidge, 'Career of Archbishop Theodore'; Lapidge and Bischoff (eds), Biblical Commentaries of the
Canterbury School, pp. 5-81, 133-89. Also Lapidge, 'Theodore of Tarsus'.
38
Hessels (ed.) Late Eighth-Century Latin-Anglo-Saxon Glossary. This is one of a series of related texts,
although it is Lapidge’s opinion that the Leiden Glossary is most representative of the corpus of glossae
collectae emanating from Canterbury: Lapidge, 'School of Theodore', pp. 67-72; Pheifer (ed.) Old
English Glosses in the Épinal-Erfurt Glossary, pp. xxviii-li. More generally: Pheifer, 'Canterbury Bible
Glosses'; Lapidge and Bischoff (eds), Biblical Commentaries of the Canterbury School, pp. 173-79,
190ff; Pheifer, 'Early Anglo-Saxon Glossaries'; Lapidge, 'School of Theodore', pp. 53-67.
39
VW, 43.
40
Lapidge, 'Theodore and Anglo-Latin Octosyllabic Verse'. Also Orchard, Poetic Art of Aldhelm, pp.
29-31; Lapidge, 'School of Theodore', pp. 46-47.
41
Stevenson, Laterculus Malalianus and Archbishop Theodore, edition and translation pp.117-61,
attribrution to Theodore 8-15; in summary Stevenson, 'Theodore and the Laterculus Malalianus'.
42
Franklin, 'Theodore and the Passio S. Anastasii'. The manuscript of the text has not been published.
43
Finsterwalder (ed.), Die Canones Theodori. The text of the most widely circulated version,
Finsterwalder’s U, is more easily accessible to an English audience in Haddon and Stubbs (eds),
Councils and Ecclesiastical Documents, vol III, pp. 173-204. Translated McNeil and Gamer, Medieval
Handbooks of Penance, pp. 179-215.
The Iudicia Theodori, or sometimes Capitula Dacheriana, Finsterwalder’s D, and the Canones
Gregorii, Finsterwalder’s G, both represent slightly earlier variants of the text: Haddon and Stubbs (eds),
Councils and Ecclesiastical Documents, pp. 205-09. It is possible that Finsterwalder’s U was based on
the Iudicia Theodori: Charles-Edwards, 'Iudicia Theodori'.
Finsterwalder’s U was compiled and edited by a certain Disciplus Umbrensium, based on an
earlier text produced by one Eoda which seemingly preserved the answers to questions asked of
Peter J W Burch
138
bearing on kingship, but if a broader approach is adopted, the works can shed light on
early Anglo-Saxon kingship indirectly.
Collectively, these texts demonstrate the increasing complexity, learning, and
sophistication of the early Anglo-Saxon Church in the final portion of the seventh
century. The Penitential is particularly notable, seemingly indicating a significant degree
of ecclesiastical control over early Anglo-Saxon society. Of course the probable
effectiveness of its measures can and should be questioned, but the Penitential remains
as a striking example of the ambition of the early Anglo-Saxon Church. Indeed, the
Penitential demonstrates the ability of early Anglo-Saxon society to take-in complex
ideas and attempt to realise them in social reality. This is precisely the intellectual
context necessary for the development of the idea of kingship and its accompanying
ideological framework. The extent to which this was actively exploited by early AngloSaxon
kings is not apparent in this context, but the potential was most certainly there.
To this should be added Theodore’s letter to Æthelred. This provides specific
evidence with respect to the relationship between early Anglo-Saxon kings and the
Church. The letter concerns the first reinstatement of Wilfrid to his Northumbrian see
and monastic holdings, and urges Æthelred to offer Wilfrid his protection.44
Theodore
is seeking Æthelred’s co-operation and support to effect this reinstatement, the
implication being that early Anglo-Saxon kings, at least in some instances, held executive
power over the affairs of the Church. There is evidently potential for conflict between
kingly and ecclesiastical figures embedded in this relationship, as Wilfrid’s earlier life
would indicate. There is also the potential for conflict between royal and ecclesiastical
figures contained within the Penitential should its dictates impinge upon kingly
activities.45
These potential difficulties, however, need to be seen in the wider context
of notable material support for the early Anglo-Saxon Church on the behalf of AngloSaxon
kings.46
Further, Theodore and Æthelred seem to have had a positive ongoing
Theodore by Eoda with the assistance of a certain libellus Scottorum. Also Fletcher, 'Cannons of
Theodore'; Stancliffe, Bede, Wilfrid, and the Irish, pp. 12-13; Frantzen, Literature of Penance, pp. 63-69;
Frantzen, 'Penitentials in Anglo-Saxon England', pp. 27-35.
44
Thacker, 'Wilfrid'.
45
One possible example might be Archbishop Theodore’s mediation between Ecgfrith of Northumbria
and Æthelred of Mercia following the Battle of the Trent: HE, IV.21. The mediation limited further
hostilities, and may have been welcome, but could be construed as constraining kingly action. Similarly,
if Oswiu was the son of Æthelfrith of Northumbria and Acha, then his marriage to Eanflæd, by this his
first cousin through Acha, would have been rendered uncanonical by the Penitential. However, there is
reason to feel that Oswiu was born of someone other than Acha: Higham, Ecgfrith, pp. 77-79.
46
Higham and Ryan, Anglo-Saxon World, p. 159; Blair, Church in Anglo-Saxon Society, pp. 84-91.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
139
relationship which might possibly be described as friendship.47
Points of conflict,
therefore, must not be allowed to occlude the mutual benefits of the relationship to both
kings and the early Anglo-Saxon Church.
The Career and Writings of Aldhelm
Heretofore, the sources have merely provided a series of windows onto the seventh
century, primarily shedding light on various aspects of the relationship between early
Anglo-Saxon kings and the Church. From this point onwards, this relationship will come
progressively into focus as the sources available become increasingly discursive.
Furthermore, as a result, it will also be possible to examine a greater range of issues
pertaining to early Anglo-Saxon kingship. Helpful in this regard are the writings of
Aldhelm (d. 709/10). Aldhelm was an Anglo-Saxon abbot, and subsequently bishop, and
was arguably the foremost Anglo-Saxon scholar of his generation.48
It is not known
when Aldhelm was born.49
It is thought, though, that he was of royal descent. Both of
his subsequent biographers had access to Alfred’s now lost Handboc which recorded that
Aldhelm was the son of a certain Kenten.50
Kenten is most plausibly a corrupt version
of the Anglo-Saxon name Centwine. As Centwine is not a common Anglo-Saxon name,
the most likely candidate is Centwine of the West Saxons, the fourth son of Cynegils of
the West Saxons.51
Aldhelm would thus also be connected to the Northumbrian royal
family as Centwine was married to the sister of Eormenberg, Ecgfrith of Northumbria’s
second consort.52
Thus, while a degree of uncertainty must remain, there is the distinct
possibility that Aldhelm’s writings can offer a royal perspective on early Anglo-Saxon
kingship.
47
Lapidge, 'Career of Archbishop Theodore', p. 27.
48
Claim by Lapidge and Herren (trans.), Prose Works, p. 1. Further, variously Orchard, 'Aldhelm's
Library'; Lapidge, 'Career'; Lapidge, Anglo-Saxon Library, pp. 178-91; Lapidge, 'Aldhelm'; Orchard,
Poetic Art of Aldhelm, pp. 2-18; Lapidge and Rosier (trans.), Poetic Works, pp. 5-24; Lapidge and Herren
(trans.), Prose Works, pp. 5-19.
49
Details of Aldhelm’s life come primarily from two twelfth-century biographies, one by Faricius, the
Italian physician to Henry I, as the Vita sancti Aldhelmi, and one slightly later by William of
Malmesbury as book five of his Gesta pontificum Anglorum. Winterbottom, 'Edition of Faricius';
Winterbottom and Thomson (eds), Gesta Pontificum Anglorum.
Gesta pontificum Anglorum, V.188, states that Aldhelm was at least 70 when he died, which
would place his birth around c.639 as it is known from Bede that he died in either 709 or 710: HE, V.18.
However, as the Gesta pontificum Anglorum, V.231, states elsewhere that he does not know how old
Aldhelm was, nor where he was born, this is surely only conjecture: Lapidge, 'Career', pp. 15-16;
Lapidge, 'Aldhelm'.
50
Gesta pontificum Anglorum, V.188; Vita sancti Aldhelmi, 1. Also Lapidge, 'Career', pp. 17-22.
51
Lapidge, 'Career', p. 17.
52
VW, 40.
Peter J W Burch
140
Aldhelm’s extant works include both a prose and a verse work on virginity – the
Prosa de virginitate and the Carmen de virginitate; a series of tituli, or dedications,
traditionally in the form of inscriptions, to altars and churches – the Carmina
ecclesiastica; a lengthy poem describing a journey through the south-west of England –
the Carmen rhythmicum; the Epistola ad Acircium, most probably addressed to Aldfrith
of Northumbria, which included a treatise on the significance of the number seven, a
treatise on metrics, a series of 100 metrical ‘riddles’, and a metrical gradus aimed at nonLatin
speakers – De metris, the Enigmata and De pedum regulis; and a series of shorter
letters or fragments of letters – the Epistulae. There are also several letters addressed to
Aldhelm which are of relevance.53
Dating these works with any precision is challenging.
An absolute, or even a relative, chronology is not possible in many instances.54
Aldhelm uses the term rex extensively in his writings as a synonym for God. It
should in theory, therefore, be possible to extrapolate from this a more complex and
developed idea of Aldhelm’s own personal ideology of kingship. This, however, is not
the case. Aldhelm’s use of the word is purely as a synonym. It reveals little more than
the fact that his contemporaries clearly knew what a king was. Fortunately, specific
references to kingship exist in his Epistola ad Acircium, his letter to Geraint of Dumnonia
and his Titulus III for a church built by Bugga. The briefest of these is found in the
Epistola ad Acircium. Aldhelm’s opening address is notable; it is at once respectful but
intimate, signalling both familiarity and Aldfrith’s status as king.55
This letter, therefore,
provides a second instance of a friendship between a king and a high ecclesiastical
figure.56
Furthermore, it highlights that Aldhelm and Aldfrith can be seen as part of the
same cultural and social milieu. Indeed, both might be surmised as having pursued
Christian learning as an alternative to kingly rule. However, Ecgfrith of Northumbria’s
unexpected, and heirless, death at the battle of Nechtansmere led to Aldfrith’s succession.
Aldfrith’s rule seems to have combined elements of the scholar into his role as king,
53
Ehwald (ed.) Aldhelmi Opera. Translation and commentary: Lapidge and Rosier (trans.), Poetic
Works; Lapidge and Herren (trans.), Prose Works. On the setting of the Carmen rhythmicum: Barker,
'Aldhelm's Carmen rhythmicum'.
54
A commendable attempt is made by Lapidge, 'Career', pp. 66-69, although uncertainties remain.
55
Further: Wright, 'Aldhelm, Gildas, and Acircius', XIV, pp. 19-24.
56
The letter records that Aldhelm stood as sponsor, or possibly Godfather, to Aldfrith at his (re)baptism:
Brooks, 'Introduction', pp. 5-6.. The most likely time and place for this to have happened would have
been during their respective periods of study in Ireland (broadly conceived): Wright, 'Aldhelm, Gildas,
and Acircius', pp. 20-28. On the Irish connection: Lapidge, 'Career', pp. 26-48. Also Lapidge, 'Aldhelm
and the "Epinal-Erfurt Glossary"'; Yorke, 'Aldhelm's Irish and British Connections', pp. 169-75; Herren,
'Scholarly Contacts'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
141
which may also go some way to explaining the coinage issued in his name.57
Christianity,
and Christian learning, therefore, albeit in unusual circumstances, could potentially be a
source of social power to both kings and ecclesiastics alike.58
The social power of Christianity could be exercised by kings in other ways also,
as in Aldhelm’s letter to Geraint of Dumnonia. This is an intricately-worded attempt to
convince Geraint to adopt the ‘correct’ calculation of the date of Easter, and represents
another example of a king, albeit in this instance a British king, wielding executive power
with regard to the Church.59
The expectation of such power on Aldhelm’s part suggests
that similar authority was wielded by early Anglo-Saxon kings also. More significant is
the political context of this letter. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records battles between
West Saxons and Britons in 658, 682 and 710.60
While the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is
suspect as a source in this period, the overall impression of border conflict is plausible
enough.61
A second West Saxon bishopric was also established in 705/6 at Sherborne.
This was on the far side of the forest of Selwood, significantly removed from the
traditional centre of West Saxon power, but directly adjacent to the kingdom of
Dumnonia. In addition, the see appropriated and supplanted a previous British Christian
site, the monastery and potential see of Lanprobi; nor is this the only example of West
Saxon supplantation and appropriation of a British Christian site.62
This letter, therefore,
is located in the context of West Saxon power and expansion.63
The adoption of the
Roman calculation of Easter would have brought the kingdom of Dumnonia more
securely into the West Saxon orbit. Aldhelm, a potentially royal West Saxon figure, may
have been intentionally chosen as author to give the letter greater political weight. It is
also interesting that Aldhelm was seemingly active in Dumnonian territory.64
This might
57
Yorke, Rex Doctissimus, pp. 4-19; Cramp, 'Aldfrith'. Aldfrith’s learning is mentioned explicitly by
Bede, HE, IV.26, V.12, also by implication, V.15. Aldfrith is also held to have been a pupil of Adomnán
at Iona, who gave him a copy of De locis sanctis, and is given the appellation sapiens in Irish sources:
Ireland, 'Learning of a sapiens'.
58
The work of Peter Brown is particularly illuminating regarding the relationship between religious
authority and secular power, classically: Brown, 'Rise and Function of the Holy Man'. Further, the
essays in Howard-Johnston and Hayward (eds), Essays on the Contribrution of Peter Brown.
59
Probert, 'Aldhelm's Letter to King Gerent', pp. 115-16, 118-19. HE, V.18, reports that Aldhelm
brought the British to the ‘correct’ calculation of Easter through the writing of a book, presumably this
letter.
60
ASC [A, E], s.a. 658, 682, 710.
61
Probert, 'Aldhelm's Letter to King Gerent', pp. 123-25, although Probert takes his interpretation too far.
62
Hall, 'Sherborne', pp. 133-40. Also Barker, 'Sherborne, Glastonbury and the Expansion of Wessex'.
63
Yorke, Wessex in the Early Middle Ages, pp. 57-60, more broadly 52-93. Also Yorke, Kings and
Kingdoms, pp. 132-42.
64
Barker, 'Aldhelm's Carmen rhythmicum'; Hall, 'Sherborne', p. 142.
Peter J W Burch
142
suggest that the West Saxon kings exercised some form of over-kingship over Geraint.65
Certainly Christianity can be seen as a key tool for the West Saxon kings, increasing their
ability to exert power over their neighbours.
The third direct insight into early Anglo-Saxon kingship is found in Titulus III.
This gives a brief summary of the careers of three kings of the West Saxons. The first,
Centwine, is described as wielding kingly power justly (sic); his success in battle is also
noted, as are his generosity to the church and his eventual adoption of a monastic life.
Cædwalla is similarly praised for his ability in warfare and described as potens regni
possessor et heres – ‘a powerful occupant of the throne and its rightful heir’; Cædwalla
also ended his life with a pilgrimage to Rome. Little is said of the third king, Ine.
Aldhelm, therefore, highlights the attributes of justice, legitimacy and military prowess
as praiseworthy. These attributes are the very same that were associated with kings, in
this instance British kings, in Gildas’s De excidio, although admittedly Gildas was
criticising these figures for not possessing them sufficiently or correctly. This would
rather suggest an essential continuity in the fundamental nature of kingship not just
within early Anglo-Saxon England, but more broadly Britain also. Of course Gildas’s
figures were also associated with less laudable characteristics and it should not be
assumed that these three kings were any different, even if these aspects are not apparent
from Aldhelm’s description. As the eminent scholar John Michael Wallace-Hadrill once
remarked of early Anglo-Saxon kings, ‘they are none the less warrior kings with
traditional appetites because they are haunted by the power of holy men.’66
What was less apparent in Gildas, although nonetheless hinted at, were the
various relationships between these kings and the Church.67
In this context, this took
several forms: the donation of lands to support monasteries followed by the direct
adoption of a Christian life through retirement to a monastery, in the case of Centwine;
and a pilgrimage to Rome, in the case of Cædwalla. The most interesting aspect of this
is that both these kings ostensibly gave up kingship in order to adopt a more fully
Christian life. Nor is this choice confined to these two individuals; Bede in his Historia
ecclesiastica reports a further six early Anglo-Saxon kings who adopted, or attempted to
65
Probert, 'Aldhelm's Letter to King Gerent', pp. 117, 120-25; Orme, Saints of Cornwall, p. 4. This
would seem to be supported by HE, V.18.
66
Wallace-Hadrill, Early Germanic Kingship, p. 62.
67
Gildas reports that Maglocunus was previously a monk prior to becoming king, while Constantine of
Dumnonia murdered two relatives in a church: DEB, 34, 28 respectively.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
143
adopt, such a life.68
It is possible to look at these instances in various ways. They can
be seen as manifestations of profound belief, as strategic examples of early Anglo-Saxon
Realpolitik, or as combinations of the two.69
Certainly, it is possible to find political
explanations for a number of these abdications. The retirement of Sigeberht of the East
Angles, for example, may be linked to the collapse of the imperium wielding Edwin of
Northumbria and the resulting political instability. The abdication of Centwine in 685,
who may have been relatively old by this point having succeeded his brother, cleared the
way for the increasingly powerful, and much younger, Cædwalla; again, this might also
have been precipitated by Northumbrian affairs and Ecgfrith’s death, to whom Centwine
was related through marriage, at the Battle of Nechtansmere.70
Equally, various
manifestations of belief should not be discounted. The option of retirement to a
monastery was unlikely to have been seen as desirable without a certain base level of
belief.
Similar patterns of activity can be seen in contemporary Ireland.71
Likewise,
related occurrences can be observed in contemporary Frankia. In the case of Frankia,
however, monastic retirement does not seem to have been a preferred kingly choice, but
rather served as an enforced alternative to regicide.72
A similar fate seems to have
befallen Ceolwulf of Northumbria in 731.73
Potentially complicating this image are two
important phenomena. The first is the incidence of early Anglo-Saxon royal saints, and
the second the testimony of the Irish text, De duodecim abusivis saeculi. Oswald of
Northumbria is widely known for his sanctification; his predecessor, Edwin, seems to
have been similarly venerated.74
Neither of these figures abdicated in favour of the
monastic life, but were rather killed in battle. A number of early Anglo-Saxon royal
women were also venerated as saints although this should not necessarily be thought of
as the same occurrence. De duodecim abusiuis saeculi, meanwhile, amongst other things
68
Sigeberht of the East Angles HE, III.18; Oswiu of Northumbria HE, IV.5; Sebbi of the East Saxons
HE, IV.11; Ine of the West Saxons HE, V.7; Cenred of Mercia HE, V.19, V.24; Æthelred of Mercia HE,
V.19, V. 24. Bede also reports that Offa, son of Sighere of the East Saxons, accompanied Cenred and
joined him in receiving the tonsure in Rome: HE, V.19.
69
Stancliffe, 'Kings Who Opted Out', has emphasised the role of belief. Higham, 'The Shaved Head', has
recently drawn attention to the political dimensions of this phenomenon.
70
Higham, 'The Shaved Head', pp. 10-14.
71
Stancliffe, 'Kings Who Opted Out', pp. 161-66.
72
Goosmann, 'Long-Haired Kings of the Franks', pp. 240-47.
73
In Moore MS Continuation. Ceolwulf subsequently retired to a monastery in 737; strikingly this is
directly associated with a drought in an alternate continuation of the HE: Colgrave and Mynors (eds),
Bede's Ecclesiastical History, pp. 572-73, lxvii-lxix. Also Rollason, 'Ceolwulf'.
74
Cubitt, 'Sites and Sanctity', pp. 60-63; Thacker, 'Membra disjecta', pp. 97-107. Also Craig, 'Oswald';
Cramp, 'Eadwine'.
Peter J W Burch
144
is notable for holding kings accountable for the physical wellbeing, productivity, and
fertility of their kingdoms.75
Looking more broadly, an association between early Anglo-Saxon kings and
religion has already been noted in various contexts. In addition to the specifically
Christian instances detailed in this section, strong archaeological evidence supporting the
ritual slaughter of cattle in a pre-Christian context at the Northumbrian royal settlement
of Yeavering has already been observed. Slightly more problematic were the bracteates
found associated with a number of potentially royal sixth-century Kentish sites.76
Additionally, Irish and Scottish kings can also be seen to have been involved in religious
rituals, including royal inaugurations, and there are similar indications in areas of Irish
settlement in Britain and amongst the Picts.77
There is thus good reason to suppose that
some form of association of early Anglo-Saxon kingship with religion existed prior to
the adoption of Christianity. By extension, taking these various factors together, it might
be possible to suggest that some form of sacral kingship was in evidence. This, in short,
is where the king is a religious figure in some sense, who provides supernatural support,
protection, and intercession on behalf of their kingdom. This idea was extremely popular
with nineteenth-century, particularly German, historians and gained widespread currency
through Fraser’s The Golden Bough.78
Were sacral kingship to be in evidence in early
Anglo-Saxon England, this would suggest an entirely new origin for early Anglo-Saxon
kingship.79
Unfortunately there is no evidence for this at all. The instances of royal
veneration are perfectly explicable independently of any idea of sacral kingship. Such
figures were simply inherently suitable candidates for veneration.80
With regard to the
De duodecim abusiuis saeculi it firstly needs to be stated that despite the undoubted
similarities between Irish and early Anglo-Saxon kingships, and pronounced cultural
contact, they were different and distinct institutions. Furthermore, reassessment of Irish
75
Hellmann, 'Pseudo-Cyprianus De XII abusivis saeculi'.
76
Behr, 'Kingship in Early Medieval Kent'.
77
Campbell, 'Royal Inauguration in Dál Riata'; Foster, Picts, Gaels and Scots, pp. 38-39, 43-44;
Wormald, 'Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Kingship'. Also Yorke, Conversion of Britain, p. 105. Dunadd,
Argyll and Bute, is of particular importance: Lane and Campbell, Dunadd, pp. 18-23, 247-49.
78
Fraser, Golden Bough.
79
As in the hugely problematic Chaney, Cult of Kingship in Anglo-Saxon England.
80
As Cubitt, 'Sites and Sanctity'; Nelson, Politics and Ritual in Early Medieval Europe, pp.69-74;
Nelson, 'Royal Saints and Early Medieval Europe'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
145
kingship is painting it in a very different light.81
Irish kings were involved in religious
rituals but were not necessarily themselves religious figures. In addition, the connection
made between the prosperity of a kingdom and the king in the De duodecim abusiuis
saeculi fits comfortably within the context of Christian thought. Kingly involvement
with religion might thus be connected to the broader role of the king as protector of their
people, although it need not be solely connected to this. Regardless, it is clear that being
responsible for the religious wellbeing of ones people does not make one a religious
figure. The instances of royal involvement in religious rituals from the sixth century
would suggest that religion played a role in the origins or early development of AngloSaxon
kingship. However, these are not evidence of sacral kingship, but merely an
involvement in and utilisation of religion by kings.
Bede and the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
Bede (673/4–735), like Aldhelm before him, was the foremost Anglo-Saxon scholar of
his generation.82
He spent the majority of his life in the twin foundation of WearmouthJarrow,
where he benefited from its tremendous library.83
It has been suggested that, like
Aldhelm, Bede came from a royal family, although this suggestion rests rather thinly on
the premise that Bede is an uncommon name, and that a Bede [Bæda] is listed in a
Lindsean genealogy.84
Even if such were the case, his entry into the monastery aged
seven rather undermines any royal perspective that might result from this.85
Nonetheless,
Bede should be expected to have known about and understood Anglo-Saxon kingship, at
least in his native Northumbria. His writings betray an individual who was concerned
about and interested in the wider world.86
In addition, the Wearmouth-Jarrow foundation
had strong links to the Northumbrian royal family.87
81
Charles-Edwards, 'Celtic Kings: "Priestly Vegetables"?'; Wormald, 'Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Kingship'.
C.f. the earlier ideas of Byrne, Irish Kings and High-Kings; Binchy, Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Kingship.
82
Campbell, 'Bede'; Brown, Companion to Bede, pp. 1-16. Further: Brown, 'Bede's Life in Context';
Ray, 'Who Did Bede Think He Was?'; Meyvaert, 'Bede the Scholar'.
83
Love, 'Library of the Venerable Bede'; Lapidge, Anglo-Saxon Library, pp. 191-231; Laistner, 'Library
of the Venerable Bede'.
84
Campbell, 'Secular and Political Contexts', pp. 25-26; Campbell, 'Questioning Bede', pp. 119-20. C.f.
Higham, (Re-)Reading Bede, p. 9, particularly n. 23.
85
HE, V.24.
86
Goffart, Narrators, pp. 235ff; Thacker, 'Bede's Ideal of Reform'. Goffart’s location of the HE in a
dispute in the Northumbrian Church surrounding the figure of bishop Wilfrid has proven particularly
controversial. Further: Goffart, 'Bede's History in a Harsher Climate'; Goffart, 'Bede's Agenda and Ours'.
A more satisfactory interpretation is found in Stancliffe, 'Disputed Episcopacy'.
87
Wood, 'Foundation of Wearmouth-Jarrow'; Wood, Most Holy Abbot, pp. 4-5. Bede also corresponded
with Ceolwulf of Northumbria, to whom the HE was dedicated.
Peter J W Burch
146
The Historia ecclesiastica presents a history of the British Isles from the time of
Julius Caesar to 731.88
It focuses primarily on the English, or Anglo-Saxons, and
particularly upon the emergence and establishment of the Anglo-Saxon Church.89
The
Historia ecclesiastica contains five books, the first of which narrates the period up until
the Gregorian mission to Kent and the early seventh century, with the remaining four
covering successive 30 year intervals.90
It stands in the tradition of ecclesiastical history
pioneered by Eusebius of Caesarea – as it is concerned with the progress of the Church
and quotes verbatim from documents – but differs significantly from this exemplar in
that it is not a universal but a predominantly ‘national’ history.91
As a work focused upon the early Anglo-Saxon Church, kings are not a dominant
feature of the Historia ecclesiastica. Bede used early Anglo-Saxon kings as structural
and chronological tools and as vehicles to express certain broader points, but he rarely
discussed them directly for their own sake.92
Such references to kings as exist, therefore,
are often incidental. Nonetheless, by amalgamating these references important insights
can be achieved. Indeed, the Historia ecclesiastica is fundamental to early Anglo-Saxon
scholarship, so even if the insights gained from it regarding the origins of kingship are
ultimately limited, it must be addressed regardless.
Various technical issues also present certain challenges. There is, for example, a
distinct Northumbrian bias in the work. This exists in both the material covered and the
way in which it is covered. After Book One, the following books are resolutely
Northumbrian in concern. It is only natural that Bede had access to comparatively more
information from his native Northumbria, but it is also evident that it was the
Northumbrian kings who are his favoured kingly protagonists – Edwin, Oswald, and even
the pagan Æthelfrith. Bede was also potentially constrained by the political
88
Colgrave and Mynors (eds), Bede's Ecclesiastical History. Plummer (ed.) Baedae Opera Historica,
also continues to be of worth. Further: Wright, Companion to Bede; Wallace-Hadrill, Bede's
Ecclesiastical History. The text may have been edited slightly after 731, but this is the date up until
which it officially runs: Kirby, 'Ceolwulf and the Historia Ecclesiastica'; Kirby, Bede's Historia
ecclesiastica, pp. 2-3; Goffart, Narrators, p. 242.
The best introduction to the HE remains Campbell, 'Bede I'; with Campbell, 'Bede II'. Also
Brown, Companion to Bede, pp. 101-16; Thacker, 'Bede and History'; Levison, 'Bede as Historian'.
89
Indeed, Bede can perhaps be credited with creating the idea of the English: Brooks, 'Construction of
English Identity'; Brooks, Bede and the English; Wormald, 'Origins of the Gens Anglorum'; Wormald,
'Bede and the "Church of the English"'.
90
Further: Higham, (Re-)Reading Bede, pp. 101-13.
91
Campbell, 'Bede I', pp. 4-5; Barnard, 'Bede and Eusebius'; Markus, Bede and the Tradition of
Ecclesiastical History.
92
Although as a work dedicated to a King, the HE can be regarded as being concerned with kingship
more broadly, or at least Bede’s conception of it, as discussed below.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
147
circumstances in which he wrote. The then Northumbrian king, Ceolwulf, to whom the
Historia ecclesiastica was addressed, came from a different, and rival, branch of the
Northumbrian royal family from all but one of his immediate predecessors. What is
more, the same period during which Bede was completing the Historia ecclesiastica also
saw an attempted royal coup.93
The need for delicacy and tact may at least in part account
for the cursory nature of the later sections of the Historia ecclesiastica. Bede is also
known for his discretion more broadly.94
For various reasons, therefore, it is thus
impossible to know what Bede brushed over, ignored or omitted.
There are also distinct evidential problems with utilising the Historia
ecclesiastica. Bede supplied a list of his principal sources in his preface, no doubt in an
attempt to add credence to his work, but it is clear that the majority of the Historia
ecclesiastica ultimately rests upon oral testimony. Indeed, Bede frequently
acknowledged when he was drawing upon such accounts, and was content to invoke the
authority, usually spiritual authority, of the testator, to support their stories. This often
encompassed second-hand reports and stories whose point of origin was distant from
Bede’s actual time of writing. There are also those parts of the Historia ecclesiastica
that rest upon unacknowledged oral testament or ‘tradition’.95
Given the propensity of
stories to develop over time and the chronological remove from which Bede wrote, many
of his sources seem little better that hearsay. Ultimately, it is important to recognise that
Bede was not looking to compose literal truths but spiritual truths, and if precise literal
truths had to be dispensed with in order to maintain this, then so be it.96
It should also be remembered that the Historia ecclesiastica does not exist in
isolation. It was in fact one of over 30 works written by Bede which included various
Biblical commentaries, homilies, tracts on time and language and a number of
hagiographies.97
It is increasingly being recognised that the Historia ecclesiastica needs
to be seen in the context of these works as many of the issues that Bede addressed in the
Historia ecclesiastica are also present in them.98
Indeed, it is possible to conceive of his
93
Rollason, 'Ceolwulf'.
94
Most apparent in his treatment of Wilfrid: Campbell, 'Bede I', pp. 19-22.
95
Higham, Bede as an Oral Historian.
96
Bede’s use the phrase vera lex historiae of his approach in his preface seems to indicate just this:
Higham, (Re-)Reading Bede, pp. 79-81. Also Goffart, 'Bede's uera lex historiae Explained'; Ray, 'Bede's
vera lex historiae'.
97
Brown, Companion to Bede, pp. 13-15, gives a list of Bedes works in approximate chronological
order.
98
DeGregorio, 'The New Bede', pp. 1-6.
Peter J W Burch
148
works as a cohesive whole.99
It should be possible, therefore, to use Bede’s other works
to illuminate the Historia ecclesiastica. However, in the context of kingship this is of
limited use. References to kings are almost entirely absent from Bede’s other works,
although important insight can be gained from those few instances when Bede did
address kingship as well as from more general commonalities.
It has long been recognised that Bede’s In primam partem Samuelis has the
potential to illuminate Bede’s conception of kingship.100
However, this commentary
only covers the first book of Samuel – up until the death of Saul – and is almost
unrelentingly allegorical. Bede was aware of the potential import of the ideas discussed
in I Samuel for kingship of his own day, but did not feel the need to explore them
explicitly.101
Similarly, the potentially revealing Quaestiones in Regnum Librum also
eschews literal or historical interpretations in favour of the allegorical.102
Despite this, I
Samuel and more generally the Deuteronomic History – Joshua to II Kings, excluding
Ruth – can be seen to have influenced Bede’s portrayal of kingship and the Historia
ecclesiastica. Indeed, the structuring of history through regnal inserts, the consistent use
of language for peoples and places, the importance of geographical features as political
boundaries, the association of kings with peoples, the connection between the spiritual
fidelity of kings and the wellbeing of their kingdoms, the importance of military prowess
for exercising kingly power, and the subordination of history to a religious aim can all
be found in the Deuteronomic History just as they can in the Historia ecclesiastica.103
Evaluating such similarities is problematic. Certainly Bede’s presentation of kingship
was not solely dependent upon the Deuteronomic History. Equally, given Bede’s
undoubted knowledge of the Deuteronomic History, and the fact that his commentary on
Samuel predated the Historia ecclesiastica by a considerable margin, the Deuteronomic
History cannot but have informed his understanding of early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
Indeed, Bede makes an explicit comparison to the Deuteronomic History in the Historia
ecclesiastica, comparing Æthelfrith of Northumbria to Saul, making Edwin of
Northumbria – his successor and the first Northumbrian to convert to Christianity –
99
Thacker, 'Bede and the Ordering of Understanding', pp. 46-63.
100
Hurst (ed.) Opera exegetica 2. Variously Brown, 'Commentary on Samuel'; McClure, 'Bede's Old
Testament Kings', particularly pp. 76-82; Wallace-Hadrill, Early Germanic Kingship, pp. 76-78. The
Hebrew Book of Samuel covers I and II Samuel and I and II Kings in modern translations.
101
As HE, I.34. Further: Wallace-Hadrill, Early Germanic Kingship, pp. 76-78.
102
Hurst (ed.) Opera exegetica 2; Foley and Holder (trans.), A Biblical Miscellany, pp. 89-138.
103
McClure, 'Bede's Old Testament Kings', pp. 82-98.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
149
comparable to the symbolically charged figure of David.104
Oswald of Northumbria
might be cast in a similar light, with Cædwallon of Gwynedd fulfilling the role of Goliath.
A more direct point of comparative illumination comes from Bede’s In Ezram et
Neemiam where Bede draws explicit parallels between the kings of the Old Testament
and those of his own day.105
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are primarily concerned
with the building and establishment of the second High Temple after the Jewish return
from Babylonian exile. The Temple in this context is allegorically interpreted as
symbolic of the Christian Church.106
Bede’s line-by-line commentary often notes the
role of the Persian kings Cyrus and Darius in this process; moreover, these figures are
directly compared with the kings of his own day who patronise, support, and protect the
Church. In fact, In Ezram is one of a triptych of works addressing the temple in its
various Old Testament forms, together with De tabernaculo and De templo.107
These are
all associated with what has become known since the work of Alan Thacker as Bede’s
‘ideal of reform’.108
In short, it has increasingly been realised that Bede was dissatisfied
with the Northumbrian Church, and broader society, of his day and felt that it was in need
of renewal and reform. Drawing upon Gregory the Great’s idea of doctores and rectores,
Bede envisaged a spiritual elite working in tandem with and supported by the secular
elite to effect this reform. The spiritual elite would provide the crucially needed pastoral
care and spiritual guidance, while the secular elite – kings – would provide the required
authority and financial support. Similar ideas can be found in the Historia ecclesiastica,
although they are more subtly expressed and do not predominate, as well as in his prose
Vita Cuthberti and most especially in his Epistola ad Ecgbertum.109
The existence of
such ideas cannot but have coloured Bede’s depiction of early Anglo-Saxon kings,
further underlining the difficulties of using the Historia ecclesiastica to illuminate the
origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
104
HE, I.34.
105
Hurst (ed.) Pars 2, Opera exegetica 2A; DeGregorio (trans.), On Ezra and Nehemiah.
106
More Broadly: Connolly (trans.), On the Temple, pp. xx-xxxiii; Holder (trans.), On the Tabernacle, p.
xvi.
107
Hurst (ed.) Pars 2, Opera exegetica 2A; Holder (trans.), On the Tabernacle; Connolly (trans.), On the
Temple. Further: DeGregorio, ''Nostrum socordiam temporum'', pp. 114-15; DeGregorio (trans.), On
Ezra and Nehemiah, pp. xiii and xvii-xxx.
108
Thacker, 'Bede's Ideal of Reform'. Thacker adopted a broader vision of reform than has typically
been the case since: Higham, 'Bede's Agenda', pp. 480-81. Subsequently Higham, 'Bede's Agenda';
DeGregorio, 'Monasticism and Reform'; DeGregorio, 'Bede's In Ezram'; DeGregorio, ''Nostrum
socordiam temporum''.
109
Higham, 'Bede's Agenda'; Higham, (Re-)Reading Bede, pp. 54-57; but c.f. DeGregorio, 'Monasticism
and Reform'.
Peter J W Burch
150
The preface to the Historia ecclesiastica takes on a particularly significant
meaning in this context. It is addressed to Ceolwulf of Northumbria and explicitly frames
the work as one of instruction, providing models of good and bad behaviour for the
benefit of its reader.110
The kings of the Historia ecclesiastica are very much a part of
this instructional format. For example, Bede equates Eadbald of Kent’s physical illness
with his apostasy;111
similarly, Bede links Ecgfrith’s death at Nechtansmere with his
attack on the Irish and his refusal to follow the advice of both Ecgberht and Cuthbert;112
conversely, Bede relates how Edwin’s power increased as an augury of his conversion;113
similarly, he credited Oswald’s victory over Cædwallon to the strength of his Christian
faith.114
By claiming divine approval or approbation Bede offered models of what he felt
were good and bad kings. The kingship portrayed in the Historia ecclesiastica is thus a
deliberate literary creation.115
Placing the Historia ecclesiastica in the context of Bede’s other works, therefore,
highlights further difficulties with utilising it as a historical source. The kings of the
Historia ecclesiastica appear through a distorted lens. An innovative approach is thus
required in order to use the Historia ecclesiastica to examine early Anglo-Saxon
kingship. To this end, by aggregating incidental references to kings, broader patterns of
kingly behaviour will be determined. This has been achieved through the creation of a
series of spreadsheets containing every reference to early Anglo-Saxon kings in the
Historia ecclesiastica. The primary spreadsheet is organised according to chapter of the
Historia ecclesiastica and sub-divided by the kings mentioned in that chapter. The
activities and events associated with each king in each chapter are recorded through a
standardised categorisation of five broad areas: relationship to religion; extra-kingly
relations; intra-dynastic relations; warfare; and other. A supplementary spreadsheet
amalgamates this chapter-by-chapter information into a single entry for each king
mentioned in the Historia ecclesiastica, including all the activities and events associated
with them.116
This information can then be manipulated to determine and examine
patterns of kingly activity. The over-all selection of material in the Historia ecclesiastica
will necessarily continue to reflect Bede’s interests, but by divorcing such instances from
110
Higham, (Re-)Reading Bede, pp. 69-82, 95-100 and more broadly 147-86.
111
HE, II.5.
112
HE, IV.26.
113
HE, II.9.
114
HE, III.1.
115
Wallace-Hadrill, 'Gregory of Tours and Bede', pp. 108-11. Also Goffart, Narrators, pp. 3-19.
116
Appendices VI-VIII. Also note 118 below.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
151
their immediate context they are also removed from Bede’s agenda as far as is possible.
Furthermore, this approach minimises any potential issues associated with specific
details; while any particular instance or anecdote may be rightly questioned, by looking
across more general trends these uncertainties are mitigated. The success of this
methodology is, of course, based upon the premise that much, if not all, of the material
in the Historia ecclesiastica is in essence reliable and that while Bede manipulated his
material he did not wilfully create it. While the Historia ecclesiastica has been proven
to be extremely problematic, these are not unreasonable assumptions.
Upon compiling the tables, the extent of Bede’s manipulation of his sources, and
the incidental nature of his kings, became strongly apparent. As can be seen (Fig.14) by
far the most common activity or event that kings are associated with in the Historia
ecclesiastica is purely literary, serving as structural or chronological reference points for
Fig.14, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica. N.B. Unless otherwise specified all
graphs show activity along the x-axis and frequency of incidence along the y-axis.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
General
Conversion
Support
Miracles
Veneration
Baptism
SeeFoundation
MonasteryFoundation
ChurchFoundation
Apostasy
Pagan
Interference
Monastic
Victory
Defeat
TerritorialConquest
Assasination
Over-Kingship
Sub-Kingship
KinglyRivalry/Competition
DynasticTies
Succession
DynasticRivalry/Competition
Exile
JointKingship
NarrativeRefernecePoint
Feasting
Consultation
Letter
Gift
Edification
WrittenLaws
PeaceandProtection
ItinerantKingship
Peter J W Burch
152
Bede’s narrative. Indeed, this one association is so frequently used that the category of
‘other’, of which it is a part, is in fact the largest (Fig.16). Even when the individual
entries are grouped according to king (Fig.15), which helps to mitigate the incidental
nature of many of Bede’s references to kings, the sub-category of ‘narrative reference
point’ continues to predominate. This dramatically illustrates the above comments
concerning the incidental nature of many of Bede’s references to early Anglo-Saxon
kings. Indeed, 23 of the 72 kings mentioned in the Historia ecclesiastica appear only
Fig.15, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped by King
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
General
Conversion
Support
Miracles
Veneration
Baptism
SeeFoundation
MonasteryFoundation
ChurchFoundation
Apostasy
Pagan'
Interference
Monastic
Victory
Defeat
TerritorialConquest
Assasination
Over-Kingship
Sub-Kingship
Kingly…
DynasticTies
Succession
Dynastic…
Exile
JointKingship
NarrativeRefernece…
Feasting
Consultation
Letters
Gifts
Edification
WrittenLaws
PeaceandProtection
ItinerantKingship
Fig.16, Categories of Activity Associated with Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Assocition with
Religion
Warfare Extra-Dynastic
Relations
Intra-Dynastic
Relations
Other
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
153
once, as narrative reference points.117
If this sub category is excluded then the category
of ‘association with religion’ comes to the fore and ‘other’ takes up the anticipated rear
(Fig.17). Again, however, this is likely to be a reflection of Bede’s interests and agendas.
Given the seeming extent of Bede’s manipulation, therefore, it would be unwise to
attempt to evaluate the relative importance of different categories or sub-categories to
early Anglo-Saxon kingship. However, each category can still be meaningfully analysed
so as to shed light on various aspects of the nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
Starting with the category of ‘association with religion’, a wide range of different
sub-categories are in evidence (Figs.18-19).118
Many of these have been noted
previously, although in most instances it is possible to approach them in more detail. As
well as a general affiliation to religion, early Anglo-Saxon kings are commonly
117
29 unnamed duces regii killed at the Battle of Winwæd (as one entry), Ælle of Deira, Ælle of the
South Saxons, Æthelberht II of Kent, Æthelhere of the East Angles, Arwald of the Isle of Wight,
Ceawlin of the West Saxons, Ceorl of Mercia, Eanfrith of the Hwicce, Eanhere of the Hwicce, Eormenic
of Kent, Hengist of Kent, Ida of Northumbria, Octa of Kent, Oeric of Kent, Osric of Nothumbria, Osric
of the Hwicce, Sæberht's successors (1 of 3, unnamed), Sæberht's successors (2 of 3, unnamed),
Sæberht's successors (1 of 3, unnamed), Sigeberht I of the East Saxons, Sigeheard of the East Saxons,
Swæfred of the East Saxons.
118
Each of the five categories of activity associated with kings is represented by two graphs,
corresponding to the two spreadsheets used to collate and amalgamate the information derived from the
Historia ecclesiastica. The first graph illustrates the ‘raw’ chapter-by-chapter information, while the
second groups these individual entries according to king so as to minimise the distorting effects of
repetition and Bede’s differential interest in certain figures. Generally, the pairs of graphs for each
category of activity demonstrate similar ratios between their respective sub-categories, but some
variation is at times in evidence.
Fig.17, Categories of Activity Associated with Kings in Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica
(excluding the sub-category of ‘narrative reference point’)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Assocition with
Religion
Warfare Extra-Dynastic
Relations
Intra-Dynastic
Relations
Other
Peter J W Burch
154
associated with the process of conversion and the active support of the Church. It is thus
hardly surprising that baptism and the foundation of episcopal sees and monasteries also
often feature in Bede’s narrative, as does a degree of interference or influence in the
running and affairs of the early Anglo-Saxon Church. The retirement of kings to a
Fig.18, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica – Association with
Religion
Fig.19, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped by King –
Association with Religion
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
155
monastic life is also relatively commonplace. Less common, perhaps due to its greater
mundanity, are references to the royal founding of churches. There are also a few
references to kingly miracles, primarily those associated with Oswald of Northumbria,
but also that of Sebbi of the East Saxons, and to the veneration of kings – Oswald and
Edwin of Northumbria. Both the active pursuit of non-Christian religion or apostasy are
also relatively infrequent, the only such individuals being Cenwalh of the West Saxons,
Penda of Mercia, and Eadbald of Kent with the former, and Sæberht of the East Saxons’
three successors, Rædwald of the East Angles, Osric of Deira, Eanfrith of Bernicia, and
Sigehere of the East Saxons with the latter.
Many of the activities in the category of ‘association with religion’ are in
accordance with Bede’s reform agenda. This does not mean that these features should
be discounted. Such instances are mirrored in both earlier and later sources and it is
difficult to envisage how the early Anglo-Saxon Church could have flourished without
royal support. However, it should be recognised that Anglo-Saxon kings presumably felt
they were getting something worthwhile in exchange for this support, be it temporal or
spiritual. Certainly, as already seen, the instances of royal interference surely indicate a
kingly, and perhaps ecclesiastical, expectation of control and direction over the early
Anglo-Saxon Church. The instances of monastic retirement or pilgrimage, with their
often areligious motivations, can also be viewed as instances of royal entitlement and a
sense of ownership over the early Anglo-Saxon Church.
It was also seemingly possible to gain political currency from an association with
Christianity. While apostasy or the active pursuit of non-Christian religion were
relatively uncommon occurrences in the Historia ecclesiastica, with two notable
exceptions – Penda of Mercia and Rædwald of the East Angles – such instances are
connected to the succession of a new king in a recently converted kingdom. They can
perhaps be best explained by the incremental advantages to be accrued by differentiating
oneself from one’s predecessor; such a strategy would exploit any feelings of unease or
discontent with the recent religious changes. The instances of veneration of royal figures,
and the associated miracles, might also be seen in this broad context. Such cults were
not necessarily directly promoted by the venerated king’s successors, although they were
nonetheless promoted by royal figures such as the cult of Saint Oswald at Bardney,
Lincolnshire, which was sponsored by Osthryth, Oswiu of Northumbria’s daughter, in
Peter J W Burch
156
conjunction with her husband Æthelred of Mercia.119
Nonetheless, they exploited the
politically advantageous conjunction of royal and ecclesiastical spheres. Such instances
exemplify what might be gained by early Anglo-Saxon kings by supporting and
associating themselves with the early Anglo-Saxon church.
Unsurprisingly, the sub-categories of activities associated with kings in the
Historia ecclesiastica fluctuate through the course of its narrative. Thus conversion,
support of the Church, baptism, and see and monastery foundation all feature strongly in
the early sections of the Historia ecclesiastica. By contrast, these features are largely
absent from later sections, while interference with the workings of the Church and
monastic retirement are much more common. A complex and maturing relationship
between kings and religion can, therefore, be surmised. Projecting this image backwards
into the fifth and sixth centuries, though, is difficult. It is true that there are a number of
instances of kings gaining political currency from an association with non-Christian
religion, but these only occur after early Anglo-Saxon kings have begun to adopt
Christianity. It cannot be ascertained, therefore, whether these instances are indications
of an ongoing association with religion or a change in response to Christianity. The only
possible exceptions are the figures of Penda of Mercia and Rædwald of the East Angles.
However, neither of these figures would fit into such a pattern. There are no indications
that Penda actively used his non-Christian allegiance for political gain. Indeed, Bede
notes his religious toleration and it must be remembered that he permitted his son, Peada
of the Middle Angles, to convert to Christianity.120
Rædwald meanwhile, as has been
discussed, was seemingly converted through a show of Kentish power and so his partial
apostasy is hardly surprising. It is simply not possible to examine the relationship
between kings and non-Christian religion prior to the seventh century through the
Historia ecclesiastica. If Bede knew about such things, he chose not to address them.
The next most common category of activity is that of ‘intra-dynastic relations’.
There is a large number of references to the succession of kings, a significant number of
references to instances of dynastic rivalry or competition, together with a lesser number
of instances of exile or joint kingly rule (Fig.20-21). The successions of 43 kings, in
addition to the unnamed successors of Cenwealh of the West Saxons, are mentioned,
accounting for 60% of the kings in the Historia ecclesiastica.121
This emphasis is
119
HE, III.11. Further: Thacker, 'Membra disjecta', pp. 97-107; Kelly, 'Osthryth'.
120
HE, III.21. Peada subsequently ruled the southern portion of Mercia: HE, III.24.
121
This excludes the 29 unnamed duces regii killed at the Battle of Winwæd: HE, III.24.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
157
undoubtedly a product of Bede’s use of the reigns of kings as chronological devices.
However, succession has a broader significance. A clear succession protocol is central
to kingship; it is the mechanism by which power and authority are passed from one
individual to another. Bede’s literary strategy is thus based on this essential feature of
kingship. Where it is possible to tell, in 15 of the 44 recorded instances, a son inherited
Fig.20, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica – Intra-Dynastic Relations
Fig.21, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped by King – IntraDynastic
Relations
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
Succession Dynastic
Rivalry/Competition
Exile Joint Kingship
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Succession Dynastic
Rivalry/Competition
Exile Joint Kingship
Peter J W Burch
158
from his father. In some kingdoms, such as Mercia and Kent, the patterns of succession
seem remarkably orderly. For four generations of the kings of Kent, Æthelberht I to
Ecgbert, sons succeeded their fathers. Similarly, the kingdom of Mercia was
successively ruled by Penda, his three sons Peada, Wulfhere, and Æthelred, Wulfhere’s
son Cenred, and Æthelred’s son Ceolred. Even amongst this seeming orderliness,
though, there is no absolute succession protocol. Of the 44 successions mentioned by
Bede, where such information is available, in four instances a brother, in one a brotherin-law,
and in one a nephew succeeded instead of the son of the previous king.122
Age and potential experience, might, therefore, have been preferred at times over
direct descent. There were certainly distinct advantages to having a capable and vital
monarch, while there were notable disadvantages to having a minor as king. It has been
suggested for example that Cenred of Mercia was initially too young to accede to the
kingship and so his uncle Æthelred took on the kingship, although this is purely
speculation.123
It was equally possible to acquire kingship of a kingdom by force. Even
in the seemingly orderly successions of Mercia and Kent, Wulfhere, Eadric and Whitred
were established through armed conflict. Edwin of Northumbria came to the throne
through similar means, as did Cædwalla of the West Saxons and Osred of Northumbria.
Indeed, 19 different kings are referred to as being involved in some sort of dynastic
dispute or rivalry while six kings are explicitly mentioned by Bede as being in exile prior
to their succession and this may also be inferred in further cases.124
In addition, Eorpwold
of the East Angles, Oswine of Deira, Peada of Mercia and Sigeberht II of the East Saxons
were all explicitly mentioned as having been murdered.125
Dynastic discord, therefore, seems to have been relatively commonplace and
force seems to have been an effective way of securing the succession. Any concept of a
succession protocol, therefore, was most certainly tempered by pragmatic Realpolitik. A
number of the instances of royal abdication previously examined might also at times be
situated in this context as attempts to engineer the succession or resolve disputes. In
addition, it should also be borne in mind that it was possible for kings to rule jointly.126
122
The successions of Oswald of Northumbria, Oswiu of Northumbria, Æthelred of Mercia, Cenred of
Mercia, Ewdin of Northumbria and Hlothhere of Kent.
123
Kelly, 'Coenred'.
124
Cædwalla of the West Saxons, Cenwalh of the West Saxons, Eanfrith of Bernicia, Edwin of
Northumbria, Oswald of Northumbria, and Sigeberht of the East Angles. It is also possible to infer exile
for Oswiu of Northumbria and Aldfrith of Northumbria amongst others.
125
There was also an attempted assassination of Edwin by Cwichelm of the West Saxons, while Penda of
Mercia murdered the Northumbrian prince Eadfrith.
126
Further: Yorke, 'Kingdom of the East Saxons', pp.17-27; Yorke, 'Joint Kingship in Kent'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
159
Bede records instances of joint kingship amongst the people of Kent, the East Saxons,
the West Saxons and the Hwicce. Thus, succession seemingly did not follow a rigid
format, but was contextually determined and highly malleable. Nonetheless it would
appear that only certain people could inherit the kingship, namely those from a
recognised royal family.127
Indeed, the concept of royalty was sufficiently well
established by the early eighth century as to accommodate a minor king. Osred of
Northumbria came to the Northumbrian throne aged eight after a coup engineered by
Bishop Wilfrid, Abbess Ælfflæd, and ealdorman Beorhtfrith, and ruled until his death in
716.128
The concept of royalty, of course, potentially extends beyond kings to encompass
royal women as well, and perhaps particularly the king’s wife.129
Indeed, royal women
often appear in the Historia ecclesiastica, many of them as abbesses or saints.130
Taking
a broader view, royal women can be seen as integral to the furthering of dynastic interests
through the exercise of such roles.131
Royal women generally, and the king’s wife in
particular, also had important roles to play outside of a monastic environment. As with
kings, they were involved in the exercise of religion and could also wield secular power,
most notably in the case of Seaxburh.132
In addition, royal women were significant in
the links and alliances with other dynasties that they could bring through marriage. Royal
women generally, therefore, had the potential to augment and greatly enhance the power
of early Anglo-Saxon kings. Moreover, the concept of royalty forces one to look more
broadly, beyond kingship, to fully appreciate the exercise of power in early Anglo-Saxon
society.
The fluid nature of kingly succession as seen in the Historia ecclesiastica might
lead one to assume that kingship was a relatively recent development in the seventh
127
There may be one or two exceptions to this. It is unclear, for example, who the successors to
Cenwealh of the West Saxons were. This also distinguishes early Anglo-Saxon kingship from Roman
Emperors where a stable succession protocol was never established. Indeed, in this early Anglo-Saxon
kingship has more in common with inheritance practices amongst the Roman aristocracy. This would
strengthen the comments of the previous sections regarding the continuation of Roman power structures
in certain contexts as potential origins to Anglo-Saxon kingship. I am grateful to Higham for bringing
this to my attention.
128
VW, 59-60; Rollason, 'Osred'.
129
The question of whether a distinct concept of queenship was in evidence in this period can be set to
one side as outside of the scope of this study. On queens more broadly: Nelson, 'Queens'; Earenfight,
Queenship in Medieval Europe, pp. 1-78; Stafford, Queens, Concubines and Dowagers, pp. 60-174.
130
Appendix X; Ortenberg, 'Virgin Queens'; Pelteret, 'Bede's women'.
131
Nicholson, 'Feminae gloriosae'.
132
Seaxburh’s name appears in the West Saxon regnal list: Dumville, 'West Saxon Genealogical Regnal
List'; discussion Dumville, 'Chronology of Early Wessex'. Also Yorke, 'Seaxburh'.
Peter J W Burch
160
century. However, a degree of malleability and uncertainty regarding the succession can
be seen throughout the Anglo-Saxon period, so this need not be the case. How the
concept of royalty and its association with succession emerged is also fundamental. It
might conceivably have developed out of war-leadership; had a war-leader managed to
transfer their authority to a designated successor to whom they were related, then a
precedent would have been set. The initial transfer of authority would have been
potentially difficult to engineer but subsequent transfers would have been progressively
easier. A war-leader is by definition dependent upon their own merits and abilities for
their position and these cannot easily be transferred between generations; the designated
successor, first and foremost, would have had to have been equally able to justify their
position through such qualities. However, once a precedent had been set these qualities
would potentially have been less significant. Conversely, had the concept of kingship
been imported wholesale to early Anglo-Saxon England, then the idea of succession
would have been part and parcel of this importation and such a precedent would not
necessarily have needed to be set. These scenarios are not of course mutually exclusive,
both finding support in the available evidence, nor should the same explanation be
expected to apply universally.
Relationships between royal families also feature relatively strongly in the
Historia ecclesiastica (Fig.22-23). Bede records 11 distinct kings who engaged in what
might be termed kingly ‘one-up-man-ship’. Both Rædwald and Anna of the East Angles
sheltered kings who were in exile, Edwin of Northumbria and Cenwealh of the West
Saxons respectively. Instances of one king standing as godfather to another, or
persuading a fellow king to convert to Christianity, can also be seen as examples of this
behaviour,133
as can one king inciting a fellow king to attack another king on their
behalf,134
as well as the attempted assassination of Edwin of Northumbria and Penda of
Mercia’s assassination of Eanfrith of Northumbria.135
All of these activities were
designed to gain some form of advantage or leverage over another king. There is also a
variety of instances where kings can be seen to be acting in concert. Often associated
with these instances were the connections of kings and royal families through the
marriages of royal women. 17 out of 44, or 44%, of the kings who are referred to in more
133
Oswald HE, III.7; Æthelwold III.22; Oswiu III.22; Wulfhere, IV.13.
134
Eadric HE, IV.26; Penda II.20.
135
The poisoning of Hereric, nephew of Edwin of Northumbria and father of Hild, Abbess of Whitby
might also be placed in this category: HE, IV.23.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
161
than one chapter of the Historia ecclesiastica are mentioned as being connected to other
dynasties in this way. This in part reflects Bede’s interests, as dynastic relations of this
sort were often used to contextualise events. Nonetheless, such dynastic ties could be a
source of rapprochement or discord, alliance or advantage, depending on the wider
political context within which they existed.136
136
Penda of Mercia reportedly attacked and defeated Cenwealh of Wessex, pushing him temporarily into
exile, due to his repudiation of his marriage with Penda’s sister: HE, III.7. Similarly, the Northumbrian
and Mercian royal houses were united through the marriages of Penda’s son Peada to Alhflæd, Oswiu of
Fig.22, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica – Extra-Dynastic
Relations
Fig.23, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped by King – ExtraDynastic
Relations
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Over-Kingship Sub-Kingship Kingly
Rivalry/Competition
Dynastic Ties
0
5
10
15
20
25
Over-Kingship Sub-Kingship Kingly
Rivalry/Competition
Dynastic Ties
Peter J W Burch
162
Adding further complications to these kingly relationships was the existence of
differing levels of kingly power. Bede records 13 separate kings who exercised a degree
of control over other kingdoms or peoples and conversely five kings who were
subordinate to the authority of others. Other over-kings might also be hypothesised, such
as Penda of Mercia, based upon the range and extent of their influence. Indeed, the range
of power wielded by kings in the Historia ecclesiastica varied enormously. Early AngloSaxon
kingship was clearly sufficiently flexible to accommodate this variability. Bede
uses the term imperium to describe the power wielded by these figures and provides a
list of seven imperium-wielding kings in chapter five of Book Two of the Historia
ecclesiastica.137
This same list also appears in a later entry of the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle, with the addition of Ecgberht of Wessex, where these figures are described as
being Bretwaldas in the A version and as Brytenwaldas in the other versions.138
Bretwalda can now be seen as a scribal error, leaving Brytenwalda as the appropriate
term.139
Whether this should be interpreted as ‘wide-ruler’ or ‘Britain-ruler’ is a source
of contention, although ‘Britain-ruler’ might be preferred.140
In the current context this
does not matter significantly, as in either respect it adds to the applicability of ideas of
over-kingship and emphasises the variability in levels of kingly power.141
The role of warfare should also be included in this context as this formed a major
part of the relationships between early Anglo-Saxon kings (Fig.24-25). There are 73
Northumbria’s daughter and Oswiu’s son Alhfrith to Cyneburh, Penda’s daughter, and through Peada’s
adoption of Christianity, much to Oswiu’s advantage: HE, III.21. This may in fact have proved
ultimately provocative: HE, III.24; Craig, 'Oswiu'.
By contrast, Edwin of Northumbria’s marriage to Æthelburh, daughter of Æthelberht of Kent,
led to enduring ties between Northumbria, particularly Edwin’s immediate family, and Kent: HE, II.9,
II.20. Likewise, Oswiu’s marriage to Eanflæd, Edwin’s daughter, gave Oswiu and his descendants a
claim to both Bernicia and Deira that rested upon more than force of arms, effectively uniting the two
royal houses and Northumbria: HE, II.15. There is in fact some doubt over Oswiu’s parentage, it having
been suggested that he was only a bastard son of Æthelfrifth. A marriage to Eanflæd would, therefore,
have been particularly important, as in the absence of Æthelfrith’s Deiran wife’s, Acha’s, heritage he
would have little claim to rule Deira: Craig, 'Oswiu'; Fraser, Caledonia to Pictland, pp. 175-82.
137
HE, II.5; Higham, English Empire, pp. 47-68. Adomnán in his Vita Columbae, I.1, also refers to
Oswald as imperator, although Bede avoids the term. Edition and translation: Anderson and Anderson
(eds), Adomnán's Life of Columba.
138
ASC, s.a. 827.
139
Yorke, 'Vocabulary of Overlordship', pp. 171-75; and more decisively Dumville, 'Terminology of
Overkingship', pp. 352-53.
140
Charles-Edwards, '"The Continuation of Bede"', pp. 141-42, 144-45. Also Wormald, 'Origins of the
Gens Anglorum', pp. 131-32.
The idea the that term Bretwalda/Brytenwalda denotes some sort of formal title or position, note
19 this section, can no longer be sustained: Yorke, 'Origins of Overlordship'; Wormald, 'Origins of the
Gens Anglorum'; Yorke, 'Vocabulary of Overlordship'. This, however, does not negate the presence of
individual kings who could claim suzerainty over much of early Anglo-Saxon England.
141
Further: Higham, Ecgfrith, pp. 17-25. Also Charles-Edwards, Wales and the Britons, pp. 522-23;
Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms, pp. 157-62.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
163
warfare-related references in the Historia ecclesiastica with which 32 of the 73 kings are
associated, excluding the 29 unnamed duces regii who died at the Battle of Winwæd.
There was the potential to make considerable gains through warfare in terms of territory
– and thus access to resources – prestige and power, but the consequences of defeat were
Fig.24, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica – Warfare
Fig.25, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped by King –
Warfare
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Victory Defeat Territorial Conquest Assasination
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Victory Defeat Territorial Conquest Assasination
Peter J W Burch
164
high.142
Success in warfare, and its implied reciprocal of protection, should thus be
considered fundamental aspects of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. The kings of the
Historia ecclesiastica, therefore, can be seen to exist in a complex, multi-layered and
interconnected web of shifting relationships maintained by marriage, alliance, intrigue,
suzerainty, and warfare.
Several facets of this complexity, namely over-kingship and the expansion of
certain kingdoms, are particularly notable. Kent, Northumbria, Mercia, the East Angles
and the West Saxons can all be seen exerting power over their neighbours at various
points in the Historia ecclesiastica. This power varied from temporary subordination to
permanent conquest and incorporation. This activity can be seen instructively in the light
of Bassett’s model of conquest and amalgamation.143
Indeed, by this model the political
units of the Historia ecclesiastica can be seen as the final stages of a much larger process
whereby a series of small, ‘tribal’, units gradually amalgamated into larger units through
conquest. In this view, the more successful of these kingships continued to expand at the
expense of their neighbours resulting in a small number of regionally dominant
kingships. It is this later stage which is observable in the Historia ecclesiastica. As
previously discussed, there are difficulties with this model, but it remains broadly useful.
It is certainly possible to see small political units, and occasionally their leaders, in the
Historia ecclesiastica. Æthelthryth, the future consort of Ecgfrith of Northumbria and
subsequently Abbess of Ely, was initially married to one Tondberht, princeps of the
South Gyrwe.144
The 29 duces regii killed at the Battle of Winwæd might also fit into
this category. The kings of the Isle of Wight and the Hwicce can be similarly added, as
might the British king mentioned in chapter twenty-three of Book Four, who if the
Historia Brittonum can be believed on this point, would be the king of Elmet.145
All of
these figures existed under the power of another king, although they should not all be
considered of equal status. Even the kings of the South and East Saxons do not seem to
have been truly independent and thus might also be included in this list.
It is also possible to point to political units on a purely geographical basis.
Northumbria was the product of the amalgamation of two smaller units, Bernicia and
142
Strikingly illustrated by Arwald of the Isle of Wight’s defeat to Cædwalla of the West Saxons; he, his
sons, and a great many of his people were exterminated in what seems very much like an act of genocide:
HE, IV.16.
143
Bassett, 'In Search of Origins', pp. 23-24.
144
HE, IV.19. The South Gyrwe are also mentioned in the Tribal Hidage.
145
HB, 63.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
165
Deira, and both of these can also be seen to have expanded through conquest at the
expense of other areas as previously discussed. Kent was similarly formed of two parts,
East and West Kent.146
Lindsey, as has also been discussed, can be seen as a coherent
political unit, albeit under the control of larger kingships in this period. It might also be
postulated that the distribution of bishoprics in the later seventh and early eighth
centuries is indicative of previous, smaller, political units. Thus, Lindsey, the Middle
Angles, the Hwicce, the Picts, East and West Kent, the South Saxons, the East Saxons,
Bernicia, Deira and the former British kingdom of Rheged through the bishopric of
Whithorn, all had their own bishops. The existence of these individuals and units would
certainly seem to accord with Bassett’s model.147
However, there are difficulties with this thesis in addition to those previously
discussed. It is inarguable that the seventh and early eighth centuries were certainly
characterised by the expansion of certain kingships at the expense of others and the
consolidation of kingly power by certain kingdoms. It does not automatically follow,
however, that this process can be projected backwards to atomised social beginnings in
the fifth and sixth centuries. This is particularly true when the potentially early origins
of Anglo-Saxon kingship are borne in mind and the various indications of a variety of
early power structures previously highlighted are borne in mind. It also needs to be
remembered that many of the periods of dominance by one kingdom over another were
only temporary in nature. Thus while Æthelberht of Kent exercised over-kingship over
the South Saxons, and may have had claims to wider suzerainty at the beginning of the
seventh century, by the first half of the eighth century Kent and the South Saxons had
been incorporated into the orbit of the Mercian kings.148
Similarly, Northumbria reached
an apogee of power under Oswiu and Ecgfrith to which it would never return. East
Anglia, meanwhile, does not seem to have either expanded or contracted notably during
the seventh or early eighth centuries, although it did wield significant power under
Rædwald, and Æthelthryth’s marriage to Tondberht of the South Gyrwe might be
construed as an attempt to expand its influence.149
146
Brooks, 'Early Structure of the Kingdom of Kent', pp. 67-74. Also Welch, 'Kent to AD 800', passim.
Further: Suzuki, Quoit Brooch Style, passim.
147
Further units are apparent in the Tribal Hidage.
148
Archaeological affinities between Kent and Jutish Wight and Hampshire are also discernible in the
sixth century, suggesting further possible Kentish influence. Further: Yorke, 'Jutes of Hampshire and
Wight'.
149
The promotion of the cult of St. Guthlac might be viewed in a similar light: Higham, 'Guthlac’s Vita,
Mercia and East Anglia'.
Peter J W Burch
166
There is little reason to believe that the fifth and sixth centuries were any different
in this respect. Indeed, Bede reports that Ælle of the South Saxons and Ceawlin of the
West Saxons wielded over-kingship previous to Æthelberht I, although Bede’s remove
from this period renders this highly problematic. Imposing a linear developmental
trajectory, as Bassett’s model does, artificially simplifies a complex dynamic. Kingships
fluctuated in power and kingdoms in size, but there was not an inevitable coherent
outcome or a fixed point of origin. Indeed, in light of the previous section, various
different entities of different sorts and sizes are exactly what one would expect to find in
the seventh and early eighth centuries. Further, it is perfectly feasible that quite large
units were also amongst those present in the fifth and sixth centuries. Kingship,
therefore, may well have originated as a relatively large-scale phenomenon. While
conquest and amalgamation had an important role to play they do not on their own form
a viable developmental paradigm but need to be seen as part of a more complex system.
The final category of kingly activity is that of ‘other’ (Fig.26-27). Putting aside
the categories of ‘narrative reference point’ and ‘peace and protection’, which have
already been addressed, this contained a wide variety of references to different activities.
It is particularly difficult to evaluate the significance of these activities due to their
incidental nature, although many of them do accord with information elsewhere. There
is, for example, a reference to the issuing of written laws, four of which in fact remain
extant from the period. Similarly, there is a single reference to itinerant kingship. There
were also two passing references to the role of feasting which would certainly accord
with what was seen in the discussion of both elite settlements and Gildas’s De excidio.
The role of letters has of course been previously discussed in this section as has the
educated nature of certain kings. There are also four references to kings consulting their
followers regarding important decisions. These may be disregarded as literary devices
connected with Bede’s conversion narrative although it is possible they also signify
something of greater significance; with only four references, all in highly manipulated
contexts, it is impossible to be certain. While suggestive, therefore, these various
instances reveal little of the nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship and so do not shed
light on its origins. The only possible exception to this is the role of gifts. There were
twelve references to gifts in the Historia ecclesiastica. These were in a variety of
contexts emanating from a variety of different individuals, all given to kings.150
It is thus
150
The instances of kingly support of the Church can be seen as gift-giving by kings.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
167
possible that gifts played a role in early Anglo-Saxon kingship, although the nature and
extent of that role is not apparent in the Historia ecclesiastica.
One further issue needs to be addressed before moving on to the next section. As
has been previously discussed, early Anglo-Saxon kings did not exist in isolation but
rather alongside a range of Insular and Continental kingships. Indeed, emulation of these
kingly exemplars was posited as one possible origin for, or at the very least influence on,
early Anglo-Saxon kingship. Interactions between British and Anglo-Saxon kings have
already been surmised, particularly through Gildas’s De excidio and through Aldhelm’s
Letter to Geraint of Dumnonia, while the influence of particularly the Frankish kingdom
upon early Anglo-Saxon England has also been posited. It is possible to develop these
observations further through the Historia ecclesiastica. First, however, several more
general observations need to be made. Bede actually had relatively little to say directly
Fig.26, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica – Other
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
Peter J W Burch
168
relating to the Britons and other Insular groups, and even less concerning those of the
Continent, his account being a history of gens Anglorum. Bede is often highly critical of
the British; he uses Gildas’s De excidio to accuse them of various shortcomings and in
particular criticises them for their failure to introduce the Anglo-Saxons to
Christianity.151
The Irish – broadly conceived so as to include the inhabitants of Iona –
by contrast, are frequently praised by Bede for their Christianity, sanctity, simplicity and
particularly their missionary work in Northumbria.152
Specific Continental figures are
also praised for their work in Christianising Anglo-Saxon England, particularly Pope
Gregory I, Augustine of Canterbury and Theodore of Tarsus, but Bede does not make
broader value judgements in the same way as he does for the Britons or the Irish.153
Bede’s comments regarding Insular and Continental kingship need to be seen in
this context. Two examples are particularly pertinent. The first concerns Bede’s
portrayal of Cædwallon of Gwynedd and the second is Bede’s editing and inclusion of
Ceolfrith’s letter to the Pictish king Nechtan.154
Cædwallon is the anti-hero of the middle
portion of the Historia ecclesiastica, only vanquished by the saintly Oswald.
Cædwallon, in effect, epitomises Bede’s interpretation of a ‘bad’ king. He is cruel and
merciless – killing innocent women and children, ravaging Northumbria and ruling it as
151
As HE, I.12-16, particularly I.22, and II.2, V.23. Further: Foley and Higham, 'Bede on the Britons'.
152
Variously HE, I.1, III.4-5, 14-17, 19, 26 Further: Stancliffe, Bede, Wilfrid, and the Irish.
153
HE, II.1, 3, IV.2 respectively.
154
HE, II.20, III.1 and V.21 respectively. Bede may also have been involved in the original composition
of the letter: Wallace-Hadrill, Bede's Ecclesiastical History, p. 196.
Fig.27, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped by King – Other
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
169
a tyrant – despite his Christian status; indeed, Bede was particularly critical of the
juxtaposition between his Christian faith and his un-Christian actions. Bede’s editing
and inclusion of the letter to Nechtan, meanwhile, forms a contrasting template of ‘good’
kingship. It advises Nechtan on the ‘correct’ calculation of the date of Easter, the nature
of the tonsure and thus implicitly also asserts the primacy of Roman Catholicism. ‘Good’
kings are Roman Christians, instruct their people in Christian observance and listen to
the advice of their leading clergy. Both of these examples can be construed as being part
of Bede’s previously discussed wider instructional programme. As such, they are
addressed to a contemporary Anglo-Saxon audience.
A further inference is, therefore, possible based on this observation. Bede’s
portrayal of Cædwallon contrasts with his portrayal of Penda of Mercia, with whom
Cædwallon acted in concert. Bede’s treatment of Penda is remarkably sympathetic; he
praises him for his toleration of Christians and avoids overt criticism, despite his
involvement in the undoing of Bede’s favoured protagonists Edwin and Oswald of
Northumbria.155
The deduction to be drawn is that Bede was reluctant to antagonise or
offend current Anglo-Saxon kings, Northumbrian or otherwise, while he was less afraid
of criticising British kings. It is also surely not a coincidence that Bede constructed his
example of bad kingship amongst a group widely regarded as heretical – due to their
calculation of the date of Easter – while the good example of Nechtan concerns an
example of conversion to the ‘correct’ calculation.156
These observations once again reminds us of the extent of Bede’s manipulation
of his source material and the constructed nature of the kings which appear in the Historia
ecclesiastica. As with the rest of this section, therefore, Bede’s interpretation of events
needs to be treated with caution. Nonetheless, meaningful insight remains possible by
looking at Bede’s Insular and Continental kings removed from their literary contexts.
This prompts several observations. Firstly, the Historia ecclesiastica provides details of
the previously discussed expansion of Northumbria, at the expense of their British,
Pictish and Dál Riatan neighbours.157
Similar observations were made with respect to
the kingdom of the West Saxons, while a comparable expansion of Mercia can also be
postulated through a conjunction of the Historia ecclesiastica, the Tribal Hidage and
155
HE, II.20, III.21.
156
I am grateful to Higham for bringing this to my attention.
157
See discussions in Higham, Ecgfrith, passim; Rollason, Northumbria, 500-1100, pp. 20-43. Also
Fraser, Caledonia to Pictland, pp. 121-99; Dumville, 'Origins of Northumbria', particularly pp. 219-21.
Peter J W Burch
170
various royal diplomas.158
Indeed, it has been suggested that this western and northern
expansion underpins the differential success of these three kingships during the period
under examination, in that it provided them with ready access to new territory and
resources, particularly mineral resources, and provided an increased ability to exact
tribute.159
While more explicitly related to the development of early Anglo-Saxon
kingdoms, this does reveal an important facet of early Anglo-Saxon kingship,
specifically that it was capable of encompassing and embracing a range of groups and
territories beyond the explicitly Anglo-Saxon. Nor was this pan-regional model of
kingship necessarily exclusive to the Anglo-Saxons. A comparable mode of rule can
also be posited for British figures such as Urien of Rheged, although the sources required
to do so are exceedingly problematic.160
Secondly, varying degrees of collaboration between Anglo-Saxon and
neighbouring kingships can also be inferred through the Historia ecclesiastica. That
Cædwallon of Gwynedd and Penda of Mercia acted in concert has already been
mentioned.161
A similar relationship can be suggested between Oswald of Northumbria
and the kings of Dál Riata.162
Many of the instances of royal exile previously noted also
involved stays in non-Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, both Insular and Continental.163
A degree
of intermarriage between Northumbrian kings and their Insular neighbours can be
postulated, although this does involve venturing beyond the Historia ecclesiastica.164
Intermarriage with Insular kingships, certainly with respect to Mercia and the West
Saxons, is also inherently credible, although the evidence to support this is largely
lacking. Likewise, a marital link to a Continental kingship can be found in the marriage
of Æthelberht I of Kent to Bertha, although given the respective sizes and statuses of
Frankia and Kent Æthelberht I was surely the junior party in this relationship.165
Taking
158
Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms, pp. 103-17. Also Brooks, 'Formation of the Mercian Kingdom', pp.
164-70; but c.f. Higham, Ecgfrith, pp. 72-73. Diplomas and the Tribal Hidage are addressed below.
159
Maddicott, 'Two Frontier States'. Further: Maddicott, 'Wealth of King Alfred'; with Balzaretti and
Nelson, 'Wealth of King Alfred'; and Maddicott, 'Wealth of King Alfred: Reply'. More broadly
Maddicott, 'Prosperity and Power'.
160
Fraser, Caledonia to Pictland, pp. 124-33. Also Higham, '"Overkingship" in Wales'.
161
As HE, II.20; also HE, III.1.
162
Higham, Ecgfrith, p. 66. Further: Fraser, Caledonia to Pictland, pp. 157-58, 166-74.
163
As Sigeberht of the East Angles, HE, II.15, III.18; Eanfrith of Bernicia, HE, III.1; Oswald of
Northumbria, HE, III.3; Aldfrith of Northumbria, Anon.VC, III.6, Bede.VC, 24. Also HE, II.20. Further:
Ó Cróinín, Kings Depart.
164
It is possible that Eanfrith of Bernicia married a Pictich women, and sired the Pictich king Talorcan.
Oswiu of Northumbria also seems to have married a British women, Rieinmellt of Rheged, as HB, 57.
Discussion: Fraser, Caledonia to Pictland, pp. 158, 176-79 respectively; also Dumville, 'Origins of
Northumbria', p. 220.
165
HE, I.25.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
171
these points together, therefore, the distinction between British and Anglo-Saxon
kingships does not seem to have been as great in practice as it appears in the Historia
ecclesiastica. The previously noted regional variety of Anglo-Saxon kingships only
strengthens this supposition. Furthermore, the links between Continental, Insular and
Anglo-Saxon kingships suggest that they might profitably be seen as various points on a
spectrum of differing but related kingships rather than in isolation from one another.
Developing certain aspects of this further, it is possible to suggest that several
early Anglo-Saxon kingships may, in fact, have had British origins or underpinnings.
This possibility has already been briefly explored with respect to Northumbria, amongst
other kingships. The linguistic evidence regarding other kingships, including Mercia and
the West Saxons, derived particularly from the genealogies, will be discussed in the
following section. At this point it is simply necessary to note that various mechanisms
were potentially involved in realising these origins or underpinnings. The development
of Anglo-Saxon Northumbria, as was noted during the discussion of elite settlements, is
arguably most explicable through the agency of conquest. The origins of Mercia,
meanwhile, with its British allies and British names in its royal genealogy suggests a
more direct, and peaceful, British origin, perhaps through some sort of ‘Anglo-British’
royal house.166
Between these contrasting possibilities, further channels of influence are
possible, ranging through ethnic re-identification, intermarriage or simple cultural
borrowings. Although none of these channels dispel the impression of violence in AngloSaxon/Insular
relationships implicit in the Historia ecclesiastica, they do highlight their
complexity and the various ways in which Insular kingships informed the origins of early
Anglo-Saxon kingship.
Hagiography in the Early Eighth Century
There also exist a series of hagiographical texts dating to the early eighth century. The
earliest of these are the Vita sancti Gregorii,167
produced by an unknown author at
Streanæshalch,168
and the Vita sancti Cuthberti auctore anonymo, by a monk of
166
Higham, Ecgfrith, pp. 72-73.
167
Colgrave (ed.) Earliest Life of Gregory the Great. Chapter 18 indicates a date of composition in the
period 704-14 as when the text was written Abbess Æfflæd seemingly ruled over the Streanæshalch
community, but Abbess Eanflæd did not. An earlier date range of 680-704 has been suggested by
Lapidge, 'Anglo-Latin Background', p. 15, but this is not justified.
168
Streanæshalch has traditionally been associated with modern Whitby where remains of an early highstatus
site would seem to confirm this. However, there are difficulties relating the name Streanæshalch
to the Whitby site and the association rests on a reference in Doomsday Book and another in Symeon of
Peter J W Burch
172
Lindisfarne.169
This was followed by Stephen of Ripon’s Vita Wilfridi,170
and two texts
dealing with the abbots of the Wearmouth-Jarrow, Bede’s Historia abbatum and the
anonymous Vita Ceolfridi.171
Slightly later was the Vita sancti Cuthberti auctore
Beda,172
while at the end of the period came the Vita sancti Guthlaci.173
As it is
convenient to address these texts together, the late date of the Vita Guthlaci necessitates
that these texts are addressed after the Historia ecclesiastica.174
These texts exhibit many
of the problems previously seen with the Historia ecclesiastica, and the insights which
can be gained from them are similarly limited. Nonetheless, as with the Historia
ecclesiastica, they must be examined because of the important role they have played in
historiographical debates.
The majority of these texts were written within a reasonable time-span of their
subjects’ deaths.175
In such cases the authors seem to have known the subject personally,
Durham’s Historia regum. Strensall in North Yorkshire has also been suggested as the site of
Streanæshalch, which is topographically plausible. Discussion: Barnwell, Butler, and Dunn, 'Confusion
of Conversion'.
169
Colgrave (ed.) Two Lives of St. Cuthbert. The text was written at least a year after the translation of
Cuthbert’s relics in 698 and before the death of Aldfrith of Northumbria, giving a range of 699-705.
170
Colgrave (ed.) Life of Bishop Wilfrid. The VW can be dated to 712 -14 as the lunar rainbow referred
to in chapter 68 in all likelihood occurred in 712 but Abbess Æfflæd, referred to in chapter 59, was
seemingly still Abbess of Whitby when Stephen wrote: Stancliffe, 'Dating Wilfrid's Death and Stephen's
Life', pp. 22-25. It has been suggested that Stephen revised the text in the 730s: Kirby, 'Eddius
Stephanus and the Life of Wilfrid', pp. 107-12; but this can no longer be sustained: Stancliffe, 'Dating
Wilfrid's Death and Stephen's Life', pp. 24-25. On the ascription to Stephen of Ripon: Kirby, 'Eddius
Stephanus and the Life of Wilfrid', pp. 102-04.
171
Growcock and Wood (eds), Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow, pp. 22-75 and 78-121 respectively;
Bede's Homily I.13 on Bededict biscop, pp. 2-19 is also of relevance. The HA has traditionally been
dated to between 725 and c.731. However, it has recently been suggested that the HA in fact dates to
before the VCeol as it concludes its account at a slightly earlier point, excluding the papal letter carried
by the returning monks who had continued to Rome. This would place the HA quite exactly to late 716
or early 717: Growcock and Wood (eds), Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow, pp. xviii-xxii.
It has been suggested that Bede was the author of the VCeol, but the differing attitudes and
subtly differing styles of the two works make this unlikely: Growcock and Wood (eds), Abbots of
Wearmouth and Jarrow, pp. lxii-xcv; c.f. McClure, 'Bede and the Life of Ceolfrid', pp. 71-84.
172
Colgrave (ed.) Two Lives of St. Cuthbert. Bede.VC was written before 721 – when Eadfrith, Bishop
of Lindisfarne, to whom it is dedicated, died – but is later than the VW, to which it in part responds.
173
Colgrave (ed.) Felix's Life of Saint Guthlac. The prologue states that Felix.VG was written at the
request of Ælfwald of the East Angles, giving a broader date range of 713-749. Bede did not make use
of Felix.VG in the HE, putting the balance of probability in favour of the latter portion of this period.
174
Bede’s Vita metrica Cuthberti also dates to this period. Jaager (ed.) Bedas metrische Vita sancti
Cuthberti. Lines 552-55 make reference to Osred of Northumbria as ruling, placing the text to 705-16.
However, due to duplication with both Anon.VC and Bede.VC, there is little additional benefit to be
gained from this text.
The Mildrith Legends and Æthelwulf’s De Abbatibus also touch on the period in question, but
they are both too late to merit attention. Rollason, Mildrith Legend, pp. 15-51 with summaries and two
editions of previously unprinted texts 73-143; Campbell (ed.) De Abbatibus.
175
Variously Rollason and Dobson, 'Cuthbert'; Stancliffe, 'Dating Wilfrid's Death and Stephen's Life', pp.
17-22; Mayr-Harting, 'Guthlac'; Coates, 'Ceolfrith'. The only exception is the Anon.VG which was
written almost a century after Pope Gregory I’s death in 604, and still a significant period after the death
of Edwin of Northumbria, who is the main kingly protagonist of the work: Cramp, 'Eadwine'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
173
at least in their later lives, and to have had access to the accounts of others who similarly
knew the subject or subjects.176
The problems of oral history, as previously discussed,
thus need to be borne in mind, but their testament can also be given some credence. The
nature of these texts presents further problems. As hagiographies, they are designed to
advertise the sanctity of their protagonists, often in conjunction with an attempt to
establish or promote a cult, and are inevitably partisan in nature.177
Further,
conventionally, sanctity was established in hagiographical texts by making the subject
conform to established patterns or models of holiness.178
Accordingly, these texts are
formulaic, follow similar narrative patterns, contain a series of topoi, and copy verbatim,
or re-work, previous hagiographical texts.179
They are thus complex creations which
owe more to literary artifice than historical reality.180
It is, therefore, when these texts
depart from previous exemplars that they become most credible.181
It is also possible in
some instances to compare parallel but independent accounts.182
As with the Historia ecclesiastica, these texts are not primarily concerned with
kings. Indeed, with the exception of the Vita Wilfridi, kings rarely feature. When they
176
Further: Cubitt, 'Memory and Narrative', pp. 29-66, particularly 39-43, 50-57. Of all the sources
Felix.VG seems to rest on the thinnest selection of testimonies. It is also possible that Bede, for the HA,
and Stephen of Ripon had access to charters and other documents, although their narratives do not
require it.
177
Hagiographic texts could be both circulated in written form or more commonly read out, in whole or
in part, often at strategic liturgical occasions: Rollason, Mildrith Legend, p. 3-5. More broadly: Blair,
Church in Anglo-Saxon Society, pp. 141-49; Lapidge, 'Saintly Life in Anglo-Saxon England'; Rollason,
Saints and Relics in Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 23-129.
The VCeol and the HA do not entirely fit this model and notably, with one exception, avoid the
miraculous, but should nonetheless be considered as hagiography: Growcock and Wood (eds), Abbots of
Wearmouth and Jarrow, pp. xxii-xxiv.
178
Fouracre, 'Merovingian History and Merovingian Hagiography', pp. 10-11; Rollason, Mildrith
Legend, pp. 5-6. It was also this period in which hagiographical norms and conventions were being
developed: Hayward, 'Demystifying the Role of Sanctity', pp. 131-39.
179
Cubitt, 'Memory and Narrative', pp. 39-57; Colgrave, 'Earliest Saints' Lives'. These works also draw
on and respond to each other. Thus, VW borrowed extensively from Anon.VC; Bede.VC responded to
VW and re-worked Anon.VC; Felix.VG borrowed extensively from Bede.VC.
180
Variously illustrated by Laynesmith, 'Stephen of Ripon and the Bible'; Newlands, 'Bede and Images
of Saint Cuthbert', pp. 82-106; Foley, Images of Sanctity; Eby, 'Bringing the Vita to Life'. Further:
Howard-Johnston, 'Introduction', pp. 14-20; Cameron, 'Defining the Holy Man', pp. 34-43.
The contexts from which these texts emerged is also significant. The HA, for example, would
seemingly be linked to the abdication of Ceolwulf in 716, which itself coincides rather suspiciously with
the assassination of Osred: Growcock and Wood (eds), Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow, pp. xxxixxliii.
The relationship between VCeol and the HA also suggested that the history of Wearmouth-Jarrow
was also contested: Wood, 'Foundation of Wearmouth-Jarrow', pp. 88-91, 93-95; Wood, Most Holy
Abbot, pp. 8-12. Likewise Anon,VC can be seen to emerge out of a contested legacy: Cubitt, 'Memory
and Narrative', pp. 43-50. Felix.VG can also be posited as emerging from a contested political context,
between Mercia and East-Anglia: Cubitt, 'Memory and Narrative', pp. 56-57; also the more satisfactory
Higham, 'Guthlac’s Vita, Mercia and East Anglia'.
181
As Fouracre, 'Merovingian History and Merovingian Hagiography', pp. 11-27.
182
The HE can be read in parallel to the VW. Likewise, the HA can be compared to the VCeol.
Peter J W Burch
174
do, they themselves are often caricatured, as providers of the church or the persecutors
of its leaders – the archetypal ‘good’ and ‘bad’ kings of Christian literature. A similar
methodology to the previous section, has, therefore, been adopted. Every reference to a
king in these texts has been collated and characterised using the same categories as
previously.183
Due to the duplication of events between these works, and the smaller
number of instances, it has not been considered advisable or necessary to conduct
graphical analysis. The analysis has also focused upon aspects of behaviour which were
not readily apparent in the Historia ecclesiastica.
There are two broad areas of activity which come to the fore in these texts. First,
there are the relationships between kings and various ecclesiastical figures. There are
seven instances of friendships between early Anglo-Saxon kings and the protagonists of
these works; similarly, there are seven instances of kings being advised by these figures.
Indeed, the anonymous author of the Vita Ceolfridi explicitly states that Benedict Biscop
was frequently required at the Northumbrian court to advise Ecgfrith of Northumbria.184
This might be discounted as hagiographical common-place, however as previously seen,
a close relationship between early Anglo-Saxon kings and churchmen can be surmised.
Such an advisory role is thus perfectly credible. This, therefore, adds another element to
the relationship between the early Anglo-Saxon kings and the church.
Of much greater significance are the references in various contexts to the
relationships between lay persons and kings. Some of these individuals are described as
minister;185
others as comes;186
others still as praefectus.187
Other related labels are also
used.188
The range of meaning of these terms covers a spectrum between a seemingly
formal official – praefectus – to an individual who is defined by their personal
relationship to the king – minister or comes. It was possible to apply these seemingly
different labels to the same person, suggesting a certain fluidity.189
By extension, it is
possible to suggest, as has been intimated previously in various contexts, that personal
relationships were significant in the context of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. Indeed, it
might be suggested that they determined how kings related to those around them and
183
Appendix IX.
184
VCeol, 12.
185
Homily I.13, 7; HA, 1, 8; VW, 2, 47.
186
HA, 34, refers to Ceolfrith’s father as comitatus ageret officium; VW, 36; Felix.VG, 45; Anon.VC,
IV.3, IV.7; Bede.VC, 25.
187
VW, 36, 37, 38, 40, VG, 42, 45; Bede.VC, 15.
188
Sodalis, socius VW, 2. Also dux VW, 36; princeps VW 60.
189
As VW, 36.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
175
those that served them, if there was in fact any meaningful difference between these two
groups.190
In this context, the role of gifts can be added to these relationships. One of
the figures described in such terms is mentioned as having been given land in exchange
for or as a reward for their services.191
A further number are described as having served
the king with military service.192
These figures take on a greater significance in light of Bede’s comments in his
Epistola ad Ecgbertum.193
Here, in the context of a wider polemic on the impropriety of
many of the minsters of his day, he directly connects the rewarding of individuals with
land with the defence of Northumbria. The granting of lands for the founding of minsters,
it would seem, was absorbing lands which would otherwise have been used to secure the
loyalty and service of individuals. It can be deduced from this that, firstly, early AngloSaxon
kings had significant powers over much, if not necessarily all, of the lands in their
kingdom. Secondly, that they could use these lands to attract and secure the services of
individuals (but that the land thus granted presumably reverted to the king after the
recipient’s death, otherwise the system would be unsustainable in the long term).
Thirdly, that individuals were willing to travel between kingdoms in order to be
satisfactorily rewarded for their services. Fourthly, that the requirements of monastic
communities regarding property had altered the status quo with regard to land tenure
which was proving problematic for early Anglo-Saxon kings.194
And, fifthly, that the
monastic style of land holding, held in perpetuity, was more attractive due to its greater
degree of permanence.195
190
The relationship between Wilfrid and his followers might be cast in a similar light. As Patrick
Wormald put it: ‘Wilfrid was a great saint, of colossal spiritual energy and commitment, but his life
retains much of the flavour of the Germanic warlord’: Wormald, 'Age of Bede and Aethelbald', p. 83.
This impression is bolstered by Aldhelm’s letter to Wilfrid’s followers, Epistola. XII, which urges them
to remain constant and loyal to Wilfrid and his cause and allows this same analogy to be drawn. Further:
Pelteret, 'Saint Wilfrid: Tribal Bishop', pp. 175-80; Farmer, 'Saint Wilfrid', pp. 39-40.
191
HA, 1.
192
HA, 1, 8; VW, 21
193
Growcock and Wood (eds), Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow, pp. 124-61. Patrick Sims-Williams
has demonstrated that this letter fits into a tradition of Christian polemic stretching back to the early
patristic era: Sims-Williams, Religion and Literature, pp. 126-30, although this does not fundamentally
undermine Bede's comments. More broadly: Growcock and Wood (eds), Abbots of Wearmouth and
Jarrow, pp. l-lix; Foot, Monastic Life in Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 120-37; Blair, Church in AngloSaxon
Society, pp. 100-34; Wood, 'Land Tenure and Military Obligations', particularly pp. 7-10.
194
Further: Wormald, 'Bede and the Conversion of England', pp. 153-58. It may be for this very reason
that Æthelbald of Mercia, amongst others, re-appropriated lands previously given for the foundation of
minsters: Growcock and Wood (eds), Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow, pp. lvi-lviii.
195
The nature of Anglo-Saxon land tenure, and the distinction between bookland and folcland, is a
‘classic’ issue of Anglo-Saxon scholarship: Williams, 'Land Tenure'; Ryan, 'Land, Property, and Power',
pp. 124-30.
Peter J W Burch
176
Building on this, it is possible to construct an image of early Anglo-Saxon kings
surrounded by followers who owed them service, military or otherwise, and fealty as a
result of landed holdings which they have previously been granted. Further individuals
might also be surmised surrounding the king in the hope of gaining such lands. The early
life of Guthlac is illuminating in this respect. According to Felix, Guthlac was from a
lesser branch of the Mercian royal family, tracing his line back to Icel of Mercia. Prior
to his conversion, Guthlac spent his time campaigning and plundering with a band of
followers.196
Opportunistic followers might also be posited as being drawn to Æthelbald
of Mercia prior to his succession based on the Vita Guthlaci. It seems that royal figures
existed at the apex of a web of personal relations. These could be formalised and fixed
through the granting of lands, but could undoubtedly exist in more nebulous and informal
forms also. This realisation is of crucial importance. Foremost it provides a practical,
tangible mechanism through which early Anglo-Saxon kings could exert their power and
authority. It also provides a connection to the more nebulous and opaque forms of
authority identified previously through both archaeological and historical means, and
thence the origins of kingship. Furthermore, it provides a possible rationale for the
acceptance of kingship in early Anglo-Saxon England – self-interest – as it was not
simply kings, but a range of individuals, who stood to gain from the existence of
kingship.
Conclusions
As in previous sections, only limited conclusions are possible. Kingship was not the
primary concern of any of the sources examined and so it can only be viewed
intermittently and tangentially through them. Nonetheless, a number of important
conclusions are possible. In the first instance, kingship was the dominant political
institution across the entirety of the period covered by these sources. Indeed, kingship is
the only political power structure which it is possible to see in any detail and seems very
much to have been a complex and established institution throughout the period in
question. This naturally adds weight to the suggestions made in earlier sections that
kingship may have developed relatively early in Anglo-Saxon England in the sixth or
196
There was hagiographic precedent for military activity provided by the figure of Saint Martin – whose
Vita Felix was aware of – but it was hardly a necessary hagiographic trope and moreover Saint Martin
notably avoided actual combat while Guthlac manifestly did not. These early campaigning years,
therefore, should be seen as being credible.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
177
possibly even fifth centuries. It does not confirm this early origin, it being possible that
kingship emerged quickly at the end of the sixth century, but it suggests this as a
possibility.
More specifically, various observations regarding the nature of early AngloSaxon
kingship have become possible. A significant proportion of these centre around
the relationship between kings and the early Anglo-Saxon church. A number of kings
were observed actively promoting the church through personal conversion and material
support for sees, monasteries and churches. It was also noted that both ecclesiastical
figures and royal figures expected early Anglo-Saxon kings to have a certain degree of
control over the affairs of the Church. A number of instances of ecclesiastical figures
attempting to influence or advise kings were also present. The reasons behind this
relationship were more difficult to establish. However, the introduction of Christianity
to southern England via the mission of Augustine correlated strikingly with other changes
or experiments in early Anglo-Saxon kingship previously observed, suggesting that a
similar interpretation, as an experiment of kingship, might also be possible in this
instance. It was also noted that Christianity provided a complex, and ready-made,
intellectual superstructure which could be appropriated by early Anglo-Saxon kings. To
this, of course, might be added the fact that early Anglo-Saxon kings would have been
well aware that their Continental and Insular counterparts were Christian. As was
suggested at the end of the previous section with respect to kingship itself, therefore, a
degree of emulation may also be in evidence. Irrespective of these uncertainties, it is
possible to see religion, Christian and otherwise, being used for political purpose and
gain in this period. This was particularly evident in the Historia ecclesiastica and the
various instances of royal retirement to religious institutions.
Moving beyond religion, the violent nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship was
inferred in previous archaeological contexts, and suggested in the foregoing section, was
very much confirmed. After their association with religion, kings were most apparent
engaging in warfare. Notices of their victories or defeats regularly punctuated the
Historia ecclesiastica. Nor was warfare the only way in which the early Anglo-Saxon
kings interacted. Various non-violent mechanisms – marriage, alliances, strategic
support of rivals – designed to gain a fleeting or more permanent advantage were also
highlighted. Further, differing levels of kingly power, as well as differing manifestations
of kingship itself, ranging from powerful solitary over-kings such as Ecgfrith of
Northumbria to the minor joint kings of the Hwicce, under the suzerainty the Mercian
Peter J W Burch
178
kings, were perceived. Thus, a varied, complex and above all competitive institution was
observed.
Similar observations applied to the relationships within royal families. A fluid
and negotiable succession protocol was also demonstrated. Intrigue, competition and
rivalry were present here also, but so were pragmatic and co-operative compromises. In
this context, the role of royal women also needs to be highlighted. Although much less
apparent, royal women were observed occupying important positions of power and
responsibility both inside and outside of the Church. Indeed, the contribution of these
figures needs to be seen in the same context as that of kings as part of more general
patterns of early Anglo-Saxon ruler-ship. Supporting kings in their various endeavours
were their followers. These relationships have finally started to come fully into focus.
Protection, gifts and feasting all played a role in these relationships. The clearest
indication of the nature of these relationships came in the section on hagiography where
some sort of long-term service with an ultimate landed reward was indicated.
Kingship in the seventh and early eighth centuries was thus both established and
complex, fluid and malleable. This complexity might suggest an earlier origin while its
enduring fluidity might suggest a later one. Ultimately neither argument is conclusive
and if one attempts to avoid teleological assumptions neither is compelling either. What,
therefore, can this image of kingship reveal regarding its origins? With respect to the
relationship between kings and religion, as was discussed earlier, this might be taken to
suggest an earlier, possibly sacral, strand to early Anglo-Saxon kingship. Certainly a
relationship with religion can be suggested as pre-dating their adoption of Christianity in
some areas, though not necessarily that much earlier. However, a sacral interpretation
of Anglo-Saxon kingship cannot be maintained.
The most persuasive conclusions derived from the violent and competitive
aspects of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. A general trend towards larger kingdoms was
identified through the mechanisms of conquest and amalgamation, in accordance with
Bassett’s model. However, notable fluctuations in the size, power and fortunes of
particular kingdoms were also identified which complicated this image. In conjunction
with the insights from the previous sections, it was deduced that early Anglo-Saxon
kingdoms may have originated as relatively large-scale concerns and thus that a
variability in kingly power and status was fundamental to early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
This reduces Bassett’s conquest and amalgamation model to one factor or influence
amongst many. Furthermore, in this context, the identification of the relationships
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
179
between kings and their followers whereby land was granted in exchange for military
service provides a mechanism through which this might have been achieved.
Peter J W Burch
180
The Seventh and Early Eighth Centuries: Documentary
Sources
The previous section highlighted various aspects of the nature of early Anglo-Saxon
kingship in the seventh and early eighth centuries and its developing complexity and
sophistication. It revealed a complex, if fluid, institution with differing levels and natures
of kingly power together with the existence of royal families and accepted patterns of
succession. Kings were most easily observed in the conduct of warfare and through their
interactions with the church, although they could be perceived as existing within broader
and more complex political contexts. The relationships between kings and their
followers were also highlighted as a potential source of kingly power. The written
sources did not prove as illuminating with respect to the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship
as they did regarding its nature and subsequent development. Nonetheless, through an
examination of these factors it was possible to make a number of suggestions germane
to the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. Foremost amongst these was the potential
for early Anglo-Saxon kingships to have originated as a relatively large-scale concern.
In this context, the processes of conquest and amalgamation were reduced to one factor
amongst many influencing the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. The previous
suggestion that the origins of kingship might be found in the early sixth or possibly even
fifth centuries was also supported by the unambiguously kingly nature of politics in the
seventh and early eighth centuries. This section will address similar issues and attempt
to develop and build on these ideas. It will examine four classes of documentary
evidence: law codes, charters or diplomas,1
genealogies and regnal lists, and the Tribal
Hidage. As before, they will be addressed in approximate order of composition and will
be examined in order to develop a greater understanding of the nature of early AngloSaxon
kingship in the hope that it will be possible to extrapolate backwards to its origins.
Law Codes
Four law codes remain extant from seventh-century Anglo-Saxon England, associated
with Æthelberht I, Hlothhere and Eadric, and Wihtred, all of Kent, and Ine of the West
1
The term charter may refer to a wide variety of documents and memoranda whereas a diploma is a
specifically royal (or papal) grant of land or privileges. The vast majority of charters from Anglo-Saxon
England are in fact diplomas which has led at times to the two terms, somewhat misleadingly, being used
interchangeably.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
181
Saxons, respectively.2
The prefaces to the latter three codes directly attribute themselves
to royal agency. The former is attributed to Æthelberht based on Bede’s comment in the
Historia ecclesiastica that Æthelberht caused the law code to be written iuxta exempla
Romanorum – ‘according to the manner of the Romans’.3
The reigns of these kings
provide broad date outlines for the codes,4
but more precision is possible. The prologue
to Wihtred’s code allows it to be dated to 695.5
The laws of Ine refer to Bishop
Erconwald as being present at their promulgation, placing them prior to his death in 694.
However, stylistically, there is reason to suggest that Ine’s laws were issued on
successive occasions; the first section, therefore, can be placed in this period, but the
remainder can only be located in the context of Ine’s reign, 688-726.6
Similarly,
Æthelberht I’s code can be placed after 597 and the Augustinian mission, possibly in the
years immediately following it, but only certainly prior to c.616.7
Most problematic are
the laws of Hlothhere and Eadric. These are often taken to have been issued jointly,
placing them between 673 and 685, but it is also possible that the laws were originally
solely Hlothhere’s and subsequently reissued by Eadric, or alternatively that the code
represents a later compilation of laws issued by both individuals separately.8
Utilising these law codes is beset with problems. There is a high incidence of
hapax legomena – words which appear only once in the Old English corpus – in the
Kentish codes,9
which brings difficulties with regard to the interpretation, and translation,
of the codes.10
Furthermore, the Kentish codes are only preserved in the twelfth-century
manuscript, the Textus Roffensis.11
Oliver has also highlighted the existence of both
chronological and dialectal layers within the texts, pointing to a series of transcriptions
2
For the Kentish codes: Oliver, Beginnings of English Law. For Ine’s code: Liebermann (ed.), Die
Gesetze der Angelsachsen. Translated: Attenborough (ed.), Laws of the Earliest English Kings.
3
HE, II.5. Further: Wormald, Making of English Law, pp. 40-44, 93-94; Wormald, 'Lex Scripta', pp. 3-6.
4
Kelly, 'Æthelberht'; Kelly, 'Hlothhere'; Kelly, 'Wihtred'; Wormald, 'Ine'.
5
Oliver, Beginnings of English Law, pp. 164-66.
6
Wormald, Making of English Law, pp. 104-06; Wormald, 'Inter cetera bona...', pp. 188-92.
7
The rubric states that the code was written during Augustine’s lifetime, which would place the text
prior to 604 or 609, depending on the tradition followed. However, the rubric is a later editorial addition.
Further precision may be possible as Hough, 'Legal and Documentary Writings', pp. 170-73; or
Liebermann (ed.), Die Gesetze der Angelsachsen, vol III, pp. 2-3. It has also been suggested that the
code pre-dates the Augustinian mission: Richardson and Sayles, Law and Legislation, pp. 7-9, but none
of these ideas can be relied upon.
8
Hough, 'Legal and Documentary Writings', pp. 173-74. Also Hough, 'Numbers in Manuscripts', pp.
128-9; Oliver, Beginnings of English Law, p. 120.
9
Lendinara, 'Kentish Laws', pp. 219-24.
10
The work of Oliver and Hough has been instrumental in providing revised interpretations of many of
these hapax legomena, particularly Hough, 'Women and the Law'; Oliver, Beginnings of English Law.
11
Sawyer (ed.), Textus Roffensis. Further: Wormald, Making of English Law, pp. 244-53.
Peter J W Burch
182
and possible revisions.12
The three texts seem to have entered the Textus Roffensis as a
pre-existing group, but differences between the three texts with regard to the relative
occurrence of lexical archaisms, the use of abbreviations and scribal practice suggest
independent transmission prior to this.13
There is thus considerable scope for the
modification of these texts in transmission. Pessimism as to the extent of these revisions,
however, is unnecessary.14
The very existence of the lexical archaisms that Oliver uses
to identify these layers demonstrate the probability of at least partial reliability.
Furthermore, possible motivations for wholesale changes to the codes are hard to
demonstrate. More certainty is possible with Ine’s law code. It is preserved in a number
of manuscripts due to its inclusion in Alfred’s domboc, where it is incorporated as an
appendix.15
It does not seem to be modified at this point as a number of its clauses
directly contradict those in Alfred’s code, which surely would have been rectified had it
been revised.16
Any attempt to utilise these codes must also confront the gap between theory and
practice, or as it might be expressed, legislation and justice, which is implicit in the
texts.17
The earliest record of an Anglo-Saxon legal proceeding dates no earlier than 736
or 737. Nor does it reveal the process by which the settlement was reached, only the
settlement itself.18
Evidence for legal practice in early Anglo-Saxon England, therefore,
has to be deduced from the law codes themselves.19
As a result, the manner and extent
to which the law codes were actually applied cannot be satisfactorily resolved.
This can be qualified both positively and negatively. On the one hand
Æthelberht’s code seems very much like a codification of existing, practised, oral, law.20
It is well organised, comprising a series of thematic sections addressing infractions
against the church, the king, nobles and commoners; this is followed by a section dealing
with breaches of enclosures and personal injuries, followed by further sections on
12
Oliver, Beginnings of English Law, pp. 34-51, 120-23, 148-50; with Lendinara, 'Kentish Laws', pp.
217-19. C.f. Jurasinski, 'Origins of Æthelberht's Code', although Oliver's ideas are more persuasive than
he credits.
13
Wormald, 'Laga Eadwardi', p. 122; Hough, 'Numbers in Manuscripts', p. 128; Oliver, Beginnings of
English Law, pp. 120-21; Hough, 'Compilation of Textus Roffensis', p. 71-72.
14
Hough, 'Women and the Law', p. 209, n. 10.
15
Wormald, Making of English Law, pp. 265-77.
16
Hough, 'Legal and Documentary Writings', p. 174; Wormald, Making of English Law, p. 278.
17
Legislation, in Wormald’s definition, being ‘written decrees by secular authority with ostensibly
general application’, while justice is the conduct of law as practiced: Wormald, 'Lex Scripta', p. 3.
18
S 1429. Also S 1255; Wormald, 'Handlist of Anglo-Saxon Lawsuits'.
19
Wormald, 'Inter cetera bona...', p. 180.
20
Wormald, 'Inter cetera bona...', pp. 183-86.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
183
infractions against women, the half-free and slaves. The code is also predominantly
made up of simple conditional statements, which contrast with the progressively more
complex conditionals of later codes.21
The subsequent Kentish codes self-consciously
built upon this foundation while Ine’s code can also be situated in the context of
customary law.22
However, on the other hand, the codes are not workable documents.
They are often ambiguous, hardly exhaustive, and in many instances clauses do not
adequately deal with the situations they seek to resolve.23
They cannot be seen as truly
functional documents. In effect, therefore, the law codes speak to two different, if
overlapping, issues. Firstly they allow justice as practiced in early Anglo-Saxon England
to be inferred. Secondly, they allow the association between early Anglo-Saxon kings
and legislation to be examined. The act of issuing legislation, together with the
motivations for its issuance, can thus be separated from its actual contents.24
These two
issues will be approached in turn. In both instances the focus will primarily be upon
Æthelberht’s code as its greater antiquity makes it most germane to the origins of AngloSaxon
kingship.
In respect to justice as practiced, certainly as seen in Æthelberht’s code, the king
does not seem to have played a significant role in the legal system. The system for the
settling of disputes lay instead with the community and individuals directly involved.
Æthelberht’s code refers obliquely to the responsibility of the friends (freond) of the
victim to arbitrate in circumstances where the severity of injury is not clear.25
Greater
processual detail is revealed in Hlothhere and Eadric’s code, although it is not clear if
this is representative of procedures in Æthelberht’s time. Cases were heard in assemblies
and settled by arbitration. Evidence given was supported by oath. Judges are also
21
The obvious exceptions are the initial Christian clauses.
22
The applicability of these codes might also be supported by the frequent occurrence of minor cyning
place-names. The codes often stipulate the payment of fines to the king which Abt. 30 (30) would
suggest were paid in-kind. These lands may, thus, represent lands forfeited to the king through legal
process: Hough, 'Naming and Royal Authority', pp. 209-17.
23
For example, Abt. 11 (5) stipulates that anyone who kills another in the king’s hall has to pay
compensation of 50 shillings. However, it is unclear who this fine is to be paid to, although comparison
with 8 (2) would suggest that it is payable to the king. Furthermore, this cannot be considered to fully
resolve the issue as the price of a wergild, even of a freeman, is considerably more than this. Particularly
noteworthy are 32-71.1 (32-72.1) which stipulate fixed fines, bots, as restitution in the case of bodily
injury. These provide some variation in accordance with severity, but it is not clear if they also vary with
status as wergilds do. It is possible that such payments were standardised across society, but equally
possible that they were only relevant to freemen as these clauses immediately follow the section of
Æthelberht’s code which deals with freemen: Rubin, 'Composition in Anglo-Saxon Law'. Also
Jurasinski, 'Cultural Contexts of Æthelberht's Code', pp. 63-69.
24
Hough, 'Naming and Royal Authority', p. 208.
25
Abt. 65.1 (65.1).
Peter J W Burch
184
mentioned, although their role is not apparent.26
The primary focus of Æthelberht’s code
seems to be setting out appropriate restitution for various forms of theft, injury or death.27
Such payments, although it is not directly stated, are seemingly paid to the injured parties,
the victims, or in the case of death, their families. Payments varied according to the
status of the victim. The wergild, or man-price – the price payable as restitution for death
– of a freeman was 100 shillings; Hlothhere and Eadric’s code adds that that of a noble
was 300 shillings.28
Payments could also vary according to circumstances; thus if the
individual responsible for a death left the country, their kin were liable for the wergild,
but must only pay half of it.29
Compensation for theft varied depending upon whose
goods had been stolen.30
The aim of such compensatory restitution, although this is only implicit in the
laws, was presumably to limit recourse to more violent forms of restitution.31
Certainly
in later Anglo-Saxon England, as well as in Merovingian Frankia, where records are
more plentiful, violent restitution was a viable alternative to a financial settlement.32
It
would be a mistake, however, to see violent and financial restitution as separate or
mutually exclusive.33
Rather, they should be seen as part of a broader system for
maintaining social order. Equally, it would be mistaken to assume that violent restitution
itself equated with disorder as even in acephalous systems such courses of action are
typically constrained by what is socially acceptable.34
The term feud is often used when
describing such systems.35
However, to the modern reader the term feud has misleading
connotations of an ongoing series of reciprocal and potentially escalating consequences,
violent or otherwise. Whilst a logical possibility of the above system, it should not be
26
Hl. 6-6.3 (8-10), 11-11.3 (16-16.3).
27
It must, however, be remembered that simply by being written Æthelberht’s code represents a legal
innovation and it is difficult to determine what other innovations this may mask: Wormald, 'Inter cetera
bona...', p. 180.
28
Further: Hough, 'Wergild'. Payments in Wessex were considerably higher, although the currency was
worth less.
29
Abt. 24.2 (23).
30
As Abt. 1-5 (1).
31
This is also inherent in the early Frankish laws, the Pactus legis Salicae – a pactus being agreement to
keep the peace. Eckhardt (ed.), Pactus legis Salicae. Translation: Rivers (trans.), Laws of the Salian and
Ripuarian Franks.
32
Hyams, 'Feud and the State'; Wallace-Hadrill, 'Bloodfeud of the Franks'.
33
Roberts, 'Study of Dispute', pp. 8-9.
34
Roberts, 'Study of Dispute', p. 10.
35
As Wormald, 'Laws'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
185
considered normative; this is exactly what the system attempted to mitigate. Indeed, such
eventualities should be considered the exception rather than the norm.36
Such a devolved legal system, or one similar to it, could easily have had a long
pedigree, possibly pre-dating the origins of kingship. Those few clauses which do
involve kings, therefore, particularly their financial compensation, are likely to be
subsequent innovations.37
One or two exceptions, however, are possible in those
instances where the king is conceivably also an injured party through violation of his
protection.38
This of course provides a legal and institutional context for ideas which
have already been seen as being important to the nature of Anglo-Saxon kingship. Ideas
of protection also permeate the law codes more generally, not just with respect to kings,
but also the clergy – admittedly also innovatory – nobles, freemen and widows.39
Indeed,
the system elucidated above is predicated on the application of the concept of protection;
without such a concept, the motivation for recourse is lessened; further, without it, the
disenfranchised – slaves, women, the semi-free, foreigners – are completely without
recourse, which is self-evidently not the case in the law codes.
Of similar relevance is the issue of food rents.40
Clause 17 (12) refers to fedesl,
or feeding, of the kings and gives it a value of 20 shillings.41
Although the precise
interpretation of the clause is unclear, it has been plausibly suggested that it represents
an early reference to the practice of feorm, or food rents, which is more readily observable
in later sources. Thus, clause 70.1 of Ine’s code states that the food rent from 10 hides
was:
10 vats of honey, 300 loaves, 12 ambers of Welsh ale, 30 ambers of clear ale, 2
full grown cows or 10 wethers, 10 geese, 20 hens, 10 cheeses, a full amber of
butter, 5 salmon, 20 pounds of fodder, and 100 eels shall be paid as food rent
from every 10 hides.
36
Halsall, 'Violence and Society'. C.f. Hyams, Rancour and Reconciliation, pp. 3-33, although Hyams
does not fully account for Halsall's critique.
37
Variously Abt. 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, possibly 16-16.2 (2, 5, 6, 8, 9, possibly 10, 11).
38
Abt. 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16-16.2 (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11). Also Lambert, 'Introduction'; Rollason,
'Protection and the Mead-Hall'.
39
Abt. 6, 7, 18, 19, 20, 21-21.2, 26, 31, 74-74.3, 75, 77-77.2, 78, 79, 80, 81 (1, 13, 14, 15, 16, 25, 31, 75-
75.1, 76, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87).
40
Charles-Edwards, Wales and the Britons, pp. 274-82; Charles-Edwards, 'Early Medieval Kingships',
pp. 28-33. Also Gautier, 'Hospitality in Pre-Viking Anglo-Saxon England'.
41
Oliver, 'Cyninges Fedesl'; with Oliver, 'Fedesl Revisited'.
Peter J W Burch
186
This clause itself is not beyond doubt. Though purportedly it indicates what a king could
expect to receive from 10 hides of land, Lavelle has highlighted the Biblical echoes of
this passage, being related to the tribute rendered daily to Solomon from captive Egypt.42
This naturally raises questions regarding the veracity of the list and is distinctly
suggestive of idealisation. Nonetheless, the list has clearly been adapted for a westernEuropean
context and so may not be as fanciful as might be feared. Lavelle has
calculated the food in the list would be sufficient to feed a group of 200-300 people.43
If
such an amount could be received from 10 hides, then an area of around 3600 hides
would be needed to maintain this level of support over the course of a year. This,
suggestively, is around the size of many of the shires of Wessex,44
although it is much
larger than many of the units observable in the Tribal Hidage, as discussed below.
The importance of food rents has already been touched upon in relation to the
itinerant nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. The ability to extract surplus from the
population allowed early Anglo-Saxon kings to support themselves and their immediate
followers. In effect, food rents can be seen as the economic basis of early Anglo-Saxon
kingship. The origins of the practice might thus be linked to the origins of kingship. It
is conceivable that the practice developed organically as an institutionalisation and
formalisation of the raiding and tribute exaction surmised during the fifth and sixth
centuries. A more elegant solution, however, might be found in Goffart’s hypothesis that
‘barbarian’ groups were settled in imperial territory and then were ceded the authority to
collect the tax receipts of that area in exchange for its protection.45
This theory has often
been criticised.46
However, something broadly of this nature is persuasive, especially if
one considers that such revenues are most likely to have been paid in kind. It was
previously seen that Gildas’s De excidio supports the idea that fedorati troops were
invited in to post-imperial Britain. The origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship might
ultimately, therefore, be located in the late-Roman system of taxation. Nor need it be
only foreign troops that benefited from such relationships. Following the cessation of
formal imperial rule, such revenues as could be collected would be at the disposal of
those in positions of power. It is possible, therefore, that this resourcing is what allowed
42
Lavelle, 'Ine 70.1', p. 263, in reference to I Kings 4:21-24.
43
Lavelle, 'Ine 70.1', p. 268.
44
Lavelle, '"Farm of One Night"', pp. 58-59; Brooks, 'Backgroud to the Burghal Hidage', pp. 133-36.
45
Goffart, 'Technique of Barbarian Settlement'; Goffart, Barbarian Tides, pp. 119-86; Goffart,
Barbarians and Romans.
46
Halsall, 'Barbarian Settlement in the Fifth Century'; with survey and discussion in Halsall, Barbarian
Migrations, pp. 422-47.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
187
settlements such as Lincoln and Wroxeter to continue as also those forts along Hadrian’s
wall which saw ongoing occupation. Naturally, such a theory should not be relied upon
in isolation, but it remains as a suggestive and potentially compelling explanation of the
economic origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
With respect to the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship, a further factor also needs
to be considered, namely the potential relationship between Æthelberht’s code and the
Pactus legis Salicae. It has long been recognised that there are similarities between the
various ‘barbarian’ law codes.47
Specifically, both codes share the word leudes, Old
English loede, omit the upper aristocracy, and have the same differential payments in
wergilds according to status.48
It is also possible to point to contact between Æthelberht’s
Kent and Frankia, both legal and otherwise. Wood has used this to suggest that Kent,
and the North Sea riverine systems more generally, was under some form of Frankish
hegemony.49
By extension, the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship, which was at its
most precocious in Kent, could be attributed to this Frankish influence. However, one
does not have to follow Wood in suggesting active Frankish influence, as previously
discussed; simply neighbouring Frankia would have provided stimulation conducive to
the development of kingship in the form of access to resources, models of rule, and
political and ideological sophistication. In the context of Æthelberht’s code, direct
appropriation does not seem overly likely. Not only is Æthelberht’s code in the
vernacular in contrast to the Latin of the Pactus legis Salicae, but there are remarkably
few Latinate legal borrowings.50
Further, the more general commonalities of ‘barbarian’
law militate against an exclusive Frankish provenance.51
However, broader emulation
remains a probability.52
It is perhaps this that Bede meant by his description of
Æthelberht’s code as iuxta exempla Romanorum.53
47
Wormald, Making of English Law, pp. 97-99; Wallace-Hadrill, Early Germanic Kingship, pp. 33-39.
More broadly: Wormald, 'Leges Barbarorum'.
48
Wood, Merovingian North Sea, p. 13. On leudes: Wallace-Hadrill, Early Germanic Kingship, p. 38. It
is not entirely clear how leudes should be translated, although it evidently relates to social class. Oliver
translates it simply as person.
49
Wood, Merovingian North Sea. Also Wood, 'Frankish Hegemony'; Wood, 'Franks and Sutton Hoo'.
50
Oliver, 'Sick-Maintenance in Anglo-Saxon Law', p. 310, n. 27; c.f. Jurasinski, 'Origins of Æthelberht's
Code', for a conflicting view.
51
Wallace-Hadrill, Early Germanic Kingship, p. 38.
52
Wormald, Making of English Law, pp. 93-101.
53
HE, II.5. Interpretations of this phrase vary; Bede could have meant that Æthelberht’s code was
Roman because it was written, or more specifically that it was directly inspired by specific (post-)Roman
law codes: Jurasinski, 'Origins of Æthelberht's Code', p. 1.
Peter J W Burch
188
The royal provenance of these codes, therefore, also needs to be considered.
Early Anglo-Saxon kings, over the course of the four codes, become increasingly
involved in legislative activities. There is a tendency towards increasing instances where
compensation is paid to the king. After Æthelberht the kings are all directly associated
with their codes. Significantly, the nature of the legislation issued changes over the four
codes. While Æthelberht’s seems very much like a codification of existing practice,
those that followed were increasingly innovative. Indeed, Ine’s code seems to have been
issued on a number of occasions – it can be divided into six sections, has a repetitive
aspect and actively addresses what seem to be popular concerns: theft, particularly of
cattle, and the status of the Britons.54
Alongside this activity, although it cannot be
demonstrated, might also be placed a tradition of oral legislation. It needs to be asked,
therefore, why early Anglo-Saxon kings chose to associate themselves with the conduct
of law and issue law codes. On a purely practical level, the issuing of laws provided
scope for increased revenue-raising opportunities. The issuing of laws also afforded
early Anglo-Saxon kings the ability to act as patron to those around them. These factors,
however, should not be considered the sole objectives. The law codes also allowed early
Anglo-Saxon kings to put complex social ideas into practice. Particularly Wihtred’s
code, but also Ine’s, attempted to enforce Christian strictures and morality through law.
These codes, it must be remembered, are roughly contemporary with the Penitential of
Theodore, with which similar ideas were discussed.55
The law codes might thus be seen as ideological documents.56
Indeed, written
laws were strongly associated with both biblical and imperial modes of rule, and so by
issuing laws early Anglo-Saxon kings were casting themselves in that mode. Further, as
already noted, the Anglo-Saxons’ Continental contemporaries were also in the habit of
legislating, although their British and Pictish contemporaries were not.57
The issuing of
written law was thus a signifier of kingship, perhaps specifically Continental kingship.
Legislating was a logical exercise for an ambitious or ideologically-aware early AngloSaxon
king. The terms of the codes were also significant in this respect. They
communicated the nature of justice that was, in theory, available. As such they promoted
54
Wormald, 'Inter cetera bona...', pp. 188-92.
55
Further: Oliver, 'Royal and Ecclesiastical Law'.
56
Further: Wormald, 'Lex Scripta', pp. 12-43, with Wormald's comments in the prefeace to this volume
pp. xi-xv.
57
Nor was this the case in Ireland, where there was an extensive and well-established legal tradition very
much separate from kingship.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
189
and advertised the kingship of the issuer to both those under their authority and those
not. This can be linked back to the practical aspects of the law codes. To return to
Æthelberht’s code, its concern with setting out reasonable levels of restitution would
suggest that restitution was at times excessive. Æthelberht’s code can, therefore, be seen
as responding to and limiting these excesses and the destructive potential for cyclical
redress which they entailed. This interventionist attitude becomes increasingly strong
across the four extant codes as the issues addressed become more focused, the ambition
of the codes that much greater, and the role of the king ever more prominent.
It might be possible to extrapolate backwards based on this trend to suggest that
the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship lay in interventions in the processes of law, in
the setting of appropriate levels of restitution, reining in excessive demands for
compensation and requiring specific elements of payments to be paid not to the injured
party and/or their relatives but to the king himself. Such intervention may have stemmed
from the person of the king, but this does not preclude an element of popular invitation.
Kings could in theory serve as mediator, arbitrator or judge.58
In later Anglo-Saxon
England, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that kings could occupy the position of
judge, but this is much harder to support in reference to the early codes given the
devolved nature of justice. The king’s role might rather be likened to that of an arbitrator,
although not necessarily one personally involved in every dispute and settlement. By
setting the legal parameters through their law codes early Anglo-Saxon kings were
fulfilling such a role at a distance. This, therefore, offers a further potential origin for
Anglo-Saxon kingship.
Diplomas
Of all the sources from early Anglo-Saxon England, charters, or more accurately
diplomas, are perhaps the most technically problematic. Diplomas in early Anglo-Saxon
England were usually granted to ecclesiastical institutions and typically gave the
recipient the right to dispose of or alienate the land or privilege as they chose, thus
creating perpetual possession.59
Diplomas were originally issued on single sheets, but
58
Roberts, 'Study of Dispute', pp. 12-16.
59
This is usually seen as the principal advantage of land held by charter, or landboc – hence bookland.
Peter J W Burch
190
the majority of those now extant are preserved exclusively in later cartulary copies.60
A
great deal of diplomatic, therefore, has been devoted to determining the relative
authenticity of given diplomas.61
Much of this ultimately rests upon subjective
judgements which naturally lends any study which draws upon diplomas an inherently
problematic nature.62
Moreover, questions of authenticity are not simply a matter of
differentiating accurate copies from forgeries but unravelling a complex spectrum of
improvement and modification. In recognition of the inherent uncertainties involved in
utilising diplomas, therefore, every attempt has been made not to rely on individual
diplomas, but rather on patterns which emerge from their grouping and collective
analysis.
The earliest Anglo-Saxon diplomas that are plausibly ‘authentic’ as well as the
earliest ‘originals’ date from the 670s onwards. As has been seen, this is a context in
which early Anglo-Saxon kingship was firmly established. What diplomas can reveal
concerning the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship, therefore, is limited. In theory, it
should be possible to get closer to the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship by
examining the history, provenance and origins of these documents prior to c.670.
However, in practice this is both problematic and contentious. Diplomas are usually
thought to have been adopted to cater for the landed needs of the church.63
When they
60
Appendix XI. Also, Keynes (ed.), Anglo-Saxon Charters; Cameron et al. (eds), Facsimiles of AngloSaxon
Manuscripts, vols II-III; Bond (ed.), Facsimiles of Ancient Charters, vols I-II. Alternatively,
Bruckner and Marichal (eds), Chartae latinae antiquiores, vols III-IV.
61
Summarised in Brooks, 'Anglo-Saxon Charters'. Sawyer, Anglo-Saxon Charters, is invaluable; an updated
version is available from http://www.esawyer.org.uk. It has been suggested that as many as a third
of all Anglo-Saxon diplomas are spurious, with this percentage even higher in the early period: Kelly,
'Lay Society and the Written Word', p. 40.
The basis of diploma scholarship, or diplomatic, is the comparison of known originals with
cartulary copies in a paleographically and historically aware fashion: Chaplais, 'Diplomas on Single
Sheets'; Chaplais, 'Diplomas of Exeter'; Whitelock (ed.), English Historical Documents, vol I, pp. 337-49
with comments for individual diplomas; Stenton, Latin Charters, pp. 1-30; Levison, England and the
Continent, pp. 174-233; Napier and Stevenson (eds), Crawford Collection of Early Charters, pp. viii-x.
More recently: Woodman (ed.), Charters of the Northern Houses, pp. 6-16; Wormald, 'Bede
and the Conversion of England', pp. 138-41; Kelly (ed.), Charters of Selsey, pp. xlv-lv; Kelly (ed.),
Charters of St Augustine's, pp. lxxi-lxxxv; Edwards, Charters of the Early West Saxon Kingdom.
Further: Scharer, Die angelsächsische Königsurkunde; Keynes, Diplomas of King Æthelred, particularly
pp. 4-13.
62
Such judgements are best made after years of experience and once one has developed a ‘feel’ for early
Anglo-Saxon diplomatic practice. For this reason, this section primarily rests upon the scholarship and
judgements of others, particularly those in the on-going series of editions in the British Academy – Royal
Historical Society series, specifically: Kelly (ed.), Charters of Chertsey Abbey; Brooks and Kelly (eds),
Charters of Christ Church; Kelly (ed.), Charters of Glastonbury; Kelly (ed.), Charters of Peterborough;
Kelly (ed.), Charters of Bath and Wells; Kelly (ed.), Charters of Malmesbury Abbey; Kelly (ed.),
Charters of St Paul's; Kelly (ed.), Charters of Abingdon; Kelly (ed.), Charters of Selsey; Kelly (ed.),
Charters of Shaftesbury; Kelly (ed.), Charters of St Augustine's; Campbell (ed.), Charters of Rochester.
Further: Sawyer, Anglo-Saxon Charters.
63
Williams, 'Land Tenure'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
191
appear in the historical record, Anglo-Saxon diplomas seem to be products of an
established tradition, exhibiting a degree of variety suggestive of multiple strands within
early Anglo-Saxon diplomatic practice. Logically, therefore, it makes sense to suggest
that diplomas were introduced to England prior to c.670, more likely earlier than later.64
The absence of originals from this early period might be explained by the use of papyrus
– which is highly perishable in a damp, northern climate – in line with Frankish
practice.65
There is, however, no satisfactory evidence to support such a supposition as,
naturally, the diplomas do not exist.66
It is for this reason that an introduction c.670,
often associated with the figure of Archbishop Theodore, has often been preferred.67
Nor
is the provenance of the early Anglo-Saxon diplomatic tradition clear. Early AngloSaxon
diplomas have most in common with late imperial, specifically Italian, private
land grants.68
However, early Anglo-Saxon diplomas also indicate influence from both
Frankish and potentially Celtic practices.69
As they stand early Anglo-Saxon diplomas
cannot be clearly linked to any one of these traditions – Italian, Frankish or Celtic –
although they all ultimately derive from late imperial practice.70
Furthermore, when compared to their counterparts elsewhere, early Anglo-Saxon
diplomas seem strikingly idiosyncratic. For example, Frankish royal diplomas, of which
there are originals from the mid-seventh-century onwards, take their origin from the
tradition of imperial rescripts. They are documents, quite possibly produced in a royal
64
This has often been associated with the figure of Augustine: Chaplais, 'Origin and Authenticity', pp.
28-33; Chaplais, 'Who Introduced Charters into England?'. If correct, this would connect early AngloSaxon
diplomas to one of the key developments in early Anglo-Saxon kingship, the adoption of
Christianity, and further demonstrate what early Anglo-Saxon kings stood to gain from Christianity.
65
It is noteworthy, although possibly only coincidental, that it was in the 670s that the Merovingian royal
charters switched from papyrus to parchment: Kelly, 'Lay Society and the Written Word', pp. 41-42.
66
An earlier introduction, which opens up the possibility of greater Frankish influence, does raise the
possibility that a number of the early charters issued in the name of Æthelberht I of Kent which have
usually been discounted as spurious due to their Frankish borrowings, might have an authentic basis:
Deanesly, 'Canterbury and Paris', pp. 101-04.
67
Stenton, Latin Charters, p. 31; drawing heavily upon Levison, England and the Continent, pp. 174-
233. This issue is well discussed in Ryan, 'Land, Property, and Power', pp. 116-23; Kelly, 'Lay Society
and the Written Word', pp. 40-43.
68
Chaplais, 'Origin and Authenticity', p. 29; Stenton, Latin Charters, p. 33; Levison, England and the
Continent, pp. 224-33.
69
Wormald, 'Bede and the Conversion of England', pp. 145-53; Scharer, Die angelsächsische
Königsurkunde, pp. 56-7. On the Frankish and Celtic evidence: Kölzer, Hartmann, and Stieldorf (eds),
Die Urkunden Der Merowinger, 2 vols; Davies, Llandaff Charters; with the references in the appendix to
Wormald, 'Bede and the Conversion of England', pp. 159-60. The Celtic evidence is particularly
problematic as it is universally preserved in later copies and making it difficult to determine the extent to
which it has been modified or ‘improved’. Further: Charles-Edwards, Wales and the Britons, pp. 245-
67; Brooke, Church and the Welsh Border, pp. 44-48; Davies, 'Latin Charter-Tradition in Western
Britain'; Davies, Early Welsh Microcosm.
70
Wormald, 'Bede and the Conversion of England', pp. 145-53.
Peter J W Burch
192
chancery, authenticated by autograph and seal, which carry the force of law.71
By
contrast, early Anglo-Saxon diplomas were not sealed; while they claim to be signed,
there are no marks that are conceivably autograph;72
and they were produced in local
ecclesiastical scriptoria rather than any form of royal chancery.73
Consequently, they
cannot be considered to be dispositive. In fact, early Anglo-Saxon diplomas seem more
akin to Frankish private charters, whose authority derives not from the issuer but from
the act of public witness: hence the inclusion of witness lists. However, while Frankish
private charters stipulated financial penalties for their transgression, early Anglo-Saxon
diplomas did not.74
Likewise, while Frankish charters could be put to a variety of uses
extending to the relatively mundane, early Anglo-Saxon diplomas remained the
exception rather than the norm.75
Frankish royal diplomas, therefore, point to at least a
level of continuity with imperial structures in a largely functionally literate society, while
early Anglo-Saxon diplomas demonstrate the reverse. Early Anglo-Saxon diplomas
cannot be considered as instruments of royal governance, merely as records of royal
actions. Indeed, their nature seems if anything ecclesiastical.76
The sanctions they
stipulate are solely religious. Their authenticity and the trust placed in them lies in the
societal trust of the ecclesiastical figures who drew them up. Produced in the same
scriptoria, using the same techniques and the same holy script, early Anglo-Saxon
diplomas are akin to their more obviously religious cousins, the codices and pandects of
the early Anglo-Saxon period.77
The inescapable conclusion to be drawn from this is that diplomas were at best
peripheral to the functioning of early Anglo-Saxon kingship in this period. They appear
as an ecclesiastical and literary veneer upon a predominantly oral Anglo-Saxon society
and kingship. This is not to deny that Anglo-Saxon diplomas represent a significant
71
Fouracre and Gerberding, Late Merovingian France, pp. 28-30.
72
Wormald, 'Bede and the Conversion of England', p. 139. Also Chaplais, 'Diplomas on Single Sheets',
pp. 76-77, 82 and 86. Bruckner and Marichal (eds), Chartae latinae antiquiores, vol III, pp. 29-31, 42-3
and vol IV, pp. 16-17, attempted to demonstrate that certain crosses on early Anglo-Saxon diplomas
were in fact autograph; but c.f. Kelly, 'Lay Society and the Written Word', pp. 42-43.
73
Chaplais, 'Origin and Authenticity', pp. 36-42; Brooks, Early History of the Church of Canterbury, pp.
168-70.
74
Sato, 'La clause pénale'.
75
The Frankish formularies indicate the wide variety of uses to which Frankish charters, private and
royal, could be put. There is every reason to believe that these documents were compiled as working
texts as scribal aids: Rio (trans.), Formularies of Angers and Marculf. More generally: Rio, Legal
Practice and the Written Word, particularly pp. 7-40.
76
Wormald, 'Bede and the Conversion of England', p. 142.
77
Keynes, 'Church Councils, Royal Assemblies', pp. 137-39; Insley, 'Where Did all the Charters Go?', p.
19; Chaplais, 'Origin and Authenticity', pp. 33-42.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
193
development in the practice of Anglo-Saxon kingship, nor that they would go on to
become documents of great importance in Anglo-Saxon society, merely that they had not
yet done so.78
Nonetheless, early Anglo-Saxon diplomas can still prove revealing. The
contrast with Frankish diplomas points to a break with the imperial past with regard to
the administration of coercive power. An alternate system for granting land and
privileges so that kings might provide patronage in the absence of diplomas might also
be inferred. This would correlate with the previous idea that kingships may have
originated as relatively large-scale phenomena and provides a mechanism for the
previously discussed personal relationships and the granting of lands in exchange for
military service. The diplomas also confirm the previously noted literary instances of
material royal support for the church.
In this context, it is worth pausing to consider the circumstances surrounding the
issuing of an early Anglo-Saxon diploma.79
Each diploma will have its own specific
context and underlying narrative. It should not be assumed that such grants necessarily
represented spontaneous acts of royal generosity. An unrecorded process of persuasion,
petition and negotiation may be surmised as underlying many, if not all, of these acts.
Indeed, in certain instances this is implied in the extant diplomas.80
Similarly, Bede’s
Historia Abbatum, makes reference to exchanges between both Aldfrith and Osred of
Northumbria and the community of Wearmouth-Jarrow.81
In such contexts access to the
king takes on a particular significance as it is only thereby that such arrangements can be
mediated.82
The culmination of these processes was naturally the actual act of bestowal.
This presumably occurred at some form of assembly.83
This assembly also provided a
forum for the event to be imbued suitably with ritual and symbolism, elements of which
are hinted at in the diploma record.84
Diplomas may also have been read out, and even
78
On diplomas in later Anglo-Saxon England: Keynes, 'Church Councils, Royal Assemblies', pp. 17-139.
79
I am grateful to Insely who was good enough to discuss the following ideas with me.
80
S 1170, S 1177, S 1252, S 102 are explicitly framed as exchanges while S 1429, S 20, S 1170 all
mention some sort of discussion. Further: Naismith, 'Payments for Land'; Campbell, 'Economics of
Power in Early England', pp. 227-33.
81
HA, 9 and 15, 15 respectively. Chapter 15 also seems to suggest the issuing of a diploma for at least
one of these exchanges.
82
C.f.. the restrictive use of space in the architecture of Yeavering and Cowdery’s Down.
83
Further: Keynes, 'Church Councils, Royal Assemblies', pp. 17-139; Insley, 'Assemblies and Charters'.
84
S 1164, S 239, S 1804-06 mention the placing of sods of earth on gospel books; S 14, S 15, S 1258
describe a similar act whereby sods of earth are placed on an altar. There are also instances of diplomas
being bound or copied into gospel books: Chaplais, 'Origin and Authenticity', pp. 33-36. Further: Kelly
(ed.), Charters of Abingdon, pp. 9-10; Kelly (ed.), Charters of Shaftesbury, p. 8; Kelly, 'Lay Society and
the Written Word', p. 44; Whitelock (ed.), English Historical Documents, vol I, p. 343. More broadly
Insley, 'Rhetoric and Ritual'.
Peter J W Burch
194
issued, at the dedication of Wilfrid’s church at Ripon.85
Together, these various
interactions afforded the king the ability to control, appease and influence those around
him, providing channels through which royal power could be exercised.86
The existence
of diplomas undoubtedly would have added an extra dimension to these interactions, but
they could also exist in an oral society. Similar interactions, therefore, might be projected
back into the fifth and early sixth centuries and would correlate with the previous
comments regarding the role of personal relationships in the exercise of early AngloSaxon
kingship.
Of particular interest are those diplomas which concern trade or industry. Six
diplomas remain extant concerning the remission of tolls on ships, and a further diploma
grants the revenue of tolls to the bishop of London.87
Six of these state or imply that the
toll was levied at the port of London,88
while one grants remission on tolls throughout
the Mercian kingdom.89
That such tolls existed, and remissions could be granted, implies
a degree of sophistication and competence on the part of early Anglo-Saxon kings. There
was by implication some sort of network of royal agents, however informal, not only in
major ports such as London, but also across the Mercian kingdom more generally and in
all probability other kingdoms as well.90
There are indications in the extant law codes
which support this supposition.91
Such a system would undoubtedly be aided by the
existence of diplomas but should not be assumed to be dependent on them.92
It needs to
be asked, therefore, how far back such activity can be traced. Archaeological evidence
for economic expansion and royal involvement in trade can be found from this period
onwards.93
Activity at London corresponds with this pattern, there being no
archaeological indications of activity prior to c.650, and significant activity from the 670s
85
VW, 17.
86
Insley, 'Assemblies and Charters', pp. 50-51. More broadly Insley, 'Rhetoric and Ritual'.
87
S 86, S 88, S 87, S 1788, S 98, S 91, S(Add) 103a respectively. Further: Kelly (ed.), Charters of St
Augustine's, pp. lxxxv-xc; Kelly, 'Trading Privileges', pp. 4-6.
88
S 86, S 88, S 1788, S 98, S 91, S(Add) 103a.
89
S 87. Later diplomas relate to the ports of Sarre and Fordwich in Kent, S 29, S 1612. S 29 also
stipulates that exemption is granted on condition that King Eadbhert II of Kent is granted pre-emption
rights over its cargo
90
Kelly, 'Trading Privileges', pp. 16-26. Also Maddicott, 'London and Droitwich', pp.24, 41-43, and 49-
51.
91
There are mentions of both officials and physical toll infrastructure in the law codes: Hl. 10-11.3 (15-
16.3). Also Maddicott, 'London and Droitwich', p. 12.
92
Ships themselves, for example, could potentially have been marked in some way: Kelly, 'Trading
Privileges', pp. 24-25.
93
Pestell, 'Markets, Emporia, Wics, and 'Productive' Sites'; with the papers in Pestell and Ulmschneider
(eds), Markets in Early Medieval Europe; and Hansen and Wickham (eds), Long Eighth Century. Also
the historiographically important Hodges and Hobley (eds), Rebirth of Towns; Hodges, Dark Age
Economics; Sawyer, 'Kings and Merchants'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
195
onwards.94
Such a correlation is suggestive of a coeval relationship between tolls, the
expansion of trade, and royal exploitation. Certainly it is hard to argue for the existence
of tolls prior to the establishment of such trading centres and the exchange of notable
levels of goods. This, however, needs to be balanced by an awareness of the longstanding
nature of tolls in European economic culture, stretching back to the Iron Age.
Thus, while there is little reason to postulate wide-scale continuation of imperial toll
exaction into the fifth and sixth centuries, some continuity is possible.95
It should be
considered, therefore, that these diplomas indicate an intensification of pre-existing toll
extraction rather than evidence for a completely new system.
Similar arguments are possible elsewhere where they rest upon much firmer
foundations. Diplomas S 102 and S 23 concern the saltworks at Droitwich. These natural
brine springs, the most saline and therefore most valuable in the country, were a
significant economic asset.96
Excavation has demonstrated that these works were in
more or less continual production, although with discontinuities, varying intensities and
at shifting sites, from the Iron Age onwards.97
The springs had been exclusively
controlled by the Roman Army, and possibly by the Dobunni before them. When the
springs re-emerge in the historical record they are firmly under the control of the Mercian
kings.98
The intervening period can only really be speculated at, but it does not seem too
fanciful to continue to associate the saltworks with coercive authority. The production
of salt, after all, requires significant levels of organisation and resourcing that few are in
a position to provide.99
It may be suggested, therefore, that the control of the Droitwich
saltworks lies at the origins of the kingdom of the Hwicce. The saltworks were situated
in the probable heartland of the kingdom and the control and exploitation of such an
94
Maddicott, 'London and Droitwich', pp. 8-13. London was an ecclesiastical and possibly royal centre
prior to this. Further: Cowie, 'Royal Sites in Middle Anglo-Saxon London'; Cowie, 'Mercian London'.
95
Middleton, 'Early Medieval Port Customs'. Also Brooks, Church, State and Access to Resources, pp.
11-13.
96
The salinity levels are as much as ten times that found in sea water, although in reality contamination
of the springs from fresh ground meant that the brine was unlikely to be much more than three times as
saline as sea water. The salt produced was also fine-grained and extremely pure making it highly prized:
Maddicott, 'London and Droitwich', p. 25; Hurst (ed.), Excavations at Upwich, pp. 1-3; Woodiwiss (ed.),
Salt Production and Droitwich, pp. 1-5.
97
Hurst (ed.), Excavations at Upwich, pp. 9-32; Woodiwiss (ed.), Salt Production and Droitwich, pp. 8-
26, 115-22. Evidence for fifth-century activity is limited, but a coin of Honorius dating to c.420 was
found sealed under the floor of the Bays Meadow Villa, probably the headquarters of Roman salt
production, which would suggest fifth-century activity: Maddicott, 'London and Droitwich', p. 28, n. 89.
Also Hooke, 'Droitwich Salt Industry'.
98
Maddicott, 'London and Droitwich', pp. 28-43.
99
Brooks, Church, State and Access to Resources, p.22; c.f. Maddicott, 'London and Droitwich', p. 28.
Peter J W Burch
196
important asset would grant significant power and resources.100
Furthermore, the
boundaries of the kingdom as reconstructed by Della Hooke, equivalent to the boundaries
of the Anglo-Saxon diocese of Worcester, seem designed to maximise the exploitation
and dissemination of salt.101
Clearly not every saltworks facilitated the establishment of
a kingship as many fell into disuse.102
Nonetheless, the association of the Hwicce with
Droitwich raises the important possibility of an economic basis and origin for some early
Anglo-Saxon kingships.103
Some comment also needs to be made concerning the titles given to these various
early Anglo-Saxon kings. These should be treated with caution as the scope for
aggrandisement, flattery and literary conceit was high. Nonetheless, the Ismere diploma,
which extravagantly describes Æthelbald of Mercia as rex non solum Marcersium sed et
omnium provinciarum quæ generale nomine Sutangli dicuntur – ‘king not only of the
Mercians but also of all provinces which are called by general name “South English”’
actually correlates with what is known concerning the extent of his power.104
Differing
levels of kingly power can also be discerned in the diplomas.105
This is reminiscent of
what was previously seen concerning the varying levels of kingly power and the ability
of one king to exert their authority over another. Such instances are reinforced by those
diplomas where one king confirms or adds to the grant of another.106
In light of the above
comments concerning the scope for ritual and symbolism surrounding diplomas, the
expression of relative kingly status and royal hierarchies in such a public context seems
particularly suggestive. Diplomas, therefore, add another strand to the interactions
between early Anglo-Saxon kings.
100
Maddicott, 'London and Droitwich', pp. 26-27.
101
Maddicott, 'London and Droitwich', pp. 43-48; Hooke, Anglo-Saxon Landscape, pp. 12-20.
102
As Andrews, 'Saltmaking and Settlement in Parson Drove'. The Cheshire wiches would form a
similar example, although the Doomsday survey does indicate that they were being worked by the late
Anglo-Saxon period: Higham, Frontier Landscape, p. 22. Further: Harris and Thacker (eds), County of
Chester: Volume I, pp. 222-24, 328-29.
103
It was also possible to raise revenue through taxing the transportation of salt. The first such levies are
recorded in documents of the ninth century, but these same documents state that such taxation rights
were ancient by this point raising the possibility that such tolls might be relevant to the period in
question: Maddicott, 'London and Droitwich', pp. 38-43.
104
S 89. Translation: Whitelock (ed.), English Historical Documents, pp. 453-54. The subscription
further describes Æthelbald as rex Britanniæ – ‘king of Britain’ while an addition on the reverse of the
diploma describes Æthelbald as rex suutanglorum – ‘king of the South English’. Further: Wormald,
'Origins of the Gens Anglorum', pp. 111-17, particulalry 111-12; Yorke, 'Vocabulary of Overlordship',
pp. 179-83. Bede ascribed suzerainty over all of the early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms south of the Humber
to Æthelbald, HE, V.23.
105
As the subreguli in the witness list of S 1165. Further: Campbell, 'Bede's reges and principes', pp. 88-
89. Also S 8 with Brooks and Kelly (eds), Charters of Christ Church, p. 266.
106
As S 1165, S 1169, S 1248, S 65.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
197
The final issue that needs to be addressed is that of the actual lands granted by
these diplomas. This involves two separate, but related, aspects. The first concerns the
situation of the lands. Later Anglo-Saxon diplomas are unusual in often including quite
extensive boundary clauses.107
Adopting a long-term perspective highlights the striking
continuities in land organisation throughout the Anglo-Saxon period and possibly
earlier.108
Such continuities allow for the reconstruction of small political units such as
Surrey and the kingdom of the Hwicce.109
Of course it is not clear how far back these
units can be pushed. Nor is their political status necessarily apparent. Such units are
often used to support Bassett’s model of kingship formation through conquest and
amalgamation. However, as with the model itself, it is not clear if this is appropriate.
One particular diploma speaks directly to these issues. S 1165 records the grant of
extensive lands by one Frithuwold, subregulus of [the province of the men of] Surrey, to
Eorcenwold Abbot of Chertsey, and later Bishop of London.110
This diploma is not
without reproach, and Kelly, its most recent editor, has made a strong case for the text as
it currently stands having been substantially modified. Nonetheless, she feels that it is
based upon an authentic diploma and that the witness list in particular can be given
credence.111
This, together with the body of the charter, suggest that Frithuwold, together
with the other subreguli – Osric, Wigheard and Æthelwold – listed at the end of the
diploma, was a lesser king under the sway of Wulfhere of Mercia. Blair has demonstrated
that a variety of potentially overlapping interpretations of this implied political context
are possible, ranging from a long-standing kingship coming under Mercian hegemony at
the time of this diploma, through a ‘heterogeneous group of regiones’ with fluctuating
politics and allegiances, to the construction of an ultimately transitory political unit by
Wulfhere of Mercia and its delegation to Frithuwold.112
Despite Kelly’s editorial
cautions, these possibilities continue to be credible. If nothing else, they underline the
complexity of the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
The second issue concerns the measurement of land in diplomas. This was done
in hides, described by Bede as the land required to support one familia – ‘familly,
107
Lowe, 'Development of the Anglo-Saxon Boundary Clause'.
108
Oosthuizen, Tradition and Transformation; with Higham, 'Review [Tradition and Transformation]'.
Also Everitt, Continuity and Colonization, pp. 17-18, 93-117; with wider discussion in Yorke, Kings and
Kingdoms, p. 8.
109
As Blair, Early Medieval Surrey, pp. 12-34; Hooke, Anglo-Saxon Landscape, pp. 12-20, 75-106.
110
Translation: Whitelock (ed.), English Historical Documents, pp. 440-41.
111
Kelly (ed.), Charters of Chertsey Abbey, pp. 89-104. Also Blair, 'Frithuwold's Kingdom', n. 1;
Wormald, 'Bede and the Conversion of England', pp. 142-45.
112
Blair, 'Frithuwold's Kingdom', quote p. 107.
Peter J W Burch
198
household’.113
The various Old English terms for the hide can be linked to a number of
cognate words in the Indo-European family which revolve around marriage and sexual
union, particularly in the Germanic languages.114
Building on this, Charles-Edwards has
persuasively argued that the hide was directly linked to status and specifically that the
hide was the landed qualification for a freeman or ceorl.115
The hide was thus a measure
of value, and indirectly status, rather than area.116
The specifics of this relationship are
not important in this context; what is important is its origins. Charles-Edwards felt that
the hide derived from shared Celtic and Germanic roots.117
It has also been suggested,
drawing on different evidence, that the hide derived from late imperial taxation and
dependency practices.118
Bede, however, felt that the hide was peculiarly Anglo-
Saxon.119
Within these three scenarios are embedded three broad origins for early AngloSaxon
kingship – foreign influence, inherited Roman legacy, or Insular development.
There are undoubtedly similarities between Celtic and Anglo-Saxon practice as CharlesEdwards
has demonstrated. On the other hand the previous comments concerning tolls
caution one from completely rejecting any Roman influence, although in this instance
such origins are based purely on coincidence and speculation. Bede’s comments are the
most difficult to reject. Thus, while there may have been influence from outside of early
Anglo-Saxon England, the resulting kingship was nonetheless peculiar to early AngloSaxon
England.120
113
Faith, 'Hide'; Bosworth, Toller, and Campbell (eds), Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, s.v; further discussion
Ryan, 'That "Dreary Old Question"', pp. 208-12. Also Ryan, 'Land, Property, and Power', pp. 78-90 for
what follows.
114
Charles-Edwards, 'Origins of the Hide', pp. 6-7.
115
Charles-Edwards, 'Origins of the Hide', pp. 5-14. The size of the familia of the coerl has been the
cause of some controversy. By the late Anglo-Saxon period, a hide was typically equivalent to c.120
acres, leading to the suggestion that the familia represented a household of extend family and slaves:
Maitland, Domesday Book and Beyond, pp. 357-520. The relationship of this measurement to the period
in question is uncertain, but it is nonetheless clear that a hide represented a considerable area: Higham,
English Empire, pp. 242-43. Charles-Edwards preferred to view the hide as the land of one couple, but
given its size was forced to postulate the assistance of dependent individuals to facilitate its cultivation:
Charles-Edwards, 'Origins of the Hide', p. 14. However, recently it has been cogently argued that the
Anglo-Saxon familia should indeed be seen as an extended household rather than a single nuclear family:
Stanley, 'Familia in Anglo-Saxon Society'. Also Higham, English Empire, pp. 240-43.
116
Higham, English Empire, pp. 241-50.
117
Charles-Edwards, 'Origins of the Hide', pp. 4-5.
118
Barnwell, 'Hlafeata, ceorl, hid and scir'. Also Yorke, 'Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms 600–900', p. 78;
Finberg, 'Continuity or Cataclysm?', pp. 8-9.
119
HE, I.25.
120
Further: Ryan, 'That "Dreary Old Question"', pp. 216-23.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
199
Genealogies and Regnal Lists
Genealogies are documents giving an individual or individuals’ heritage through
generations of descent.121
A regnal list gives a list of kings of a particular kingdom or
area irrespective of genealogical relationships. Examples of both date from the period
under examination. Bede gives the pedigrees of both Æthelberht I of Kent and Eorpwald
of the East Angles in his Historia ecclesiastica.122
He also seems to have had access to
regnal lists for Northumbria, Kent, East Anglia and possibly Mercia.123
There is in
addition a list of Northumbrian kings which was appended to the version of the Historia
ecclesiastica preserved in the Moore Manuscript.124
There are also a number of other
documents dating from the late eighth century onwards which can be used to assist with
analysis. The most important of these is what has become known as the Anglian
Collection, which contains genealogies from Bernicia, Deira, Lindsey, Mercia, Wessex,
East Anglia, and Kent.125
Together, these texts can be used to shed some, albeit limited,
light on the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
At first glance, these texts are not particularly illuminating. They are simply lists
of names. What is more, they do not precisely correlate with what is known from other
sources. The Moore Memoranda, for example, includes only those individuals who ruled
Bernicia or united Northumbria, omits the apostate Eanfrith, the brief rule of Cædwallon
of Gwynedd, and ignores Eadwulf. Much of the complexity of rival families, sub-kings,
and kingly intrigue has been omitted or elided. What the Moore Memoranda presents is
a sanitised, predominantly Bernician, post hoc rationalisation of Northumbrian history.
It represents the concerns of the contemporary elite and is ideological rather than
historical in nature. Bede also makes references to sanitisation of this nature. Apparently
121
Genealogies are particularly common amongst the Irish and Welsh: Charles-Edwards, Wales and the
Britons, pp. 359-64; Charles-Edwards, Early Christian Ireland, pp. 600-29; but much less common,
certainly as discreet entities, in continental Europe: Dumville, 'Kingship, Genealogies and Regnal Lists',
pp. 76-77.
122
HE, II.5, II.15 respectively.
123
Variously HE, I.15, II.5, II.15, III.1, III.9, possibly V.24. Further: Thornton, 'Regnal Lists'; Blair,
'Moore Memoranda', pp. 247-49.
124
Blair, 'Moore Memoranda', p. 246. Traditionally, the manuscript has been dated to c.737: Blair,
'Moore Memoranda', pp. 251-57. This has recently been amended to 748, although the regnal list may
indeed date to 737: Dumville, 'Earliest Manuscripts of Bede's Ecclesiastical History?', particularly pp.
59-66.
125
Dumville, 'Anglian Collection of Royal Genealogies'. This, in all probability, was compiled in
Northumbria in the period 765x774, although the extant manuscripts are later in date. There is also
related genealogical material included in the HB as well as material in Asser’s Vita Alfredi and in other
independent documents: variously Thornton, 'Genealogies, Royal'; Thornton, 'Regnal Lists'; Sisam,
'Anglo-Saxon Royal Genealogies', pp. 146-56; Dumville, 'West Saxon Genealogical Regnal List'.
Peter J W Burch
200
both Eanfrith of Bernicia and Osric of Deira were deliberately omitted from the official
list of Northumbrian kings.126
Similar issues are apparent in the genealogies. In fact as a class of document they
provide even greater scope for ideological expression, allowing political ties and kin
relationships to be manufactured to suit contemporary circumstances.127
The purpose of
such documents, therefore, is not so much to remember the past, but to justify the present.
It may thus be deduced that descent and genealogical relationships mattered to early
Anglo-Saxon kings. This would accord with the previous observation that only
individuals from families which could be considered royal were eligible to rule. The
relationships in genealogies, and also to an extent in regnal lists, therefore, can be
surmised as justifying and legitimising the position of early Anglo-Saxon kings,
demonstrating their right to rule. Indeed, the manipulation of these texts underlines the
importance of these relationships in this respect. Such documents thus provide insight
into the cosmology of early Anglo-Saxon kingship; they are products of the elusive
superstructure of ideology and ideas which surrounded and supported early Anglo-Saxon
kings.
The termination of these genealogies – tacitly acknowledged in the Historia
ecclesiastica and directly stated in the Anglian collection – in the figure of Woden adds
another level of legitimation.128
Wodenic symbolism is also found on some items at
Sutton Hoo, and may possibly be connected to Anglo-Saxon kings through the Kentish
bracteates also.129
Nor is Woden the only figure of divine or mythical provenance in
these genealogies. The East Saxon genealogy terminates in Seaxneat, while various
legendary figures – Geat, Finn, Hengist and others – also appear. Early Anglo-Saxon
Kings are thus connected to an array of figures who lend them status and prestige and
serve to legitimate their position. Crucial amongst these figures are the eponymous
founders of the Mercian, Kentish and East Anglian royal families, Icel, Oisc and Wuffa
respectively. Hints of origin legends, although little more, can be surmised associated
with these figures.130
The royal genealogies, therefore, justify the position of early
126
HE, III.1, III.9.
127
Davies, 'Cultural Assimilation in Royal Genealogies'; Dumville, 'Kingship, Genealogies and Regnal
Lists', pp. 72-88.
128
HE, I.15; Dumville, 'Anglian Collection of Royal Genealogies', pp. 29-37.
129
Behr, 'Kingship in Early Medieval Kent'. Also Yorke, 'Anglo-Saxon Origin Legends', pp. 25-26.
More broadly: Hedeager, 'Myth and Art'; Hedeager, 'Cosmological Endurance'.
130
Yorke, 'Origins of Mercia', p. 15. The only origin myth to survive from this period is that concerning
Henigst and Horsa, traces of which can be potentially found as far back as Gildas’s De excidio: Brooks,
'Early Structure of the Kingdom of Kent', pp. 58-60; Yorke, 'Anglo-Saxon Origin Legends', pp. 19-21.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
201
Anglo-Saxon kings through reference to both the immediate precedent and more distant
divine and legendary figures.
It needs to be asked how these ideas relate to the origins of Anglo-Saxon
kingship. It should also be recognised that there is a natural tendency for development
in such documents. Thus, the earlier stages of the genealogies, logically, are less reliable
than the later.131
However, in the forms in which they survive, they are also universally
products of an ecclesiastical milieu. The presence of Woden and Seaxneat in the
genealogies, therefore, allows them to be placed, in some form, prior to the Augustinian
mission.132
Although early Anglo-Saxon church men would not have viewed Woden or
Seaxneat as divine, they would have been aware that others saw him as such. Claiming
descent from such a figure is unlikely to have originated in the increasingly
Christianising setting of the seventh or early eighth centuries. By extension, the idea of
divine descent, the connection to a wider body of myth, the interest in genealogy and
descent, and the existence of royal families, can all be placed prior to c.600. Early AngloSaxon
kingship, therefore, can be seen as an ideologically sophisticated institution of
some antiquity.
Following a similar line of argument, the presence of linguistically British names
in the genealogies is also significant. Such names are particularly common in the
genealogies of Mercia, Wessex, and Lindsey and are unlikely to have been later
inventions – although the gradual normalisation of British names into Anglo-Saxon
usage means that this cannot be entirely ruled out. Their presence would suggest that at
some point it was necessary or strategic to claim a British association or identity.133
More
than this cannot be said with any certainty, but it does strengthen the previous suggestion
that there were British polities, units or even royal families underpinning or incorporated
within several early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
Given that there are reasons to give the genealogies credence, despite their
manipulation, it is worth determining the extent to which these records can be seen as
being historically accurate prior to c.600. Logically, the further into the sixth century
More broadly: Brooks, 'English Origin Myth'. The account in the HE conceivably represents the
conflation of two separate origins myths one centred on Hengist and one on Osic: Sims-Williams,
'Settlement of England', pp. 21-24.
131
Davies, 'Cultural Assimilation in Royal Genealogies', pp. 28-36.
132
Yorke, 'Anglo-Saxon Origin Legends', p. 25. More broadly: Moisl, 'Anglo-Saxon Royal
Genealogies'.
133
Yorke, 'Anglo-Saxon Origin Legends', pp. 17-19. Also Coates, 'Gewissae/Gewissei, Cerdic and
Ceawlin'; Parsons, 'British *Caraticos, Old English Cerdic'.
Peter J W Burch
202
historically credible figures can be pushed, the greater the antiquity of early Anglo-Saxon
kingship. To take the example of Æthelberht I of Kent (d. 616),134
as has been discussed,
his father, Eormeneric, is attested independently. It is then only two generations to the
eponymous founder of the dynasty, Oeric Oisc. There are thus, at most, three generations
(excluding Æthelberht) of plausible kings of Kent prior to c.600.135
A similar pattern is
observed with the genealogy of Eorpwald of the East Angles. His father, Rædwald (d.
616x27),136
was a near contemporary of Æthelberht, although probably somewhat
younger, and Bede gives a further two generations back to the eponymous Wuffa. The
confidence one can place in these figures naturally progressively lessens as we move
back in time.
Given the manipulation of these documents, determining the point of origin of
Kentish or East Anglian kingship it is not simply a case of dating the floruit of Oeric Oisc
or Wuffa. Further complications are provided by Bede’s chronology. Bede dated the
coming of the Anglo-Saxons to England to 449 and states that the Anglo-Saxons were
led in the first instance by Hengist. This, rather implausibly, leaves a gap of c.150 years
to be filled by just four generations. It is useful to consider the mnemonic systems
underpinning the genealogies in this context. Bede implies that there was a class of
people who were responsible for maintaining such information, although the antiquity,
or indeed nature, of such individuals cannot be determined from his account.137
Ecclesiastical figures might be plausibly suggested but secular persons more directly
connected to early Anglo-Saxon kings should also be considered a possibility.138
Clearly
the second option opens up the possibility of such individuals existing prior to c.600.
Non-literate cultures are capable of impressive feats of remembrance, particularly of
lists, but this does not guarantee that they did so in every instance. It is also possible that
the genealogies were deliberately curtailed if what was most important was recent
precedent and divine descent.139
A full genealogy would be simply unnecessary. There
may well, therefore, have been additional generations between Eormeneric and Oeric
Oisc, and Eorpwald and Wuffa, if such figures ever in fact existed. One can only
134
Kelly, 'Æthelberht'.
135
The name Oisc may also be derived from a pre-Christian god, reducing this be a further generation:
Sims-Williams, 'Settlement of England', pp. 22-23.
136
Campbell, 'Rædwald'
137
HE, III.1.
138
Dumville, 'Kingship, Genealogies and Regnal Lists', pp. 102-04. More problematically: Moisl,
'Anglo-Saxon Royal Genealogies'. With respect to the second option, the important cautions of Frank,
'Search for the Anglo-Saxon Oral Poet'.
139
Dumville, 'Kingship, Genealogies and Regnal Lists', pp. 85-89.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
203
conclude that kings, within a potentially sophisticated ideological context, existed in
Anglo-Saxon England in the sixth century and that Anglo-Saxon kingship may have
been, although was not necessarily, of some antiquity.
The Tribal Hidage
The Tribal Hidage, as it is known to historians, is a short document which comprises a
list of 34 ‘peoples’ each with an associated hidage.140
A provisional summation of hides
is given after the 19th
entry, while an inaccurate total is given at the end of the text. The
entries are given in the genitive case presupposing an omitted nominative. The text
survives in three versions, the earliest of which – Recension A – dates from the first half
of the eleventh century.141
A putative exemplar can be suggested to underpin the various
manuscript traditions, but this cannot be dated or resolved.142
Internal evidence,
therefore, must be relied upon to date the text. The text is self-evidently from the period
after c.600 and it can be stated with confidence that it represents the political situation
prior to the Scandinavian settlements of the late ninth century.143
However, where the
text dates within this period is much less certain. The immediate context, or contexts, of
the text as well as its nature and purpose are also unclear. These issues matter intensely
because, as has been seen, the Tribal Hidage lies at the heart of much recent scholarship
surrounding the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. It is thus necessary to address
these issues before examining the wider implications of the text.
Unfortunately this is easier said than done. It has commonly been held that the
Tribal Hidage represents a tribute list.144
This would fit with both the assessment in hides
and the omitted nominative – presumably something along the lines of ‘[the tribute
(feorm)] of X is Y hides’.145
This, however, is not the only possible explanation. The
140
Appendix XI; Dumville, 'Tribal Hidage'; Rumble, 'Recension C of the Tribal Hidage', pp. 18-23.
141
Dumville, 'Tribal Hidage'; Davies and Vierck, 'Contexts of Tribal Hidage', pp. 288-92.
142
Davies and Vierck, 'Contexts of Tribal Hidage', pp. 289-90.
143
Keynes, 'England, 700-900', p. 23.
144
Variously Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms, p. 10; Rumble, 'Recension C of the Tribal Hidage', pp. 18-23;
Higham, English Empire, p. 74; Brooks, 'Formation of the Mercian Kingdom', p. 159; Loyn, Governance
of Anglo-Saxon England, p. 34; Sawyer, Roman Britain to Norman England, p. 110; Stenton, AngloSaxon
England, p. 297; Davies and Vierck, 'Contexts of Tribal Hidage', p. 225; Hart, 'Tribal Hidage', p.
133.
Some scholars, while acknowledging this possibility, have preferred to leave its purpose more
open: Featherstone, 'Tribal Hidage and the Ealdormen of Mercia', p. 23; Keynes, 'England, 700-900', pp.
21-25; Kirby, Earliest English Kings, pp. 9-12; Campbell (ed.), Anglo-Saxons, pp. 59-61; Dumville,
'Middle Anglia, and the Expansion of Mercia', pp. 129-34.
145
Higham, English Empire, p. 75.
Peter J W Burch
204
Tribal Hidage could equally represent an esoteric exercise in ecclesiastical scholasticism.
Bede can certainly be seen to have had an interest in political geography in his Historia
ecclesiastica. He employed geographical features to elucidate political boundaries and
territories as well as giving hidal assessments for Thanet, Anglesey, Man, Iona, North
Mercia, South Mercia, the South Saxons, the Isle of Wight, and Ely, in addition to the
lands granted to various ecclesiastical institutions and figures.146
It must be
acknowledged that Bede’s awareness of some of these figures, certainly in the case of
Anglesey and Man, ultimately derived from royal tribute assessments, written or
otherwise.147
Tribute lists are plausible enough, but it does not automatically follow that
the Tribal Hidage was one. Without further information or the immediate manuscript
context of the Tribal Hidage this issue cannot be satisfactorily resolved.148
Similarly, it has often been assumed that the text is Mercian in provenance.149
The Tribal Hidage certainly shows an interest in the geo-politics of what is now described
as the Midlands. Such an interest would make most sense in a Mercian context. The
kingdom of Mercia also provided a series of powerful kings who exercised suzerainty
over large parts of early Anglo-Saxon England south of the Humber.150
If the Tribal
Hidage can be seen as a tribute list, then figures such as Æthelred, Æthelbald or Offa of
Mercia become persuasive candidates for authorship. However, the territories included
in the Tribal Hidage do not correspond exactly to the known areas of influence of any of
these figures, the most problematic being Elmet, of which, from Edwin of Northumbria
onwards, there are no indications that it was under the influence of any overlord other
than Northumbria. Additionally, if the Tribal Hidage was indeed a tribute list, then a
Mercian context becomes much less likely. Mercia is the first entry in the Tribal Hidage,
146
As HE, I.25, II.9, III.4, III.24, IV.13, IV.16, IV.19. Also Keynes, 'England, 700-900', pp. 24-25;
Kirby, Earliest English Kings, pp. 10-11.
147
An assessment of a British territory in an Anglo-Saxon unit, the hide, would only result from an
Anglo-Saxon attempt to extract tribute: Hart, 'Tribal Hidage', p. 147. The most likely candidate for such
an assessment was Edwin of Northumbria, whom Bede states exercised imperium over Anglesey and
Man, HE, II.9, but other Northumbrian kings were also potentially placed to make such assessments.
Further: Higham, English Empire, pp. 77-82.
148
Wormald, 'Cotton MS. Otho B. xi', p. 64.
149
Featherstone, 'Tribal Hidage and the Ealdormen of Mercia', p. 29; Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms, p. 10;
Keynes, 'England, 700-900', p. 23; Dumville, 'Middle Anglia, and the Expansion of Mercia', p. 129;
Loyn, Governance of Anglo-Saxon England, p. 34; Davies and Vierck, 'Contexts of Tribal Hidage', p.
225; Hart, 'Tribal Hidage', p. 133; Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, p. 296.
Kirby, Earliest English Kings, p. 11; Sawyer, Roman Britain to Norman England, pp. 110-11,
suggest a variant on this interpretation, positing an early Mercian sub-strata in a later West Saxon
document. Further references can be found in Rumble, 'Tribal Hidage: An Annotated Bibliography'.
150
Keynes, 'Kingdom of the Mercians in the Eighth Century'; Keynes, 'England, 700-900', pp. 27-38.
Historiographically important, but no-longer credited: Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 202-38;
Stenton, 'Supremacy of the Mercian Kings'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
205
and it would be highly unusual to exact tribute, as opposed to extracting surplus, from
one’s own kingdom. As the only major kingdom not mentioned in the Tribal Hidage,
Northumbria then becomes a possible source for the text. This would require the Tribal
Hidage to be very early in date, certainly pre-685, with Edwin of Northumbria perhaps
fitting the available evidence best. 151
Further complications are presented by the two totals included in the list. This is
suggestive of a multi-stage development. These putative stages could conceivably have
been at some remove from each other and in quite different contexts.152
There may not,
therefore, be one particular context into which the text can be fitted. Further, given the
chronological remove between the earliest version of the text and the period it pertains
to it is possible that the Tribal Hidage has been revised in transmission. Certainly, the
differences between the three recensions, particularly between Recension C and the other
two, and the corruption of a number of the names in the list, suggest some modification.
On balance, however, such manipulation does not seem to be extreme. There is reason,
therefore, to be confident that the text is pertinent to the period in question even if its
precise context (or contexts) is not clear.153
Putting the suggestion of multiple contexts to one side, it is possible to speak of
two schools of thought regarding the date of the Tribal Hidage – early and late.154
Unfortunately, the same information from within the text can be used to justify various
dates. The large number of small geopolitical entities might suggest an early date prior
to the formation of groupings such as the Middle Angles, although there is no a priori
reason to conclude that they were not sub-divisions of a larger unnamed whole. Equally,
151
Brooks, 'Formation of the Mercian Kingdom', p. 159; Higham, English Empire, pp. 74-99. C.f.
Featherstone, 'Tribal Hidage and the Ealdormen of Mercia', p. 29, although this fails to take into account
the potentially different ways in which surplus and revenue were extracted from differing political
structures.
152
Sawyer, Roman Britain to Norman England, p. 111, who posits a Mercian orgin with subsequent
West Saxon modification in the ninth or tenth century. Also Featherstone, 'Tribal Hidage and the
Ealdormen of Mercia', pp. 29-31; Kirby, Earliest English Kings, p. 11. For a quite different
interpretation, without a significant chronological caesura: Higham, English Empire, pp. 83-94.
153
The presence of Recension A in a manuscript of the early eleventh century is of note in this context.
This was a period of high fiscal pressure and any text seemingly related to tribute or land assessment was
inherently of interest: Keynes, 'Context of the Battle of Maldon', pp. 88-102. However, interest does not
seem to have translated into modification.
154
On the early side are Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms, p. 10; Higham, English Empire, pp. 76ff;
Dumville, 'Middle Anglia, and the Expansion of Mercia', pp. 132-33; Davies and Vierck, 'Contexts of
Tribal Hidage', pp. 225-27. More generally: Loyn, Governance of Anglo-Saxon England, p. 34.
Later dates are proposed by Hart, 'Tribal Hidage'. Also Kirby, Earliest English Kings, p. 11;
Sawyer, Roman Britain to Norman England, pp. 110-11. Further references can be found in Rumble,
'Tribal Hidage: An Annotated Bibliography'. A broader perspective is adopted by Keynes, 'England,
700-900', pp. 23-25; Campbell (ed.), Anglo-Saxons, p. 59; Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, p. 297.
Peter J W Burch
206
the large hidation (100,000 hides) ascribed to Wessex might indicate a later date, after
the West Saxon kings had expanded their power and influence during the later seventh
and eighth centuries, but might also be explained as being a deliberately punitive
assessment. Various arguments can be put forward, but our understanding of early
Anglo-Saxon England is not sufficiently nuanced or detailed to support them adequately.
Additionally, the various issues of context, date and purpose are intertwined such that
any assumption regarding one typically leads to certain conclusions regarding the other
two. However, in the absence of satisfactory independent information, none of these
initial assumptions can be relied upon. Ultimately, therefore, the Tribal Hidage is not
sufficient to provide firm conclusions as to its own stages of development, provenance
or purpose. This rather unfortunately means that the Tribal Hidage must be left without
an associated political, chronological or geographical context except in the broadest
sense.
Nonetheless, the Tribal Hidage can still be of use. The information contained
within the Tribal Hidage speaks to longer-term issues which do not need a specific
context. Foremost amongst these are the potential insights into early Anglo-Saxon
political geography. Not all of the 34 entries in the Tribal Hidage are identifiable, but a
great many of them are.155
These ‘peoples’ may be broken into three rough sizes: small
(under 1,000 hides), medium (1,000 to 7,000 hides) or large (7,000 hides and over). All
bar one of the large units are positively identifiable from other historical sources – the
Mercians (30,000 hides), Wroecensæte (7,000 hides), Lindsey with Hatfield (7,000
hides), the Hwicce (7,000 hides), East Angles (30,000 hides), East Saxons (7,000 hides),
Kent (15,000 hides), South Saxons (7,000 hides), and West Saxons (100,000 hides). The
identity of the Westerna (7,000 hides), meanwhile is contested. They have often been
conflated with the Magonsæte of the West Midlands but other peoples and areas have
also been suggested. It can only really be said with confidence that they are a grouping
on the west of Anglo-Saxon England.156
The locations of two of the medium-sized
entries can also be identified – the Peak Dwellers (1,200 hides), and Chiltern Dwellers
(4,000 hides) – although the Herefinna (1,200 hides), Noxgaga (5,000 hides), Ohtgaga
155
For what follows: Hill, Atlas of Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 76-77; Davies and Vierck, 'Contexts of
Tribal Hidage', pp. 227-36; Hart, 'Tribal Hidage'. Also Featherstone, 'Tribal Hidage and the Ealdormen
of Mercia', pp. 24-27; Keynes, 'England, 700-900', pp. 21-23.
156
C.f. note 153 with Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, p. 296; and Sims-Williams, Religion and
Literature, p. 18, who both postulate a location in Cheshire meaning that the Magonsæte were either
omitted or included in a total given elsewhere. Further: Gelling, West Midlands in the Early Middle
Ages, pp. 80-85.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
207
(2,000 hides), Hendrica (3,500 hides), and Unecung(a)ga (1,200 hides) remain
unidentified.
Similarly, a number of the small units can be identified – Elmet (600 hides), the
South Gyrwe (600 hides), and by association the North Gyrwe (600 hides), Isle of Wight
(600 hides), and based on place-name evidence locations for the East and West Wixna
(300 and 600 hides respectively), Sweord ora (300 hides), Gifla (300 hides), Hicca (300
hides), Arosætna (600 hides), Færpinga (300 hides), and Widerigga (600 hides) can be
suggested as the areas around Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, Sword Point,
Huntingdonshire, River Ivel, Buckinghamshire, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, River Arrow,
Warwickshire, Charlbury, Oxfordshire,157
and Wittering and Werrington,
Northamptonshire. This only leaves Spalda (600 hides), Wigesta (900 hides), Bilmiga
(600 hides), and Eastwilla and Westwilla (600 and 600 hides respectively).
It is apparent that all of the hidations are given in round numbers. They are thus
likely to be nominal figures of convenience rather than the products of exact or detailed
surveys. The implications of this differ depending on the purpose of the Tribal Hidage.
If the Tribal Hidage can be seen as some sort of academic exercise, then the figures can
be treated as broadly credible, although the possibility of vanity inflation should be noted.
If, however, the Tribal Hidage is viewed as a tribute list, the hidations become more
problematic as they are connected to desired surplus extraction rather than size. Clearly,
however, there remains a link to size as there is only so much it is possible to extract
from a small entity. With this in mind, it is possible to map the Tribal Hidage based on
the above identifications.158
This reveals not only that much of the Tribal Hidage is a
seemingly systematic clockwise survey centred upon Mercia but also allows the early
peoples to be visualised. This in turn highlights the fact that the smallest units seem to
be predominantly grouped in the East Midlands and the Fens.159
Furthermore, it
underlines the variation in the sizes of the various ‘peoples’ of the Tribal Hidage. Early
Anglo-Saxon England clearly consisted of much more than the major kingdoms which
appear in Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica and other sources. The various units which make
157
This identification rests upon the association of Færpinga with the Feppingas mentioned in HE,
III.21.
158
Hart, 'Tribal Hidage', p. 137; Davies and Vierck, 'Contexts of Tribal Hidage', p. 235; Hill, Atlas of
Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 76-77.
159
It is interesting to speculate concerning the geographical limitations of this region with regard to the
formation of large groupings due to the inherent difficulties of transport and communication.
Peter J W Burch
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up this patchwork of historical kingdoms and smaller entities, therefore, need to be
examined.
Of primary concern is the nature of these ‘peoples’. Their names, as given in the
Tribal Hidage, are potentially instructive in this respect. They may be divided into three
main categories: seemingly ethnic names, names derived from geographical features, and
names linked to previous Romano-British usage – in addition to those that cannot be
classified. In the first category may be placed the East Angles, the East, West and South
Saxons, as well as potentially the North and South Gyrwe, the East and West Wixna, and
the Eastwilla and Westwilla. Those units whose names derive from geographical features
include the Peak Dwellers, Elmet, the Chiltern Dwellers, those who take their names
from rivers, as well as, in the broadest sense, Mercia – meaning ‘borderers’ – and the
Westerna. In turn Lindsey (with Hatfield), Kent, and the Wroecensæte – potentially
linked to Roman Viroconium, modern Wroxeter, from which the River Wrekin also takes
its name – can all be linked to Roman and/or British terms.
Ethnic names do not, therefore, represent a majority. What is more, those ethnic
names that do exist are not absolute, but mutually-referential, and thus indirectly
positional in nature. The names of these groupings, therefore, seem to be linked to place,
as much, if not more, than to ‘peoples’. It cannot be assumed, therefore, as has been
traditionally the case, that the groups of the Tribal Hidage represent discrete ‘peoples’ or
individual tribal identities. It can only really be said with confidence that these ‘peoples’
represent geo-political or ‘governmental’ entities. The political status of these units,
therefore, needs to be determined. This can be done with reasonable certainty with regard
to the large units. All of those identified, with the exception of the Wroecensæte, have
known traditions of kingship. In addition, if the Westerna can be equated with the
Magonsæte, then they too possessed a tradition of kingship, even if it only appears in
much later sources.160
They may thus be thought of as kingdoms, although it should be
noted that some of these kingdoms were under the suzerainty of neighbouring kings.
Nothing can be said of the medium-sized units, but both Elmet and the Isle of Wight also
had kings.161
They too, therefore, should be viewed as kingdoms, even though they are
of much smaller size. Additionally, it is known that Tondberht, a princeps of the South
160
On the Magonsæte more broadly: Pretty, 'Defining the Magonsæte'; Gelling, 'Early History of
Western Mercia'.
161
HE, IV.23, IV.16. Also, HB, ch. 63. On Elmet more broadly: Taylor, 'Elmet'; also Jones, 'Gwynedd
and Elmet'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
209
Gyrwe married Æthelthryth, the daughter of Anna of the East Angles.162
Such a marriage
might suggest that the South Gyrwe should also be seen as a kingdom; certainly it gives
these two entities a degree of equivalence. Indeed, given this it is perfectly conceivable,
although hardly provable, that many if not all of the units of the Tribal Hidage were ruled
by kings or similar figures.163
It might thus be suggested further that the term ‘king’ in
fact covered a group of related levels of status to accommodate these divergent sizes.
It is instructive at this point to pause and consider the significance of the numbers
of the hidations given to these geo-political units. All of the small, and many of the
medium, units, for example, are given in multiples of 300 hides. It is possible, therefore,
that the 300 hide threshold was of some significance. It may, for example, have been the
point at which a territory was considered sufficiently large to be considered as an
independent unit. Equally it could have been a convenient or accepted base unit of
account.164
Along similar lines, it has been argued that the 7,000 hides of several of the
large units can be equated with the gifts of land, hall and throne given to Beowulf by
Hygelac after his return to the Geats following his defeat of Grendel and Grendel’s
Mother.165
This, it has been speculated, could be construed as an appropriate area for an
independent kingdom led by someone of Beowulf’s power and stature.166
Indeed,
developing this, it might be possible to use the hidal assessments of the Tribal Hidage as
a proxy for power and influence. It is all too easy to become overly speculative when
making such suggestions. Nonetheless, one is left with an impression of a hierarchy of
size and power from these assessments. It is certainly possible to demonstrate varying
levels of power and authority. As has previously been demonstrated, at various points
the rulers of Northumbria, Mercia, Kent, the East Angles, and the West Saxons all
wielded significant control over their neighbours. Of those units present in the Tribal
Hidage, Elmet, Hatfield Chase, and at times Lindsey were all subject to Northumbria.
Similarly, Lindsey, the Hwicce, the Westerna if they are the indeed the Magonsæte, the
Wroecensæte, and the units in the East Midlands and the Fens were subject to Mercia at
various points during the seventh and early eighth centuries. The East Angles, South
Saxons, Kent and even the West Saxons can also at times be shown to be under Mercian
162
HE, IV.19.
163
Campbell, 'Bede's reges and principes', p. 89-91. For a somewhat differing view: Yorke, 'Political
and Ethnic Identity', pp. 82-86.
164
Much as 300 is a common unit in Welsh literature.
165
Beo, ll 2194-9.
166
Sawyer, Roman Britain to Norman England, pp. 110-11.
Peter J W Burch
210
influence. At other times, the South Saxons can be seen to be under Kentish or West
Saxon influence, while the East Saxons can also at times be placed under both Kentish
and Northumbrian influence.
Further layers can be added to this picture. Intermediary levels of authority also
existed. It was common, for example, particularly amongst the kings of Northumbrian,
to delegate authority over certain areas to a junior relative and potential successor.
Similarly, Wulfhere of Mercia is known to have granted control of the Isle of Wight and
the Meonware to Æthelwealh of the South Saxons, his godson. What is more, these
hierarchal relationships were of varying natures. Mercia’s interactions with Lindsey or
the Hwicce, who both became incorporated into greater Mercia over time, were of a
different nature to those with Kent, the East Angles, or particularly the West Saxons who
generally retained much greater independence and maintained a distinct political
identity.167
In addition, a tradition of joint kingship existed in early Anglo-Saxon
England, particularly amongst the Hwicce, the East Saxons, and in Kent. Such
hierarchies, therefore, were not just one-to-one, but at times one-to-many, and many-toone.
A complex, and varied, hierarchy of kingdoms, and kingships, can thus be observed
with the term ‘king’ having different implications at each level.168
It is on the basis of this hierarchy and the ultimate incorporation of many of the
small units of the Tribal Hidage into several of the larger that Bassett’s model of kingdom
formation via a process of conquest and amalgamation is ultimately based.169
This
hypothesis is significantly strengthened by the realisation that the larger units of the
Tribal Hidage, such as Mercia, were also composed of a series of smaller units.170
The
model has already been extensively addressed, and while given credence, it has been seen
to be one factor amongst many in a complex process.
Other factors are also present in the Tribal Hidage. Roman and British
continuities have been suggested previously for Lindsey and for the Wroecensæte.
Related continuities might also be found in the various units for which British origins or
influences can be surmised. Elmet was certainly a British kingdom prior to its annexation
by Edwin of Northumbria and British strands have also been noted with the Hwicce, in
Mercia with the West Saxons and possibly in Kent. Further complexity must also be
167
In the period in question, it is only Penda and to an extent Wulfhere who exercised authority over the
West Saxons.
168
Further: Campbell, 'Bede's reges and principes', pp. 85-92.
169
Bassett, 'In Search of Origins', pp. 26-27.
170
Dumville, 'Middle Anglia, and the Expansion of Mercia', pp. 129-30.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
211
added. It was possible for powerful kings effectively to create kingdoms for others. The
best known example of this is Penda’s creation of the kingdom of the Middle Angles for
his son Peada.171
This welded many of the smaller units in the East Midlands and the
Fens which are present in the Tribal Hidage into a single entity. It is unlikely that this
would have displaced the pre-existing kingly or similar figures of these units, merely
placing another level of authority above them.172
Similar examples have been plausibly
suggested for the Middle Saxons, and possibly for Surrey also.173
Some scholars have
sought to explain many of the units of the Tribal Hidage by reference to such activity,
prior to which such units were presumably kingless, but this does not seem likely.174
This
almost instantaneous creation of supra-kingdoms reinforces the idea that kingdoms and
kingships might originate as relatively large-scale phenomena. Bede’s Historia
ecclesiastica highlighted a number of kings and kingdoms who achieved significant
power and extent over relatively short spaces of time. These territories were sometimes
transferred to a successor, but often collapsed. Individual kingships oscillated in power,
sometimes to a remarkable extent. Taking this a stage further, a rapid series of strategic
victories would be sufficient to raise a relatively minor leader to the control of a
significant area. Such a position may or may not have lasted, but it could be achieved
relatively quickly and easily given appropriate circumstances. Such entities might be
described as ‘pop-up kingdoms’ and explain how kingships can originate as large-scale
phenomena without requiring long-term continuities.
Conclusions
Further insights, therefore, have been added to the evolving understanding of the nature
and origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. With respect to the nature of Anglo-Saxon
kingship, several discrete observations are possible. Diplomas, although not actually
necessary to the functioning of early Anglo-Saxon kingship, were highlighted as having
a role to play in the exercise of over-kingship, as well as ultimately developing into a
powerful and flexible tool of later Anglo-Saxon kings. They also pointed to the presence
of a pre-existing system for the granting of lands and suggested a complex dynamic of
171
HE, III.21; Dumville, 'Middle Anglia, and the Expansion of Mercia', pp. 130-32; Davies, 'Middle
Anglia', pp. 18-20.
172
Dumville, 'Middle Anglia, and the Expansion of Mercia', p. 132.
173
Blair, 'Frithuwold's Kingdom', p. 107; Bailey, 'Middle Saxons'.
174
Davies and Vierck, 'Contexts of Tribal Hidage', pp. 237-241.
Peter J W Burch
212
negotiation, reward and favour between early Anglo-Saxon kings and their followers,
adding colour to previous observations in this respect. The role of the king as regards
the exercise of justice was also demonstrated as being minimal. Indeed, the early AngloSaxon
legal system, such as it was, was seemingly able to function irrespective of kings.
However, over the course of the four extant law codes, early Anglo-Saxon kings could
be observed taking an increasingly active role in shaping and issuing legislation. This
had a practical aspect, responding to the needs and concerns of their subjects, but was
also ideological in nature, the issuing of laws, common in both Biblical and Continental
contexts, allowing early Anglo-Saxon kings to develop their own image of kingship. The
genealogies were also understood as primarily ideological documents. They
demonstrated the importance of descent for the legitimation of early Anglo-Saxon kings
and emphasised the earlier comments regarding the existence of royal families. The
Tribal Hidage, meanwhile, proved to be ultimately undefinable. Nonetheless, it pointed
to a complex hierarchy of kings ruling entities of varying sizes.
It was also the Tribal Hidage which proved most revealing with respect to the
origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. Crucially, it facilitated an appreciation that kingdoms
could ‘pop up’ over a relatively short space of time following a few strategic victories.
This reinforced the previous supposition that it was possible for kingship to emerge as a
relatively small-scale phenomenon. Warfare and military power could thus be inferred
as being fundamental to the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. In conjunction with the
Frithuwold diploma, the Tribal Hidage also highlighted the ability of powerful kings to
manufacture kingdoms from smaller pre-existing units. It also again raised, as did a
number of the genealogies, the possibility of British political units, possibly themselves
linked to previous Roman governmental units, as the basis of subsequent Anglo-Saxon
kingships. A series of oscillating and fluctuating units could thus be observed. The
origins of kingdoms and kingship could not be explained through a linear process of
conquest and amalgamation but required a more variable explanation rooted in the
interplay between fleeting military gains and lasting political units played out amongst
both newly emerging entities and more established governmental structures.
Alongside these observations could be placed a number of insights concerning
the economic basis of kingship. The ability of kings to extract surplus in the form of
food rents, extract tolls on trade and shipping, and profit from monopolies in the
production of salt gave early Anglo-Saxon kings access to notable resources, and thus
power. Moreover, these were all sources of power of potential antiquity, possibly
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
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providing points of continuity with the imperial past. These observations, however, need
to be understood in the context of indications of discontinuity. The nature and usage of
diplomas and the usage of hides both pointed to fundamental discontinuities with
previous Roman practice. Thus, while certain facets of the imperial legacy survived they
did so in the context of new emerging political units, identities and practices. Further,
the possibility was also raised that the origins of kingship might be found in the context
of legal interventions. This is perfectly compatible with the observations offered above.
Peter J W Burch
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Section Three
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship?
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
215
Conclusions
This thesis set out to re-examine the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. It sought to
uncover the nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship, how it became established and, if
possible, why it was accepted. It was observed in the introduction that the origins of
Anglo-Saxon kingship, as opposed to the origins of kingdoms or the origins of England,
had not been studied in a sustained or rigorous fashion. Those works which came closest,
particularly Bassett’s introduction to The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms and Yorke’s
Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England, were either focused specifically
upon kingdoms or for reasons of scholarly rigour did not attempt to venture prior to c.600
to examine the origins of kingship. Instead, typically, kingship has been assumed as a
natural or inevitable political development by scholars. Even in recent works such as
Fleming’s Britain after Rome, which drew on and synthesised various recent innovative
archaeological approaches to the period, this assumption has continued.1
Further,
particularly in older scholarship such as Stenton’s Anglo-Saxon England or Kemble’s
Saxons in England, this assumption was associated with other, more problematic, ideas
regarding the role of migration and conquest in determining the nature of early AngloSaxon
England. These ideas have continued to be influential, particularly amongst
archaeologists, although a wider variety of perspectives are now put forward following
works such as Arnold’s An Archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England and Higham’s Rome,
Britain and the Anglo-Saxons. These works stressed the importance of internal factors
and demonstrated that large-scale migration cannot necessarily be relied upon as an
explanatory paradigm for the period. This conclusion can be extended to apply also to
the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship.
The neglect of the origins of kingship, in part, can be explained by the relative
lack of evidence available to facilitate its study. However, scarcity is not the same as a
complete absence. The thesis, therefore, has systematically surveyed and re-evaluated
what evidence is available and pertinent, archaeological and historical, from the period
c.400-c.750.2
This process uncovered the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship in greater
and more systematic detail than previously has been possible. It also helped to define
what is knowable, and what is not, regarding early Anglo-Saxon kingship. By extension
1
Such works as relate to kingship and kingdoms are typified by Scull, 'Anglo-Saxon Kingdom Origins'.
2
A terminus ante quem of c.650 was adopted for the archaeological evidence for the reasons discussed
above.
Peter J W Burch
216
it has resulted in a greater, and potentially different, appreciation of early Anglo-Saxon
England.
The first major area of evidence to be examined was that of elite burial – notably
elaborate graves of the late sixth and early seventh centuries, characterised by extensive
grave goods and involved mortuary structures, including such well-known examples as
the burial mounds at Sutton Hoo and the recently discovered chamber grave at
Prittlewell. Through probabilistic reasoning, linked to the resources and time invested
in these burials, a number were identified as being probably or possibly royal.3
An
exploration of the material associations of their contents and structures pointed to warleadership,
hospitality, personal relationships and protection as forming key aspects of
early Anglo-Saxon kingship. Looked at in a broader context, these burials were also
revealed as being a regionally-specific, flexible and ideologically-sophisticated
phenomenon. As such they indicated the existence of an established institution. In light
of this, the traditional link between these burials and the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship
no longer seemed credible and it was instead suggested that they might profitably be
viewed as an experiment or development within Anglo-Saxon kingship.
A similar argument was offered with respect to elite rural settlements – rural
settlements of the late sixth and early seventh centuries characterised by notably-large
buildings and obviously-planned layouts. Several of these settlements are explicitly
known to have been royal – as Yeavering and Rendlesham – due to various references in
historical sources, particularly Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica. Further potentially royal
examples were identified through a process of comparison based on the archaeological
profile of the explicitly royal sites. The complexity of this group of sites prompted the
suggestion that they made most sense as the products of an established and sophisticated
political institution, again refuting the traditionally-perceived link between these
settlements and the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship. It was possible to push this further
in certain instances, particularly with Yeavering and its distinctive ideological sensitivity,
to suggest that these sites could be viewed as experiments or developments within early
Anglo-Saxon kingship. Additionally, as well as confirming many of the observations
regarding the nature of kingship derived from the burial evidence, the striking lack of
settlement debris at the majority of these sites also suggested that an itinerant aspect, with
3
Listed in Appendix I.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
217
an associated system of estates, must have formed part of the nature of early AngloSaxon
kingship, although regional differences were also apparent.
Other elite settlement types allowed the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingship to be
approached more closely. The ongoing elite presence at a number of former Roman
military sites in Northern Britain raised the possibility of some form of continuity with
Roman power structures. Although these sites could not be connected directly to any
early Anglo-Saxon kingships, the material evidence indicated that feasting, warfare and
protection were all important to the power wielded from these sites, highlighting
important similarities with the nature of early Anglo-Saxon kingship. More compelling
continuities were evident at certain former Roman towns, particularly at Canterbury,
Lincoln and Wroxeter. Continuing activity at these sites allowed it to be suggested that
a substantial British or Romano-British element underlay the subsequent kingdoms of
Kent, Lindsey and the Wroecensæte. The British derivation of their names strengthened
this supposition. However, evidence from other such settlements was much more
ambiguous, while many former towns, including London and Winchester, have yet to
provide any indications of settlement continuity at all. Complicating this further,
Canterbury and Catterick were also sites of early Anglo-Saxon archaeological activity.
The most convincing settlement continuities were found in the kingdom of Northumbria.
Settlements such as Bamburgh and Dunbar tied into a wider pattern of enclosed
settlements across northern Britain. They also possessed much more extensive
settlement debris, including evidence of trading and manufacture, emphasising the
impression of regional variety. Furthermore, by their very nature, they asserted the
importance of warfare and protection to early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
Attempting a resolution as to how these seemingly British or Romano-British
settlement types became Anglo-Saxon did not prove possible, such issues being
essentially historical questions. However, in conjunction with the historical sources,
certain suggestions are now possible. Given the importance of warfare to the early
history of Northumbria, particularly the career of Æthelfrith, conquest looks like the most
explicable mechanism to explain how Northumbria became Anglo-Saxon, although it
would be imprudent to suggest that it was the only factor at work. Indeed, greater
Northumbria can be construed as being formed by a series of key strategic, decisive,
victories. By contrast, more peaceful mechanisms such as intermarriage and
acculturation seem more likely in places such as Lindsey. Regardless of the validity of
Peter J W Burch
218
these hypotheses, the settlement evidence was sufficient on its own to underline the
potential variety and complexity of early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
Concluding the examination of the archaeological evidence was a brief foray into
the field of numismatics. Although the minting of coins was primarily a feature of
centuries beyond those under consideration, some important conclusions could be
offered. Firstly, while the systematic importation of coinage to Britain ceased around
c.402, coinage did continue to circulate in Anglo-Saxon England. Moreover, particularly
the Hoxne hoard indicates that the remaining coins was systematically clipped for at least
a generation, presumably in an attempt to extend the supply of money. By extension,
this implies the presence of some form of central authority, possibly one of these
suggested by the settlement evidence or implied by the historical sources of the second
section. While coin-like objects – bracteates – may have been made during the sixth
century, the minting of coins only resumed with the introduction of Christianity (with
which it is strongly correlated). Explicitly kingly coins are known bearing the names of
Eadbald of Kent (r. 616-640) and Aldfrith of Northumbria (r. 685-704/5), while the
complexity and level of organisation implied by the consistency of the coins and their
manufacture suggests that royal involvement extended significantly beyond these
examples. The minting of coins by kings was, therefore, placed alongside elite burials
and elite rural settlements as another development, or experiment, within early AngloSaxon
kingship, although as with these previous instances, the practice seemingly did
not extend evenly across early Anglo-Saxon England.
Turning to the historical sources of the fifth and sixth centuries, imperial control
collapsed owing to the usurpation of Constantine III in 607 and was not re-established
following his death in 411. This, with the associated economic collapse, was inferred as
creating a power vacuum in fifth-century Britain. Understanding how this power vacuum
was filled proved central to understanding the following centuries and the origins of
kingship. Various potential responses were identified, in addition to those already noted
archaeologically. The presence of warlords was deduced based on the figure of Coroticus
in St. Patrick’s Epistola. Likewise, figures of local significance were observed, such as
the uir tribuniciae potestatis – ‘man of tribunary power’ in the Vita Germani. Other
possible responses could not be ruled out, while the inherent plausibility of some form
of governance was bolstered by the previous observations regarding the systematic
clipping of coinage. The role of Anglo-Saxon migrants, federate troops or otherwise,
also needed to be appreciated in this context, not least because they brought a new ethnic
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
219
identity and represented a new source of political power. In addition, at a slightly later
date kings could be observed amongst the British through Gildas’s De excidio. By
analogy kingship was suggested as also being present in England. This was the only
satisfactory way to resolve the power imbalance which would have resulted otherwise.
Taking a step back, new identities were also observed – British and Anglo-Saxon –
within a context informed and influenced by the imperial past.
On its own, these observations did not allow for a coherent political narrative to
be established – the available evidence was simply insufficient – but they do illustrate
some of the influences which tended towards its establishment. Nonetheless, several
important insights were prompted. Of prime importance was the inference of the
existence of kingship in Anglo-Saxon England, certainly in the sixth century if not
earlier. This was supported, if problematically, by the rather generic comments of
Procopius in his Wars, and also correlates with the archaeological evidence and its
indication that kingship was an established phenomenon by the end of the sixth century.
Further correlating with the varied nature of the archaeological evidence was the
suggestion that early Anglo-Saxon kingship had varied origins in differing political
contexts. Perhaps the most important observation, however, was that early Anglo-Saxon
kingship did not develop in isolation, but within a wider kingly context – Insular and
Continental. Thus, imitation, adoption and emulation all have to be considered alongside
actual innovation and creation as explanations for its origins.
Adding to and developing this understanding through work on the later narrative
and documentary sources proved challenging. The sources of the seventh and early
eighth centuries predominantly provided insight into developments within Anglo-Saxon
kingship. Nonetheless, it became apparent that the political culture of Anglo-Saxon
England from the early seventh century onwards was unequivocally kingly, supporting
the idea that its origins were to be found much earlier. Not only did the papal letters of
Gregory I demonstrate a Continental perception of kingship in Anglo-Saxon England at
the end of the sixth century, but Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica revealed an unambiguously
kingly Anglo-Saxon political world throughout the seventh and early eighth centuries.
Some of the later developments identified also potentially held important implications
for early Anglo-Saxon kingship before their appearance in the historical sources. The
references to food rents in the law codes of Kent and Wessex, as well as the presence of
tolls in charters issued by Mercian and Kentish kings, for example, provided an economic
foundation for early Anglo-Saxon kingship. This correlates with the observations of the
Peter J W Burch
220
settlement section regarding itinerant kingship. Elements of both of these practices may
have stretched back to imperial practice, if not further, although it was not possible to
verify this. Of a similar nature was the practice of early kings of rewarding their
followers with lands in return for their long-term support and service. This was most
apparent in Bede’s Epistola ad Ecgbertum – where he complained that such lands were
being diverted to ‘false’ monasteries leaving Northumbria under-defended – but was also
inferred from several of the hagiographic sources. This can be seen as the practical
underpinnings of early Anglo-Saxon kingship and provides a concrete mechanism to
support the earlier comments, highlighted particularly though the archaeology evidence,
of the importance of personal relationships to the functioning of early Anglo-Saxon
kingship. By extension, this also implies significant access to and control of landed
wealth on the part of kings, providing a further, long-standing, economic foundation for
early Anglo-Saxon kingship.
Likewise, an ideological foundation for kingship was identified in the claimed
descent of early kings from gods – Woden and Seaxneat – and other legendary figures,
found across the royal genealogies. This could be related to other concepts such as the
importance of succession and the existence of royal families which became apparent
through the tabular analysis of Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica. Although fluid and
malleable, these concepts formed a crucial part of the ideological superstructure of early
Anglo-Saxon kingship. It was not possible to discern how far back these concepts could
be pushed, but the presence of non-Christian gods in the royal genealogies certainly
allows them to be placed prior to the widespread adoption of Christianity in the early
seventh century. Two other factors can also be considered in this context, although both
seemed more like later developments of kingship. The first relates to the role of kings in
respect to the law. Legal intervention became increasing prominent across the four extant
law codes, while the role of the king as the giver of law is itself highly symbolic,
especially given the essentially ideological nature of the law codes themselves.
Moreover, the giving of written laws is linked to both Continental and Biblical exemplars
of kingship. Developing this further, it was suggested that a potential origin for kingship
may, in fact, have been legal intervention – the act of serving as mediator, judge or
arbitrator, and finding mutually acceptable levels of restitution, creating a precedent for
wider applications of kingly power.
The second factor concerns the relationship between early Anglo-Saxon kings
and religion. This was apparent across all of the narrative sources, although it was most
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
221
strongly present in Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica. Early Anglo-Saxon kings heavily
patronised the church and supported early missionaries in their work. Indeed, some went
so far as to attempt to institute Christian morality through law. Through this association
they also tied themselves to a broader intellectual superstructure and provided themselves
with various opportunities to augment their position through ritual and patronage.
Further, an expectation of kingly control over the church was identified, even amongst
church figures, as in Archbishop Theodore’s letter to Æthelred of Mercia. The adoption
of Christianity, therefore, represents a significant enhancement of the power and status
of early Anglo-Saxon kings. There are hints that some kingly relationships with religion
pre-dated the adoption of Christianity. Prime examples are the evidence for the ritual
slaughter of cattle at Yeavering, possibly echoed in the axe-hammer from Mound One at
Sutton Hoo. The incidence of bracteates in Kent, with their Wodenic symbolism, has
also been suggested as a possible instance of such activity. Such associations would
again have linked early Anglo-Saxon kings to a wider cosmology, providing implicit,
even explicit, ideological support for their positions and status. However, it is important
not to misconstrue these relationships. A relationship with religion does not equate to
sacral kingship and all of the evidence encountered pointed to this not being in evidence
in early Anglo-Saxon England. Furthermore, uncertainties abound, while the activity at
Yeavering was broadly contemporary with the adoption of Christianity in Kent. These
relationships to non-Christian religion cannot, therefore, necessarily be seen as a
potential origin for kingship, although it was certainly a factor in its early development.
Regardless, the adoption of Christianity by kings from the very late sixth century
onwards had a transformative effect on early Anglo-Saxon kingship. In addition to its
immediate impact, as above, it also made possible the development of written laws, the
minting of coins and the production of charters, with all the symbolism, ritual and
ideological potential congruent upon them. The experiments in kingship inherent in elite
burial and elite rural settlement were also dated to this period. Indeed, the period around
c.600 – although charters may have been a later development – would seem to be a period
of notable change within Anglo-Saxon kingship, much as has been argued for society
more broadly. This may in part explain the difficulty of identifying kingship prior to
c.600. Just when early Anglo-Saxon kingship was coming into focus in the historical
and archaeological sources, it was at a point of transition.
Warfare has already been highlighted as a key feature of the nature of AngloSaxon
kingship. This was apparent from both the burial and settlement evidence, but
Peter J W Burch
222
also emerged particularly strongly from the tabular analysis of Bede’s Historia
ecclesiastica. The importance of warfare with respect to the origins of kingship, although
also alluded to in passing, needs to be directly considered. This was particularly
important to the second of Bassett’s two models of kingdom formation – his model of
collapse followed by kingdom formation via conquest and amalgamation – in
conjunction with the phenomenon of over-kingship. Significant evidence was located to
support this model, particularly through the series of small political units identified in
Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica and the Tribal Hidage. Many of these could be discerned
as being or becoming regions or sub-kingdoms, as part of broader kingships, through the
agencies of warfare and over-kingship. Key examples include: Elmet, Lindsey and
Rheged, which together with the original lands of Deira and Bernicia and conquered
British and Dál Raitan lands, formed greater Northumbria; likewise, Kent was formed of
two parts, East and West Kent; Mercia also encompassed or exercised suzerainty over a
number of smaller units including the Hwicce, the South Saxons, the Middle Saxons,
Lindsey and a significant number of the small units of the Tribal Hidage. Warfare itself,
however, cannot be seen as a direct origin for early Anglo-Saxon kingship – to argue
thus would require kingship simply to be a product of a certain political mass, which
given the ideological component of kingship, cannot be held to be the case.
Rather, therefore, it is more appropriate to see warfare as a facilitator of the
development of Anglo-Saxon kingship. The merits of this perspective become further
apparent when Bassett’s first model of kingdom formation – through continuity with
Roman governmental units – is considered. Ample evidence was also located to support
this model. Particularly the evidence of settlements and place names provided a number
of instances of later Anglo-Saxon political units linked to earlier Roman or RomanoBritish
ones. The settlement section highlighted both Lindsey and the Wroecensæte as
key examples of this phenomenon. Place name evidence allowed Kent, or at least East
Kent, Deira and Bernicia to be added to this list. The presence of linguistically British
names in the genealogies of Wessex and Mercia would prompt a similar deduction, while
Elmet is an additional important example. Warfare may have been involved in the
passing of control of some of these units into Anglo-Saxon control – as has been argued
for Northumbria and also seems to be the case for Elmet and Lindsey – but other agencies
such as intermarriage and acculturation were also raised as being significant. Although
its causal status should not be overplayed, therefore, warfare can be seen as being
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
223
important to the development of Anglo-Saxon kingship irrespective of which of Bassett’s
two models of kingdom formation are under discussion.
The issue of acceptance of kingship needs to be considered in this context. This
provides a very different way of approaching the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship,
and while it proved particularly difficult to address in the thesis, it does relate directly to
the ideological component of kingship. Certain aspects of the nature of Anglo-Saxon
kingship might be raised as a partial answer. The rewarding of the kings’ followers, for
example, was seen as being advantageous to those rewarded as well as to kings
themselves. On a broader scale, the protective role of Anglo-Saxon kings was also seen
as being inherently desirable. Likewise, the role of kings in legal intervention provided
another aspect which may have led to their acceptance. Ultimately such inferences
represent little more than informed supposition, but they are important in that they serve
as a reminder that the establishment of Anglo-Saxon kingship was not simply an issue of
imposition from above, through warfare or otherwise, but also of acceptance from below.
It is also possible to push Bassett’s models further. Indeed, the thesis uncovered
indications of quite different patterns of kingdom, and kingship, formation which caused
them to be entirely re-cast. For example, it was not at all apparent that a pattern of gradual
amalgamation could be projected prior to c.600. Indeed, it was established that there was
no compelling evidence to support the commonly assumed absence of large-scale
kingdoms in sixth century. Similarly, oscillating levels of power between kingdoms were
identified as being as much a feature of the seventh century as was amalgamation, viz the
alternating and fluctuating fortunes of Kent, East Anglia, Northumbria, Wessex and
Mercia. Particularly significantly, it was observed that it was possible to create a
kingdom in a short space of time, either through the active intervention of another, more
powerful, king – as with the Middle Angles and possibly the Middle Saxons – or through
a series of strategic, decisive, victories – as was arguably the case with Northumbria.
The existence of such ‘pop-up’ kingdoms completely alters the way in which the origins
of Anglo-Saxon kingship, and of kingdoms, should be conceptualised. Thus, two
competing, but not mutually exclusive, trajectories can be simultaneously posited. There
is the pattern of small political units developing into larger ones, following Bassett, but
also a pattern of large units becoming smaller before becoming larger again. This is
paralleled by the political history of the Merovingian kingdoms, suggesting that in
Anglo-Saxon England, as in Frankia, partible inheritance may have been practiced,
Peter J W Burch
224
although there is no actual evidence to support this.4
New units of Anglo-Saxon, or
British, construction, as well as older entities deriving from previous Roman units, can
all be observed or inferred as following these trajectories. The result is a varied and
fluctuating political mass. This, therefore, creates a model not of amalgamation or
continuity but of uncertainty and instability followed by gradual stabilisation where both
amalgamation and continuity as well as fragmentation and discontinuity all have a role.
This cannot be considered as a complete model of the origins of early Anglo-Saxon
kingship, primarily addressing, as it does, the origins of kingdoms, but taken together
with the previous comments regarding the fifth century it does provide an appreciation
of the context within which kingship emerged and an outline of its development.
However, not every aspect of this outline is necessarily relevant to the
development of every early Anglo-Saxon kingship. In part this is a result of the
inconsistent nature of the evidence drawn upon in this study, but primarily it is because
many of the factors identified and discussed were of varying significance in different
areas. This can be illustrated by two contrasting examples, the kingships of Northumbria
and Kent. The name Kent is derived from the Roman term for the civitas capital of
Canterbury – civitas Cantium – implying perhaps a degree of Roman or Roman-British
continuity of governance or organisation. In turn, the kingdom of Kent was made of two
sub units, East and West Kent, suggesting that it was the product of the amalgamation of
two smaller units, correlating with Bassett’s amalgamation model. This impression is
re-enforced by their respective material cultures. However, while Kent experienced a
brief period of supra-regional dominance under Æthelberht I, it was not able to maintain
this size or influence. Of all the early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Kent was most directly
exposed to Continental ideas and practices; indeed, Frankish writers at times claimed a
degree of over-lordship in the later sixth century. Although difficult to quantify, these
cannot but have had some influence on the development of kingship there. It is also in
Kent that certain developments in kingship appear first – indeed it is in Kent that
Kingship is first historically verifiable – specifically the introduction of Christianity and
associated features such as law codes and the minting of coins. Like many early AngloSaxon
kingships, the Kentish kings sought to associate themselves with the figure of
Woden; this may find a pre-Christian parallel in the high incidence of bracteates in Kent
4
Van Dam, 'Merovingian Gaul and the Frankish Conquests', pp. 198-205; Wood, Merovingian
Kingdoms 450-751, pp. 55-60, 88-101.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
225
and their correlation with potentially royal sites, although this is far from certain.
Creating links between these various observations rapidly results in undue speculation;
nonetheless, it is clear that kingship developed in Kent under a specific set of cultural
influences – Continental, Anglo-Saxon and Romano-British – within a seemingly
relatively stable geographical context.
The development of kingship in Northumbria is different in a number of respects.
The influence of the Continent is only apparent from the seventh century onwards
through the conduit of Christianity. Rather, Northumbria was very much part of a
northern, Insular world. Like Kent, Northumbria was also formed through the
amalgamation of two smaller units – Bernicia and Deira, each with their own traditions
of kingship – but in addition incorporated lands previously under the sway of other kings,
including the British or probably British lesser kingdoms of Elmet, Lindsey and Rheged.
Bernicia and Deira themselves seem to have had a strong British character, suggested
both through their material cultures and through their names, which are British in
derivation, but unlike Kent cannot be linked to any Roman governmental units. The
indications are that Northumbria expanded rapidly through a series of decisive victories,
being more akin to a ‘pop-up’ kingdom. It also notably waned in power, size and
influence following Ecgfrith’s death in 685. An association with religion can also be
found in Northumbria, through the ideologically-charged settlement at Yeavering,
although Yeavering was not Christian in the first instance, rather uniquely providing
explicit evidence of Anglo-Saxon royal exploitation of non-Christian religion. Nor are
Northumbrian kings known to have issued law codes, although there are textual
references to the royal usage of diplomas. Close ties were also observed between
Northumbrian and Dál Riatan kingships, particularly through Oswald of Northumbria
and his sponsorship of Ionan missionaries, during the middle portion of the seventh
century. Northumbrian kingship, therefore, developed in a very different cultural context
to that of Kent and as a result was seemingly of a different character. Of course it held
many essential features in common – such as the foundation on personal relationships
and the importance of food rents, protection and warfare – but these characteristics were
filtered and moulded by their respective contexts and developments. The patterns and
generalities above, therefore, might best be thought of as a framework which can be used
to approach the origins of early Anglo-Saxon kingship in both a general and a specific
sense, but which must always be applied with an awareness of very variable local
conditions.
Peter J W Burch
226
What, therefore, was the nature of the kingship created through these varying
trajectories? This is not easily answered on account of the considerable variety observed
throughout the thesis. The term ‘king’, as has been seen, was applicable to figures of
significantly differing powers, ruling entities of significantly different sizes, and covered
a range of different manifestations of kingship. Over-kings and sub-kings, in various
arrangements and contexts, as well as joint kings, were all observed. Certain common
features could be discerned – the prime importance of war-leadership, together with
personal relationships and the existence of royal families – but this does not negate the
impression of variety. This variety, even ambiguity, is hardly surprising. Given the
uncertain context within which Anglo-Saxon kingship developed, a fully articulated
institution should not be expected. Any definition of kingship, therefore, needs to be
sufficiently broad to encompass these various manifestations. All that can safely be said
of early Anglo-Saxon kingship was that it was a form of hereditary ruler-ship where the
leader(s) was/were drawn from a recognised family. It might also be possible to define
a king as anyone who claimed the title of king and who persuaded others to follow them
and accept that claim. Early Anglo-Saxon kingship might, in fact, be better left undefined
if unarticulated variety and inherent flexibility was its dominant feature. Indeed, it was
this flexibility which was perhaps its greatest strength; it allowed it to adapt to varied
circumstances. Moreover, its structures allowed it to function without the need for an
elaborate bureaucracy. It is perhaps this, above all else, which explains why kingship
became established in early Anglo-Saxon England: it was ideally suited to the postRoman
fifth-century context, shorn of formal political or governmental structures, from
which it emerged.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
227
Appendices
I: Probable and Possible Kingly Burial Sites
Fig.28, Probable Kingly Burial Sites
Burial (highest
to lowest)
County1 Grid
Reference
Site Type2 (Number
of Barrows)
Disturbed
(Y/N)
Mound One,
Sutton Hoo
Suffolk TM 288487 Type Two/Three
(~19)
No
Prittlewell
Chamber
Grave
Essex TQ 878873 Type Three No
Taplow
Barrow
Buckinghamshire SU 906821 Type One No
Mound Two,
Sutton Hoo
Suffolk TM 288487 Type Two/Three
(~19)
Yes
Snape Ship
Burial
Suffolk TM 403593 Type Three (8-10) Yes
Fig.29, Possible Kingly Burial Sites
Burial (highest
to lowest)
County Grid
Reference
Site Type (Number
of Barrows)
Disturbed
(Y/N)
Benty Grange Derbyshire SK 146642 Type One No3
Broomfield
Barrow
Essex TL 710096 Type One No
Asthall Barrow Oxfordshire SP 289101 Type One No
Caenby
Barrow
Lincolnshire SK 970889 Type One Yes
Wollaston
Barrow
Northamptonshire SP 885627 Type One No
1
Pre-1974 counties are used throughout so as to be compatible with Meaney, Gazetteer.
2
For classification purposes the six types established by Shephard, 'Anglo-Saxon Barrows', pp. 1.11-1.12
are adopted. Namely: Type One – Isolated Barrows: Type Two – Barrow Groups; Type Three –
Barrows in Cemeteries; Type Four – Barrows in Cemeteries; Type Five – Collective Primaries (in
barrows); Type Six – Collective Secondaries (in barrows). An Isolated Barrow has fewer than three
barrows in its immediate vicinity. Shephard defined a Barrow Group as having between three and
approximately seventeen barrows but this should be raised to twenty to accommodate Sutton Hoo's
nineteen barrows; a Barrow Cemetery, therefore, has more than twenty barrows.
3
This is contested, c.f. Bruce-Mitford and Luscombe, 'Benty Grange Helmet', p. 229; Bateman, Ten
Years' Diggings, pp. 28-33.
Peter J W Burch
228
II: Female Bed Burials1
Fig.30, Female Bed Burials2
County Burial Grid Reference
Cambridgeshire Cherry Hinton (Grave 4)3
TL 484555
Edix Hill, Barrington (Graves 18 and 60)4
TL 373495
Shudy Camps (Grave 29)5
TL 604444
Trumpington (Grave 4)6
TL 439547
North Yorkshire Street House7
NZ 739196
Suffolk Shrublands Quarry, Coddenham (Grave 30)8
TM 120538
Stanton, Ixworth9
TL 935701
Wiltshire Collingbourne Ducis10
SU 246541
Swallowcliffe Down11
ST 967254
Fig.31, Further Possible Female Bed Burials
County Burial Grid Reference
Cambridgeshire Shudy Camps (Grave 24)12
TL 604444
Derbyshire Galley Low13
SK 214564
Dorset Woodyates, Pentridge14
SU 039195
Suffolk Sutton Hoo (Mound 14 and Burial 16)15
TM 288487
Wiltshire Roundway Down16
SU 006647
1
Identification of bed-burial as a distinctive Anglo-Saxon funerary rite can be attributed to Speake, Bed
Burial on Swallowcilffe Down, pp. 98-115. Further, the discussions in Sherlock, Anglo-Saxon Cemetery
at Street House, pp. 109-113; Penn, Cemetery at Shrubland Hall Quarry, pp. 57-58.
2
In addition, Bateman discovered a bed burial on Lapwing Hill, Derbyshire (SK 166717): Bateman, Ten
Years' Diggings, pp. 68-70. However, the presence of a sword in a leather sheath in the burial would
suggest that its occupant was male.
3
Meaney, Gazetteer, p. 63.
4
Malim, Hines, and Duhig, Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Edix Hill, pp. 52-53, 67-68.
5
Lethbridge, Cemetery at Shudy Camps, pp. 10-12.
6
Dickens and Lucy, Anglo-Saxon Teen Buried in Bed.
7
Sherlock, Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Street House, pp. 31-33, 89-100, 109-113
8
Penn, Cemetery at Shrubland Hall Quarry, pp. 24-31, 41-56.
9
Smith, Collectanea Antiqua: Volume IV, pp. 162-64.
10
Stoodley and Schuster, Collingbourne Ducis, Wiltshire.
11
Speake, Bed Burial on Swallowcilffe Down.
12
Lethbridge, Cemetery at Shudy Camps, p. 8.
13
Bateman, Vestiges of the Antiquities of Derbyshire, pp. 37-39.
14
Hoare, Ancient History of South Wiltshire, p. 235.
15
Carver, Sutton Hoo, pp. 107-114, 143-44.
16
Semple and Williams, 'Excavation on Roundway Down', with references therein.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
229
County Burial Grid Reference
Winklebury Hill (Grave 9)17
ST 950212
17
Pitt-Rivers, Excavations in Cranborne Chase: Volume II, pp. 257-58, 264-7, 281, 286.
Peter J W Burch
230
III: Calculation for Estimating the Volume of a Burial Mound
In general, a burial mound may be considered to be the following shape in radial section
(Fig.32).1
This can be thought of as a segment of a circle, i.e. the portion of a circle cut off by a
cord, in this case the base of the burial mound. In three dimensions, this is the portion
of a sphere cut off by a chordic plane, known as a spherical cap (Fig.33).
1
This does not account for flat topped mounds. Any estimate gained will, therefore, provide a slight
overestimate, although as any mound will have inevitably eroded considerable over time this is not
deemed to matter.
Fig.32, Burial Mound in Radial Section
Fig.33, Burial Mound Modelled as a Spherical Cap
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
231
The size of the sphere and the position of the chordic plane can be varied to accommodate
the basal diameter and height of any given burial.2
Thus all shapes and sizes of burial
mounds can be accommodated. The volume of a burial mound may, therefore, be
estimated by calculating the volume of the spherical cap which it can be modelled as.
The volume of a spherical cap is:
𝑉 =
𝜋ℎ
6
(3𝑎2
+ ℎ2
)
This is derived by integrating 𝜋𝑥2
between 𝑟 and 𝑟 − ℎ, where 𝑟 is the radius of the
circle, ℎ is the height of the spherical cap or burial mound and 𝑎 is the radius of the base
of the spherical cap or burial mound.
2
The basal diameter may not always be consistent. In these instances, where the information is
available, an average diameter derived from the basal circumference will be used. In such instances the
estimated volume will tend towards being a slight, but not significant, over estimate.
Peter J W Burch
232
IV: Coefficient to Estimate Man-Hours
There is no standard estimate for early medieval worker productivity. Archaeologists
have conducted experiments using pre-historic implements in order to estimate prehistoric
earth moving capabilities; estimations of Roman work rates are derivable from
military manuals and archaeological evidence; estimates are also available from workers
in various modern contexts. Unsurprisingly the latter two are significantly in advance of
the former. An early Anglo-Saxon would be expected to perform better than a worker
furnished with prehistoric tools but less well than someone equipped with Roman or
modern tools. This can be equated to an earth moving ability of between 0.25 and
0.3m³/hour/person.1
As top soil is easier than heavier sub-soils, and this is predominately
what early Anglo-Saxon burial mounds are made of, the higher estimate of
0.3m³/hour/person will be adopted.
1
Grigg, pers. comm., June 12, 2012. Also Grigg, 'Early Medieval Dykes'.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
233
V: Estimated Volumes of Kingly Burial Mounds
Fig.34, Estimated Volumes of Probable Kingly Burial Mounds
Burial (highest
to lowest)
Basal
Diameter1 (m)
Height2
(m)
Estimated
Volume3 (m³)
Estimated Total
Man-Hours4
Mound One,
Sutton Hoo
31.75
3.3 1300 4400
Prittlewell
Chamber Grave
10 - - Taplow
Barrow 23.3 4.6 1050 3450
Mound Two,
Sutton Hoo
22.36
2.7 /
3.8
550 / 750 1800 / 2550
Snape Ship
Burial
22 1.4 250 900
Fig.35, Estimated Volumes of Possible Kingly Burial Mounds
Burial (highest
to lowest)
Basal
Diameter (m)
Height
(m)
Estimated
Volume (m³)
Estimated Man-
Hours
Benty Grange - - - -
Broomfield
Barrow
- - - Asthall
Barrow 16.8 (20.7)7
3.7 450 (650) 1450 (2150)
Caenby Barrow 29.5 2.4 850 2750
Wollaston
Barrow
- - - -
1
To nearest decimal place.
2
To nearest decimal place.
3
To nearest 50 m³.
4
To nearest 50 man-hours.
5
Average of 29.9 and 33.5.
6
Basal diameter and height derived from Carver’s re-constructed dimensions: Carver, Sutton Hoo, p.
171. Carver calculated the volume of the Mound Two as 543 m³ based on the soil excavated from the
quarry ditch, which is reassuringly close to the estimated volume from the lower height. As 790 m³ was
actually loosened during the construction process the total man-hours required was approximately 2650.
Assuming an 8-hour day, this equates to 350 man-days.
7
The first figure is derived from the size of the mound, including the effective cylinder contained by the
retaining wall. The second figure estimates the volume of the original mound based on Leeds’s
suggested original diameter.
Peter J W Burch
234
VI: Categories of Kingly Activity in the Narrative Sources
Association with Religion
General – a generic link between a king and the practice of religion, where none of the
below elements are referenced.
Conversion – the association of a king with the conversion of the people of his
kingdom.
Support – the active kingly support of the activities of the church through legislation,
money, lands or others means.
Miracles – the reporting of miracles associated with a king.
Veneration – the posthumous veneration of a king as a saint.
Baptism – the specific mention of the baptism of a king in Anglo-Saxon England.
Church/Monastery/See Foundation – the giving of lands or other resources by a king
for the foundation of a specific church, monastery or see.
Apostasy – the active reversion of a king to non-Christian religious practices.
Pagan – the active pursuance of non-Christian religious practices where a king has not
apostatised.
Interference – the active involvement of a king in the affairs of the church.
Monastic – the retirement of a king to a monastery or a similar abdication for ostensibly
religious reasons.
Advice – the active advisement of a king by an ecclesiastical figure.
Friendship – the pursuance of a relationship which might be categorised as friendship
between a king and an ecclesiastical figure.
Warfare
Victory – the winning of a battle or military engagement.
Defeat – the loss of a battle or military engagement.
Territorial Conquest – the acquisition of territory as a result of military activity.
Assassination – the loss of life by a king through activities other than warfare or natural
causes.
Extra-Dynastic Relations
Over-Kingship – an indication that one king has power or suzerainty over another.
Sub-Kingship – an indication that one king is under the power or suzerainty of another.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
235
Kingly Rivalry/Competition – the attempt by one king to gain some form of advantage
over another king of a different kingdom through means other than warfare.
Dynastic Ties – the association of one king with another from a different kingdom
through marriage or other familial relationships.
Intra-Dynastic Relations
Succession – the succession of one king by another.
Dynastic Rivalry/Competition – an indication that a succession was disputed by a
rivalry or discord within a royal family.
Exile – the exile of a king during the reign of a rival.
Joint Kingship – the sharing of the kingship by two or more individuals.
Other
Narrative Reference Point – the use of a king to make the narrative of the text more
explicable.
Feasting – the engagement of feasting by a king and his followers.
Consultation – the discussion of a topic between a king and his followers.
Letters – the receipt of letters by a king.
Gifts – the receipt or offering of gifts by a king
Edification – the active pursuance of education by a king.
Written Laws – the production of written laws by a king.
Peace and Protection – the association of the peace of a kingdom with its king.
Itinerancy – an indication that travel was necessary to the execution of kingly power.
Peter J W Burch
236
VII: Activities of Kings in the Historia ecclesiastica
Fig.36, Activities of Kings in the Historia ecclesiastica
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
Preface Ceolwulf of
Northumbria
Association with religion (general); other
(edification)
Book One
I.25 Æthelberht I of
Kent
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
association with religion (support)
I.26 Æthelberht I of
Kent
Association with religion (baptism;
conversion; see foundation, Canterbury;
support)
I.27 Æthelberht I of
Kent
Other (letter from Pope Gregory I; gifts
from Pope Gregory I)
I.33 Æthelberht I of
Kent
Association with religion (see foundation,
Canterbury; monastery foundation,
Canterbury; support)
I.34 Æthelfrith of
Northumbria
Warfare (victory; territorial conquest)
Book Two
II.1 Ælle of Deira Other (narrative reference point)
II.2 Æthelberht I of
Kent
Association with religion (support)
II.2 Æthelfrith of
Northumbria
Warfare (victory, Battle of Chester)
II.3 Sæberht of the East
Saxons
Extra-dynastic relations (sub-kingship;
dynastic ties); association with religion
(conversion)
II.3 Æthelberht I of
Kent
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship;
dynastic ties); association with religion (see
foundation, London and Rochester; support)
II.4 Æthelberht I of
Kent
Other (letter from Pope Boniface IV, not
reproduced)
II.5 Æthelberht I of
Kent
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
association with religion (general); other
(written laws; consultation)
II.5 Ælle of the South
Saxons
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
other (narrative reference point)
II.5 Ceawlin of the
West Saxons
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
other (narrative reference point)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
237
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
II.5 Rædwald of the
East Angles
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
other (narrative reference point)
II.5 Edwin of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
warfare (territorial conquest); other
(narrative reference point)
II.5 Oswald of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
association with religion (general); other
(narrative reference point)
II.5 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
warfare (territorial conquest); other
(narrative reference point)
II.5 Eormenic of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
II.5 Octa of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
II.5 Oeric of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
II.5 Hengist of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
II.5 Eadbald of Kent Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
association with religion ('pagan')
II.5 Sæberht of the East
Saxons
Other (narrative reference point)
II.5 Sæberht's
successors (1 of 3,
unnamed)
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; joint
kingship); association with religion
(apostasy); warfare (defeat)
II.5 Sæberht's
successors (2 of 3,
unnamed)
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; joint
kingship); association with religion
(apostasy); warfare (defeat)
II.5 Sæberht's
successors (3 of 3,
unnamed)
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; joint
kingship); association with religion
(apostasy); warfare (defeat)
II.6 Eadbald of Kent Association with religion (baptism; support;
conversion; church foundation); extradynastic
relations (over-kingship, absence
of)
II.7 Eadbald of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
II.9 Edwin of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship;
dynastic ties); association with religion
(conversion); warfare (assassination, failed;
victory); other (edification; consultation)
II.9 Æthelberht I of
Kent
Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
Peter J W Burch
238
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
II.9 Eadbald of Kent Other (narrative reference point);
association with religion (support)
II.9 Cwichelm of the
West Saxons
Extra-dynastic relations (kingly
rivalry/competition); warfare (defeat)
II.10 Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (Letter from Pope Boniface V)
II.11 Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
II.12 Edwin of
Northumbria
Association with religion (conversion);
intra-dynastic relations (succession; dynastic
rivalry/competition; exile); warfare (victory)
II.12 Rædwald of the
East Angles
Extra-dynastic relations (kingly
rivalry/competition); warfare (victory)
II.12 Æthelfrith of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition); warfare (defeat); other
(gifts, attempted)
II.13 Edwin of
Northumbria
Association with religion (conversion);
other (consultation; feasting)
II.14 Edwin of
Northumbria
Association with religion (baptism;
conversion; see foundation, York; church
foundation; support); extra-dynastic
relations (dynastic ties); warfare (defeat)
II.14 Oswald of
Northumbria
Association with religion (support); intradynastic
relations (succession)
II.14 Ceorl of Mercia Other (narrative reference point); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
II.14 Penda of Mercia Other (narrative reference point); warfare
(victory)
II.15 Edwin of
Northumbria
Association with religion (support)
II.15 Eorpwold of the
East Angles
Intra-dynastic relations (succession;
dynastic rivalry/competition); warfare
(assassination); association with religion
(conversion)
II.15 Rædwald of the
East Angles
Other (narrative reference point);
association with religion (baptism; apostasy,
partial)
II.15 Ealdwulf of the
East Angles
Other (narrative reference point)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
239
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
II.15 Sigeberht of the
East Angles
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; exile;
dynastic rivalry/competition); association
with religion (conversion; see foundation,
Dunwich); other (edification)
II.16 Edwin of
Northumbria
Association with religion (general); other
(peace and protection; itinerancy)
II.17 Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (Letter from Pope Honorius I)
II.18 Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
II.20 Edwin of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
warfare (defeat, Battle of Hatfield Chase);
association with religion (see foundation,
York; veneration); intra-dynastic relations
(dynastic rivalry/competition)
II.20 Penda of Mercia Extra-dynastic relations (kingly
rivalry/competition); warfare (victory,
Battle of Hatfield Chase; assassination,
Eadfrith)
II.20 Oswald of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition)
II.20 Eadbald of Kent Other (narrative reference point);
association with religion (interference);
extra-dynastic relations (kingly
rivalry/competition)
Book Three
III.1 Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); warfare
(defeat)
III.1 Osric of Deira Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
association with religion (apostasy); warfare
(defeat)
III.1 Æthelfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
III.1 Eanfrith of Bernicia Intra-dynastic relations (succession;
dynastic rivalry/competition; exile);
association with religion (apostasy); warfare
(defeat)
III.1 Oswald of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
association with religion (general); warfare
(victory)
Peter J W Burch
240
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
III.2 Oswald of
Northumbria
Association with religion (miracles)
III.3 Oswald of
Northumbria
Association with religion (conversion; see
foundation, Lindisfarne; church foundation;
monastery foundation; support); intradynastic
relations (succession; exile)
III.5 Oswald of
Northumbria
Association with religion (conversion);
other (narrative reference point; feasting)
III.6 Oswald of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
intra-dynastic relations (succession; dynastic
rivalry/competition); association with
religion (conversion; veneration; miracles);
warfare (defeat); other (gifts)
III.6 Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
III.7 Cynegisl of the
West Saxons
Association with religion (baptism; see
foundation, Dorchester; conversion; church
foundation); extra-dynastic relations
(dynastic ties)
III.7 Oswald of
Northumbria
Association with religion (general); extradynastic
relations (kingly
rivalry/competition; dynastic ties)
III.7 Cenwalh of the
West Saxons
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; exile);
association with religion ('pagan';
conversion; see foundation, Winchester;
interference); extra-dynastic relations
(dynastic ties); warfare battle (defeat)
III.7 Penda of Mercia Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic ties);
warfare (victory)
III.7 Anna of the East
Angles
Extra-dynastic relations (kingly
rivalry/competition); association with
religion (general)
III.7 Wulfhere of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
III.8 Eadbald of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
III.8 Eorcenberht of
Kent
Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
association with religion (support); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
III.8 Anna of the East
Angles
Other (narrative reference point); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
III.9 Oswald of
Northumbria
Warfare (defeat); association with religion
(miracles)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
241
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
III.9 Penda of Mercia Other (narrative reference point); warfare
(victory)
III.10 Oswald of
Northumbria
Association with religion (miracles)
III.11 Oswald of
Northumbria
Association with religion (miracles); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
III.10 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
III.11 Æthelred of Mercia Association with religions (support); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
III.12 Oswald of
Northumbria
Association with religions (miracles);
warfare (defeat)
III.12 Penda of Mercia Warfare (victory)
III.12 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (succession)
III.13 Oswald of
Northumbria
Association with religion (miracles)
III.14 Oswald of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
III.14 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (succession;
dynastic rivalry/competition); warfare
(victory); association with religion
(monastery foundation, Gilling)
III.14 Penda of Mercia Warfare (defeat)
III.14 Alhfrith of Deira Intra-dynastic relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition); warfare (defeat)
III.14 Oethelwald of
Deira
Intra-dynastic relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition); warfare (defeat)
III.14 Æthelberht I of
Kent
Other (narrative reference point);
association with religion (see foundation,
Rochester)
III.14 Oswine of Deira Intra-dynastic relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition); other (gifts);
association with religion (general); warfare
(assassination)
III.14 Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
III.14 Osric of Deira Other (narrative reference point)
III.15 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic ties);
intra-dynastic relations (dynastic
Peter J W Burch
242
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
rivalry/competition); other (narrative
reference point)
III.15 Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
III.16 Penda of Mercia Warfare (defeat); other (narrative reference
point)
III.17 Penda of Mercia Warfare (victory); other (narrative reference
point)
III.18 Sigeberht of the
East Angles
Intra-dynastic relations (succession;
dynastic rivalry/competition; exile);
association with religion (support;
monastery foundation; monastic); warfare
(defeat)
III.18 Eorpwold of the
East Angles
Other (narrative reference point)
III.18 Rædwald of the
East Angles
Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition)
III.18 Ecgric of the East
Angles
Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
warfare (defeat)
III.18 Penda of Mercia Warfare (victory); other (narrative reference
point)
III.18 Anna of the East
Angles
Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
warfare (defeat)
III.19 Sigeberht of the
East Angles
Association with religion (monastery
foundation); other (narrative reference
point)
III.21 Peada of Mercia Intra dynastic relations (succession); extradynastic
relations (sub-kingship; dynastic
ties); association with religion (baptism;
conversion)
III.21 Penda of Mercia Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship;
dynastic ties); other (narrative reference
point); association with religion ('pagan');
warfare (defeat)
III.21 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties); warfare
(victory)
III.21 Alhfrith of Deira Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic ties)
III.21 Wulfhere of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
243
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
III.22 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (kingly
rivalry/competition); association with
religions (support)
III.22 Sigeberht II of the
East Saxons
Association with religion (baptism;
conversion); other (consultation); intradynastic
relations (succession; dynastic
rivalry/competition); warfare (assassination)
III.22 Sigeberht I of the
East Saxons
Other (narrative reference point)
III.22 Swithhelm of the
East Saxons
Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
association with religion (baptism)
III.22 Æthelwold of the
East Angles
Extra-dynastic relations (kingly
rivalry/competition); association with
religion (general)
III.22 Anna of the East
Angles
Other (narrative reference point)
III.23 Oethelwald of
Deira
Extra-dynastic relations (sub-kingship);
association of religion (monastery
foundation, Lastingham)
III.23 Oswald of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
III.24 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Warfare (victory, Battle of Winwæd); other
(gifts); association with religion (monastery
foundation, 12 and Gilling; support); extradynastic
relations (over-kingship)
III.24 Penda of Mercia Warfare (defeat, Battle of Winwæd); extradynastic
relations (kingly
rivalry/competition)
III.24 Oswald of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
III.24 Oethelwald of
Deira
Intra-dynastic relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition); warfare (defeat, Battle
of Winwæd)
III.24 Æthelhere of the
East Angles
Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
warfare (defeat, Battle of Winwæd)
III.24 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); extradynastic
relations (kingly
rivalry/competition)
III.24 Alhfrith of Deira Warfare (victory, Battle of Winwæd)
III.24 Anna of the East
Angles
Other (narrative reference point)
Peter J W Burch
244
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
III.24 Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
III.24 Oswine of Deira Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition); warfare (assassination)
III.24 Peada of Mercia Intra-dynastic relations (succession;
dynastic rivalry/competition); warfare
(assassination); extra-dynastic relations
(sub-kingship)
III.24 Wulfhere of Mercia Intra-dynastic relations (succession;
dynastic rivalry/competition); association
with religion (general)
III.24 30 kings (unnamed) Other (narrative reference point)
III.25 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition); association with
religion (interference, Council of
Streanæshalch)
III.25 Alhfrith of Deira Intra-dynastic relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition); association with
religion (monastery foundation, Ripon)
III.26 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference);
other (narrative reference point)
III.28 Alhfrith of Deira Association with religion (interference)
III.28 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference)
III.28 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
III.29 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference);
other (letter from Pope Vitalian)
III.29 Egbert of Kent Association with religion (interference)
III.30 Sigehere of the East
Saxons
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; joint
kingship); extra-dynastic relations (subkingship);
association with religion
(apostasy; conversion)
III.30 Sebbi of the East
Saxons
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; joint
kingship); extra-dynastic relations (subkingship);
association with religion
(general)
III.30 Swithhelm of the
East Saxons
Other (narrative reference point)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
245
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
III.30 Wulfhere of Mercia Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
association with religion (support)
Book Four
IV.1 Eorcenberht of
Kent
Other (narrative reference point)
IV.1 Egbert of Kent Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
association with religion (interference);
other (gifts; narrative reference point)
IV.1 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference);
other (gifts)
IV.3 Wulfhere of Mercia Association with religion (interference;
monastery foundation); extra-dynastic
relations (over-kingship)
IV.3 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Association with religion (general); extradynastic
relations (over-kingship)
IV.5 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Association with religion (monastic); other
(gifts)
IV.5 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (succession)
IV.5 Egbert of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
IV.5 Hlothhere of Kent Intra-dynastic relations (succession); other
(narrative reference point)
IV.6 Sebbi of the East
Saxons
Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (joint kingship)
IV.6 Sigehere of the East
Saxons
Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (joint kingship)
IV.11 Sebbi of the East
Saxons
Association with religion (monastic;
miracles)
IV.11 Sigeheard of the
East Saxons
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; joint
kingship); other (narrative reference point)
IV.11 Swæfred of the
East Saxons
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; joint
kingship); other (narrative reference point)
IV.12 Cenwalh of the
West Saxons
Other (narrative reference point)
IV.12 Un-named
successors of
Cenwealh of the
West Saxons
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; joint
kingship; dynastic rivalry/competition);
warfare (defeat)
IV.12 Cædwalla of the
West Saxons
Intra-dynastic relations (succession;
dynastic rivalry/competition); warfare
Peter J W Burch
246
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
(victory); association with religion
(monastic)
IV.12 Æthelred of Mercia Warfare (victory; victory, Battle of the
Trent)
IV.12 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference);
warfare (victory; territorial conquest; defeat,
Battle of the Trent); other (narrative
reference point)
IV.12 Wulfhere of Mercia Warfare (defeat); other (narrative reference
point)
IV.13 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference);
other (narrative reference point)
IV.13 Æthelwealh of the
South Saxons
Association with religion (baptism;
conversion; monastery foundation, Selsey);
extra-dynastic relations (dynastic ties)
IV.13 Wulfhere of Mercia Extra-dynastic relations (kingly
rivalry/competition); association with
religion (support); other (gifts)
IV.13 Eanfrith of the
Hwicce
Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (joint kingship); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
IV.13 Eanhere of the
Hwicce
Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (joint kingship); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
IV.14 Oswald of
Northumbria
Association with religion (miracles;
veneration)
IV.15 Cædwalla of the
West Saxons
Intra-dynastic rivalry (exile); warfare
(victory); extra-dynastic relations (over-
kingship)
IV.15 Æthelwealh of the
South Saxons
Warfare (defeat)
IV.15 Ine of the West
Saxons
Intra-dynastic relations (succession); extradynastic
relations (over-kingship)
IV.16 Cædwalla of the
West Saxons
Warfare (victory; territorial conquest);
association with religion (conversion;
support)
IV.16 Arwald of the Isle
of Wight
Warfare (defeat); other (narrative reference
point)
IV.18 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (monastery
foundation, Wearmouth-Jarrow); other
(narrative reference point)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
247
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
IV.19 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic ties);
other (gifts)
IV.19 Anna of the East
Angles
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic ties);
association with religion (general); other
(narrative reference point)
IV.19 Eorcenberht of
Kent
Other (narrative reference point)
IV.21 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Warfare (defeat, Battle of the Trent); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
IV.21 Æthelred of Mercia Warfare (victory, Battle of the Trent;
territorial conquest); extra-dynastic relations
(dynastic ties)
IV.21 Ælfwine (of Deira
?)
Warfare (defeat, Battle of the Trent); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
IV.22 Ælfwine (of Deira
?)
Other (narrative reference point)
IV.22 Æthelred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
IV.22 Hlothhere of Kent Other (narrative reference point; gifts);
extra-dynastic relations (dynastic ties)
IV.23 Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
IV.23 Ealdwulf of the
East Angles
Other (narrative reference point); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
IV.23 Osric of the Hwicce Other (narrative reference point)
IV.23 Æthelred of Mercia Association with religion (interference);
other (narrative reference point);
IV.26 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Warfare (victory; defeat, Nechtansmere);
extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship)
IV.26 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (succession); other
(edification)
IV.26 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
IV.26 Hlothhere of Kent Warfare (defeat); Intra-dynastic relations
(succession)
IV.26 Egbert of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
IV.26 Eadric of Kent Intra-dynastic relations (succession;
dynastic rivalry/competition); extra-dynastic
relations (kingly rivalry/competition)
Peter J W Burch
248
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
IV.26 Wihtred of Kent Intra-dynastic relations (succession;
dynastic rivalry/competition); association
with religion (general)
IV.27 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference);
other (narrative reference point)
IV.28 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference);
other (narrative reference point)
Book Five
V.1 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (succession)
V.1 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.2 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.7 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.7 Cædwalla of the
West Saxons
Association with religion (monastic)
V.7 Ine of the West
Saxons
Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
association with religion (monastic)
V.8 Cædwalla of the
West Saxons
Other (narrative reference point)
V.12 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (edification); association with religion
(interference)
V.13 Cenred of Mercia Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
association with religion (general); other
(narrative reference point)
V.13 Æthelred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
V.15 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (edification; gifts; narrative reference
point)
V.18 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.18 Osred of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (succession); other
(narrative reference point)
V.19 Osred of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference);
other (narrative reference point)
V.19 Cenred of Mercia Association with religion (monastic)
V.19 Ceolred of Mercia Intra-dynastic relations (succession)
V.19 Æthelred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
249
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
V.19 Sigehere of the East
Saxons
Other (narrative reference point)
V.19 Eorcenberht of
Kent
Association with religion (support); other
(narrative reference point)
V.19 Alhfrith of Deira Association with religion (support;
monastery foundation, Ripon; interference)
V.19 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference);
other (narrative reference point)
V.19 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference);
other (narrative reference point)
V.19 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference);
other (narrative reference point; Letter from
Pope John VI)
V.19 Æthelred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point; Letter from
Pope John VI); association with religion
(monastic; interference)
V.19 Cenred of Mercia Association with religion (interference);
other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (succession)
V.19 Osred of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.20 Osred of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.22 Osred of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.22 Cenred of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (succession;
dynastic rivalry/competition); other
(narrative reference point)
V.23 Osric of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (succession); other
(narrative reference point)
V.23 Cenred of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.23 Wihtred of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
V.23 Æthelberht II of
Kent
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; joint
kingship)
V.23 Eadberht of Kent Intra-dynastic relations (succession; joint
kingship)
V.23 Alric of Kent Intra-dynastic relations (succession; joint
kingship)
Peter J W Burch
250
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
V.23 Ceolwulf of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (succession); other
(narrative reference point)
V.23 Æthelbald of
Mercia
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship);
other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Ida of Northumbria Intra-dynastic relations (succession); other
(narrative reference point)
V.24 Sæberht of the East
Saxons
Association with religion (conversion);
other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Æthelberht I of
Kent
Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point);
association with religion (baptism)
V.24 Eadbald of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Oswald of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Oswine of Deira Other (narrative reference point); warfare
(assassination)
V.24 Peada of Mercia Other (narrative reference point);
association with religion (conversion)
V.24 Penda of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Eorcenberht of
Kent
Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Oswiu of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Egbert of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point);
association with religion (interference)
V.24 Wulfhere of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Æthelred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (succession); warfare
(victory); association with religion
(monastic)
V.24 Hlothhere of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Cædwalla of the
West Saxons
Other (narrative reference point);
association with religion (monastic)
V.24 Cenred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (succession); association
with religion (monastic)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
251
HE Reference King Activity or Event Associated With
V.24 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Osred of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Ceolred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Wihtred of Kent Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Æthelbald of
Mercia
Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Ælfwine (of Deira
?)
Other (narrative reference point)
Peter J W Burch
252
VIII: Activities of Kings, by King, in the Historia ecclesiastica1
Fig.37, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped by King – Association with Religion
King Gen
eral
Conve
rsion
Sup
port
Mira
cles
Vener
ation
Bap
tism
See
Foundation
Monastery
Foundation
Church
Foundation
Apost
asy
Pag
an
Interfe
rence
Mon
astic
30 kings (unnamed)
Ælfwine (of Deira ?) 2
Ælle of Deira
Ælle of the South Saxons
Æthelbald of Mercia
Æthelberht I of Kent x x x x x x
Æthelberht II of Kent
Æthelfrith of
Northumbria
1
The categories of association with religion (advise) and association with religion (friendship) do not appear in the HE and so in the interests of space are omitted
from the tables in this section.
2
Emboldened Kings appear in more than one chapter of the HE.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
253
King Gen
eral
Conve
rsion
Sup
port
Mira
cles
Vener
ation
Bap
tism
See
Foundation
Monastery
Foundation
Church
Foundation
Apost
asy
Pag
an
Interfe
rence
Mon
astic
Æthelhere of the East
Angles
Æthelred of Mercia x x x
Æthelwealh of the South
Saxons
x x x
Æthelwold of the East
Angles
x
Aldfrith of Northumbria x
Alhfrith of Deira x x x
Alric of Kent
Anna of the East Angles x
Arwald of the Isle of Wight
Cædwalla of the West
Saxons
x x x
Ceawlin of the West Saxons
Cenred of Mercia x x x
Peter J W Burch
254
King Gen
eral
Conve
rsion
Sup
port
Mira
cles
Vener
ation
Bap
tism
See
Foundation
Monastery
Foundation
Church
Foundation
Apost
asy
Pag
an
Interfe
rence
Mon
astic
Cenred of Northumbria
Cenwalh of the West
Saxons
x x x x
Ceolred of Mercia
Ceolwulf of Northumbria x
Ceorl of Mercia
Cwichelm of the West
Saxons
Cynegisl of the West
Saxons
x x x x
Eadbald of Kent x x x x x x
Eadberht of Kent
Eadric of Kent
Ealdwulf of the East
Angles
Eanfrith of Bernicia x
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
255
King Gen
eral
Conve
rsion
Sup
port
Mira
cles
Vener
ation
Bap
tism
See
Foundation
Monastery
Foundation
Church
Foundation
Apost
asy
Pag
an
Interfe
rence
Mon
astic
Eanfrith of the Hwicce
Eanhere of the Hwicce
Ecgfrith of Northumbria x x
Ecgric of the East Angles
Edwin of Northumbria x x x x x x x
Egbert of Kent x
Eorcenberht of Kent x
Eormenic of Kent
Eorpwold of the East
Angles
x
Hengist of Kent
Hlothhere of Kent
Ida of Northumbria
Ine of the West Saxons x
Octa of Kent
Peter J W Burch
256
King Gen
eral
Conve
rsion
Sup
port
Mira
cles
Vener
ation
Bap
tism
See
Foundation
Monastery
Foundation
Church
Foundation
Apost
asy
Pag
an
Interfe
rence
Mon
astic
Oeric of Kent
Oethelwald of Deira x
Osred of Northumbria x
Osric of Deira x
Osric of Northumbria
Osric of the Hwicce
Oswald of Northumbria x x x x x x x x
Oswine of Deira x
Oswiu of Northumbria x x x x x
Peada of Mercia x x
Penda of Mercia x
Rædwald of the East
Angles
x x
Sæberht of the East
Saxons
x
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
257
King Gen
eral
Conve
rsion
Sup
port
Mira
cles
Vener
ation
Bap
tism
See
Foundation
Monastery
Foundation
Church
Foundation
Apost
asy
Pag
an
Interfe
rence
Mon
astic
Sæberht's successors (I of 3,
unnamed)
x
Sæberht's successors (2 of
3, unnamed)
x
Sæberht's successors (3 of
3, unnamed)
x
Sebbi of the East Saxons x x x
Sigeberht I of the East
Saxons
Sigeberht II of the East
Saxons
x x
Sigeberht of the East
Angles
x x x x x
Sigeheard of the East
Saxons
Sigehere of the East
Saxons
x x
Peter J W Burch
258
King Gen
eral
Conve
rsion
Sup
port
Mira
cles
Vener
ation
Bap
tism
See
Foundation
Monastery
Foundation
Church
Foundation
Apost
asy
Pag
an
Interfe
rence
Mon
astic
Swæfred of the East Saxons
Swithhelm of the East
Saxons
x
Un-named successors of
Cenwealh of the West
Saxons
Wihtred of Kent x
Wulfhere of Mercia x x x x
Fig.38, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped by King – Warfare
King Victory Defeat Territorial Conquest Assassination
30 kings (unnamed)
Ælfwine (of Deira ?) x
Ælle of Deira
Ælle of the South Saxons
Æthelbald of Mercia
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
259
King Victory Defeat Territorial Conquest Assassination
Æthelberht I of Kent
Æthelberht II of Kent
Æthelfrith of Northumbria x x x
Æthelhere of the East Angles x
Æthelred of Mercia x x
Æthelwealh of the South Saxons x
Æthelwold of the East Angles
Aldfrith of Northumbria
Alhfrith of Deira x x
Alric of Kent
Anna of the East Angles x
Arwald of the Isle of Wight x
Cædwalla of the West Saxons x x
Ceawlin of the West Saxons
Cenred of Mercia
Cenred of Northumbria
Peter J W Burch
260
King Victory Defeat Territorial Conquest Assassination
Cenwalh of the West Saxons x
Ceolred of Mercia
Ceolwulf of Northumbria
Ceorl of Mercia
Cwichelm of the West Saxons x
Cynegisl of the West Saxons
Eadbald of Kent
Eadberht of Kent
Eadric of Kent
Ealdwulf of the East Angles
Eanfrith of Bernicia x
Eanfrith of the Hwicce
Eanhere of the Hwicce
Ecgfrith of Northumbria x x x
Ecgric of the East Angles x
Edwin of Northumbria x x x x
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
261
King Victory Defeat Territorial Conquest Assassination
Egbert of Kent
Eorcenberht of Kent
Eormenic of Kent
Eorpwold of the East Angles x
Hengist of Kent
Hlothhere of Kent x
Ida of Northumbria
Ine of the West Saxons
Octa of Kent
Oeric of Kent
Oethelwald of Deira x
Osred of Northumbria
Osric of Deira x
Osric of Northumbria
Osric of the Hwicce
Oswald of Northumbria x x
Peter J W Burch
262
King Victory Defeat Territorial Conquest Assassination
Oswine of Deira x
Oswiu of Northumbria x x
Peada of Mercia x
Penda of Mercia x x x
Rædwald of the East Angles x
Sæberht of the East Saxons
Sæberht's successors (I of 3, unnamed) x
Sæberht's successors (2 of 3, unnamed) x
Sæberht's successors (3 of 3, unnamed) x
Sebbi of the East Saxons
Sigeberht I of the East Saxons
Sigeberht II of the East Saxons x
Sigeberht of the East Angles x
Sigeheard of the East Saxons
Sigehere of the East Saxons
Swæfred of the East Saxons
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
263
King Victory Defeat Territorial Conquest Assassination
Swithhelm of the East Saxons
Un-named successors of Cenwealh of the West Saxons x
Wihtred of Kent
Wulfhere of Mercia x
Fig.39, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped by King – Extra-Dynastic Relations
King Over-Kingship Sub-Kingship Kingly Rivalry/Competition Dynastic Ties
30 kings (unnamed)
Ælfwine (of Deira ?) x
Ælle of Deira
Ælle of the South Saxons x
Æthelbald of Mercia x
Æthelberht I of Kent x x
Æthelberht II of Kent
Æthelfrith of Northumbria
Æthelhere of the East Angles
Peter J W Burch
264
King Over-Kingship Sub-Kingship Kingly Rivalry/Competition Dynastic Ties
Æthelred of Mercia x
Æthelwealh of the South Saxons x
Æthelwold of the East Angles x
Aldfrith of Northumbria
Alhfrith of Deira x
Alric of Kent
Anna of the East Angles x x
Arwald of the Isle of Wight
Cædwalla of the West Saxons x
Ceawlin of the West Saxons x
Cenred of Mercia
Cenred of Northumbria
Cenwalh of the West Saxons x
Ceolred of Mercia
Ceolwulf of Northumbria
Ceorl of Mercia x
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
265
King Over-Kingship Sub-Kingship Kingly Rivalry/Competition Dynastic Ties
Cwichelm of the West Saxons x
Cynegisl of the West Saxons x
Eadbald of Kent x x
Eadberht of Kent
Eadric of Kent x
Ealdwulf of the East Angles x
Eanfrith of Bernicia
Eanfrith of the Hwicce x
Eanhere of the Hwicce x
Ecgfrith of Northumbria x x x
Ecgric of the East Angles
Edwin of Northumbria x x
Egbert of Kent
Eorcenberht of Kent x
Eormenic of Kent
Eorpwold of the East Angles
Peter J W Burch
266
King Over-Kingship Sub-Kingship Kingly Rivalry/Competition Dynastic Ties
Hengist of Kent
Hlothhere of Kent x
Ida of Northumbria
Ine of the West Saxons x
Octa of Kent
Oeric of Kent
Oethelwald of Deira x
Osred of Northumbria
Osric of Deira
Osric of Northumbria
Osric of the Hwicce
Oswald of Northumbria x x x
Oswine of Deira
Oswiu of Northumbria x x x
Peada of Mercia x x
Penda of Mercia x x x
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
267
King Over-Kingship Sub-Kingship Kingly Rivalry/Competition Dynastic Ties
Rædwald of the East Angles x x
Sæberht of the East Saxons x x
Sæberht's successors (I of 3, unnamed)
Sæberht's successors (2 of 3, unnamed)
Sæberht's successors (3 of 3, unnamed)
Sebbi of the East Saxons x
Sigeberht I of the East Saxons
Sigeberht II of the East Saxons
Sigeberht of the East Angles
Sigeheard of the East Saxons
Sigehere of the East Saxons x
Swæfred of the East Saxons
Swithhelm of the East Saxons
Un-named successors of Cenwealh of the West Saxons
Wihtred of Kent
Wulfhere of Mercia x x
Peter J W Burch
268
Fig.40, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped by King –Intra-Dynastic Relations
King Succession Dynastic Rivalry/Competition Exile Joint Kingship
30 kings (unnamed)
Ælfwine (of Deira ?)
Ælle of Deira
Ælle of the South Saxons
Æthelbald of Mercia
Æthelberht I of Kent
Æthelberht II of Kent x x
Æthelfrith of Northumbria x
Æthelhere of the East Angles x
Æthelred of Mercia x
Æthelwealh of the South Saxons
Æthelwold of the East Angles
Aldfrith of Northumbria x
Alhfrith of Deira x
Alric of Kent x x
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
269
King Succession Dynastic Rivalry/Competition Exile Joint Kingship
Anna of the East Angles x
Arwald of the Isle of Wight
Cædwalla of the West Saxons x x x
Ceawlin of the West Saxons
Cenred of Mercia x
Cenred of Northumbria x x
Cenwalh of the West Saxons x x
Ceolred of Mercia x
Ceolwulf of Northumbria x
Ceorl of Mercia
Cwichelm of the West Saxons
Cynegisl of the West Saxons
Eadbald of Kent x
Eadberht of Kent x x
Eadric of Kent x x
Ealdwulf of the East Angles
Peter J W Burch
270
King Succession Dynastic Rivalry/Competition Exile Joint Kingship
Eanfrith of Bernicia x x x
Eanfrith of the Hwicce x
Eanhere of the Hwicce x
Ecgfrith of Northumbria x
Ecgric of the East Angles x
Edwin of Northumbria x x x
Egbert of Kent x
Eorcenberht of Kent x
Eormenic of Kent
Eorpwold of the East Angles x x
Hengist of Kent
Hlothhere of Kent x
Ida of Northumbria x
Ine of the West Saxons x
Octa of Kent
Oeric of Kent
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
271
King Succession Dynastic Rivalry/Competition Exile Joint Kingship
Oethelwald of Deira x
Osred of Northumbria x
Osric of Deira x
Osric of Northumbria x
Osric of the Hwicce
Oswald of Northumbria x x x
Oswine of Deira x
Oswiu of Northumbria x x
Peada of Mercia x x
Penda of Mercia
Rædwald of the East Angles x
Sæberht of the East Saxons
Sæberht's successors (I of 3, unnamed) x x
Sæberht's successors (2 of 3, unnamed) x x
Sæberht's successors (3 of 3, unnamed) x x
Sebbi of the East Saxons x x
Peter J W Burch
272
King Succession Dynastic Rivalry/Competition Exile Joint Kingship
Sigeberht I of the East Saxons
Sigeberht II of the East Saxons x x
Sigeberht of the East Angles x x x
Sigeheard of the East Saxons x x
Sigehere of the East Saxons x x
Swæfred of the East Saxons x x
Swithhelm of the East Saxons x
Un-named successors of Cenwealh of the West Saxons x x x
Wihtred of Kent x x
Wulfhere of Mercia x x
Fig.41, Activities of Kings in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica Grouped by King – Other
King Narrative
Reference Point
Feasting Consultation Letters Gifts Edification Written
Laws
Peace and
Protection
Itinerancy
30 kings (unnamed) x
Ælfwine (of Deira ?) x
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
273
King Narrative
Reference Point
Feasting Consultation Letters Gifts Edification Written
Laws
Peace and
Protection
Itinerancy
Ælle of Deira x
Ælle of the South Saxons x
Æthelbald of Mercia x
Æthelberht I of Kent x x x x x
Æthelberht II of Kent
Æthelfrith of Northumbria x x
Æthelhere of the East Angles
Æthelred of Mercia x x
Æthelwealh of the South
Saxons
Æthelwold of the East Angles
Aldfrith of Northumbria x x x x
Alhfrith of Deira
Alric of Kent
Anna of the East Angles x
Peter J W Burch
274
King Narrative
Reference Point
Feasting Consultation Letters Gifts Edification Written
Laws
Peace and
Protection
Itinerancy
Arwald of the Isle of Wight x
Cædwalla of the West Saxons x
Ceawlin of the West Saxons x
Cenred of Mercia x
Cenred of Northumbria x
Cenwalh of the West Saxons x
Ceolred of Mercia x
Ceolwulf of Northumbria x x
Ceorl of Mercia x
Cwichelm of the West Saxons
Cynegisl of the West Saxons
Eadbald of Kent x
Eadberht of Kent
Eadric of Kent
Ealdwulf of the East Angles x
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
275
King Narrative
Reference Point
Feasting Consultation Letters Gifts Edification Written
Laws
Peace and
Protection
Itinerancy
Eanfrith of Bernicia
Eanfrith of the Hwicce x
Eanhere of the Hwicce x
Ecgfrith of Northumbria x x
Ecgric of the East Angles
Edwin of Northumbria x x x x x x x
Egbert of Kent x x
Eorcenberht of Kent x
Eormenic of Kent x
Eorpwold of the East Angles x
Hengist of Kent x
Hlothhere of Kent x x
Ida of Northumbria x
Ine of the West Saxons
Octa of Kent x
Peter J W Burch
276
King Narrative
Reference Point
Feasting Consultation Letters Gifts Edification Written
Laws
Peace and
Protection
Itinerancy
Oeric of Kent x
Oethelwald of Deira
Osred of Northumbria x
Osric of Deira x
Osric of Northumbria x
Osric of the Hwicce x
Oswald of Northumbria x x X
Oswine of Deira x x
Oswiu of Northumbria x x x
Peada of Mercia x
Penda of Mercia x
Rædwald of the East Angles x
Sæberht of the East Saxons x
Sæberht's successors (I of 3,
unnamed)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
277
King Narrative
Reference Point
Feasting Consultation Letters Gifts Edification Written
Laws
Peace and
Protection
Itinerancy
Sæberht's successors (2 of 3,
unnamed)
Sæberht's successors (3 of 3,
unnamed)
Sebbi of the East Saxons x
Sigeberht I of the East Saxons x
Sigeberht II of the East Saxons x
Sigeberht of the East Angles x x
Sigeheard of the East Saxons x
Sigehere of the East Saxons x
Swæfred of the East Saxons x
Swithhelm of the East Saxons x
Un-named successors of
Cenwealh of the West Saxons
Wihtred of Kent x
Wulfhere of Mercia x x
Peter J W Burch
278
IX: Activities of Kings in the Early Hagiographies
Fig.42, Activities of Kings in the Vita sancti Cuthberti auctore anonymo
Reference King Activity Associated With
III.6 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Warfare (defeat)
III.6 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (exile; succession)
IV.1 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference); other
(narrative reference point)
IV.3 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers)
IV.7 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers)
IV. 8 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Warfare (defeat)
Fig.43, Activates of Kings in the Vita sancti Gregorii pape
Reference King Activity Associated With
9 Ælle of Deira Other (narrative reference point)
12 Æthelberht of Kent Association with religion (conversion;
baptism)
12 Edwin of Northumbria Association with religion (conversion); extradynastic
relations (over-kingship)
12 Ælle of Deira Other (narrative reference point)
13 Ælle of Deira Other (narrative reference point)
14 Edwin of Northumbria Association with religion (general)
14 Ælle of Deira Other (narrative reference point)
15 Edwin of Northumbria Association with religion (baptism); other
(narrative reference point)
16 Edwin of Northumbria Association with religion (conversion); intradynastic
relations (exile; dynastic
rivalry/competition)
16 Rædwald of the East
Angles
Other (narrative reference point)
16 Æthelfrith of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition); other (gifts)
18 Edwin of Northumbria Association with religion (miracles; other
(narrative reference point); warfare (defeat)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
279
18 Æthelred (of ?) Other (narrative reference point)
19 Edwin of Northumbria Other (narrative reference point)
Fig.44, Activities of Kings in the Vita sancti Wilfridi
Reference King Activity Associated With
2 Oswiu of Northumbria Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers)
3 Erconberht of Kent Association with religion (support)
7 Alhfrith of Deira Extra-dynastic relations (sub-kingship);
association with religion (support); other
(edification)
7 Oswiu of Northumbria Other (narrative reference point)
7 Cenwalh of the West
Saxons
Other (narrative reference point)
8 Alhfrith of Deira Association with religion (support, Stanforda
and Ripon)
9 Oswiu of Northumbria Other (narrative reference point)
9 Alhfrith of Deira Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (support; interference)
10 Oswiu of Northumbria Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (interference)
10 Alhfrith of Deira Other (narrative reference point)
11 Unnamed Kings (infer
Oswiu of Northumbria
and Alhfrith of Deira)
Other (consultation); association with religion
(interference)
12 Unnamed Kings (infer
Oswiu of Northumbria
and Alhfrith of Deira)
Association with religion (support;
interference)
14 Oswiu of Northumbria Association with religion (interference)
14 Wulfhere of Mercia Association with religion (friendship;
interference; support; monastery foundation)
14 Ecgbert of Kent Association with religion (interference)
15 Unnamed King (Oswiu
of Northumbria)
Other (narrative reference point)
15 Wulfhere of Mercia Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (friendship; see foundation,
Lichfiefld
16 Unnamed King (Oswiu
of Northumbria)
Other (narrative reference point)
Peter J W Burch
280
Reference King Activity Associated With
16 Edwin of Northumbria Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (general)
17 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (general; support);
other (feasting)
17 Ælfwine of Deira Association with religion (general; support);
other (feasting
19 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (general; advice); warfare
(victory; defeat, Nechtansmere); extradynastic
relations (over-kingship)
20 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (general; advice);
warfare (victory; territorial conquest; tribute)
20 Wulfhere of Mercia Warfare (defeat)
21 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Warfare (territorial conquest); association
with religion (general); other (narrative
reference point)
21 Unnamed (generic)
king
Other (relationship to followers)
24 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (interference; support,
previous); warfare (defeat)
24 Ælfwine of Deira Warfare (defeat)
33 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
34 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference)
36 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference;
support); other (relationship to followers)
37 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers)
38 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference); other
(relationship to followers)
39 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (itinerancy; feasting); association with
religion (interference)
40 Æthelred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers); extra-dynastic relations
(dynastic ties); association with religion
(interference)
40 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); extradynastic
relations (dynastic ties)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
281
Reference King Activity Associated With
40 Centwine of the West
Saxons
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic ties);
association with religion (interference)
41 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (over-kingship)
41 Æthelwealh of the
South Saxons
Association with religion (conversion;
support; see foundation, Selsey)
42 Cædwalla Warfare (victory); intra-dynastic relations
(dynastic rivalry/dispute; succession);
association with religion (support)
43 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (letters)
43 Æthelred of Mercia Other (letters); association with religion
(friendship; interference)
43 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (interference)
44 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Warfare (defeat, Nechtansmere)
44 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
association with religion (interference); other
(edification)
45 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference)
45 Æthelred of Mercia Association with religion (friendship;
interference)
46 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (interference)
47 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers); association with religion
(interference)
47 Æthelred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
48 Æthelred of Mercia Association with religion (support)
51 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point
51 Æthelred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (monastery foundation, various)
51 Wulfhere of Mercia Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (monastery foundation, various)
54 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (letters)
Peter J W Burch
282
Reference King Activity Associated With
54 Æthelred of Mercia Other (letters)
55 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
55 Æthelred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
57 Æthelred of Mercia Association with religion (friendship;
monastic, implied; interference); other
(letters)
57 Coenred of Mercia Intra-dynastic relations (succession);
association with religion (interference)
58 Æthelred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
58 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (consultation); association with religion
(interference)
59 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (interference)
59 Oswiu of Northumbria Narrative reference point
59 Eadwulf of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (succession; dynastic
rivalry/competition); association with religion
(interference)
59 Osred of Northumbria Intra-dynastic relations (succession; dynastic
rivalry/competition)
60 Osred of Northumbria Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers); association with religion
(interference)
60 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (interference)
60 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (interference)
64 Ceolred of Mercia Association with religion (advice); other
(narrative reference point)
Fig.45, Activities of Kings in Homily I.13 On Benedict Biscop
Reference King Activity Associated With
7 Oswiu of Northumbria
(inferred)
Other (relationship to followers)
8 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria (inferred)
Association with religion (monastery
foundation, Wearmouth)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
283
Fig.46, Activities of Kings in the Historia Abbatum
Reference King Activity Associated With
1 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (monastery
foundation, Wearmouth; general); other
(narrative reference point)
1 Oswiu of Northumbria Other (relationship to followers; gifts)
2 Alhfrith of Deira Association with religion (pilgrimage)
2 Oswiu of Northumbria Other (narrative reference point)
3 Ecgbert of Kent Association with religion (interference)
4 Cenwalh of the West
Saxons
Association with religion (friendship)
4 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
6 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (support)
7 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (monastery
foundation, Jarrow)
8 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers)
9 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (support)
9 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
15 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point; edification);
association with religion (support)
15 Osred of Northumbria Association with religion (support); other
(narrative reference point)
Fig.47, Activities of Kings in the Vita Ceolfridi
Reference King Activity Associated With
7 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (monastery foundation,
Wearmouth; support)
7 Unspecified other kings
(Aldfrith and Osred one
suspects)
Association with religion (support)
11 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Association with religion (monastery
foundation, Jarrow)
Peter J W Burch
284
12 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (general; advice)
17 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
34 Unspecified king Other (feasting; relationship to followers;
itinerancy); warfare (battle)
Fig.48, Activities of Kings in the Vita sancti Cuthberti auctore Beda
Reference King Activity Associated With
7 Alhfrith of Deira Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (monastery foundation, Ripon)
10 Oswiu of Northumbria Other (narrative reference point)
15 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers)
24 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); warfare
(defeat); association with religion
(interference)
24 Aldfrith of
Northumbria
Intra-dynastic relations (exile; succession)
25 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers)
27 Ecgfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point); warfare
(defeat)
Fig.49, Activities of Kings in the Vita sancti Guthlaci
Reference King Activity Associated With
Prologue Ælfwald of the East
Angles
Other (edification, commissioned work)
1 Æthelred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
2 Icel (of Mercia?) Other (narrative reference point)
34 Ceonred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point)
40 Æthelbald of Mercia Other (narrative reference point); association
with religion (advice)
42 Æthelbald of Mercia Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers)
45 Æthelbald of Mercia Other (narrative reference point; relationship
to followers)
48 Aldwulf of the East
Angles
Other (narrative reference point)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
285
49 Æthelbald of Mercia Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (exile; dynastic
rivalry/competition); association with religion
(general; advice)
49 Ceolred of Mercia Other (narrative reference point); intradynastic
relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition)
51 Æthelbald of Mercia Association with religion (support)
52 Æthelbald of Mercia Association with religion (friendship; advice;
general); intra-dynastic relations (exile;
succession)
Peter J W Burch
286
X: Activities of Royal Women in the Narrative Sources1
Fig.50, Activities of Royal Women in the Vita sancti Cuthberti auctore anonynmo
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
II.3 Aebbe, sister of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Coldingham
Association with religions (general);
other (narrative reference point;
relationship to followers)
III.6 Ælfflæd, daughter of Oswiu
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (general;
interference); intra-dynastic relations
(dynastic rivalry/competition); other
(narrative reference point)
IV.10 Ælfflæd, daughter of Oswiu
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (general);
other (narrative reference point;
feasting)
Fig.51, Activities of Royal Women in the Vita sancti Gregorii pape
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
18 Eanflæd, wife of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Other (narrative reference point)
18 Ælfflæd, daughter of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religions (general);
other (narrative reference point)
Fig.52, Activities of Royal Women in the Vita sancti Wilfridi
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
2 Eanflæd, wife of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religions (support);
other (relationship to followers)
3 Eanflæd, wife of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religions (support);
extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); other (relationship to
followers)
10 Hild, daughter of Hereric of
Deira, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religions (general);
other (narrative reference point)
1
This section utilises the same categories of activity as those detailed with respect to the activities of
kings, Appendix VI, in the interests of comparability. The implications of certain categories, however,
are at time slightly different. Thus, for example, with respect to the category of advice, it is not royal
women being advised, but royal women advising, typically through their roles in the Church. Likewise,
the category of interference often has different implications given than many of these figures held
positions of authority within the church.
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
287
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
19 Æthelthryth, wife of Ecgfrith
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Ely
Association with religion (general;
miracles); other (narrative reference
point)
22 Æthelthryth, wife of Ecgfrith
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Ely
Association with religion (general;
monastery foundation, Hexham)
24 Iurminburg, wife of Ecgfrith
of Northumbria, Abbess
Association with religion (general;
interference)
34 Iurminburg, wife of Ecgfrith
of Northumbria, Abbess
Association with religions
(interference); other (narrative
reference point)
39 Iurminburg, wife of Ecgfrith
of Northumbria, Abbess
Other (narrative reference point;
itinerancy; feasting)
39 Aebbe, sister of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Coldingham
Association with religion (general;
advice); other (relationship to
followers)
40 Osthryth, wife of Æthelred of
Mercia
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); other (narrative reference
point)
40 Iurminburg, wife of Ecgfrith
of Northumbria, Abbess
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); other (narrative reference
point)
40 Wife of Centwine of the West
Saxons
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); other (narrative reference
point)
41 Eafe, wife of Æthelwealh of
the South Saxons
Other (narrative reference point)
43 Ælfflæd, daughter of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (general;
interference); other (narrative
reference point; letters)
54 Hild, daughter of Hereric of
Deira, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religions (general;
interference); other (narrative
reference point)
59 Ælfflæd, daughter of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (general);
other (narrative reference point)
59 Æthelburh, possibly daughter
of Anna of the East Angles,
Abbess of Faremoutier-en-
Brie
Other (narrative reference point)
Peter J W Burch
288
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
60 Ælfflæd, daughter of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (general;
interference); other (advice)
Fig.53, Activities of Royal Women in the Vita sancti Cuthberti auctore Beda
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
10 Aebbe, sister of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Coldingham
Association with religion (general);
other (narrative reference point;
relationship to followers)
23 Ælfflæd, daughter of Oswiu
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religions (general);
other (narrative reference point; gift)
24 Ælfflæd, daughter of Oswiu
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (general;
interference); intra-dynastic relations
(dynastic rivalry/competition); other
(narrative reference point)
34 Ælfflæd, daughter of Oswiu
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (general;
church foundation); other (narrative
reference point)
Fig.54, Activities of Royal Women in the Historia ecclesiastica
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
Book One
I.25 Bertha, wife of Æthelberht I of
Kent
Association with religion (general);
extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties)
Book Two
II.3 Ricula, sister of Æthelberht I
of Kent
Other (narrative reference point)
II.5 Bertha, wife of Æthelberht I of
Kent
Other (narrative reference point)
II.9 Æthelburh, wife of Edwin of
Northumbria
Association with religion (general);
extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); other (narrative reference
point)
II.9 Eanflæd, wife of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religions (baptism);
other (narrative reference point)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
289
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
II.11 Æthelburh, wife of Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (letter)
II.14 Cwenburh, wife of Edwin of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); other (narrative reference
point)
II.14 Æthelburh, wife of Edwin of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
II.14 Æthelthryth, daughter of
Edwin of Northumbria
Association with religion (baptism)
II.20 Æthelburh, wife of Edwin of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties; kingly rivalry/competition);
intra-dynastic relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition; exile)
II.20 Eanflæd, wife of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Other (narrative reference point)
Book Three
III.6 Bebbe, wife of Æthelfrith of
Northumbria2
Other (narrative reference point)
III.6 Acha, wife of Æthelfrith of
Northumbria
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); other (narrative reference
point)
III.8 Eorcengota, daughter of
Eorcenberht of Kent
Association with religion (general;
miracles)
III.8 Sæthryth, step-daughter of
Anna of the East Angles,
Abbess of Faremoutier-en-
Brie
Association with religion (general)
III.8 Æthelburh, daughter of Anna
of the East Angles, Abbess of
Faremoutier-en-Brie
Association with religion (general,
church foundation; miracles)
III.8 Seaxburh, wife of
Eorcenberht of Kent, Abbess
of Ely
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); other (narrative reference
point)
III.11 Osthryth, wife of Æthelred of
Mercia
Association with religion (support);
extra-dynastic relations (kingly
rivalry/competition; dynastic ties)
III.15 Eanflæd, wife of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); intra-dynastic relations
2
According to HB, 63.
Peter J W Burch
290
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
(dynastic rivalry/competition; exile);
other (narrative reference point)
III.16 Bebbe, wife of Æthelfrith of
Northumbria
Other (narrative reference point)
III.21 Alhflæd, wife of Peada of the
Middle Angles
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties)
III.21 Cyneburh, wife of Alhfrith of
Deira
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties)
III.24 Ælfflæd, daughter of Oswiu
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (general)
III.24 Cynewise, wife of Penda of
Mercia
Other (narrative reference point)
III.24 Hild, daughter of Hereric of
Deira, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (monastery
foundation, Streanæshalch); other
(narrative reference point;
relationship to followers)
III.24 Eanflæd, wife of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (support);
other (narrative reference point)
III.25 Eanflæd, wife of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (general);
other (relationship to followers)
Book Four
IV.3 Æthelthryth, wife of Ecgfrith
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Ely
Other (narrative reference point;
relationship to followers)
IV.13 Eafe, wife of Æthelwealh of
the South Saxons
Association with religion (general;
baptism); extra-dynastic relations
(dynastic ties)
IV.19 Æthelthryth, wife of Ecgfrith
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Ely
Association with religion (general;
monastery foundation, Ely; miracles;
friendship); extra-dynastic relations
(dynastic ties)
IV.19 Aebbe, sister of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Coldingham
Other (narrative reference point)
IV.19 Seaxburh, wife of
Eorcenberht of Kent, Abbess
of Ely
Association with religion (support);
extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
291
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
IV.20 Æthelthryth, wife of Ecgfrith
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Ely
Association with religion (general;
miracles)
IV.21 Osthryth, wife of Æthelred of
Mercia
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); other (narrative reference
point)
IV.22 Æthelthryth, wife of Ecgfrith
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Ely
Other (narrative reference point;
relationship to followers)
IV.22 Seaxburh, wife of
Eorcenberht of Kent, Abbess
of Ely
Extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); other (narrative reference
point)
IV.23 Hild, daughter of Hereric of
Deira, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (general;
conversion; support; monastery
foundation, Streanæshalch;
miracles); extra-dynastic relations
(dynastic ties)
IV.23 Hereswith, wife of Æthilric of
the East Angles
Association with religion (general);
extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties)
IV.23 Breguswith, wife of Hereric of
Deira
Other (narrative reference point)
IV.25 Aebbe, sister of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Coldingham
Association with religions (general);
other (narrative reference point)
IV.26 Ælfflæd, daughter of Oswiu
of Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religions (general);
other (narrative reference point)
IV.26 Eanflæd, wife of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Other (narrative reference point)
Book Five
V.19 Wife of Offa of the East
Saxons
Other (narrative reference point)
V.19 Eanflæd, wife of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (support);
extra-dynastic relations (dynastic
ties); other (relationship to
followers)
V.24 Eanflæd, wife of Oswiu of
Northumbria, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Association with religion (baptism);
other (narrative reference point)
Peter J W Burch
292
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
V.24 Hild, daughter of Hereric of
Deira, Abbess of
Streanæshalch
Other (narrative reference point)
V.24 Osthryth, with of Æthelred of
Mercia
Intra-dynastic relations (dynastic
rivalry/competition); other (narrative
reference point)
Fig.55, Activities of Royal Women in the Vita sancti Guthlaci
Reference Royal Woman Activity Associated With
48 Ecgburh, daughter of Aldwulf
of the East Angles, Abbess
Association with religion (general);
other (gift)
50 Pega, Guthlac’s sister Association with religion (general);
other (narrative reference point)
50 Ecgburh, daughter of Aldwulf
of the East Angles, Abbess
Other (narrative reference point;
gift)
51 Pega, Guthlac’s sister Association with religion (general;
support); other (narrative reference
point)
53 Pega, Guthlac’s sister Other (narrative reference point)
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
293
XI: Names and Associated Hides in the Tribal Hidage
Myrcna landes1
Mercia2
30,000
Wocen sætna Wroecensæte 7,000
Westerna 7,000
Pecsætna Peak Dwellers 1,200
Elmed sætna Elmet 600
Lindesfarona mid Hæth feldlande Lindsey with Hatfield 7,000
Suth Gyrwa South Gyrwe 600
North Gyrwa North Gyrwe 600
East Wixna Wisbech, Cambridgeshire 300
West Wixna Wisbech, Cambridgeshire 600
Spalda 600
Wigesta 900
Herefinna 1,200
Sweord ora Sword Point, Huntingdonshire 300
Gifla River Ivel, Buckinghamshire 300
Hicca Hitchin, Hertfordshire 300
Whit gara Isle of Wight 600
Noxgaga 5,000
Ohtgaga 2,000
Hwinca Hwicce 7,000
Ciltern sætna Chiltern Dwellers 4,000
Hendrica 3,500
Unecung(a)ga 1,200
1
The spellings given, and used elsewhere, are those of Recension A. Recension B differs to Recension
A in respect to a number of spellings, the order of the Eastwilla and Westwilla, and the attribution to the
Hendrica of 3,000 instead of 3,500 hides. Recension C differs more substantially, again reversing
Eastwilla and Westwilla, and providing variant spellings, as well as omitting entries for the West Wixna,
Widerigga, and the West Saxons, giving alternate hidages for the Pecsætna, Wigesta, Herefinna,
Hendrica, and attributing the assessment of the West Saxons at 100,000 hides to the South Saxons.
Recension C, and probably also B, are Latin texts: Rumble, 'Recension C of the Tribal Hidage', pp. 14-
23; Dumville, 'Tribal Hidage', pp. 225-30.
2
The identifications are based upon: Hill, Atlas of Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 76-77; Davies and Vierck,
'Contexts of Tribal Hidage', pp. 227-36; Hart, 'Tribal Hidage', pp. 135-56. Further: Featherstone, 'Tribal
Hidage and the Ealdormen of Mercia', pp. 24-27; Keynes, 'England, 700-900', pp. 21-23. Those omitted
indicate the instances where no identification is possible.
Peter J W Burch
294
Arosætna River Arrow, Warwickshire 600
Færpinga Charlbury, Oxfordshire 300
Bilmiga 600
Widerigga Wittering and Werrington, Northamptonshire 600
Eastwilla 600
Westwilla 600
East Engle East Angles 30,000
Eastsexena East Saxons 7,000
Cantwarena Kent 15,000
Suthsexena South Saxons 7,000
Westsexena West Saxons 100,000
The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingship
295
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