The Saxon Heptarchy - Overview
Kingdom Of Mercia (Mittel Angeln) | Kingdom Of Wessex | Kingdom Of East Anglia (Ost Angeln) | Kingdom Of Northumbria (Nord Angeln)
Kingdom Of Sussex | Kingdom Of Kent | Kingdom Of Essex (East Seaxe)

To see how the Kingdom of East Anglia (Ost Angeln) related to the other kingdoms of the Heptarchy, please read the introduction to the Saxon Heptarchy.

Principal Towns and Boundaries

The principal towns in the Kingdom were:

• Norwich
• Ipswich
• Colchester
• Cambridge

The kingdom, at its height in the 9th Century, covered the counties of:

• Norfolk - Home of the North Angle Folk
• Suffolk - Home of the South or Suth Angle Folk

The East Anglian Kingdom consisted mainly of the East Angles people.

The kingdom's boundaries were:

• To the North, the coast and the North Sea
• To the South, the Kingdom of Essex
• To the East, the coast and the North Sea
• To the West, the Kingdom of Mercia

A Brief History of the Kingdom of East Anglia

Contained within the former tribal kingdom of the Iceni, the Kingdom of East Anglia was formed by the merger of two Angle tribes: the North Folk and the South Folk. It was one of the smaller kingdoms of the Saxons; however, under King Eni it became the supreme military power within the heptarchy for a short time. The kingdom suffered a decline of power and was defeated by the Mercians in battle. By 750 AD it had fallen under the control of Mercia and was ruled by King Offa between 760 and 796 AD.

In 821, Aethelstan led a revolt against Mercian rule and in 827 AD, the kingdom was retaken by Aethelstan who ruled until his death in 839.

In November, 870, the Danes led by King Ivar took the kingdom and held it for 50 years. In 886, the establishment of the Danelaw was agreed between King Alfred of Wessex and King Guthrum of the Danes. The Kingdom of East Anglia was given to the Danes as part of this settlement.

The area was taken by a Saxon army in 920 AD, and held until it became part of the kingdom of Canute the Great in 1015.

The Kings of East Anglia

• Wehha (? - 571 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Wuffa (571 - 578 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Tytila (578 - 599 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Redwald (599 - 624 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Eorpwald (624 - 627 AD) - Murdered by Ricberht, who took the throne.
• Ricberht (627 - 629 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• The joint Kings Sigeberht (629 - 634 AD), and Ecgric (629 - 636 AD) - He was called Saint Sigebert, for his part in bringing Christianity to East Anglia. Ecgric took over the kingdom when Sigeberht went into a monastery.
• Anna (636 - 653 AD) - Killed at the Battle of Bulcamp, 653 AD.
• Aethelhere (654 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Aethelwold (654 - 664 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Ealdwulf (663 - 713 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Aelfwald (713 - 749 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• The joint Kings Hun (749 AD), Beorna; (749-760 AD), and Alberht (749 - 760 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Aethelred I (760 - 779 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Aethelberht II (779 - 794 AD) - Known as Saint Aethelberht. King Offa of Mercia had him killed when he invaded the kingdom.

Mercian Rule (760 - 796 AD)

• Offa (760 - 796 AD) - The builder of Offa's Dyke, he was the most powerful of the Saxon kings of his day.

East Anglian Rule (794 - 796 AD)

• Eadwald (794 - 796 AD) - He reigned until his death.

Mercian Rule (796 - 826 AD)

• Coenwulf (796 - 821 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Coelwulf (821 - 823 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Beornwulf (823 - 826 AD) - He reigned until his death.

East Anglian Rule (821 - 870 AD)

• Aethelstan (821 - 839 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Aethelweard (839 - 855 AD) - He reigned until his death.
• Edmund (855 - 870 AD) - The martyr, killed by the Danes by being shot by archers whilst tied to a tree. Buried in the shrine of Bury St Edmunds.

Danish Rule (870 - 902 AD)

• Oswald (870 - 876 AD)
• Aethelred II (876-879 AD)
• Guthrum the Old (879-890 AD)
• Eohric (890-902 AD) - Killed in battle.
• Aethelwold of Wessex (890-902 AD) - Killed in battle.