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The list of the monarchs of East Anglia begins with the semi-historical 6th century king Wehha and ends in the 10th century, with Guthrum II. The kingdom of the East Angles was one of the seven traditional members of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It finally lost its independence in 918, when the East Angles accepted the overlordship of Edward the Elder of Wessex.
The East Anglians were initially ruled by the Wuffingas, named after an early king, Wuffa, which means 'descendants of the wolf'.[1] The main source of information about the early history of the kingdom's rulers is Bede's Ecclesiatical History of the English People.[2] After 749, East Anglia was ruled by the kings of Mercia or by kings whose genealogy is not known. In 869, a Danish army defeated the East Angles and killed their king, Edmund the Martyr:[3] East Anglia then fell into the hands of the Danes and eventually formed part of the Danelaw.[4]
Many of the dates of this time are considered unreliable, often being based on computation from known dates. Regnal years may be counted twice, since all or part of a year may be attributed: for instance, the period attributed below to Ricberht (the East Anglian apostasy) is said by the contemporary author Bede to have lasted for three years,[5] and is computed allowing all or part of the years 627, 628 and 629 to this interregnum or unknown reign.
The names are written in modern English, followed by the names and titles (as far as is known) in Old English and Latin, they being the recorded languages of the time.[note 1] The Anglo-Saxon era pre-dates the emergence of forms of writing accepted today. Early mediaeval spellings varied widely, even within a document.[note 2]
- ^ Blackwell, Encyclopedia, pp. 154–155.
- ^ Hoggett, East Anglian Conversion, pp. 24-27.
- ^ Jones, Vikings, p. 421.
- ^ Jones, Vikings, p. 421.
- ^ Bede, Ecclesiastical History, book II, chapter 15.
- ^ [citation needed]
- ^ [citation needed]
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