Reign Ine of Wessex

1 reign

1.1 kent, essex, sussex, , surrey
1.2 dumnonia , mercia
1.3 other conflicts

reign

the kingdoms of britain in late 7th century.

the extent of west saxon territory @ start of ine s reign known. upper thames valley on both sides of river had long been territory of gewisse, though cædwalla had lost territory north of river kingdom of mercia before ine s accession. west, ceawlin of wessex known have reached bristol channel 1 hundred years before. west saxons had since expanded further down southwestern peninsula, pushing boundary british kingdom of dumnonia, equivalent modern devon , cornwall. on west saxons eastern border kingdom of east saxons, included london , surrey. southeast south saxons, on coast east of isle of wight. beyond sussex lay kingdom of kent. ine s predecessor, cædwalla, had made himself overlord of of these southern kingdoms, though had not been able prevent mercian inroads along upper thames.

ine retained control of isle of wight, , made further advances in dumnonia, territorial gains cædwalla had made in sussex, surrey , kent lost end of ine s reign.

kent, essex, sussex, , surrey

ine made peace kent in 694, when king wihtred gave ine substantial sum in compensation death of cædwalla s brother mul, had been killed during kentish rebellion in 687. value of amount offered ine wihtred uncertain; manuscripts of anglo-saxon chronicle record thirty thousand , , specify thirty thousand pounds. if pounds equal sceattas, amount equal of king s weregild—that is, legal valuation of man s life, according rank.

ine kept south saxons, had been conquered cædwalla in 686, in subjugation period. king nothhelm of sussex referred in charter of 692 kinsman of ine (perhaps marriage). sussex still under west saxon domination in 710, when nothhelm recorded having campaigned ine in west against dumnonia.

control of surrey, may never have been independent kingdom, passed between kent, mercia, essex, , wessex in years before ine s reign. essex included london, , diocese of london included surrey; appears have been source of friction between ine , east saxon , mercian kings, until province transferred diocese of winchester in 705. evidence ine s control of surrey comes introduction laws, in refers eorcenwald, bishop of london, bishop . ine s subsequent relations east saxons illuminated letter written in 704 or 705 bishop wealdhere of london brihtwold, archbishop of canterbury. letter refers disputes , discords had arisen between king of west saxons , rulers of our country . rulers wealdhere refers sigeheard , swæfred of east saxons, , cause of discord east saxons sheltering of exiles west saxons. ine had agreed peace on condition exiles expelled. council @ brentford planned resolve disputes. point surrey had passed out of west saxon control.

bede records ine held sussex in subjection several years , in 722 exile named ealdbert fled surrey , sussex, , ine invaded sussex result. 3 years later ine invaded again, time killing ealdberht. sussex had evidently broken away west saxon domination time before this. has been suggested ealdberht son of ine, or son of ine s brother ingild.

dumnonia , mercia

in 710, ine , nothhelm fought against geraint of dumnonia, according anglo-saxon chronicle; john of worcester states geraint killed in battle. has traditionally been thought ine s advance brought him control of devon, new border dumnonia being river tamar. not match subsequent events such battle of hehil or athelstan driving britons isca (exeter).the annales cambriae, 10th-century chronicle, records in 722 british defeated enemies @ battle of hehil. enemies must ine or people, location unidentified; historians have suggested locations in both cornwall , devon.

ine fought battle @ woden s barrow in 715, either against mercians under ceolred or them against unnamed opponent; result not recorded. woden s barrow tumulus, called adam s grave, @ alton prior, wiltshire. ine may not have recovered of lands north of thames had belonged west saxons under previous kings, known controlled southern bank: charter dated 687 shows him giving land church @ streatley on thames , @ nearby basildon.

other conflicts

in 721, chronicle records ine slew 1 cynewulf, of whom nothing else known, though name suggests connection wessex royal line. quarrel apparently arose in royal family afterwards: in 722, according chronicle, ine s queen Æthelburg destroyed taunton, husband had built earlier in reign.