H O U S E O F W E S S E X

WEST SAXONS

Cerdic

Cerdic, a Saxon elderman, d. 534. He founded a settlement on the coast of Hampshire, England in 495. He took the tile of King of the West Saxons in 519, becoming the ancestor of the English royal line. Cerdic, and his son Cynric, conquered the isle of Wight in 534. Cerdic had a son:

Cynric

Cynric, son of Cerdic. Reigned as the King of the West Saxons from 534 to 560. Cynric had a son:

Ceawlin

Ceawlin, son of Cynric, d. 591. Ceawlin ruled as the King of the West Saxons from 560 to 590. In 577 Ceawlin and his son, Cuthwine fought the Britons and took the cities of Gloucester, Cirencester, and Bath. Ceawlin had a son:

Cuthwine

Cuthwine, son of Ceawlin, d. 584, killed in battle. He did not rule. Cuthwine had a son:

Cutha or Cuthwulf

Cutha, son of Cuthwine. Cutha did not rule. Cutha had two sons:

Ceolwald

Cynegils, became King.

Ceolwald

Ceolwald, son of Cutha. In 688, Ceolwald visited Rome. He did not rule. Ceolwald had a son:

Cenred

Cenred, son of Ceolwald. He did not rule. Cenred had two children:

Ina, became King.

Ingild

Ingild

Ingild, son of Cenred, d. 718. He did not rule. Ingild had a son:

Eoppa

Eoppa, son of Ingild. Eoppa did not rule. He had a son:

Eafa

Eafa, son of Eoppa. He did not rule. Eafa had a son:

Eahlmund

Eahlmund, son of Eafa. Eahlmund ruled as King of Kent in 784. Eahlmund had a son:

The ruling Kings that are considered from the HOUSE OF WESSEX reigned from 802 until 1066. The rulers of the House of Wessex begin with Egbert, King of Wessex.

Egbert

Egbert, son of Eahlmund, b. 775; d. aft. 19 Aug 838; m. Raedburh.

Egbert ruled as the King of Wessex from 802 to 827. Egbert of Wessex expelled a Mercian under-king from Kent in 825, annexing Kent, Essex, Surrey, and Sussex. Later Mercia fell to him and his lordship was acknowledged by Northumbria. He was the first King of all England from 827 until 836.

Egbert & Raedburh had a son:

Aethelwulf

Aethelwulf, son of Egbert & Raedburh, d. 13 Jan 858; m1 to Osburh, daughter of Oslac, the royal cup-bearer. Aethelwulf reigned as King of England from 839 - 858. Aethelwulf & Osburh had a four (4) sons:

                                 I.            Æthelbald, ruled as King of England, 835-860.

                                II.            Æthelbert, ruled as King of England 860-866.

                              III.            Æthelred, ruled as King of England 866-871.

                              IV.            Alfred, the Great

Alfred, the Great

IV. Alfred, the Great, son of Aethelwulf & Osburh, b. 849, Wantage, Berkshire; d. 26 Oct 899; m. 868 to Ealhswith (Alswitha), daughter of Earl Aethelred of Mercia & Edburh, d. ca. 905.

In 871, Alfred was crowned king of England at Winchester, England. He ruled England from 871 to 899. He was able to unite the kingdoms of England under one crown. In order to combat sea-borne raiders he had built ships with a size much bigger that those of the Vikings. He founded the British Navy and organized the militia. He compiled a code of laws for England. During the final ten (10) years of his rule, he like Charlemagne, promoted the education of his court and of the people. He build schools and monasteries. Being a scholar, he invited many scholars to live at he court. He was responsible for the translation of many books.

Alfred, the Great & Ealhswith had children:

A.       Edward, the Elder

B.       Æthelflaed, Lady of Mercians, m. Æthelred

Edward, the Elder

A. Edward, the Elder, son of Alfred, the Great & Ealhswith, b. 875; d. 924; m1st - unknown; m2nd - unknown; m3rd 919 to Eadgifu, daughter of Sigehelm, Earl of Kent.

Edward, the Elder ruled as King of England from 899 to 924. Edward was a notable warrior. He was frequently engaged in war with his father, Alfred.

Edward, the Elder & Eadgifu had five (5) children:

1.        Athelstan, First monarch of all England, 924-939.

2.        Edmund I

3.        Eadred, King of England, 946-955

4.        daughter, m. 926 to the Duke of the Franks.

5.        daughter, m. 928 to Otto the Great (at the time future heir of Germany).

Edmund I, the Magnificent

2. Edmund I, the Magnificent, son of Edward, the Elder & Eadgifu, b. 920; d. 946; m. St. Algifu.

Edmund, the Magnificent ruled as King of England from 940 to 946. Early during his reign, 940, Edmund seemed destined to perish Edmund, while on a hunting expedition for stag in Somerset.

Edmund, the Magnificent & St. Algifu had two (2) sons:

a.        Eadwig, King of England 953-959

b.        Edgar, the Peaceful

Edgar, the Peaceful

b) Edgar, the Peaceful, son of Edmund, the Magnificent & St. Algifu, b. 943; d. 975; m1st Æthelflaed, d. 962; m2nd 965 to Elfrida, daughter of Earl Ordgar, b. 945; d. 1000.

Edgar, the Peaceful ruled as King of England from 959 to 975. Edgar’s reign was noted for the peace in the land. He acquired little glory, yet his reign was not weak. In fact, his prestige was very high. In 973, Edgar was crowned king by the Archbishop Dunstan. The ceremony was the first in England to follow the elaborate coronation customs of the Franks.

Edgar, the Peaceful & Æthelflaed had a son:

1) Edward, d. 979, Corfe, England, murdered. King of England 975 to 979. He was also known as Edward the Martyr.

Edgar, the Peaceful & Elfrida had a son:

2) Aethelred II

Aethelred II, the Redeless

2) Aethelred II, the Redeless, son of Edgar, the Peaceful & Elfrida, b. 968; d. 1016; m1st 985 to Alfflaed, daughter of Thored; m2nd 1001 to Emma, daughter of Richard, Duke of Normandy. Aethelred’s widow, Emma, m2nd to Cnut (Dane), King of England 1016-1035.

Aethelred II, the Redeless ruled as King of England from 979 to 1016. Aethelred means noble counsel; the unred means the uncounseled. Thus Aethelred the Unred means noble counsel the uncounseled. In 991 King Aethelred II made a treaty with Duke Richard of Normandy - the treaty provided that neither would aid an enemy of the other. Under his rule the office of sheriff or "shire-reeve" was instiuted. The sheriff was the king’s chief executive agent in the shire. The Sheriff’s responsibilities included collection of royal revenues (taxes), profits of justice, announced the king’s will to the gentry of the shire (county). During his rein the threat and reality of numerous Viking invasions were prevalent. In 1002, realizing the threat of these Danish invaders, Aethelred II, ordered a massacre of all Danes living in England. England suffered from repeated Danish invasions beginning in 1003. These invasions came almost on a yearly basis until 1015.

Aethelred II, the Redeless & Alfflaed had:

a.        Edmund II, Ironside

b.        Alfgifu (Elgiva), m. Uchtred, Earl of Northumberland

c.        son, killed ca. 1016 by Cnut, in order to secure the English throne.

Aethelred II, the Redeless & Emma had:

a.        Edward ‘the Confessor’, Ruled England 1042 - 1066; d. 5 Jan 1066; m. Edith, daughter of Godwin, Earl of Wessex. His rule restored the Wessex dynasty to the throne of England.

b.        Alfred, d. 1036, killed at the instigation of Godwin, Earl of Wessex.

Edmund II, Ironside

(a) Edmund II, Ironside, son of Aethelred II, the Redeless & Alfflaed, b. 989; d. 30 Nov 1016; m. Ealgyth.

Edmund, Ironside took control of Northumbria from his father. He was in control of England when Cnut invaded. In the autumn of 1016, a treaty was made between Cnut and Edmund. The treaty left Edmund with only the area of Wessex. Edmund, Ironside ruled as King of England in 1016.

Edmund, Ironside & Ealgyth had two (2) sons:

(a1) Edward, the ‘Exile’

(a2) Edmund, b. 1016

Alfgifu (Elgiva)

(b) Alfgifu (Elgiva), daughter of Aethelred II the Redeless & Alfflaed, m1st ___________; m2nd _______________; m3rd Uchtred, son of Waltheof, Earl of Northumberland, d. 1016, murdered. Uchtred & Alfgifu had:

                (b1) Ealdgyth (Edith)

Edward, the ‘Exile’

(a1) Edward, the ‘Exile’, son of Edmund, Ironside & Ealgyth, b. 1016; d. 1057; m. Agatha of Hungary.

In 1035, Edward was living in exile in Hungary.

Edward & Agatha had two (2) children:

                                 i.            Margaret, b. 1045; d. 16 Nov 1093; m. 1068/69 to Malcolm III, Canmore, King of Scots.

                                ii.            Edgar, became heir to the throne of England at his father’s death in 1057. He never ruled. He was in London at the time it was conquered by William, Duke of Normandy in 1066.

Ealdgyth (Edith)

(b1) Ealdgyth (Edith), daughter of Uchtred & Alfgifu, m. Maldred, son Crinan the Thane & Bethoc, d. 1045, slain in battle. Maldred was the Lord of Carlisle and Allendale. Maldred & Ealdgyth had:

Gospatric I

1- Gospatric I, son of Maldred & Ealdgyth, b. ca. 1040; d. 1074/75; m. a sister of Edmund.

Gospatric I was the Earl of Northumberland from 1067 to 1072. He was the 1^st Earl of Dumbar holding the title from 1072-1075. The Lord of Carlisle and Allendale. He visited Rome in 1061.

Gospatric I had:

a- Gunnilda m. Orm, son of Ketel, Baron of Kendal.

b- Waltheof, m. Sigrid

Waltheof

b- Waltheof, son of Gospatric I, m. Sigrid, d. living in 1126. Waltheof was Lord of Allendale. Waltheof & Sigrid had:

Gunnild of Dunbar

i- Gunnild of Dunbar, daughter of Waltheof & Sigrid, m. Uchtred, son of Fergus, Lord of Galloway & Elizabeth (illeg. Daughter of Henry I), d. 1174. Uchtred & Gunnild of Dunbar had:

                -1- Roland, d. Dec. 1200. (See Galloway)