This is a list of monarchs of Wessex

Wessex

The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...

until 924

924

Year 924 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Taizu of Liao leads another campaign to the west, reaching the former Uyghur capital on the Orkhon River...

. For later monarchs, see the list of monarchs of England. While the details of the later monarchs are confirmed by a number of sources, the earlier ones are in many cases obscure.

The names are given in modern English form followed by the names and titles (as far as is known) in contemporary Anglo-Saxon English and Latin, being the prevalent 'official' languages of the time.

This was a time when spellings varied widely, even within a document. A number of variations of the details below exist. Amongst these are the preference between the runic letter "Thorn

Thorn (letter)

Thorn or þorn , is a letter in the Old English, Old Norse, and Icelandic alphabets, as well as some dialects of Middle English. It was also used in medieval Scandinavia, but was later replaced with the digraph th. The letter originated from the rune in the Elder Fuþark, called thorn in the...

" (Þ) and the letter "Eth

Eth

Eth is a letter used in Old English, Icelandic, Faroese , and Elfdalian. It was also used in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages, but was subsequently replaced with dh and later d. The capital eth resembles a D with a line through the vertical stroke...

" (Ð), both of which are pronounced "Th" and were interchangeable. They were used indiscriminately for voiced and unvoiced sounds, unlike modern Icelandic

Icelandic alphabet

The modern Icelandic alphabet consists of the following 32 letters:It is a Latin alphabet with diacritics, in addition it includes the character eth Ðð and the runic letter thorn Þþ...

. Thorn tended to be more used in the south (Wessex) and eth in the North (Mercia and Northumbria). "Th" was preferred in the earliest period in Northern texts.

The character "7" was used as the ampersand

Ampersand

An ampersand is a logogram representing the conjunction word "and". The symbol is a ligature of the letters in et, Latin for "and".-Etymology:...

 (&) in contemporary Anglo-Saxon writings. The era pre-dates the emergence of some forms of writing accepted today, notably rare were lower case and the letters "W" and "U". W was occasionally rendered "VV", but the runic letter "wynn

Wynn

Wynn is a letter of the Old English alphabet, where it is used to represent the sound ....

" (Ƿ) was the normal way of writing the "W" sound. Again, in the earliest period, the Angles/Engle preferred 'VV', whilst the West Saxons preferred the letter derived from a rune. (Compare "Thorn" and "Eth")

Except in manuscripts, runic letters were an Anglian phenomenon. (The early Engle restricted the use of runes to monuments, whereas the Saxons adopted Wynn and Thorn for sounds which did not have a Latin equivalent. Otherwise they were not used in Wessex).

Monarchs of the West Saxons (Wessex)

Reign	Incumbent		Notes
The Kingdom of the Gewissae
Cerdicing Dynasty House of Wessex family tree The following chart is a family tree of the kings of the House of Wessex, a dynasty whose members were Kings of Wessex, and then, from Athelstan onwards, Kings of England....
519 to 534	Cerdic Cerdic of Wessex Cerdic was probably the first King of Anglo-Saxon Wessex from 519 to 534, cited by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as the founder of the kingdom of Wessex and ancestor of all its subsequent kings...	CERDIC ELESING GEVVISSÆ CYNING CERDIC REX GEVVISSÆ	Celtic, Brython Brython The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic... ic, name
534 to 560	Cynric Cynric of Wessex Cynric was King of Wessex from 534 to 560. Everything known about him comes from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. There he is stated to have been the son of Cerdic, and also to have been the son of Cerdic's son, Creoda...	CYNRIC CERDICING GEVVISSÆ CYNING CYNRIC REX GEVVISSÆ	Possibly Celtic, Brython Brython The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic... ic name
560 to 591	Ceawlin Ceawlin of Wessex Ceawlin was a King of Wessex. He may have been the son of Cynric of Wessex and the grandson of Cerdic of Wessex, whom the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle represents as the leader of the first group of Saxons to come to the land which later became Wessex...	CEAVVLIN CYNRICING GEVVISSÆ CYNING CEAVVLIN REX GEVVISSÆ	Celtic, Brython Brython The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic... ic, name
591 to 597	Ceol Ceol of Wessex Ceol was King of Wessex from 592 to 597.He was the son of Cutha , the son of Cynric of Wessex. He reigned from either 591 AD or 592 to 597...	CEOL CVÞING GEVVISSÆ CYNING CEOL REX GEVVISSÆ
597 to 611	Ceolwulf Ceolwulf of Wessex Ceolwulf was King of Wessex from 597 to 611. He became king upon the death of his brother Ceol, because at that time Ceol's son Cynegils was too young to rule.Ceolwulf reigned for fourteen years and nothing is known of Wessex during his time as king....	CEOLVVLF CVÞING GEVVISSÆ CYNING CEOLVVLF REX GEVVISSÆ
611 to 643	Cynegils Cynegils of Wessex Cynegils was King of Wessex from c. 611 to c. 643.Cynegils is traditionally considered to have been King of Wessex, but the familiar kingdoms of the so-called Heptarchy had not yet formed from the patchwork of smaller kingdoms in his lifetime...	CYNEGILS CEOLING GEVVISSÆ CYNING CYNEGILS REX GEVVISSÆ
c. 626 to 636	Cwichelm Cwichelm of Wessex Cwichelm was an Anglo-Saxon king of the Gewisse, a people in the upper Thames area who later created the kingdom of Wessex. He is usually counted among the Kings of Wessex....	CVVICHELM CYNEGILSING GEVVISSÆ CYNING CVVICHELM REX GEVVISSÆ
643 to 645	Cenwalh Cenwalh of Wessex Cenwalh, also Cenwealh or Coenwalh, was King of Wessex from c. 643 to c. 645 and from c. 648 unto his death, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, in c. 672.-Penda and Anna:...	CENVVALH CYNEGILSING GEVVISSÆ CYNING CENVVALH REX GEVVISSÆ	Deposed
Mercian Dynasty Mercia Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
645 to 648	Penda Penda of Mercia Penda was a 7th-century King of Mercia, the Anglo-Saxon kingdom in what is today the English Midlands. A pagan at a time when Christianity was taking hold in many of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Penda took over the Severn Valley in 628 following the Battle of Cirencester before participating in the...	PENDA PYBBING MIERCNA 7 GEVVISSÆ CYNING PENDA REX MIERCNA ET GEVVISSÆ
The Kingdom of the West Saxons
fl. 571	Cuthwulf	CVÞVVLF VVESTSEAXNA CYNING CVÞVVLF REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	Invaded Midland Britain and conquered the Britons in 571 571 Year 571 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 571 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Religion :* The Monophysites again reject the...  at the Battle of Bedford (see also Bedford Castle Bedford Castle Bedford Castle was a large medieval castle in Bedford, England. Built after 1100 by Henry I, the castle played a prominent part in both the civil war of the Anarchy and the First Barons' War. The castle was significantly extended in stone, although the final plan of the castle remains uncertain...  and Bedford Bedford Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town... ), probably under King Cadrod of Calchfynedd. Probably an associate of Ceawlin Ceawlin of Wessex Ceawlin was a King of Wessex. He may have been the son of Cynric of Wessex and the grandson of Cerdic of Wessex, whom the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle represents as the leader of the first group of Saxons to come to the land which later became Wessex... .
Cerdicing Dynasty
648 to 674	Cenwalh Cenwalh of Wessex Cenwalh, also Cenwealh or Coenwalh, was King of Wessex from c. 643 to c. 645 and from c. 648 unto his death, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, in c. 672.-Penda and Anna:...	CENVVALH CYNEGILSING VVESTSEAXNA CYNING CENVVALH REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	Restored; reigned jointly with his wife Queen Seaxburh Seaxburh of Wessex Seaxburh was a wife of Cenwalh of Wessex who according to tradition ruled Wessex as queen for a year following Cenwalh's death in 674. She should not be confused with her near-contemporary, Seaxburh of Ely, the saintly daughter of Anna of East Anglia....  672 672 Year 672 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 672 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Wamba succeeds Reccaswinth as king of the...  to 674 674 Year 674 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 674 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* In Korea, Anapji was constructed by order of...
672 to 674	Queen Seaxburh Seaxburh of Wessex Seaxburh was a wife of Cenwalh of Wessex who according to tradition ruled Wessex as queen for a year following Cenwalh's death in 674. She should not be confused with her near-contemporary, Seaxburh of Ely, the saintly daughter of Anna of East Anglia....	SEAXBVRG VVESTSEAXNA CVEN SEAXBVRH REGINA SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	Reigned jointly with her husband Cenwalh Cenwalh of Wessex Cenwalh, also Cenwealh or Coenwalh, was King of Wessex from c. 643 to c. 645 and from c. 648 unto his death, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, in c. 672.-Penda and Anna:...  until his death 674 674 Year 674 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 674 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* In Korea, Anapji was constructed by order of...
674 to 674	Cenfus	CENFVS CENFERÞING VVESTSEAXNA CYNING CENFVS REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM
674 to 676	Æscwine Aescwine of Wessex Æscwine was a King of Wessex from about 674 to 676, but probably not the only king in Wessex at the time.Bede writes that after the death of King Cenwalh: "his under-rulers took upon them the kingdom of the people, and dividing it among themselves, held it ten years". West Saxon tradition has...	ÆSCVVINE CENFVSING VVESTSEAXNA CYNING ÆSCVVINE REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM
676 to 685	Centwine Centwine of Wessex Centwine was King of Wessex from circa 676 to 685 or 686, although he was perhaps not the only king of the West Saxons at the time.The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports that Centwine became king circa 676, succeeding Æscwine...	CENTVVINE CYNEGILSING VVESTSEAXNA CYNING CENTVVINE REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	Deposed by Cædwalla
685 to 688	Caedwalla Caedwalla of Wessex Cædwalla was the King of Wessex from approximately 685 until he abdicated in 688. His name is derived from the British Cadwallon. He was exiled as a youth, and during this time attacked the South Saxons and killed their king, Æthelwealh, in what is now Sussex. Cædwalla was unable to hold the...	CÆDVVALLA CENBRYHTING VVESTSEAXNA CYNING CÆDVVALLA REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	Usurper; abdicated, possibly of British origin
688 to 726	Ine Ine of Wessex Ine was King of Wessex from 688 to 726. He was unable to retain the territorial gains of his predecessor, Cædwalla, who had brought much of southern England under his control and expanded West Saxon territory substantially...  (Ina)	INE CENREDING VVESTSEAXNA CYNING INE REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	Abdicated
726 to 740	Æthelheard	ÆÞELHEARD VVESTSEAXNA CYNING ÆÞELHEARD REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM
740 to 756	Cuthred Cuthred of Wessex Cuthred or Cuþræd was the King of Wessex from 740 until 756. He succeeded Æthelheard, his relative and possibly his brother....	CVÞRED VVESTSEAXNA CYNING CVÞRED REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM
756 to 757	Sigeberht Sigeberht of Wessex Sigeberht was the King of Wessex from 756 to 757.Sigeberht succeeded his distant relative Cuthred, but was then accused of acting unjustly. He was removed from power by a council of nobles, but given control of Hampshire. There, he was accused of murder, driven out and ultimately killed...	SIGEBRYHT VVESTSEAXNA CYNING SIGEBRYHT REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	Deposed (and killed?) by Cynewulf Cynewulf of Wessex Cynewulf was the King of Wessex from 757 until his death in 786.Cynewulf became king after his predecessor, Sigeberht, was deposed. He may have come to power under the influence of Æthelbald of Mercia, since he was recorded as a witness to a charter of Æthelbald shortly thereafter...
757 to 786	Cynewulf Cynewulf of Wessex Cynewulf was the King of Wessex from 757 until his death in 786.Cynewulf became king after his predecessor, Sigeberht, was deposed. He may have come to power under the influence of Æthelbald of Mercia, since he was recorded as a witness to a charter of Æthelbald shortly thereafter...	CYNEVVLF VVESTSEAXNA CYNING CYNEVVLF REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	Assassinated by Cyneheard, brother of Sigeberht Sigeberht of Wessex Sigeberht was the King of Wessex from 756 to 757.Sigeberht succeeded his distant relative Cuthred, but was then accused of acting unjustly. He was removed from power by a council of nobles, but given control of Hampshire. There, he was accused of murder, driven out and ultimately killed...
786 to 802	Beorhtric Beorhtric of Wessex Beorhtric was the King of Wessex from 786 to 802.In 786, Cynewulf, king of Wessex, was killed by the exiled noble Cyneheard, brother of the former King Sigeberht. Beorhtric's successful bid for the throne was supported by Offa, king of the Mercians against Egbert...	BEORHTRIC VVESTSEAXNA CYNING BEORHTRIC REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM
802 to 839	Egbert Egbert of Wessex Egbert was King of Wessex from 802 until his death in 839. His father was Ealhmund of Kent...	ECGBRYHT EALHMVNDING VVESTSEAXNA CYNING ECGBRYHT REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM
839 to 856	Æthelwulf	ÆÞELVVLF ECGBRYHTING VVESTSEAXNA CYNING ÆÞELVVLF REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM
856 to 860	Æthelbald	ÆÞELBALD ÆÞELVVLFING VVESTSEAXNA CYNING ÆÞELBALD REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM
860 to 865	Æthelbert	ÆÞELBRYHT ÆÞELVVLFING VVESTSEAXNA CYNING ÆÞELBRYHT REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM
865 to 871	Æthelred	ÆÞELRED ÆÞELVVLFING VVESTSEAXNA CYNING ÆÞELRED REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM
871 to 899	Alfred Alfred the Great Alfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...  (the Great)	ÆLFRED ÆÞELVVLFING ÐE GREAT VVESTSEAXNA CYNING ÆLFRED MAGNVS REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	The only English monarch to be given the nickname "The Great". First King of the united Anglo Saxons
899 to 924	Edward Edward the Elder Edward the Elder was an English king. He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex... (the Elder)	EADVVEARD ÆLFREDING ÐE ELDRA WESTSEAXNA CYNING EADVVEARD REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	Died 17 July 924
924 to 924	Ælfweard Ælfweard of Wessex Ælfweard was the second son of Edward the Elder, the eldest born to his second wife Ælfflæd.-Kingship and death:The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle simply states that Ælfweard died soon after his father's death on 17 July 924 and that they were buried together at Winchester Cathedral...		Second son of Edward the Elder. Died 2 August 924, possibly before coronation
925 to 939	Athelstan Athelstan of England Athelstan , called the Glorious, was the King of England from 924 or 925 to 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder, grandson of Alfred the Great and nephew of Æthelflæd of Mercia...	ÆÞELSTAN EADVVEARDING WESTSEAXNA CYNNING ÆÞELSTAN REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	Became first King of England

After Æthelstan conquered Northumbria

Northumbria

Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...

 in 927, he adopted the title rex Anglorum (King of the English) becoming the first king of England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

.