List of monarchs of East Anglia

This is a chronological list of the monarchs of East Anglia, formally known as "The Kingdom of the East Angles", one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was founded in the 6th century and ceased being independent in 918, having been conquered by Wessex, another member of the Heptarchy.

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, and is computed allowing all or part of the years 627, 628 and 629 to this interregnum or unknown reign.

The names are given in modern English form, followed by the names and titles (as far as is known) in contemporaneous Anglo-Saxon English and Latin, being the recorded languages of the time. Note that the title 'REX' is not recorded specifically for any East Anglian ruler before Rædwald: the earlier names derive from the genealogical tally (not regnal list) in the "Anglian Collection" and the "Historia Britonum". They are normally styled rulers of the East Angle people ("Angli Orientales"), not of East Anglia ("Anglia Orientalis"). The title "Rex Anglorum" is used of Rædwald, and "Rex Ang." (indeterminate, probably "Anglorum") of Aethelstan and Eadmund in their coinage.

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 þ and ð (voiceless and voiced "th").

A character resembling '7' (the so-called Tironian "et") was used as the ampersand '&' in contemporary Anglo-Saxon writings. The era pre-dates the emergence of forms of writing accepted today, notably minuscule, and the letters 'W' and 'U'. Where W was followed by U this was generally rendered as 'VV' (which was also used for 'W' alone).

For a graphical chart of the first kings, see this family tree.

List of the Kings of the East Angles

After 917, East Anglia was under the rule of Wessex, with subsequent rulers downgraded to the status of Earl of East Anglia.

ee also

*Ralph de Guader, dubbed "Prince of the East Angles"

References

* Keynes, Simon, "Kings of the East Angles" in M. Lapidge, et al, (eds), "The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England". Oxford: Blackwell, 1999. ISBN 0-631-22492-0
* Ashley, Mike, "The Mammoth Book of British Kings & Queens" New York: Carroll & Graff, 1998. ISBN 0-7967-0692-9