Kingdom of East Anglia

Quick Facts: Who was Kingdom of East Anglia?

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Kingdom of East Anglia

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An early medieval English kingdom in southeast Britain, existing during the Anglo-Saxon period.

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Origins & Early Life

The Kingdom of the East Angles (/ˈæŋ.ɡli.ə/; Old English: Ēastengla Rīċe; Latin: Regnum Orientalium Anglorum), informally known as the Kingdom of East Anglia or East Anglia, was an early medieval English kingdom of the Angles during the Anglo-Saxon period, existing from the 6th century to 918 CE. It comprised the territory which now constitutes the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk and perhaps the eastern part of the Fens; the area is still known as East Anglia. The kingdom formed in the 6th century in the wake of the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain was one of the kingdoms of the Heptarchy. It was ruled by the Wuffingas dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries, but the territory was taken by Offa of Mercia in 794. Mercian control lapsed briefly following the death of Offa but was re-established.

Career & Major Achievements

The Danish Great Heathen Army landed in East Anglia in 865; after taking York it returned to East Anglia, killing King Edmund ("the Martyr") and making it Danish land in 869. After Alfred the Great forced a treaty with the Danes, East Anglia was left as part of the Danelaw. The kingdom was taken back from Danish control by Edward the Elder and incorporated into the Kingdom of England in 918. The Kingdom of East Anglia was organised in the first or second quarter of the 6th century, with Wehha listed as the first king of the East Angles, followed by Wuffa. The Anglo-Saxon genealogy for East Angles gives Wehha as descended from Woden via Caesar.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Until 749 the kings of East Anglia were Wuffingas, named after the semi-historical Wuffa. During the early 7th century under Rædwald, East Anglia was a more powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdom than its immediate neighbours. Rædwald, who was converted to Christianity by his overlord Æthelberht of Kent, is seen by scholars to be the person buried within (or commemorated by) the ship burial at Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge. During the decades that followed his death in about 624, East Anglia became increasingly dominated by the kingdom of Mercia. Several of Rædwald's successors were killed in battle, such as Sigeberht, under whose rule and with the guidance of his bishop, Felix of Burgundy, Christianity was firmly established.

Notable Quotes by Kingdom of East Anglia

“Rædwald was described by Bede as the overlord of the kingdoms south of the Humber.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Kingdom of East Anglia

True or False: “The Kingdom of East Anglia was continuously independent throughout the entire Anglo-Saxon period until its final incorporation into England.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): East Anglia ceased to be an independent kingdom between 794 and 825 CE due to Mercian control, and later fell under Danish influence.

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