| This article is part of a series on |
| thekings of Anglo-Saxon England |
|---|
 |
The list of monarchs of the Anglo-Saxonkingdom of Sussex (or South Saxons) contains substantial gaps, as the chronological details relating to Sussex during theheptarchy is generally poorly documented. No authenticSouth Saxon king list or genealogy exists, unlike what can be found for otherAnglo-Saxon kingdoms. Most kings are known only fromAnglo-Saxon charters, some of which are forgeries, which makes it difficult to date the reigns of each king. The monarchs were either known as kings orealdormen.
According to the charters, most kings did not govern alone:Nothhelm reigned with two or three colleagues andOslac with four. The locations of the lands granted in their charters indicate that they reigned jointly and that there was no division of territory. Such joint reigns can also be demonstrated for theHwicce, theEast Saxons, and theWest Saxons. Indeed, “[t]here is nothing remarkable in the existence of two or even more contemporary kings in the same people in the seventh century. The ancient idea that royal dignity was a matter of birth rather than of territorial rule still survived at this date.”[1]
The traditional residence of the South Saxon kings was at Kingsham, once outside the southern walls ofChichester although within its modern boundaries.[2]
| Reign | Incumbent | Style | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 477 – after 491 | Ælle | First holder ofimperium according toBede. Firstbretwalda according to theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle, who gives the date of his landing in Sussex and battles against the Britons in 485 and 491. | |
| after 491 ? | Cissa | Son of Ælle according to theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle. Legendary eponym of the town ofChichester. | |
| There is no information on the kings of Sussex for more than a century and a half. | |||
| before 674 –c. 682 | Æthelwealh | First Christian king of Sussex. Killed byCædwalla of Wessex. | |
| fl. c. 683? | ?Eadric | Ealdulfus dux Suthsax | Listed according to William of Malmesbury. Possibly the same who reigned as king of Kent. Also appears as witness to a possibly spurious charter,S 232, of Cædwalla endowingWilfrid'smonastery at Selseyc.683. Probably representsEaldwulf, who lived one century later. |
| fl. c. 683 –c. 685? | Ecgwald | Ecguald subregulus | Mentioned in possibly spurious charters,S 230 andS 232, of Cædwalla endowing Wilfrid's monastery at Selsey betweenc.683 to 685. |
| fl.685 | Berthun andAndhun | According to Bede, these twoealdormen drove Cædwalla out of Sussex. Berthun was later killed by Cædwallac.685. | |
| fl.692 – after 714 | Nothhelm (Nunna) | Nothelmus rex Suthsax’ Nunna rex Sussax’ Nunna rex Suthsax’ | A kinsman of KingIne of Wessex. |
| fl.692 –c.700 | Watt | Wattus rex | Attests charters of King Nothhelm. |
| fl. c.700 | Bryni | Bruny dux Suthsax' | Ealdorman underNothhelm andWatt. |
| fl. c.710 | ?Osric | Osricus | Unknown rank, may not have been king. |
| fl.714 | Æthelstan | Athelstan rex | Attests charters of King Nothhelm. |
| fl. c.740 | Æthelberht | Ethelbertus rex Sussaxonum | A contemporary of KingÆthelbald of Mercia and BishopSigeferth. |
| Offa of Mercia gained control of Sussex in the early 770s. | |||
| fl.772 | Oswald | Osuualdus dux Suðsax' | One of four South Saxonduces appearing on a charter of KingOffa of Mercia (S 108). He may have been king at some point before that. |
| fl.760 – 772 | Osmund | Osmundus rex Osmund dux | King in the 760s, maybe with Oslac, Ealdwulf and Ælfwald. One of four South Saxonduces appearing on a charter of King Offa of Mercia (S 108). |
| fl. c.765 to 780 | Oslac | Osiac rex Oslac dux | King in the 760s with Ealdwulf and Ælfwald. One of four South Saxonduces appearing on a charter of King Offa of Mercia (S 108). |
| fl. c.765 – 772 | Ælfwald | Ælhuuald rex Ælbuuald dux | King in the 760s with Oslac and Eadwulf. One of four South Saxonduces appearing on a charter of King Offa of Mercia (S 108). |
| fl. c.765 toc.791 | Ealdwulf | Alduulf rex Aldwlfus dux Suthsaxonum Aldwlf dux Aldwlfus dux Suthsaxonum Ealdwlf | King in the 760s with Oslac and Ælfwald. Styleddux after 772. |
| Around 827 the South Saxons submitted toEgbert of Wessex.[3] | |||
| died 982 | Eadwine | Eaduuine dux | Ealdorman underÆthelred the Unready. |