Ancient Wessex News and Information
Ancient Wessex News and Information

Cerdic of Wessex First Saxon King of England

Mark Johnston writing on Ancient Origins has published an interesting article “The Question of Ancient Kings: Cerdic of Wessex, First Saxon King of England?”.

“According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , Cerdic of Wessex did, indeed, exist. The Chronicle was the first attempt at an official record of English history, written around 890 AD and edited up until 1100 AD. It tells us that Cerdic was a Saxon (referring to people of Germanic descent who occupied central and northern Germany) chieftain who landed at modern-day Hampshire in 495 with five ships full of warriors.

By 519, Cerdic and his son, Cynric, had laid claim to swathes of land through a series of battles with the Britons. After his victory at the Battle of Cerdic’s Ford, Cerdic established the Kingdom of the West Saxons (Wessex) with himself as king.”

Read more at: https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/cerdic-wessex-0016983

Cerdic of Wessex
Tapestry showing King Arthur, who is sometimes considered to be the same as Cerdic of Wessex, as one of the Nine Worthies, wearing a coat of arms often attributed to him from circa 1385 AD.

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