Rædwald of East Anglia - Knowledge (XXG)

1108: 1047:, was slain there under treacherous circumstances. Edwin eventually sought the protection of Rædwald, where he was received willingly. Rædwald promised to protect him, and Edwin lived with the king amongst his royal companions. When news of Edwin reached Æthelfrith in Northumbria, he sent messengers to Rædwald offering money in return for Edwin's death, but Rædwald refused to comply. Æthelfrith sent messengers a second and a third time, offering even greater gifts of silver and promising war if these were not accepted. Rædwald then weakened and promised either to kill Edwin or to hand him over to ambassadors. 1059:, a member of the Canterbury mission, who offered Edwin the hope of Rædwald's support and held out the prospect that Edwin might someday attain greater royal power than any previous English king. Paulinus was assured by Edwin that he would accept his religious teaching. His vision of Paulinus was afterwards made the means of his decision to embrace Christianity, on the condition that he survived and achieved power. If, as is supposed by some, Paulinus appeared to him in the flesh, the bishop's presence at Rædwald's court would throw some light on the king's position regarding religion. 1203:. Barbara Yorke suggests that he died before Edwin converted to Christianity in 627 and also before Paulinus became bishop of Northumbria in 625. His death is recorded twice by Roger of Wendover, in 599 and in 624, in a history that dates from the 13th century but appears to include earlier annals of unknown origin and reliability. Plunkett notes that the earlier date of 599 is now taken as a mistaken reference to the death of Rædwald's father, Tytila, and the later date is commonly given for the death of Rædwald. 1325:

expected places in relation to the stain. However, more recent analysis detected phosphate in the soil – an indicator that a human body once lay at rest there. The cenotaph theory may be consistent with the transition from pagan burial to Christian burial; certainly as far as Rædwald is concerned, he could have received a Christian burial, and the mound, whether completed before or after his conversion, being used as a memorial and as symbol of the status of the Kingship of East Anglia.

446: 1292:. Bruce-Mitford has suggested that the inclusion of bowls and spoons amongst the treasures fits with Bede's account of Rædwald's conversion: the spoons may have been a present for a convert from paganism and the bowls had Christian significance. Coins found in the burial have been dated to the approximate date of Rædwald's death. The controversy surrounding the identity of the person for whom the mound was built are reflected in the comments in the article on Rædwald in the 51: 1337: 969: 2781: 1416: 1233: 1221: 1001:, it may have followed Saebert's conversion fairly swiftly. Rædwald's marriage to a member of the royal dynasty of Essex helped form a diplomatic alliance between the neighbouring kingdoms of East Anglia and Essex. His conversion in Kent would have affiliated him with Æthelberht, bringing him directly into the sphere of Kent. 1085:. The battle was fierce and was long commemorated in the saying, 'The river Idle was foul with the blood of Englishmen'. During the fighting, Æthelfrith and Rædwald's son Rægenhere were both slain. Edwin then succeeded Æthelfrith as the king of Northumbria, and Æthelfrith's sons were subsequently forced into exile. 1185:

at Gipeswic, including those found in burials under small barrows, were not particularly wealthy or elaborate. They lacked the strong characterization of a neighbouring late 6th century cemetery at a higher crossing of the river. One exception was a furnished grave that has been suggested to be that

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of the Wuffing dynasty, according to Plunkett. Barbara Yorke argues that Rædwald was not willing to fully embrace Christianity because conversion via Æthelberht would have been acknowledgment of an inferior status to the Kentish king. Rædwald's lack of commitment towards Christianity earned him the

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In East Anglia, Rædwald's conversion was not universally accepted by his household or his own queen. According to the historian Steven Plunkett, she and her pagan teachers persuaded him to default in part from his commitment to the Christian faith. As a result, he kept in the temple two altars, one

1178:. Steven Plunkett suggests that the founding of Gipeswic took place under the supervision of Wuffingas . It took another hundred years for the settlement to develop into a town, but its beginnings can be seen as a reflection of the personal importance of Rædwald during the period of his supremacy. 996:

in Kent. This happened in perhaps 604 or later, presumably at the invitation of Æthelberht, who may have been his baptismal sponsor. The date of his conversion is unknown, but it would have occurred after the arrival of the Gregorian mission in 597. Since it is claimed that Augustine, who died in

1259:

In 1939, a mound at Sutton Hoo, now known as Mound 1, was discovered to contain an Anglo-Saxon ship-burial of unparalleled richness. The mound enclosed a ship, 27 metres (89 ft) long, which had seen use on the seas and had been repaired. In the centre of the ship was a chamber containing a

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rather than a grave, the only sign of body being a chemical stain which could have had other origins; indeed, the site includes burials of both meat and companion animals. Further, there is a lack of shroud ties, and no clear evidence of items which might have adorned a body being left in the

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Rædwald's pagan queen admonished him for acting in a manner dishonourable for a king by betraying his trust for the sake of money and wanting to sell his imperiled friend in exchange for riches. As a result of her admonishment, once Æthelfrith's ambassadors had gone, Rædwald resolved on war.

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A separate account of the battle, given by Henry of Huntingdon, stated that Rædwald's army was split into three formations, led by Rædwald, Rægenhere, and Edwin. With more experienced fighters, Æthelfrith attacked in loose formation. At the sight of Rægenhere, perhaps thinking he was Edwin,

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Alternative suggestions as candidates include other East Anglian kings or a prestigious foreign visitor. There are alternative explanations: the person may have been a wealthy status-seeker, rather than a king, though Rendlesham, a known residence of the East Anglian kings, is only 4 miles

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dynasty came from that part of Scandinavia. There are also significant differences, and exact parallels with the workmanship and style of the Sutton Hoo artefacts cannot be found elsewhere; as a result the connection is generally regarded as unproven.

1143:. The Canterbury mission had removed to Gaul before Eadbald was brought back into the fold. During this period the only royal Christian altar in England belonged to Rædwald. By the time of his death, the mission in Kent had been fully re-established. 469:, began to arrive in Britain in the 5th century. By 600, a number of kingdoms had begun to form in the conquered territories. By the beginning of the 7th century, the southern part of what became England was almost entirely under their control. 321:

ship-burial, although other theories have been advanced. A smaller ship-burial was also discovered in 1998 close to the original Sutton Hoo site, which is thought to have contained the body of his son Rægenhere, who died in battle in 616.

1039:(born in about 604), according to Bede. Æthelfrith pursued Acha's exiled brother Edwin in an attempt to destroy him and ensure that the Bernician rulership of Northumbria would be unchallenged. Edwin found hospitality in the household of 1095:

has argued that the battle was more than a clash between two kings over the treatment of an exiled nobleman but was "part of a protracted struggle to determine the military and political leadership of the Anglian peoples" at that time.

1154:, the 'King of the Angles', a term that Rædwald's contemporaries would have used for their overlord. It is unclear where his power was centred or even how he established his authority over the Angles of eastern England. 1157:

By Edwin's debt of allegiance to him, Rædwald became the first foreign king to hold direct influence in Northumbria. He would have been instrumental in Edwin's secure establishment as king of both Deira and Bernicia.

1050:

When a chance arose for him to escape to a safe country, Edwin chose to remain at Rædwald's court. He was then visited by a stranger who was aware of Rædwald's deliberations. The source for this story, written at

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The magnificence of the objects, both the personal possessions and those items designed to denote the authority of the dead individual, point to the death of a person connected with the royal court, according to

1298:("It has been argued, more strongly than convincingly, that Rædwald must be the man buried in Mound 1 at Sutton Hoo") and by McClure and Collins, who note that the evidence for Rædwald is "almost non-existent". 1198:

Rædwald is believed to have died around 624: his death date can be narrowed down to only within a few years. He must have reigned for some time after Æthelberht died, in order for him to have been noted as a

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from Rome in 597, the conversions of Æthelberht of Kent and Saeberht of Essex, and the establishment of new bishoprics in their kingdoms. Bede, when relating the conversion of Rædwald's son Eorpwald in his

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Rædwald is the first king of the East Angles of whom more than a name is known, though no details of his life before his accession are known. The earliest and most substantial source for Rædwald is the

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The chronicle of Henry of Huntingdon, comprising the history of England, from the invasion of Julius Cæsar to the accession of Henry II. Also, The acts of Stephen, king of England and duke of Normandy

1089:Æthelfrith's men cut their way through to him and slew him. After the death of his son, Rædwald furiously breached his lines, killing Æthelfrith amid a great slaughter of the Northumbrians. 1276:

the equal or better than any in Europe and was designed to project an image of imperial power. The Mediterranean silverware in the grave is a unique assemblage for its period in Europe.

558:

At some time during the 590s, Rædwald married a woman whose name is unknown, though it is known from Bede that she was pagan. By her he fathered at least two sons, Rægenhere and

570:. It has been suggested that Rædwald's queen had previously been married to a member of the Essex royal family and that Sigeberht was Rædwald's stepson, as was stated by 515:

ruled Deira until his death in 588, leaving his daughter Acha, his son Edwin, and another unknown sibling. The Bernician dynasty, allied by kinship to the kingdom of

413:, which dates from the late 8th century, contains an East Anglian genealogical tally, but Rædwald is not included. Rædwald is however referred to in the 8th century 2908: 2732: 2668: 2645: 2428: 362:

argues that East Anglia almost certainly produced a similar range of written materials, but they were destroyed during the Viking conquest in the 9th century.

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In 616 or 617, Rædwald assembled an army and marched north, accompanied by his son Rægenhere, to confront Æthelfrith. They met on the western boundary of the

305:, converting at Æthelberht's court some time before 605, while also maintaining a pagan temple. He helped Christianity to survive in East Anglia during the 1436: 254:

in East Anglia where many documents would have been kept. Rædwald reigned from about 599 until his death around 624, initially under the overlordship of

1288:

Rædwald". Yorke suggests that the treasures buried with the ship reflect the size of the tribute paid to Rædwald by subject kings during his period as

1174:) became an important estuarine trading centre, receiving imported goods such as pottery from other trading markets situated around the coasts of the 1401:"Chronicon saxonicum, seu annales rerum in Anglia praecipue gestarum, a Christo nato ad annum usque MCLIV. deducti, ac jam demum latinitate donati" 1260:

collection of jewellery and other rich grave goods, including silver bowls, drinking vessels, clothing and weaponry. One unusual item was a large '

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Rædwald, which in Old English means 'power in counsel', was born around 560–580. The son of Tytila, whom he succeeded, he was the elder brother of

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format used forced these writers to guess the dates of the key events they recorded. Such later sources are therefore treated with caution. The

368: 1431: 3280: 3275: 2754: 2704: 2685: 2629: 2606: 2587: 2568: 2525: 2504: 2400: 2324: 2271: 2132: 2818: 3144: 2901: 1252:. There, large mounds – which were originally much higher and more visible – can still be seen, overlooking the upper estuary of the 1808: 2796: 2550: 2442: 1875: 3008: 2917: 2246: 215: 3265: 2894: 1650: 3270: 3058: 1308:

cultural influence has been detected at Sutton Hoo: there are strong similarities in both the armour and the burial with

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On 24 February 616, the year of the Battle of the River Idle, Æthelberht of Kent died and was succeeded by his pagan son

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He was succeeded by his pagan son Eorpwald, who was later persuaded to adopt Christianity by Edwin of Northumbria.

1400: 2988: 1139:, his three sons shared the kingdom, returning it to pagan rule, and drove out the Gregorian missionaries led by 1009:, a grandson of Rædwald's brother Eni, recalled seeing the temple when he was a boy. It may have been located at 500:

in 585, although a paucity of sources makes it difficult to know how the Mercian royal line became established.

3224: 2958: 2827: 2535: 1072: 934: 358:. Much less documentary evidence survives from East Anglia than from other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The historian 259: 3073: 1268:

that showed no sign of previous use as a tool: it has been suggested that this was a symbol of the office of

3137: 2983: 2953: 2948: 2853: 1584:, p. 204. Peter Hunter Blair gives the twenty-five years from 550 to 575 as the dates of the final conquest. 1386: 1006: 980: 946: 563: 559: 140: 65: 301:(an Old English term meaning 'Britain-ruler' or 'wide-ruler'). He was the first king of the East Angles to 3209: 3018: 2998: 984: 973: 532: 243: 1272:. The gold and garnet body-equipment found with the other goods was produced for a patron who employed a 3189: 3068: 3053: 2993: 2963: 2938: 2836: 2358: 1117: 1112: 1036: 720: 571: 492:, the most powerful ruler south of the Humber estuary, repulsed Æthelberht. According to later sources, 472:

During Rædwald's youth, the establishment of other ruling houses was accomplished. Sometime before 588,

291: 231: 162: 83: 3204: 3174: 2863: 473: 255: 2814: 3260: 3184: 3028: 2933: 2928: 2878: 2843: 2410: 2384: 1281: 661: 602: 548: 389: 331: 267: 239: 194: 182: 3033: 2968: 2354: 2070:, pp. 82–96: Plunkett provides a very detailed description of the layout and contents of the mound. 1249: 998: 508: 434: 3219: 3199: 3130: 3023: 2726: 2662: 2639: 2540: 2483: 2422: 1312:

finds from Sweden. Bruce-Mitford suggested that the connection is close enough to imply that the

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in the 12th century. Sigeberht earned the enmity of his step-father, who drove him into exile in

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and later married Cearl's daughter. Edwin's nephew Hereric, an exile in the British kingdom of

429:, in which Rædwald and his forces defeated the Northumbrians, is described in the 12th century 3169: 3164: 3048: 2750: 2700: 2681: 2625: 2602: 2583: 2564: 2521: 2500: 2396: 2320: 1355: 1092: 489: 400: 381: 134: 56: 50: 2475: 2447: 2362: 1421:

One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the

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dedicated to pagan gods and the other to Christ. Bede, writing decades later, described how

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63. ^The Anglo-Saxons - A history of the beginnings of England by Marc Morris, p. 68

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Rædwald's power became great enough for Bede to recognise him as the successor to the

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Events that occurred during the early years of Rædwald's reign include the arrival of

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From around 616, Rædwald was the most powerful of the English kings south of the

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Bede (2008). "Books II.5 and II.15". In McClure, Judith; Collins, Roger (eds.).

1365: 1253: 485: 274:. During the battle, both Æthelfrith and Rædwald's son, Rægenhere, were killed. 271: 2451: 519:, gained ascendancy over Deira, forcing Edwin to live in exile in the court of 403:, gave some information about East Anglian events, but Yorke suggests that the 3238:

Not listed in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, but held equivalent or greater power.

3078: 2717:(1959). "The East Anglian Kings in the seventh century". In P. Clemoes (ed.). 2545: 2479: 1350: 1332: 1225: 1215: 1082: 1010: 993: 426: 318: 117: 2539: 1236:

The Great Buckle from Mound 1 at Sutton Hoo, now on permanent display at the

380:, a Northumbrian monk. Bede placed Rædwald's reign between the advent of the 3153: 2870: 1360: 1313: 1273: 1187: 1175: 1123: 957: 396: 297: 251: 235: 152: 41: 2886: 2133:"British Museum, Gold coins and ingots from the ship-burial at Sutton Hoo" 1284:, who regards the burial as "very likely the monument of the High King or 1232: 1321: 1182: 1140: 566:, whose name is unlike other Wuffingas names but which is typical of the 355: 306: 93: 2764:

Ziegler, Michelle (1999). "The Politics of Exile in Early Northumbria".

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state, and in around 604 he was able to bring Deira under his dominion.

17: 3063: 1261: 1245: 1171: 351: 347: 343: 227: 223: 147: 1305: 1052: 516: 493: 481: 466: 458: 247: 2462:(1976). "Anglian Collection of royal genealogies and regnal lists". 2208: