Individual Details
Ecgbert King of Wessex III
(775 - 4 Feb 839)
King Egbert of Wessex (also spelled Ecgberht or Ecgbryh), sometimes known as Egbert the Saxon, helped make Wessex such a powerful kingdom that England was eventually unified around it. Because he was accepted as king in Essex, Kent, Surrey and Sussex and for a time also managed to conquer Mercia, he has been called "the first king of all England."
In 789, the West Saxon king Beorhtric and the Mercian king Offa drove Egbert into exile, and he may have spent some time at the court of Charlemagne. A few years later he returned to Britain, where his subsequent activities for the next decade remain a mystery. In 802, he succeeded Beorhtric as king of Wessex and removed the kingdom from the Mercian confederation, establishing himself as an independent ruler.
In 825, Egbert defeated the Mercian king Beornwulf at the Battle of Ellendune. This victory altered the balance of power in England, raising the power of Wessex at the expense of Mercia. Four years later he would conquer Mercia, but in 830 he lost it to Wiglaf. Still, Egbert's power base was unrivaled in England during his lifetime, and in 829 he was proclaimed "Bretwalda," ruler of all Britain.
In 789, the West Saxon king Beorhtric and the Mercian king Offa drove Egbert into exile, and he may have spent some time at the court of Charlemagne. A few years later he returned to Britain, where his subsequent activities for the next decade remain a mystery. In 802, he succeeded Beorhtric as king of Wessex and removed the kingdom from the Mercian confederation, establishing himself as an independent ruler.
In 825, Egbert defeated the Mercian king Beornwulf at the Battle of Ellendune. This victory altered the balance of power in England, raising the power of Wessex at the expense of Mercia. Four years later he would conquer Mercia, but in 830 he lost it to Wiglaf. Still, Egbert's power base was unrivaled in England during his lifetime, and in 829 he was proclaimed "Bretwalda," ruler of all Britain.
Events
| Birth | 775 | ||||
| Death | 4 Feb 839 | ||||
| Burial | Winchester Cathedral, England, United Kingdom |
Families
| Spouse | Redburga ( - ) |
| Child | Athelwulf King ( - ) |
| Father | Ealhmund Under-King of Kent ( - 786) |