Before the coming of the Vikings swept away the many kings of the Anglo-Saxon
Heptarchy they would recognise one amongst their number as overlord of all and thus the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle following the work of the Venerable Bede names the following eight
Anglo-Saxon kings as BRETWALDA and pre-eminent amongst their peers;
- Ælle of Sussex 477-500
- Ceawlin of Wessex 560-591
- Æthelbert of Kent 591-616
- Rædwald of East Anglia 616-627
- Edwin of Deira 627-632
- Oswald of Bernicia 633-641
- Oswiu of Northumbria 641-670
- Egbert of Wessex 829-839
It is surely only the Christian prejudice of the Venerable Bede that omits the name
of the noble Penda, great pagan king of Mercia that slew both Edwin and Oswald and
proved himself the mightier warrior and more deserving of the accolade than either. And what
of Æthelbald and Offa of Mercia? Many would add their names as deserving of the honour
before that of Egbert, remembering that they both bent Wessex to their will and believe
that the West Saxon scribes of the Chronicle omitted their names for fear of reminding
Mercia of its proud history and its preceding dominion.