Kings and Ealdormen of the South Saxons (Sussex)

Ælle 477 to 491 or later - Ælle was the first king of the South Saxons from 477 to perhaps as late as 514, and was the first king recorded by Bede to have held imperium over other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. In the late 9th-century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (around 400 years after his time) Ælle is recorded as being the first Bretwalda, though there is no evidence that this was a contemporary title. see King Aelle

Cissa - In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Cissa is listed as one of the three sons of Ælle, who in the year 477 arrived in Britain in three ships with his three sons, and fought three battles. See King Cissa

Æðelwealh fl. c. 660 to c.685 Killed by Caedwalla - Aethelwalh (fl. c. 660-685) (also written Aedilualch, Aethelwalch, Aþelwold, Æðelwold, Æþelwald, or Ethelwalch) was the first historical king of Sussex. All the information we have about him comes from brief mentions in Eddius's The Life of Bishop Wilfrid, Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England, and The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Aethelwalh became a Christian while in Mercia where King Wulfhere sponsored his baptism. At this time the people of Sussex were pagans.
In 661, Wulfhere gave Aethelwalh the territories of Meonwara and the Isle of Wight.
Aethelwalh's queen was Eafe (also written Eabae or Ebba), the daughter of Eanfrith (Eanfrid or Eanfridi), a ruler of the Christian Hwicce people. Wilfrid, the exiled bishop of York, came to Sussex in 681 and converted the people to Christianity with King Aethelwalh's approval. Aethelwalh gave Wilfrid land in Selsey where he founded Selsey Abbey.
In 685, Caedwalla, a West Saxon prince, invaded Sussex and killed Aethelwalh.

Eadwulf fl. c. 683? Ealdulfus dux Suthsax is listed as a witness to a possibly spurious charter, S.232, of Caedwalla endowing Wilfrid's monastery of Selsey c. 683. Probably represents Ealdwulf.

Ecgwald fl. c. 683 to c.685? Ecwald, also Ecguald, a sub-king, is named in, or witnesses, possibly spurious charters, S.230 and S.232 , of Caedwalla endowing Wilfrid's monastery of Selsey c. 683 to 685.

Berhthun fl.685 Ealdorman - Beorhthun (floruit 680s) was a dux of the South Saxons. Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (Book IV, Chapter 15) records the invasion of the South Saxon kingdom by Caedwalla of the West Saxons and the killing of the South Saxon king Æthelwalh. Caedwalla was driven off by Beorhthun and Andhun who then jointly ruled the South Saxons. However, Bede reports, Beorhthun was later killed and the South Saxons conquered by Caedwalla.

Andhun fl.685 Ealdorman - Andhun was an Ealdorman of Sussex under King Æðelwealh, who was slain by the Wessex prince Caedwalla, when he invaded and ravaged the kingdom. Berhthun and Andhun succeeded in driving Caedwalla from Sussex.
In 686 the South Saxons attacked Hlothhere, King of Kent, in support of his nephew Eadric, but soon afterwards Berhthun was killed and the kingdom subjugated for a time by Ceadwalla, who had now become King of Wessex.

Subject to Wessex (c.686 to 726)

Noðhelm (Nunna) fl.692 to 717 jointly with Watt, Osric, and Æðelstan. - Noðhelm, or Nunna for short, was King of Sussex, apparently reigning jointly with Watt, Osric, and Æðelstan.
In 692 Noðhelm granted land to his sister Noðgyð. He was styled Nothelmus rex Suthsax’ in the body of the charter, but he signed it as Nunna rex Sussax’. Noðhelm’s last surviving charter, in which he was called Nunna rex Suthsax’, is dated 714, probably in error for 717, so his reign began in or before 692 and ended in or after 717.
He is mentioned by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as fighting for his kinsman Ine, King of Wessex, against Geraint, King of the Britons, in the year 710.
Two of his charters were witnessed by signed by Cœnred, King of Wessex. Concerning one of these, strangely dated 775, Barker (1947) commented: "20. Cœnred was the father of Ini. He is not mentioned in ASC. as having ever been king of Wessex; but ASC. says that Ini succeeded in 688 and abdicated in 728, while insisting on the length of his reign as 37 years. Cœnred appears for the last time in 692 (No. IV) and Ini was certainly sole king by 604, when then men of Kent compounded with him for the death of his relative Mul. The Anglo-Saxon conception of family as the basis of law was so strict that they would not have done so if his father had been alive. Therefore Cœnred must have died before 694, and this proves conclusively that this charter must bear date in 689. In fact, to allow for a reign of 37 years (or nearly 37) by Ini, he must have died in 692. 21.

Watt fl.692 to c.700 jointly with Noðhelm - Watt was a King of Sussex, reigning jointly with Noðhelm. He is known only from charters. He witnessed Noðhelm’s charter of 692 as Wattus rex, without any indication of his territory, but it is probable that he reigned in Sussex, because he also witnessed (again as Wattus rex) an undated charter (but before about 705) by Bruny dux Suthsax’ together with Nunna rex (Nunna being the short form of Noðhelm).
He is also listed as a witness (as Uuattus rex) of another charter, erroneously dated 775, which is believed to be a forgery.
So, Watt’s reign began in or before 692, and extended at least to some date before about 705.

Bryni fl. c.700 Ealdorman under Noðhelm and Watt - Bryni, Ealdorman of Sussex, issued an undated charter (but before about 705) as Bruny dux Suthsax’, that was witnessed by Kings Noðhelm and Watt.

Osric fl. c.710 jointly with Noðhelm - Osric was possibly a King of Sussex, reigning jointly with Noðhelm. There is an undated charter of Noðhelm that is witnessed by Osric, as Osricus, without indication of rank or territory, but listed before, and therefore ranked higher than, Eadberht, Bishop of Selsey, whose rank and see are also omitted. The charter can be approximately dated to some point between about 705 and 717.

Æðelstan fl.717 jointly with Noðhelm - Æðelstan (floruit 717x724) was a King, presumably of Sussex, reigning jointly with Noðhelm. He witnessed Noðhelm’s last surviving charter, which is dated 714 in error for 717, as Athelstan rex. There is no indication of his kingdom. The same charter was also witnessed by Queen Æðelðryð, as Edeldrið regina, presumably the Æðelstan's wife.

Æðelberht fl. c.740 a contemporary of Sigeferth - Aethelbert, or, more correctly, Æðelberht, was King of Sussex, but is known only from charters. The dates of Æðelberht’s reign are unknown beyond the fact that it overlapped at least in part with the bishopship of Sigeferth of Selsey, as Sigeferth witnessed an undated charter of Æðelberht [1] in which Æðelberht is styled Ethelbertus rex Sussaxonum.
Sigeferth, called Sicgga for short, was the 3rd Bishop of Selsey, consecrated in 733 by Archbishop Tatwine, and was still bishop in 747, when he attended the Synod of Clofesho. His date of death is unknown.

Osmund fl.760 to 772 jointly with Oswald, Ælfwald, and Oslac - Osmund (fl.760–772) was a King of Sussex, apparently reigning jointly with Oswald, Ælfwald, and Oslac.
According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, version D, Osmund was reigning in Sussex when Archbishop Cuðberht died in 760, so his rule commenced before that event. He issued a charter, dated 762 in error for 765, as Osmundus. He also issued a charter dated 770 in which he is listed as Osmundus rex.
So Osmund’s reign was from in or before 760 to between 770 and 772, as he witnessed a charter of Offa, King of Mercia, dated 772 as Osmund dux. Evidently he was demoted from king to ealdorman following Offa's conquest of Sussex.

Subject to Mercia (771 to 825)

Oswald fl.772 Ealdorman under Offa jointly with Osmund, Ælfwald, and Oslac - Oswald was an Ealdorman of Sussex, jointly with three former kings: Osmund, Ælfwald, and Oslac.
He witnessed a charter of Offa, King of Mercia, dated 772 as Osuualdus dux Suðsax']. He was listed ahead of the three former kings Osmund, Ælfwald, and Oslac, which implies that his rank was higher. It is probable that all four were former Kings of Sussex, demoted after Offa's conquest. However, this is mere speculation; there is no actual evidence that Oswald ever reigned as king.
Oswald is not known to have issued charters of his own.

Oslac fl. c.765 to 772 jointly with Ealdwulf, Ælfwald, Oswald, and Osmund. - Oslac was a King of Sussex. He reigned jointly with Ealdwulf and Ælfwald, and probably also Oswald and Osmund.
Oslac witnessed an undated charter of Ealdwulf, believed to be from about 765, with his name corruptly recorded in the surviving revision as Osiai rex.
After the conquest of Sussex by Offa, King of Mercia, Oslac witnessed a charter of Offa, dated 772, as Oslac dux, with his name placed after Oswald, Osmund, and Ælfwald, suggesting that he was the most junior of the former kings.
His latest surviving charter is dated 790, and the original still exists; in it he is styled Oslac dux Suthsaxorum.

Ealdwulf fl. c.765 to c.791 jointly with Ælfwald and Oslac - Ealdwulf was a King of Sussex, but is known only from his charters. He reigned jointly with Ælfwald and Oslac. Ealdwulf issued an undated charter, believed to be from about 765, as Alduulf rex.
Later, he issued a further undated charter as Aldwlfus dux Suthsaxonum, and signed as Aldwlf dux, and another, dated 711 in error for 791, as Aldwlfus dux Suthsaxonum with the subscription Ealdwlf.

Ælfwald fl. c.765 to 772 jointly with Ealdwulf, Oslac, Oswald, and Osmund - Ælfwald was a King of Sussex, who reigned jointly with Ealdwulf and Oslac, and probably also with Oswald and Osmund.
Ælfwald witnessed an undated charter of Ealdwulf, believed to be from about 765, with his name corruptly recorded as Ælhuuald rex.
Ælfwald also witnessed a charter of Offa, King of Mercia, dated 772, as Ælbuuald dux, with his name placed after Oswald, Osmund, but before Oslac.
He is not known to have issued charters of his own.

Subject to Wessex (from 825)

Eadwine died 982 Ealdorman under Æðelræd Unræd - The death of Eadwine, Ealdorman of Sussex, is recorded in 982, because he was buried at Abingdon Abbey in Berkshire, where one version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was compiled. According to the abbey’s records, in which he was called princeps Australium Saxonum, Eadwinus nomine, he bequeathed estates to them in his will, although the document itself has not survived. Earlier in the same year he witnessed a charter of King Æðelræd Unræd as Eaduuine dux. His name was also added to a forged charter dated 956 (possibly an error for 976).

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