Heptarchy
Anglo-Saxon political division
The Heptarchy refers to the seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms that dominated England from roughly the 5th to 9th centuries: Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria, East Anglia, Essex, Sussex, and Kent.
These kingdoms eventually consolidated under a single crown.
Before unification, the Heptarchy saw constant warfare among rival kings. (Lowercase heptarchy means any seven-part division of power.)
Early medieval English kingdom
- MerciaMedieval English kingdom
- NorthumbriaEarly medieval English kingdom
- East AngliaEnglish region, three counties
- EssexSoutheastern English county
Sussex · Kent · Bretwalda · tribal kingdoms · dynasties · Angles · Saxons · Jutes
Island off northwestern Europe
- EnglandLargest British country
- NorthumbriaEarly medieval English kingdom
- ThamesLondon's river
- fenlandsLow marshy ground
borders · shires · regions · territories · heartlands
Early medieval British settlers
- SaxonsGermanic British settlers
- JutesFifth-century British invaders
- BritonsUK inhabitants
- CelticOf Irish-Welsh descent
Picts · Vikings · Germanic · settlers · migrants · tribes · clans
Pre-Conquest British Germanic peoples
- Dark AgesPost-Roman European decline
- Migration PeriodPost-Roman tribal relocations era
- fifth centuryYears 401-500
- sixth centuryYears 501-600 AD
ninth century · Christianization · paganism · Viking invasions · Norman Conquest · early medieval · unification · consolidation
Medieval English historical annals
- Old EnglishGermanic language of early Britain
- manuscriptsHandwritten or typed originals
- chroniclesSequential historical accounts
- genealogiesRecords of family descent
Of a clan
- warfareArmed conflict between groups
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- fragmentationBreaking into smaller pieces
- dominionAuthority to rule
Wessex
Early medieval English kingdom
- MerciaMedieval English kingdom
- NorthumbriaEarly medieval English kingdom
- East AngliaEnglish region, three counties
Essex · Sussex · Kent · Bretwalda · tribal kingdoms · dynasties · Angles · Saxons · Jutes · thrones
Britain
Island off northwestern Europe
- EnglandLargest British country
- NorthumbriaEarly medieval English kingdom
- ThamesLondon's river
fenlands · borders · shires · regions · territories · heartlands
Angles
Early medieval British settlers
Celtic · Picts · Vikings · Germanic · settlers · migrants · tribes · clans
Anglo-Saxon
Pre-Conquest British Germanic peoples
- Dark AgesPost-Roman European decline
- Migration PeriodPost-Roman tribal relocations era
- fifth centuryYears 401-500
sixth century · ninth century · Christianization · paganism · Viking invasions · Norman Conquest · early medieval · unification · consolidation
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Medieval English historical annals
- Old EnglishGermanic language of early Britain
- manuscriptsHandwritten or typed originals
- chroniclesSequential historical accounts
Edwin
Classic masculine name
- AlfredMasculine given name
tribal
Of a clan
- warfareArmed conflict between groups
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- fragmentationBreaking into smaller pieces
- Anglo-SaxonsBeowulf, Mercia, Wessex, Northumbria, East Anglia
- Ancient BritainBritannia, Albion, Roman Britain, Hadrian's Wall, Stonehenge
- Anglo-Saxon BritainAlfred the Great, Edgar, Edward the Confessor, Edmund, Canute
Heptarchyunification
Merging into one entity
empire · nation-state · consolidation · political union · national unity
monarchy, anarchy, pentarchy, oligarchy, patriarchy, heptagon, matriarchy, heptagonal