Edward the Eider(r. 899-924)
[22-07-2009]  EDWARD 'THE ELDER' (r. 899-924)

Well-trained by Alfred, his son Edward 'the Elder' (reigned 899-924) was a bold soldier who defeated the Danes in Northumbria at Tettenhall in 910 and was acknowledged by the Viking kingdom of York. The kings of Strathclyde and the Scots submitted to Edward in 921. By military success and patient planning, Edward spread English influence and control. Much of this was due to his alliance with his formidable sister Aethelflaed, who was married to the ruler of Mercia and seems to have governed that kingdom after her husband's death.

Edward was able to establish an administration for the kingdom of England, whilst obtaining the allegiance of Danes, Scots and Britons. Edward died in 924, and he was buried in the New Minster which he had had completed at Winchester. Edward was twice married, but it is possible that his eldest son Athelstan was the son of a mistress.

ALFRED 'THE GREAT' (r. 871-899)
[22-07-2009]  ALFRED 'THE GREAT' (r. 871-899)

Born at Wantage, Berkshire, in 849, Alfred was the fifth son of Aethelwulf, king of the West Saxons. At their father's behest and by mutual agreement, Alfred's elder brothers succeeded to the kingship in turn, rather than endanger the kingdom by passing it to under-age children at a time when the country was threatened by worsening Viking raids from Denmark.

Since the 790s, the Vikings had been using fast mobile armies, numbering thousands of men embarked in shallow-draught longships, to raid the coasts and inland waters of England for plunder. Such raids were evolving into permanent Danish settlements; in 867, the Vikings seized York and established their own kingdom in the southern part of Northumbria. The Vikings overcame two other major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, East Anglia and Mercia, and their kings were either tortured to death or fled. Finally, in 870 the Danes attacked the only remaining independent Anglo-Saxon kingdom, Wessex, whose forces were commanded by King Aethelred and his younger brother Alfred. At the battle of Ashdown in 871, Alfred routed the Viking army in a fiercely fought uphill assault. However, further defeats followed for Wessex and Alfred's brother died.

Ethelred(r. 866-871)
[22-07-2009]  Ethelred was another brother of Ethelbald, ruling from 866 to 871. He was the third son of Ethelwulf to wear the mantle of kingship.

Ethelbert(r. 860-866)
[22-07-2009]  Ethelbert was Ethelbald's brother. He ruled from 860 to 865.

Ethelbald (r. 856-860)
[22-07-2009]  Ethelbald was the eldest son of Ethelwulf. He took over his father's authority in 855 and married Judith, daughter of Charles the Bald, king of the Franks, who was also his stepmother. He died in 860.

Ethelwulf(r. 839-856)
[22-07-2009]  Ethelwulf was the son of Egbert. He succeeded his father in 839. At Ethelwulf's request, his four sons each became king in turn rather than risk weakness in the kingdom by allowing young children to inherit the mantle of leadership.

Egbert, King of Wessex(r. 802-839)
[22-07-2009]  As King of Wessex, Egbert inherited the mantle of 'bretwalda' - an Anglo-Saxon term meaning a ruler with overall superiority to other rulers - after the decline of Mercian power under Offa. He came to power in 802 and died in 839, but little else is known about his brief reign.

THE ANGLO-SAXONS :Offa (r. 757-796)
[22-07-2009]  Offa, king of Mercia seized the throne after a civil war, and established supremacy over many lesser kings. He consolidated his position by marrying his daughters to the kings of Wessex and Northumbria, and was the first ruler to be called 'king of the English'.

Короли Шотландии
[19-07-2009]  SCOTISH KINGS AND QUEENS

ENGLISH KINGS AND QUEENS
[19-07-2009]  ENGLISH KINGS AND QUEENS