The Viking Kings of East Anglia: England Before Unification

Before England unified, it was a land of divided kingdoms. The island known as Britannia during Roman times had splintered into various tribes and realms. In the east, near the North Sea, settlers like the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes sought new land and power, leading to the rise of East Anglia. This kingdom encompassed what we now know as Norfolk and Suffolk, a territory influenced as much by its European neighbors as by the rest of Britain. The Wuffingas dynasty, claiming divine descent from Woden, rose to power here. Their first known king, Wehha, remains a shadowy figure in history, followed by Wuffa, whose legacy named the dynasty. Rædwald, the most notable king, achieved the title of Bretwalda, representing supremacy among Anglo-Saxon rulers. His possible connection to the Sutton Hoo ship burial reflects his wealth and power. Despite Christian influences, conversion was incomplete. Rædwald maintained altars to both Christian and pagan gods. In the 9th century, the wealth of England attracted Viking raids, culminating in the Great Heathen Army's arrival in 865, led by Ivar the Boneless. King Edmund of East Anglia faced this threat, and his defeat marked the end of a dynasty but transformed him into a revered saint.

00:00: Introduction03:09: The Last Anglo-Saxon King of Northumbria15:17: Guthrum25:21: Eohric37:39: Guthrum II #VikingKings #EastAnglia #Anglo-Saxon #Wuffingas #Rædwald #GreatHeathenArmy #IvartheBoneless #KingEdmund #SuttonHoo See show notes: https://inlet.fm/history-profiles/episodes/6a6b92289293e3d8d093284e Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices