Cynewulf I "the Just"
(799 - 847)
Cynewulf I "the Just" (also "the Holy") was born in 773 as first son of King Beorhtric "the Noble" of Wessex and Anselperga Alachisling. He became Earl of Surrey in 790 and, after the death of his father, King of Wessex in 799 at the age of 26 years.
He was married three times. His first wife was Adelgrima de Luna. She died in the aftermath of giving birth to Beorhtric (* 791).
Cynewulf`s second wife was Aethelgifu (+ 837). They had four children:
Aethelthryth (* 804)
Aethelred (* 806)
Margaret (* 811)
Edmund (* 821)
In his late years, Cynewulf got married to a woman called Amalberga, but this last marriage remained childless.
Cynewulf died in 847 at the age of 74 years in Winchester, probably after a long illness.
Viking Raids
The annual raids by Vikings remained a threat throughout Cynewulf`s reign. A comparison of all contemporary chronicles came to the result, that 43 out of the 48 years of his regency saw Viking attacks. These raids were more or less evenly distributed along the coastlines, with between 11 (County of Wessex) and 18 (County of Kent) raids in the period from 799 to 847.
The reaction to this permanent threat was an increase of fortifications and garrisons. Archaeological findings suggest, that as of 820 all existing castles and cities experienced improvements in their defensive fortifications as well as in the size of local garrisons. The now nonexistent Fulham Castle was built in that period of time.
These countermeasures were effective, since none of the more than one hundred recorded Viking raids managed to seize any major settlement. Other locations were less fortunate, such as Dunbar and Teviotdale in Northumbria, which got looted in 830 and 841.
Struggle with Heretic movements
In the year 800, the Catholic church was amidst a deep crisis. There were three different Popes residing in Rome and none of them strong enough to seriously curtail the influence of their rivals. This inner strife caused an inability to counter the numerous religious faiths, which were heretical from the point of view of the roman-catholic dogma. These faiths were rampant in central and western Europe, since not only common people but also nobles supported them.
During his reign, Cynewulf remained loyal to the catholic church. A circumstance which earned him his epithets. Between 800 and 815 he faced at least three uprisings caused by people following the Lollard faith. Although exact numbers are not available, between 8.000 and 10.000 people are estimated to have been killed during these events.
As of the 810s the situation began to improve. The first Antipope died in 814 during an epidemic, while the other survived until 841. But the Popes Formosus II (813 - 818) and Paul II (825 - 838) had enough willpower and supporters within and outside the Church to take measures against the heretic movements. Between 810 and 850 several military and inquisitorial campaigns were successful and in the middle of the 9th century the once prospering movements were either exterminated or driven to peripheral regions as Wales and Scotland.
Fig. 5: Spread of the Waldensian (purple) and Fraticelli (dark ochre)
faiths around 850
But although Cynewulf was supportive of the catholic faith, he had a less hostile attitude towards other minorities. In the year 808 the existence of a Jewish community is first mentioned in a document, when a Shabzai of Selz was granted the right to settle in Winchester. In the following decades some members of the Jewish community held important offices at court.
The decline of Mercia
When King Offa of Mercia died in 808 after a reign of approximately six decades, he left behind a strong realm which dominated central England. Since he had outlived all his children, his grandson succeeded him on the throne as Offa II.
Offa II was a staunch proponent of the Cathar faith and hence stood outside the catholic church at a point of time, when the heretic movements were already past their best. Supported by the catholic church, Northumbria, East Anglia, Wessex and the welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd started a series of so-called Holy Wars versus Mercia which lasted throughout the 810s and resulted in the loss of the Counties of Shrewsbury (to Gwynedd), Lincoln (to East Anglia), Oxford (to Wessex), Chester and Derby (to Northumbria).
Offa II was killed in 824 and it is believed, that his own son and successor Eormenric, who converted to Catholicism shortly after his succession, was the initiator of this bloody deed. Although this event saved Mercia from immediate extinction, it had lost more than half of its territory within twenty years, when Eormenric had to cede Bedford to Wessex in 827.
King of England
Simultaneously to his campaigns versus Mercia, Cynewulf began to expand into the Kingdom of East Anglia. During two wars between 820 and 830 he forced the Kings Eadmund and Raedwulf to cede Suffolk and Norfolk to Wessex.
In 830, with Mercia being seriously reduced and Northumbria amidst political turmoil, Wessex was the dominating power in Britannia. In order to publically demonstrate his status, he was crowned as King of England in the Old Minster in Winchester on 15th March 831.
Political developments on the British Isles
While Wesses consolidated its power in central and southern England and Mercia was struggling to survive, the rest of Britannia was shaken by political and religious shockwaves.
Northumbria had expanded at Mercia`s expense and its influence was greater than at any other point of history. But when Queen Eadflaed "the Usurper" died in 827, her successor was Queen Elisaued "the Unfaithful". It remains unclear, whether the Lords of Northumbria objected to the second female inheritance in a row or the character of said rulers, the whole south of the realm revolted against the Queen. By 835 as well York as Lancaster had successfully gained independence, reducing Northumbria to its northern half.
Even more troubled than Northumbria was Scotland. Hildegardis, daughter of Charlemagne and Queen of France since 801, died in 805. Since she was married to King Canuall of Scotland, their son Aniel was to rule France, which also contained Scotland as of then. The Scottish nobility, uncomfortable with the fact to lose their independence to France as well as being supporters of the Waldensian faith, revolted against Aniel. Within a few years most of Scotland was united under the leadership of King Tarla II of Alban.
Fig. 6: The British Isles in 847
Wales, traditionally a fragmented political landscape, experienced severe unrest when the Fraticelli movement gained support. Around 850 it consisted of many independent Counties. Ireland, an even more disunited country than Wales, experienced some changes during the first half of the 9th century, when the Duchies of Mide and Mumu could gain a stronger power basis in central and southern Ireland than any other political entity before.
Late years
Not long after his coronation, Cynewulf`s physical condition must have significantly deteriorated and for at least the last decade of his life a regency council was ruling the country.
Although the causes for this development are unknown, several sources indicate, that his wife Amalberga and his second son Aethelred played a prominent role within the council. During these years, they managed to take advantage of the situation and secure fiefs for themselves which were part of the crown domain before. It remains unknown, whether this happened in concert with the actual heir Beorhtric, but the lack of sanctions after Beorhtric`s succession indicate, that he agreed to let his relatives gain an own domain in exchange for running the country.
During this last decade, no military campaigns were performed. On the other hand it was during the second quarter of the 9th century, that, despite the constant Viking threat, many cities increased in size and importance for trade and commerce. Whether the origin for this urban boom was the governance of the regency council or the general political and economic "climate" is unknown.
Aftermath
Cynewulf is a key figure in early English history. In an age of severe political and religious unrest he managed to keep his realm together, averted the danger of religious disunity and foreign invasion and established the Kingdom of England.
But despite his importance for the establishment of today`s United Kingdom and the fact, that he was one of the favorites of historians in the 19th century, he is almost completely unknown among the population today.