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Early England 450-870
The post Roman to pre unified English period
The Darkest of the Dark Ages.

Introduction
Alfred the Great of Saxon descent, from Wessex who ruled between 871-899, many historians consider the first king of all England but this was 450 years after the Romans left. Before this the country had been divided into 7 self ruled kingdoms, Kent, Sussex, Wessex, Essex, East Anglia, West Anglia or Mercia and Northumbria.

The first “Anglo Saxon King” who came to power almost 50 years after the Romans left was in fact a Jute duo (from Jutland modern Denmark), messers Hengist and Horsa, and they only ruled in Kent. The first Saxon king ruled in Wessex (around Winchester) was called Cerdic. This was some 90 years after the Romans left. The ancestry of all the Kings and Queens of England can be traced to Cerdic including the present queen, Elizabeth 2nd.

Others early regional Kings who were powerful and ruled or influenced part but not all England were:

• Cerdic a Saxon ruled in Wessex from 495
• Ethelburt a Jute 580, ruled from Kent.
• Ethelfrith an Angle 670 who ruled from Northumbria.
• Penda an Angle 735 who ruled from Mercia.
• Offa an Angle 757 who ruled from Mercia.
• Egbert a Saxon 802 who ruled all England except Northumbria, from Wessex.
• Alfred a Saxon 871 who ruled all England