Cerdic (Wessex) of Wessex (abt. 455 - 534)

Born about 0455 in Ancient Saxony, Northern Europe

Descendants

Died 0534 at about age 79 in Kingdom of Wessex

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Cerdic (Wessex) of Wessex was a member of aristocracy in ancient Europe. Join: Medieval Project Discuss: medieval

Biography

455 Birth Year Estimation

Cerdic (Wessex) of Wessex is a member of the House of Wessex.

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Cerdic and his son Cynric landed in Britain in 495 and went into battle the same day. ^[1][2] From this, one can estimate that Cynric was at least 18. thus born no later than 477. Estimate that he was Cerdic's oldest son, that Cerdic married his mother the previous year, 476, and was aged 21 at the time, thus born, say, 455. Other genealogies estimate his birth year as 467, which would make one or both of them younger when going to battle. Such estimates are highly speculative and useful primarily for placing a person in the proper time context.

Family and Ancestry

No parents or spouses are reliably attested for Cerdic. In its entry for the year 552, following a note that Cerdic's son Cynric fought with the Britons at Sarum and put them to flight, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle adds in a pedigree reaching from Cerdic back to the god Woden: Cerdic was the son of elesa, Elsesa of Esla, Esla of Gewis, Gewis of wye, Wye of Frewin, Frewin of Frithgar, Frithgar of Brand, Brand of Balday, Balday of Woden. ^[3]

Kenneth Sisam has shown that this pedigree resulted from a process of elaboration upon a root pedigree borrowed from the kings of Bernicia, and hence prior to Cerdic himself it has no historical basis. ^[4]

Scholars tend to end the Wessex pedigree with Cerdic. His ancestry is mostly legendary, built over time to look impressive. Most is copied from other northern European kings (especially Asgardian bits). ^[5]

495 Arrival in Britain

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that "two princes, Cerdic and Cynric his son" landed in Britain in 495 at "Certicesora" and fought "against the Welsh" on the same day.

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle's entry for the year A. D. 495 states "This year came two leaders into Britain, Cerdic and Cynric his son, with five ships, at a place called Cerdic's ore. And they fought with the Welsh the same day. ^[1]

Cawley notes that the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle cites Cerdic (Latin Cerdicus) as a leader of the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, identifying him as the founder and first king of Saxon Wessex. ^[2]

Giles in his version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles states that "the landing was contested by the Welsh.^[6]

508 Slayed Nazaleod, a Welsh King

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that "Cerdic and Cynric slew a British king…Natanleod, and five thousand men with him. ^[3]

Cawley refers to the defeated king as Welsh, and his name as Nazaleod" ^[2]

519 Cerdic's Ford and West Saxons

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that in 519 "Cerdic and Cynric" fought "the Britons" at "Cerdicesford" ^[2] Ingalls' translation of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles refers to it as Charford, and that "from that day have reigned the children of the West Saxon kings." ^[3]

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that in 519 "Cerdic and Cynric obtained the kingdom of the West Saxons". ^[2] However, according to the chronicler Æthelweard, (who translated an early version of the Anglo-Saxon chronicle into Latin in the late tenth century), Cerdic conquered his kingdom "by 500". ^[2]

Cerdic then reigned from 519 to 534 of the Common Era. ^[7]

527 Battle of Cerdiceslaeg and Isle of Wight

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that in 527 "Cerdic and Cynric" fought "the Britons" at "Cerdiceslaeg" ^[2][3]

530 Captured Isle of Wight

"this year Cerdic and Cynric took the isle of Wight, and slew many men in Carisbrook." ^[3]

in 530 Cerdic captured the Isle of Wight. ^[2] Cawley notes that these extracts suggest that Cerdic only controlled parts of present day Hampshire and south Wiltshire, from Southampton to Winchester and Salisbury.

534 Death

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records Cerdic's death in 534 ^[3][2] "Cynric his son succeeded to the government, and reigned afterwards twenty-six winters. And they gave to their two nephews, Stuff and wihtgar, the whole of the Isle of Wight. ^[3]

Cawley notes that Roger of Wendover records the death in 533, the previous year, of "Certic primus rex occidentalium Saxonum". Henry of Huntingdon records that "Certic primus rex Westsexe" ruled for eighteen years. ^[2]

Issue

The annals of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, along with the genealogical descents embedded in that source's accounts of later kings, describe Cerdic's succession by his son Cynric.

However, the Genealogical Regnal List that served as preface to the Chronicle manuscripts instead interposes a generation between them, indicating that Cerdic was father of Creoda and grandfather of Cynric. ^[8]

(This creates a problem in logic and dating because battles were fought by young men; and if the arrival and first battle in 495 included an 18 year old grandson, then his father might be aged 36 and his grandfather, the chieftain in battle, 54, somewhat old in that era to be leading a battle or invasion.Day-1904 15:46, 14 September 2019 (UTC))

Descent from Cerdic became a necessary criterion for later kings of Wessex, and he was claimed ancestor of Ecgberht, King of Wessex, progenitor of the English royal house and subsequent rulers of England and Britain. ^[7]

Descent

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles adds to its 495 entry the list of subsequent kings and their reigns: ^[3]

1. Cerdic died and his son Cynric succeeded for 26 years.
2. Cynric died and his son Ceawlin succeed for 17 years.
3. Ceawlin died and Ceol succeeded for 5 years
4. Ceol died and his brother Ceolwulf reigned for 17 years.
5. Ceolwulf died and his brother's son Cynegils reigned 31 winters. He was the first of the West Saxon kings to receive baptism.
6. Cynegils died and his son Cenwall reigned 31 years.
7. Cenwall died and his queen Sexburga held the government for one year.
8. Then succeeded Escwine (whose kin goeth to Cerdic) and held it two years.
9. Then succeeded Centwine, the son of Cynegils, to the kingdom of the West Saxons, and reigned nine years.
10. Then succeeded Caedwall, whose kin goeth to Cerdic) and held it three years.
11. Then succeeded Ina, whose kin goeth to Cerdic) and held it 37 winters.
12. Then succeeded Ethelheared, whose kin goeth to Cerdic, and reigned 16 years.
13. Then succeeded Cuthred, whose kin goeth to Cerdic, and reigned 16 years
14. Then succeeded Sigebriht, whose kin goeth to Cerdic, and reigned one year.
15. Then succeeded Cynwulf, whose kin goeth to Cerdic, and reigned 31 winters.
16. Then succeeded Brihtric, whose kin goeth to Ceredic, and reigned 16 years.
17. Then succeeded Egbert and held it 37 winters and 7 months.
18. Then succeeded Ethelwulf, his son, and reighned 18 years and a hgildalf. Ethelwulf was the son of Egbert, Egbert of Ealmund, Ealmund of Eafa, Efa of Eoppa, Eoppa of Ingild, Ingild of Cenred; Ina of Cenred, Cuthburga of Cenred,and Cwenburga of Cenred). Cenred of Ceolwald, Ceolwald of Cuthwulf, Cuthwulf of Cuthwine, Cuthwine of Celm, Celm of Cynric, Cynric of Creoda, Creoda of Cerdic.
19. Then succeeded Ethelbald, the son of Ethelwulf, to the kingdom, and held it five years.
20. Then succeeded Ethelbert, his brother, and reigned 5 years.
21. Then succeeded Ethelred, his brother, and held it five years.
22. Then succeeded Alfred, their brother. And then had elapsed of his age 23 winters, and 396 winters from the time his kindred first gained the land of Wessex from the Welsh. And he held the kingdom 28 and a half years.
23. Then suceeded Edward, son of Alfred and reigned 24 years.
24. When he died, then succeedede his son Athelstan and reigned 14 years.
25. Then succeeded Edmund, his brother, and reigned six years and a half.
26. Then succeeded Edred, his brother, and reigned nine years and six weeks.
27. Then suceeded Edwy, the son of Edmund, and reigned three years and 36 weeks.
28. When he died, then succeeded Edgar, his grother, and reigned 16 years.
29. When he died, then succeeded Edward, the son of Edgar, and reigned.

Research Notes

Cerdic's origin, ethnicity, and even his very existence have been extensively disputed. ^[7]

Brittonic Origin

Some sources cited by Wikipedia think that the name Cerdic is actually Brittonic, a form of the name Ceretic, rather than Germanic in origin. ^[9] According to this hypothesis, Cerdic is derived from the name Caraticos or Coroticos, and that Cerdic may have been a native Briton whose dynasty became "Anglicised" over time. Some of his descendants also have non-Germanic names, i.e. Ceawlin, Cedda and Caedwalla. ^[7]

Romano-British Ealdorman Theory

J.N.L. Myres ^[10] notes that when Cerdic and Cynric first appear in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 495 they are described as ealdormen, which at that point in time was a fairly junior rank. Myers states, "It is thus odd to find it used here to describe the leaders of what purports to be an independent band of invaders, whose origins and authority are not otherwise specified. It looks very much as if a hint is being conveyed that Cerdic and his people owed their standing to having been already concerned with administrative affairs under Roman authority on this part of the Saxon Shore." ^[10]

Since Cerdic and Cynric are not said to be "beginning to reign" until 519, perhaps they ceased to be dependent vassals or ealdormen, and became independent kings in their own right then. ^[7]

Myers speculates that "It is thus possible ... to think of Cerdic as the head of a partly British noble family with extensive territorial interests at the western end of the Litus Saxonicum. As such he may well have been entrusted in the last days of Roman, or sub-Roman authority with its defence. He would then be what in later Anglo-Saxon terminology could be described as an ealdorman. ... If such a dominant native family as that of Cerdic had already developed blood-relationships with existing Saxon and Jutish settlers at this end of the Saxon Shore, it could very well be tempted, once effective Roman authority had faded, to go further. It might have taken matters into its own hands and after eliminating any surviving pockets of resistance by competing British chieftains, such as the mysterious Natanleod of annal 508, it could 'begin to reign' without recognizing in future any superior authority. ^[10] In fact, Cerdic's father, Elesa, has been identified by some scholars with the Romano-British Elasius, the "chief of the region", met by Germanus of Auxerre. ^[7]

Pedigree in Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

In its entry for the year 552, following a note that Cerdic's son Cynric fought with the Britons at Sarum and put them to flight, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle adds in a pedigree reaching from Cerdic back to the god Woden: Cerdic was the son of Elesa, Elesa of Esla, Esla of Gewis, Gewis of Wye, Wye of Frewin, Frewin of Frithgar, Frithgar of Brand, Brand of Balday, Balday of Woden. ^[3] In pedigree order, these names, many of which are legendary in character, have the following profiles:

1. Woden. The first name in the pedigree is a god. Woden, or Odin, has no WikiTree profile, but has a page on Wikipedia: Odin.
2. Balday or Baeldaeg.
3. Brand or Brandor
4. Frithgar or Frithogar
5. Frewin or Nfn
6. Wye or Wig
7. Gewis or Geuuis
8. Esla
9. Elesa
10. Cerdic of Wessex

Current Theories on Origins of the Pedigree

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is one the main sources for the history of Britain from the end of the Roman occupation to the invasion of William the Conqueror. However there are actually nine different copies of the Chronicle existing today, most with slight differences, and none considered to be the original text, which was probably written during the reign of King Alfred, in the late 9th century,^[11] which is over three hundred years after Elesa was supposedly born.

A tradition earlier than the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle referred to as the Anglian Collection, contains four fewer generations than the Chronicle. In 1953, Anglo-Saxon scholar Kenneth Sisam presented a theory now widely accepted: With the additional generations, the names contain doublets containing the triple alliteration characteristic of Anglo-Saxon poetry, making the pedigree easy to recite: Freawine/Wig or Friðgar; Brand/Bældæg; Giwis/Wig; Elesa/Esla. While facilitating poetry, these duplications would have been difficult for a family to maintain over generations of actual naming, suggesting that the shorter pedigree was the original. Sisam suggested that the Wessex pedigree went no farther back than Cerdic, and that a political alliance with Bernicia in the 7th century resulted in Wessex adopting the Bernician pedigree almost intact. ^[7]

Unsourced Relatives

Father

Some popular genealogies show Cerdic as the son of Elesa von Sachsen. In its entry for the year 552, following a note that Cerdic's son Cynric fought with the Britons at Sarum and put them to flight, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle adds in a pedigree reaching from Cerdic back to the god Woden: Cerdic was the son of elesa, Elsesa of Esla, Esla of Gewis, Gewis of wye, Wye of Frewin, Frewin of Frithgar, Frithgar of Brand, Brand of Balday, Balday of Woden. ^[3]

Wife or Sister

Anafleda appears in some popular genealogies as the wife of King Cerdic of Wessex, died 534 and in other genealogies as his sister. No contemporary or even later medieval sources have been found for her existence. Therefore she is no longer linked to Cerdic or other imagined relatives.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Everyman Press Edition, London, 1912, translated from the Anglo-Saxon by Rev. James Ingram, London, 1823. Page 23 Accessed 9/14/2019 jhd
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9} Charles Cawley. Medieval Lands: A Prosopography of Medieval European Noble and Royal Families, Online at Foundation for Medieval Genealogy Website. Cerdic Accessed 7/12/2019 jhd
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9} Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Everyman Press Edition, London, 1912, translated from the Anglo-Saxon by Rev. James Ingram, London, 1823. Page 27 Accessed 9/14/2019 jhd
4. ↑ Sisam, Kenneth, "Anglo-Saxon Royal Genealogies", Proceedings of the British Academy, vol. 39, pp. 287–348 (1953) Cited by Wikipedia: Cerdic of Wessex Accessed 7/12/2019 jhd
5. ↑ See [1] for details.
6. ↑ J. A. Giles and J. Ingram,Translation of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6} Wikipedia: Cerdic of Wessex Accessed 7/12/2019 jhd
8. ↑ Reno, Frank (2011). Arthurian Figures of History and Legend: A Biographical Dictionary. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. p. 83. ISBN 9780786444205. Cited by Wikipedia: Cerdic of Wessex Accessed 7/12/2019 jhd
9. ↑ Jackson, Kenneth (1953), Language and History in Early Britain. Edinburgh. pp. 554, 557, 613 and 680. Cited by Wikipedia: Cerdic of Wessex Accessed 7/12/2019 jhd
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} Myres, J.N.L. (1989) The English Settlements. Oxford University Press, pp. 146–147 Cited by Wikipedia: Cerdic of Wessex Accessed 7/12/2019 jhd
11. ↑ 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'

See also:

• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cerdic
• http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/saxon_22.html
• http://www.islandguide.co.uk/history/anglo_saxon/chronicle4.htm
• http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsBritain/EnglandWessex.htm