Kingdom of Wessex: Map & History
The Kingdom of the West Saxons, also known as the Kingdom of Wessex, was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the south of Great Britain, from around 519 until around 927.
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The Kingdom of the West Saxons, also known as the Kingdom of Wessex, was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the south of Great Britain, from around 519 until around 927. In about 886, Alfred the Great adopted the title 'King of the Anglo-Saxons' as the ruler of all Anglo-Saxons not under Danish rule. Over the next thirty years Alfred's son, Edward the Elder and grandson Æthelstan conquered the Danish kingdoms, and when Æthelstan conquered the last surviving one, York, in 927, he adopted the title 'King of the English'.
Modern Countries Once Part of Kingdom of Wessex
At its mapped extent, Kingdom of Wessex covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Kingdom of Wessex's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Kingdom of Wessex in Depth
History
From the Neolithic onwards the chalk downland of the area that would become Wessex was traversed by the Harrow Way, which can still be traced from Marazion in Cornwall to the coast of the English Channel near Dover, and was probably connected with the ancient tin trade. In the Late Neolithic, the ceremonial sites of Avebury and Stonehenge were completed on Salisbury Plain, but the final phase of Stonehenge was erected by the so-called "Wessex culture" of the Middle Bronze Age (c. 1600–1200 BC). The area has many other earthworks and erected stone monuments from the Neolithic and Early Bronze periods, including the Dorset Cursus, an earthwork 10 km (6 mi) long and 100 m (110 yd) wide, which was oriented to the midwinter sunset.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Wessex (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kingdom of Wessex: Key Facts
| Capital | Winchester |
|---|---|
| Official language | West Saxon |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Form of government | absolute monarchy, elective monarchy |
| Currency | sceat |
| Founded | 519 CE |
| Dissolved | 927 CE |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q105313 (CC0).
Kingdom of Wessex Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Kingdom of Wessex appears, with the other states of the time.
Kingdom of Wessex Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 96,899 km² in 834 CE.
Kingdom of Wessex: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Kingdom of Wessex exist?
The Kingdom of Wessex is dated to 534 CE – 935 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Kingdom of Wessex?
The capital of the Kingdom of Wessex was Winchester.
How large was the Kingdom of Wessex at its peak?
At its peak in 834 AD the Kingdom of Wessex covered about 96,899 km².
How did the map of the Kingdom of Wessex change over time?
The Kingdom of Wessex appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 600 CE to 900 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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