The Kings of Wessex - by Michael John Key (Hardcover)

About the Book

Charts the changing fortunes of Wessex and its rise to become the most powerful of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.

Book Synopsis

This is a history of the kingdom of Wessex told through its more than twenty regnal kings, from its early foundations under Cerdic circa 500 to its apogee in 886 under Alfred the Great. Its roots are traced to the migration of Germanic tribes in the fifth century, with two of these tribes, the West Saxons of Hampshire and the Gewisse of the Upper Thames Valley, eventually uniting to form what would become the kingdom of Wessex.

We move from the post-Roman period, in which Cerdic and Cynric vied for land with Romano-British tribes across southern England, through periods of warfare and assimilation to the sixth and seventh centuries, and the succession of Ceawlin, Cynegils and Cenwealh, warrior kings who expanded Wessex westwards against the British tribes. Warfare against other Anglo-Saxon tribes saw Caedwalla briefly conquer the kingdoms in south-east England, and his successors, Ine, Cuthred and Cynewulf, saw consolidation against the backdrop of further warfare, not least against Mercia, the major power of the period.

Under Ecgberht, Wessex superseded Mercia as the dominant power across England by the ninth century, the kingdom stretching from Cornwall to Kent, with his grandsons Æthelred and Alfred later facing the Viking invasions wherein Wessex would be the last kingdom standing. Alfred was the last man to claim the title of King of Wessex. In 886, he re-titled himself King of the Anglo-Saxons, thus ending nearly four centuries of the regnal kings of Wessex.

Review Quotes

'The Kings of Wessex is accessible for the general reader with a passion for history, yet detailed enough to be of value to students of the period. By focusing on the figures who shaped its destiny, Michael John Key brings the kingdom of Wessex to life, reminding us the foundations of England were laid by the ambition and vision of heroic warrior kings.'--The Writing Desk, June 2025

'This really is a fantastic guide to the period, covering the Germanic migrations, the origins of the West Saxons and the Gewisse, and providing chapters on all of the West Saxon kings from Cerdic through to Alfred the Great. As I said in my own recent book, the early history of the kingdom of the West Saxons is difficult sometimes to fathom, and Key has done an excellent job of rounding up all the available sources, analysing them, and presenting a lively and very readable account.'--Reads, Writes, Reviews, May 2025

About the Author

Michael John Key completed his History Higher Class Honors Degree after taking early retirement. He has since found time to follow his lifelong interest in history, particularly researching the Anglo-Saxon period. This book on the House of Godwin is his second work, following on from his work on Edward the Elder which was published in 2019. He was born in Lancashire but now lives in Hampshire.