Kingdom of Essex: Map & History
The Kingdom of the East Saxons, referred to as the Kingdom of Essex, was an early medieval English kingdom, constituting one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon period.
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The Kingdom of the East Saxons, referred to as the Kingdom of Essex, was an early medieval English kingdom, constituting one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon period. It was founded in the 6th century and covered the territory later occupied by the counties of Essex, Middlesex, much of Hertfordshire and west Kent. The last king of Essex was Sigered of Essex, who in 825 ceded the kingdom to Ecgberht, King of Wessex.
Modern Countries Once Part of Kingdom of Essex
At its mapped extent, Kingdom of Essex 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 Essex'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 Essex in Depth
History
Although the kingdom of Essex was one of the kingdoms of the Heptarchy, its history is not well documented. It produced relatively few Anglo-Saxon charters and no version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle; in fact, the only mention in the chronicle concerns Bishop Mellitus. As a result, the kingdom is regarded as comparatively obscure. For most of the kingdom's existence, the Essex king was subservient to an overlord – variously the kings of Kent, East Anglia or Mercia.
Saxon occupation of land that was to form the kingdom had begun by the early 5th century at Mucking and other locations. A large proportion of the original settlers came from Old Saxony.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Kingdom of Essex (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kingdom of Essex: Key Facts
| Capital | London |
|---|---|
| Official language | Old English |
| Religion | Anglo-Saxon paganism |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 6th century |
| Dissolved | 825 CE |
Facts from Wikidata Q110888 (CC0).
Kingdom of Essex Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Kingdom of Essex appears, with the other states of the time.
Kingdom of Essex Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 4,045 km² in 663 CE.
Kingdom of Essex: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Kingdom of Essex exist?
The Kingdom of Essex is dated to 534 CE – 665 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Kingdom of Essex?
The capital of the Kingdom of Essex was London.
How large was the Kingdom of Essex at its peak?
At its peak in 663 AD the Kingdom of Essex covered about 4,045 km².
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