Kingdom of Lindsey: Map & History
The Lindsey was a lesser Anglo-Saxon kingdom in what is now north Lincolnshire in the sixth and seventh centuries, possibly extending into the early eighth century.
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The Lindsey was a lesser Anglo-Saxon kingdom in what is now north Lincolnshire in the sixth and seventh centuries, possibly extending into the early eighth century. The name Lindsey derives from the Old English toponym Lindesege, meaning "Isle of Lind". Lindum Colonia was the Roman name of the settlement which is now the City of Lincoln in Lincolnshire. Lindum was a Latinised form of a native Brittonic name which has been reconstructed as *Lindon.
Kingdom of Lindsey in Depth
History
Toby Martin and Catherine Hills identify Lindsey as an area in which large-scale settlement by the Angles occurred. However, a continuing British presence in the region is indicated by the fact that major settlements such as Lincoln, and Lindsey itself, have partially Celtic names. Caitlin Green suggests that some communities may have continued to speak Brittonic until the eighth century.
Lindsey's prominence was before the historical period. By the time of the first historical records of the kingdom, it had become a subjugated polity, under the alternating control of Northumbria and Mercia. Its subjugation may have occurred around AD 500. Its territories were absorbed into the historical English county of Lincolnshire, the northern part of which is called Lindsey.
Geography
Lindsey lay between the Humber estuary and the Wash, forming its inland boundaries from the courses of the Witham and Trent rivers, and the Foss Dyke between them. A marshy region south of the Humber known as the Isle of Axholme was also included. It is believed that Roman Lindum (Lincoln) was the capital of Lindsey: the continuity of the place name suggests continuity of settlement traditions: in 625, Bede recounts, the missionary Paulinus of York was received by the praefectus of Lindum. Place-name evidence is suggestive that the Anglian settlement known as Lindisfaras spread from the Humber coast.
Lindsey means the 'island of Lincoln': it was surrounded by water and very wet land. Lincoln was in the south-west part of the kingdom.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Kingdom of Lindsey (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kingdom of Lindsey: Key Facts
| Capital | Lincoln |
|---|---|
| Official language | Old English |
| Dissolved | 700s CE |
Facts from Wikidata Q886986 (CC0).
Kingdom of Lindsey Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Kingdom of Lindsey appears, with the other states of the time.
Kingdom of Lindsey Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 3,976 km² in 624 CE.
Kingdom of Lindsey: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Kingdom of Lindsey exist?
The Kingdom of Lindsey is dated to 534 CE – 625 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Kingdom of Lindsey?
The capital of the Kingdom of Lindsey was Lincoln.
How large was the Kingdom of Lindsey at its peak?
At its peak in 624 AD the Kingdom of Lindsey covered about 3,976 km².