Sigeberht of Wessex
Encyclopedia
Sigeberht was the King of Wessex
from 756 to 757.
Sigeberht succeeded his distant relative Cuthred
, but was then accused of acting unjustly. He was removed from power by a council of nobles, but given control of Hampshire
. There, he was accused of murder
, driven out and ultimately killed. It is possible that this happened under the influence of Æthelbald of Mercia. His brother Cyneheard
was also driven out, but returned in 786 to kill Sigeberht's successor Cynewulf
.
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
from 756 to 757.
Sigeberht succeeded his distant relative Cuthred
Cuthred of Wessex
Cuthred or Cuþræd was the King of Wessex from 740 until 756. He succeeded Æthelheard, his relative and possibly his brother....
, but was then accused of acting unjustly. He was removed from power by a council of nobles, but given control of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. There, he was accused of murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, driven out and ultimately killed. It is possible that this happened under the influence of Æthelbald of Mercia. His brother Cyneheard
Cyneheard the Atheling
Cyneheard the Atheling was the brother of Sigeberht, briefly King of Wessex. Sigeberht was deposed in 757 with the agreement of the Witan. Cynewulf of Wessex succeeded as King....
was also driven out, but returned in 786 to kill Sigeberht's successor Cynewulf
Cynewulf of Wessex
Cynewulf was the King of Wessex from 757 until his death in 786.Cynewulf became king after his predecessor, Sigeberht, was deposed. He may have come to power under the influence of Æthelbald of Mercia, since he was recorded as a witness to a charter of Æthelbald shortly thereafter...
.
See also
- House of Wessex family treeHouse of Wessex family treeThe following chart is a family tree of the kings of the House of Wessex, a dynasty whose members were Kings of Wessex, and then, from Athelstan onwards, Kings of England....