Wehha of East Anglia
Encyclopedia
Wehha was a pagan king of the East Angles who, if he actually existed, ruled the kingdom of East Anglia during the 6th century, at the time the kingdom was being established by migrants from the Jutland
peninsula. Early sources identify him as a member of the Wuffingas dynasty, which became established around the east coast of Suffolk
. Nothing of his reign is known.
According to the East Anglian tally from the Textus Roffensis
, Wehha was the son of Wilhelm. The 9th century History of the Britons lists Wehha, who is named as 'Guillem Guercha', as the first king of the East Angles, and his son and successor, Wuffa
, after whom the dynasty was named. It has been claimed that the name Wehha was a hypocoristic
version of Wihstān, from the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf
, which, along with evidence such as the finds discovered at Sutton Hoo
in 1939, suggests a connection between the Wuffingas and a Swedish dynasty, the Scylfings
.
kingdom that was established in the 6th century, and which includes the modern English counties of Norfolk
and Suffolk.
According to R. Rainbird Clarke, migrants from northern Jutland "speedily dominated" the Sandlings, an area of southeast Suffolk, and then, by around 550, "lost no time in conquering the whole of East Anglia". Rainbird Clarke identified Wehha, the founder of the dynasty, as one of the leaders of the new arrivals: the East Angles are tentatively identified with the Geats of the Old English poem Beowulf
. He used the evidence of the finds at Sutton Hoo to conclude that the Wuffingas originated from Sweden
, noting that the sword, helmet and shield found in the ship burial
at Sutton Hoo may have been family heirlooms, brought across from Sweden in the beginning of the 6th century. As it is now believed that these artefacts were made in England, there is less agreement amongst scholars that the Wuffingas dynasty was directly linked with Sweden.
The extent of the kingdom of the East Angles can be determined from a variety of sources. Isolated to the north and east by the North Sea
, there were mainly impenetrable forests to the south and the swamps and scattered islands of the Fens on its western border. The main land route from East Anglia would at that time have been a land corridor, along which ran the prehistoric Icknield Way
. The southern neighbours of the East Angles were the East Saxons
and across the other side of the Fens were the Middle Angles
. It has been suggested that the Devil's Dyke
(near modern Newmarket) at one time formed part of the kingdom's western boundary, but as its construction can only be dated from between the 4th and 10th centuries, it cannot be established to be of Early Anglo-Saxon origin.
. His name appears as Ƿehh Ƿilhelming - Wehha Wilhelming - in the East Anglian tally from the Textus Roffensis, an important collection of Anglo-Saxon laws and Rochester Cathedral
registers that has survived in the form of two distinct books that were bound together in the 13th century. According to this list, which is also known as the Anglian collection, he was the son of Wilhelm, who was the son of Hryþ, who was the son of Hroðmund, the son of Trygil, the son of Tyttman, the son of Caser (Julius Caesar
), the son of the god Wōden
. Wehha's son Wuffa, after whom the Wuffingas dynasty is named, is also listed.
According to the 9th century History of the Britons, a man listed as Guillem Guercha was the first of his line to rule as king of the East Angles. The History of the Britons lists Guillem Guercha's descendants and ancestors: 'Woden begat Casser, who begat Titinon, who begat Trigil, who begat Rodmunt, who begat Rippa, who begat Guillem Guercha, who was the first king of the East Angles'. According to the 19th century historian Sir Francis Palgrave
, Guercha was a distortion of Wuffa. D. P. Kirby is among those historians who have concluded from this information that Wuffa's father was the founder of the Wuffingas line.
Despite the Wuffingas' long list of ancestors — that stretch back to their pagan gods — their power in the region can only have been established in the middle third of the 6th century, if Wehha is taken as the dynastic founder. Martin Carver
warns against using the scant material that exists to draw detailed inferences about the earliest Wuffingas kings.
*Weohha. Lindqvist's conjecture that Wehha is a hypocoristic form of the name Weohstan is linguistically not possible, according to O'Loughlin, as Weohstan is a later West Saxon name.
O'Loughlin notes that Wehha and his father Wilhelm can be linked with a person named Wehilo and his father Weho, who are listed in a genealogy found a manuscript of the laws of Rothari
, a 7th century king of the Lombards
.
Wehha may occur on a bronze
pail excavated from the Chessell Down cemetery on the Isle of Wight
, which possesses the runic inscription wecca.
. The date given by Roger of Wendover cannot be corroborated.
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
peninsula. Early sources identify him as a member of the Wuffingas dynasty, which became established around the east coast of Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. Nothing of his reign is known.
According to the East Anglian tally from the Textus Roffensis
Textus Roffensis
The Textus Roffensis, or in full, Textus de Ecclesia Roffensi per Ernulphum episcopum , refers to a manuscript in which two originally separate manuscripts written about the same time, between 1122 and 1124, are bound together...
, Wehha was the son of Wilhelm. The 9th century History of the Britons lists Wehha, who is named as 'Guillem Guercha', as the first king of the East Angles, and his son and successor, Wuffa
Wuffa of East Anglia
Wuffa is supposed to have ruled the East Angles from c. 571 to c. 578. East Anglia was a long-lived Anglo-Saxon kingdom which today includes the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk....
, after whom the dynasty was named. It has been claimed that the name Wehha was a hypocoristic
Hypocoristic
A hypocorism is a shorter form of a word or given name, for example, when used in more intimate situations as a nickname or term of endearment.- Derivation :Hypocorisms are often generated as:...
version of Wihstān, from the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf
Beowulf
Beowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
, which, along with evidence such as the finds discovered at Sutton Hoo
Sutton Hoo
Sutton Hoo, near to Woodbridge, in the English county of Suffolk, is the site of two 6th and early 7th century cemeteries. One contained an undisturbed ship burial including a wealth of Anglo-Saxon artefacts of outstanding art-historical and archaeological significance, now held in the British...
in 1939, suggests a connection between the Wuffingas and a Swedish dynasty, the Scylfings
Yngling
The Ynglings were the oldest known Scandinavian dynasty. It can refer to the clans of the Scylfings , the semi-legendary royal Swedish clan during the Age of Migrations, with kings such as Eadgils, Onela and Ohthere...
.
Background
Wehha is thought to have been one of the earliest rulers of East Anglia, an independent and long-lived Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
kingdom that was established in the 6th century, and which includes the modern English counties of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and Suffolk.
According to R. Rainbird Clarke, migrants from northern Jutland "speedily dominated" the Sandlings, an area of southeast Suffolk, and then, by around 550, "lost no time in conquering the whole of East Anglia". Rainbird Clarke identified Wehha, the founder of the dynasty, as one of the leaders of the new arrivals: the East Angles are tentatively identified with the Geats of the Old English poem Beowulf
Beowulf
Beowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
. He used the evidence of the finds at Sutton Hoo to conclude that the Wuffingas originated from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, noting that the sword, helmet and shield found in the ship burial
Ship burial
A ship burial or boat grave is a burial in which a ship or boat is used either as a container for the dead and the grave goods, or as a part of the grave goods itself. If the ship is very small, it is called a boat grave...
at Sutton Hoo may have been family heirlooms, brought across from Sweden in the beginning of the 6th century. As it is now believed that these artefacts were made in England, there is less agreement amongst scholars that the Wuffingas dynasty was directly linked with Sweden.
The extent of the kingdom of the East Angles can be determined from a variety of sources. Isolated to the north and east by the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, there were mainly impenetrable forests to the south and the swamps and scattered islands of the Fens on its western border. The main land route from East Anglia would at that time have been a land corridor, along which ran the prehistoric Icknield Way
Icknield Way
The Icknield Way is an ancient trackway in southern England. It follows the chalk escarpment that includes the Berkshire Downs and Chiltern Hills.-Background:...
. The southern neighbours of the East Angles were the East Saxons
Kingdom of Essex
The Kingdom of Essex or Kingdom of the East Saxons was one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the so-called Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was founded in the 6th century and covered the territory later occupied by the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Middlesex and Kent. Kings of Essex were...
and across the other side of the Fens were the Middle Angles
Middle Angles
The Middle Angles were an important ethnic or cultural group within the larger kingdom of Mercia in England in the Anglo-Saxon period.-Origins and territory:...
. It has been suggested that the Devil's Dyke
Devil's Dyke, Cambridgeshire
The Devil's Dyke is an earthwork in the English county of Cambridgeshire. It consists of a long bank and ditch that runs in a south-east direction from the small village of Reach to nearby Woodditton...
(near modern Newmarket) at one time formed part of the kingdom's western boundary, but as its construction can only be dated from between the 4th and 10th centuries, it cannot be established to be of Early Anglo-Saxon origin.
Genealogy
Wehha is a semi-historical figure and no surviving evidence has survived to show he actually existed or was king of the East Angles. He was a member of the ruling Wuffingas dynasty, named after his son WuffaWuffa of East Anglia
Wuffa is supposed to have ruled the East Angles from c. 571 to c. 578. East Anglia was a long-lived Anglo-Saxon kingdom which today includes the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk....
. His name appears as Ƿehh Ƿilhelming - Wehha Wilhelming - in the East Anglian tally from the Textus Roffensis, an important collection of Anglo-Saxon laws and Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric is second oldest in England after Canterbury...
registers that has survived in the form of two distinct books that were bound together in the 13th century. According to this list, which is also known as the Anglian collection, he was the son of Wilhelm, who was the son of Hryþ, who was the son of Hroðmund, the son of Trygil, the son of Tyttman, the son of Caser (Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
), the son of the god Wōden
Woden
Woden or Wodan is a major deity of Anglo-Saxon and Continental Germanic polytheism. Together with his Norse counterpart Odin, Woden represents a development of the Proto-Germanic god *Wōdanaz....
. Wehha's son Wuffa, after whom the Wuffingas dynasty is named, is also listed.
According to the 9th century History of the Britons, a man listed as Guillem Guercha was the first of his line to rule as king of the East Angles. The History of the Britons lists Guillem Guercha's descendants and ancestors: 'Woden begat Casser, who begat Titinon, who begat Trigil, who begat Rodmunt, who begat Rippa, who begat Guillem Guercha, who was the first king of the East Angles'. According to the 19th century historian Sir Francis Palgrave
Francis Palgrave
Sir Francis Palgrave FRS, born Francis Ephraim Cohen, was an English historian.- Early life :He was born in London, the son of Meyer Cohen, a Jewish stockbroker by his wife Rachel Levien Cohen . He was initially articled as a clerk to a London solicitor's firm, and remained there as chief clerk...
, Guercha was a distortion of Wuffa. D. P. Kirby is among those historians who have concluded from this information that Wuffa's father was the founder of the Wuffingas line.
Despite the Wuffingas' long list of ancestors — that stretch back to their pagan gods — their power in the region can only have been established in the middle third of the 6th century, if Wehha is taken as the dynastic founder. Martin Carver
Martin Carver
Martin Oswald Hugh Carver FSA , is Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at the University of York, England, director of the Sutton Hoo Research Project and a leading exponent of new methods in excavation and survey. He specialises in the archaeology of early Medieval Europe...
warns against using the scant material that exists to draw detailed inferences about the earliest Wuffingas kings.
- See Wuffingas for a more complete family tree.
The name Wehha
The name Wehha has been linked as a hypocoristic (shortened) version of Wihstān, the father of Wiglaf in the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, strengthening the evidence for a connection between the Wuffingas dynasty and a Swedish royal dynasty, the Scylfings. It has also been suggested that Wehha is a regular hypocoristic form of Old English names beginning with Wē(o)h-, for instance in the unattested nameLinguistic reconstruction
Linguistic reconstruction is the practice of establishing the features of the unattested ancestor of one or more given languages. There are two kinds of reconstruction. Internal reconstruction uses irregularities in a single language to make inferences about an earlier stage of that language...
*Weohha. Lindqvist's conjecture that Wehha is a hypocoristic form of the name Weohstan is linguistically not possible, according to O'Loughlin, as Weohstan is a later West Saxon name.
O'Loughlin notes that Wehha and his father Wilhelm can be linked with a person named Wehilo and his father Weho, who are listed in a genealogy found a manuscript of the laws of Rothari
Rothari
Rothari , of the house of Arodus, was king of the Lombards from 636 to 652; previously he had been duke of Brescia. He succeeded Arioald, who was an Arian like himself, and was one of the most energetic of Lombard kings...
, a 7th century king of the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
.
Wehha may occur on a bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
pail excavated from the Chessell Down cemetery on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, which possesses the runic inscription wecca.
Reign and succession
Nothing is known of Wehha or of his rule, as no written records have survived from this period in East Anglian history. At an unknown date Wehha was succeeded by Wuffa, who was ruling the kingdom in 571, according to the mediaeval chronicler Roger of WendoverRoger of Wendover
Roger of Wendover , probably a native of Wendover in Buckinghamshire, was an English chronicler of the 13th century.At an uncertain date he became a monk at St Albans Abbey; afterwards he was appointed prior of the cell of Belvoir, but he forfeited this dignity in the early years of Henry III,...
. The date given by Roger of Wendover cannot be corroborated.