| Notes |
- Ceawlin (also spelled "Ceaulin" or "Caelin") (died c. 593) was a king of Wessex, in what is now southwestern England. He may have been the son of Cynric of Wessex, and the grandson of Cerdic of Wessex, who is recorded in early sources as the leader of the first group of West Saxons to come to England. Ceawlin was active at a time when the Anglo-Saxon invasion of England was being completed; by the time he died, little of southern England remained in the hands of the native Britons.
An early source, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, records several battles of his, from 556 to 592, including the first record of a battle between different groups of Anglo-Saxons. The chronology of his life is highly uncertain: his reign is variously listed as lasting seven, seventeen, or thirty-two years, and the historical accuracy and dating of many of the events in the Chronicle have been called into question. However, it appears that under Ceawlin Wessex acquired significant territory, though some was later lost to other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Ceawlin is also named as one of the eight "bretwaldas": this was a name given in the Chronicle to eight rulers who had overlordship over southern Britain, though the actual extent of Ceawlin’s control is not known.
Ceawlin died in 593, having been deposed the year before, possibly by his successor, Ceol. He is recorded in various sources as having two sons, Cutha and Cuthwine, but the genealogies in which this information is found are known to be unreliable.
Alt.
Ceawlin became king of Wessex upon his father's death in 560.
He became the Bretwalda, the so-called High King, or King of Kings, of the Anglo Saxons.
Ceawlin took many towns and much wealth. He then retreated to his own people very angry.
He transformed Wessex from a stuggling insignificant enclave into a powerful force.
He conquered & established the province known as Kingdom of Hwiccas and
cut off the Britons from Wales.
In 591 upon returning to Wessex, Ceawlin was met by Aethilbert of Kent who defeated him.
Ceawlin's armies were worn out but Aethilbert's armies were ready to fight.
This defeat reduced Wessex to an under-kingdom of Kent.
The land on which Winchester Cathedral was built was given to the Church by Ceawlin.
Ceawlin reigned until 591 or 592 when his nephew, Coel who was the son of his brother,
succeeded him by defeating him in battle at Wanborough, Wiltshire.
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- 593
, d. 560 (Age 76 years)