Section B: The House of Wuffa down to the mid-eighth century
Strictly speaking, the horizon of historical credibility in Wuffing genealogy extends no further than the generation of Rædwald. Genealogical relations can be reasonably ascertained down to the death of Ælfwald (AD749).
According to the sources, Tyttla,
the 'son' of Wuffa,
was the father of Eni
and RÆDWALD
(died c.625). Rædwald was married to an
unnamed queen and had at least two sons, Rægenhere
(killed c.617) and EORPWALD
(killed c.627). Eorpwald's bane and
possible successor was RICBERHT.
By about the year 630, Rædwald's probable step-son SIGEBERHT
appears to have ruled at least part of East Anglia
before abdicating in favour of his kinsman ECGRIC
or ÆTHELRIC.
Both were killed in battle
by Penda of Mercia around the year 640.
They were succeeded in turn by Æthelric's three brothers:
ANNA (or ONNA),
who was himself also killed in battle by Penda of Mercia (c.654); ÆTHELHERE,
who died in battle as Penda's ally
(c.655); and ÆTHELWALD, whose reign
(c.655-64) appears to have marked the beginning of a more peaceful phase of Wuffing
history.
The long reign of EALDWULF
(c.664-713) followed until he was succeeded by his son ÆLFWALD
(c.713-49)
Notes
1. The festival days of those venerated as saints are shown in square brackets.
2. The names of historical Wuffing kings who ruled are capitalised.
3. Where the names are given in their Old English spellings, the letters þ and ð are equivalent to the Modern English th sound; the letter æ is equivalent to the Modern English a: for example, the name Æþelðryð may be rendered Athelthryth.
4. The following abbreviations are used: HE - Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica, with book and chapter references cited; LE - The Book of Ely (Liber Eliensis); and ASC - The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
© Copyright Dr Sam Newton, Blotmonaþ AD 2000