List of monarchs of Sussex Facts for Kids

The list of kings and leaders of the ancient kingdom of Sussex has many missing parts. This is because we don't have many clear records from that time. Sussex was one of the seven main Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, known as the heptarchy (meaning "seven kingdoms"). Unlike other kingdoms, there isn't a complete, official list of Sussex kings.

We mostly learn about these kings from old documents called Anglo-Saxon charters. Some of these documents might even be fake, which makes it hard to know exactly when each king ruled. The leaders of Sussex were called either kings or ealdormen. An ealdorman was a powerful noble or chief who governed a region.

Interestingly, most kings did not rule alone. For example, Nothhelm ruled with two or three other leaders. Oslac even ruled with four! Old documents show that they ruled together, not by dividing up the land. Other kingdoms like the Hwicce, the East Saxons, and the West Saxons also had joint rulers. It was common in the 600s for a people to have two or more kings at the same time. This was because being a king was often about being born into a royal family, not just about controlling a specific piece of land.

The main home for the South Saxon kings was at Kingsham. This place was once outside the old walls of Chichester, but now it's part of the modern city.

Kings and Ealdormen of Sussex

This table shows the known kings and ealdormen of the South Saxons. Keep in mind that some dates are estimates, and some information comes from old records that might not be fully accurate.

Reign	Leader	Title	Notes
477 – after 491	Ælle		The first leader to hold imperium, which meant he had great power over other kingdoms, according to the historian Bede. He was also the first bretwalda, a powerful ruler over other Anglo-Saxon kings, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. This record says he landed in Sussex in 477 and fought battles against the Britons in 485 and 491.
after 491 ?	Cissa		The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says he was Ælle's son. He is the legendary person after whom the town of Chichester is named.
We have no information about the kings of Sussex for more than 150 years after Cissa.
before 674 – around 682	Æthelwealh		He was the first Christian king of Sussex. He was killed by Cædwalla of Wessex, a powerful king from Wessex.
lived around 683?	?Eadric	Ealdulfus dux Suthsax	Mentioned by a historian named William of Malmesbury. He might be the same Eadric who was king of Kent. He also appears as a witness on an old document about Cædwalla giving land to Wilfrid's monastery at Selsey around 683. This might actually refer to Ealdwulf, who lived about a century later.
lived around 683 – around 685?	Ecgwald	Ecguald subregulus	Mentioned in old documents about Cædwalla giving land to Wilfrid's monastery at Selsey between around 683 and 685.
lived 685	Berthun and Andhun		According to Bede, these two ealdormen (leaders) forced Cædwalla out of Sussex. Berthun was later killed by Cædwalla around 685.
lived 692 – after 714	Nothhelm (Nunna)	Nothelmus rex Suthsax’ Nunna rex Sussax’ Nunna rex Suthsax’	He was a relative of King Ine of Wessex.
lived 692 – around 700	Watt	Wattus rex	He signed documents with King Nothhelm, showing they ruled together.
lived around 700	Bryni	Bruny dux Suthsax'	He was an ealdorman under Nothhelm and Watt.
lived around 710	?Osric	Osricus	His rank is not clear; he may not have been a king.
lived 714	Æthelstan	Athelstan rex	He signed documents with King Nothhelm, showing they ruled together.
lived around 740	Æthelberht	Ethelbertus rex Sussaxonum	He lived at the same time as King Æthelbald of Mercia and Bishop Sigeferth.
Offa of Mercia, a very powerful king, took control of Sussex in the early 770s.
lived 772	Oswald	Osuualdus dux Suðsax'	He was one of four South Saxon duces (leaders) who appear on a document from King Offa of Mercia. He might have been a king before this time.
lived 760 – 772	Osmund	Osmundus rex Osmund dux	He was a king in the 760s, possibly ruling with Oslac, Ealdwulf, and Ælfwald. He was also one of four South Saxon duces on a document from King Offa of Mercia.
lived around 765 to 780	Oslac	Osiac rex Oslac dux	He was a king in the 760s, ruling with Ealdwulf and Ælfwald. He was also one of four South Saxon duces on a document from King Offa of Mercia.
lived around 765 – 772	Ælfwald	Ælhuuald rex Ælbuuald dux	He was a king in the 760s, ruling with Oslac and Eadwulf. He was also one of four South Saxon duces on a document from King Offa of Mercia.
lived around 765 to around 791	Ealdwulf	Alduulf rex Aldwlfus dux Suthsaxonum Aldwlf dux Aldwlfus dux Suthsaxonum Ealdwlf	He was a king in the 760s, ruling with Oslac and Ælfwald. After 772, he was called a dux (leader).
Around 827, the South Saxons came under the control of Egbert of Wessex, a powerful king from Wessex.
died 982	Eadwine	Eaduuine dux	He was an ealdorman (leader) under King Æthelred the Unready.

List of monarchs of Sussex facts for kids

Kings and Ealdormen of Sussex

See also