Tytila of East Anglia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tytila |
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'Tytla Wuffing' from the Textus Roffensis
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| King of the East Angles | |
| Reign | possibly from about 578 to about 616. |
| Predecessor | Wuffa |
| Successor | Rædwald |
| Religion | Anglo-Saxon Paganism |
Tytila was an early king of East Anglia. This kingdom was a small part of England long ago, covering areas we now call Norfolk and Suffolk. Tytila lived around the late 500s and early 600s.
He was part of the Wuffingas family, who were the rulers of East Anglia. His father was Wuffa, and his son was Rædwald. We don't know much for sure about Tytila's life or his time as king. This is why he is sometimes called a "semi-historical" figure. This means we have some old records about him, but not enough to be completely certain about everything.
Tytila was a pagan king. This means he followed the old Anglo-Saxon religion, which involved worshipping many gods, before Christianity became widespread in England. Many old writings mention Tytila, showing he was an important figure in the early history of East Anglia.
The Wuffingas Family
Around the 400s, groups of people like the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes started arriving in Britain. By the 600s, many small kingdoms had formed in southern and eastern Britain. Most of southern England was under their control.
Tytila belonged to the Wuffingas family. This was the royal family of the East Angles. The family was named after Tytila's father, Wuffa. Some historians think the Wuffingas family might have come from an older royal family in Scandinavia.
Many old lists of kings mention Tytila. For example, a famous book called Ecclesiastical History of the English People, written by a monk named Bede in 731, says Tytila was the son of Wuffa and the father of Rædwald. Another old book, Historia Brittonum, also mentions Tytila as part of the East Anglian royal family. These old records help us understand the family tree of these early kings.
Tytila's Time as King
We don't have many written records from Tytila's time. This means we know very little about his life or what happened during his rule. One old writer, Roger of Wendover, said Tytila became king in 578. However, we don't know where he got this information, so it might just be a guess.
Tytila's son, Rædwald, became king after him, probably around 616. Rædwald is much more famous than Tytila. He is known as one of the most powerful Wuffingas kings. Even for Rædwald, many details about his life and when he died are still guesses.
Important discoveries have been made in East Anglia that tell us about this time. For example, at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, archaeologists found amazing treasures in ancient burial sites. These finds show that the kings of East Anglia had connections with places like the Frankish lands (modern-day France and Germany) and even the Eastern Mediterranean. The treasures also show how important and powerful these kings were becoming.
Some of the items found at Sutton Hoo, like parts of helmets, are very similar to things found in Sweden. This suggests there were close links between the East Angles and people in southern Sweden. Some experts even think the same craftspeople might have made these items. An old poem called Beowulf also supports the idea of strong connections between the East Angles and their Swedish relatives.
The descendants of Tytila's ancestor Wehha
| Wehha | |||||||||||||||||
| Wuffa | |||||||||||||||||
| Tytila | |||||||||||||||||
| Rædwald | Eni | ||||||||||||||||
- See Wuffingas for a more complete family tree.
See also
