bretwalda

or brytenwalda

Any of several Anglo-Saxon kings with lordship over kingdoms beyond their own. Used in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the title probably means "ruler of the Britons." It was given to Egbert

died 839

of Wessex and to seven earlier kings: Aelle of Sussex (fl. late 5th century), Ceawlin of Wessex

died 593

, Aethelberht of Kent

died 616

, Raedwald of East Anglia

died 616/27

, Edwin of Northumbria

died 632

, Oswald of Northumbria

died 641

, and Oswiu of Northumbria

died 670

.

* * *

▪ Anglo-Saxon royal title

also spelled  Brytenwalda, Bretenanwealda, or Brytenweald  

      any of several Anglo-Saxon kings said to have had overlordship of kingdoms beyond their own. The word is used in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in its account of the events of 829 and also in a charter of Aethelstan, king of the English, and probably means “ruler of the Britons” or “ruler of Britain.” In the Chronicle the title is given to Egbert (died 839) of Wessex, “the eighth king that was Bretwalda,” and retrospectively to seven much earlier kings: Aelle of Sussex (flourished late 5th century), Ceawlin of Wessex (d. 593), Aethelberht of Kent (d. 616), Raedwald of East Anglia (d. 616–627), Edwin of Northumbria (d. 632), Oswald of Northumbria (d. 641), and Oswiu of Northumbria (d. 670). These seven names are copied from the Venerable Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica. It has been assumed that these seven kings exercised a certain superiority over a large part of England, but if such superiority existed it is certain that it was extremely vague. Another theory is that the Bretwalda refers to a war-leadership or imperium, over the English south of the Humber and has nothing to do with Britons or Britannia.

* * *