The House of Wessex

The House of Wessex, also known as the House of Cerdic or the Saxon royal house, refers to the family that ruled a kingdom in southwest England known as Wessex. This House was in power from the 6th century under Cerdic of Wessex to the unification of the Kingdoms of England.

The House, at this point, became rulers of all England (Bretwalda) from Alfred the Great in 871 to Edmund II in 1016. This period of the British monarchy is known as the Saxon period, though their rule was often contested, notably by the Danelaw and later by the Dane Sweyn Forkbeard who claimed the throne from 1013 to 1014, during Ethelred II's reign. Sweyn and his successors ruled until 1042. After Harthacanute, there was a brief Saxon Restoration between 1042 and 1066 under Edward the Confessor and Harold II. This was ended shortly after the Battle of Hastings, a decisive point in British history, when Edgar Atheling (grandson of Edmund II) was deposed by William the Conqueror.

Egbert (Ecgberht) 802-839 son of Ealhmund of Kent m. Redburga 3 children c. 775-839

Ethelwulf (Æþelwulf) 839-855 b. Aachen, son of Egbert and Redburga m. (1) Osburga 6 children (2) Judith of Flanders no children d. 855 age unknown

Ethelbald (Æþelbald) 855-860 son of Ethelwulf and Osburga m. Judith of Flanders c.831-860

Ethelbert (Æþelberht) 860-866 c.835 son of Ethelwulf and Osburga m. unknown 2 children c.835-866

Ethelred (Æþelræd) 866-871 son of Ethelwulf and Osburga m. Wulfrida 2 children c.837-871

Alfred the Great (Ælfræd) 871–899 Wantage son of Ethelwulf and Osburga m. Ealhswith 6 children c.849-899

Edward the Elder (Eadweard) 899–924 c.871-877 son of Alfred the Great and Ealhswith m. Ecgwynn 3 children (2) Aelffaed 10 children (3) Edgiva of Kent 4 children c. 871-924

Elfward (Ælfweard) 18 July - 2 August 924 son of Edward the Elder and Aelffaed unmarried c. 902-924

Athelstan (Æþelstan) 924–939 son of Edward the Elder and Ecgwynn unmarried 895-939

Edmund the Magnificent (Eadmund) 939–946 son of Edward the Elder and Edgiva of Kent m. (1) Elgiva 3 children (2) Æthelflæd of Damerham no children c.921-946

Edred (Eadred) 946–955 son of Edward the Elder and Edgiva of Kent unmarried c.923-955

Edwy the Fair (Eadwig) 955–959 son of Edmund the Magnificent and Elgiva m. Elgiva c.940-959

Edgar the Peaceable (Eadgar) 959–975 son of Edmund the Magnificent and Elgiva m. (1) Ethelflaed 1 son (2) Wulfthryh 1 daughter (3) Ælfthryth 2 sons c.943-975

St. Edward the Martyr (Eadweard) 975–978 son of Edgar the Peaceable and Ethelflaed unmarried c.962-978

Ethelred the Unready (Æþelræd Unræd) 978–1016 son of Edgar the Peaceable and Ælfthryth m (1) Ælflaed of Northumbria 4 children (2) Aelgifu 6 children (3) Emma of Normandy 3 children c.968-1016

Edmund Ironside (Eadmund) 24 April –30 November 1016 son of Ethelred the Unready and Ælflaed of Northumbria m. Edith of East Anglia 2 children 30 November c.993-1016