Seaxburh of Wessex

Seaxburh
Queen consort of Wessex
Predecessor Cenwalh
Successor none until Cynethryth (wife of Cædwalla)
Queen regnant of Wessex
Reign c. 672 – c.674
Predecessor Cenwalh
Successor Æscwine
Died c.674
Spouse Cenwalh of Wessex

Seaxburh (died c. 674) was a queen of Wessex. She is also called Queen of the Gewisse, an early name for the tribe which ruled Wessex. She is said to have ruled Wessex for about a year after the death of her husband, Cenwalh, in 672. It was extremely rare for a woman to rule in her own right in Anglo-Saxon England, and she was the only woman to appear in a regnal list. She may have ruled for over a year, as the next reign is entered in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 674.

However, Bede said that after death of Cenwalh "sub-kings took upon themselves the government of the kingdom", so the chroniclers may have tidied up a complicated situation.[1][2]

Seaxburh was succeeded in about 674 by Æscwine.[3]

See also

Notes

Regnal titles
Preceded by
Cenwalh
Queen of Wessex
c. 672 – c. 673
Succeeded by
Æscwine
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