Reign |
Incumbent |
Style |
Notes |
477 – after 491 | Ælle | | First holder of imperium according to Bede. First bretwalda according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, who gives the date of his landing in Sussex and battles against the Britons in 485 and 491. |
after 491 ? | Cissa | | Son of Ælle according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Legendary eponym of the town of Chichester. |
There is no information on the kings of Sussex for more than a century and a half. |
before 674 – c. 682 | Æthelwealh | | First Christian king of Sussex. Killed by Cædwalla of Wessex. |
fl. c. 683? | ?Eadric | Ealdulfus dux Suthsax | Listed according to William of Malmesbury. Possibly the same who reigned as king of Kent. Also appears as witness to a possibly spurious charter, S 232, of Caedwalla endowing Wilfrid's monastery at Selsey c.683. Probably represents Ealdwulf, who lived one century later. |
fl. c. 683 – c. 685? | Ecgwald | Ecguald subregulus | Mentioned in possibly spurious charters, S 230 and S 232, of Caedwalla endowing Wilfrid's monastery at Selsey between c.683 to 685. |
fl.685 | Berthun and Andhun | | According to Bede, these two ealdormen drove Cædwalla out of Sussex. Berthun was later killed by Cædwalla c.685. |
fl.692 – after 714 | Nothhelm (Nunna) | Nothelmus rex Suthsax’ Nunna rex Sussax’ Nunna rex Suthsax’ | A kinsman of King Ine of Wessex. |
fl.692 – c.700 | Watt | Wattus rex | Attests charters of King Nothhelm. |
fl. c.700 | Bryni | Bruny dux Suthsax' | Ealdorman under Nothhelm and Watt. |
fl. c.710 | ?Osric | Osricus | Unknown rank, may not have been king. |
fl.714 | Æthelstan | Athelstan rex | Attests charters of King Nothhelm. |
fl. c.740 | Æthelberht | Ethelbertus rex Sussaxonum | A contemporary of King Æthelbald of Mercia and Bishop Sigeferth. |
Offa of Mercia gained control of Sussex in the early 770s. |
fl.772 | Oswald | Osuualdus dux Suðsax' | One of four South Saxon duces appearing on a charter of King Offa of Mercia (S 108). He may have been king at some point before that. |
fl.760 – 772 | Osmund | Osmundus rex Osmund dux | King in the 760s, maybe with Oslac, Ealdwulf and Ælfwald. One of four South Saxon duces appearing on a charter of King Offa of Mercia (S 108). |
fl. c.765 to 780 | Oslac | Osiac rex Oslac dux | King in the 760s with Ealdwulf and Ælfwald. One of four South Saxon duces appearing on a charter of King Offa of Mercia (S 108). |
fl. c.765 – 772 | Ælfwald | Ælhuuald rex Ælbuuald dux | King in the 760s with Oslac and Eadwulf. One of four South Saxon duces appearing on a charter of King Offa of Mercia (S 108). |
fl. c.765 to c.791 | Ealdwulf | Alduulf rex Aldwlfus dux Suthsaxonum Aldwlf dux Aldwlfus dux Suthsaxonum Ealdwlf | King in the 760s with Oslac and Ælfwald. Styled dux after 772. |
Around 827 the South Saxons submitted to Egbert of Wessex.[3] |
died 982 | Eadwine | Eaduuine dux | Ealdorman under Æthelred the Unready. |