old english power counsel written 7th century king long lived kingdom included present day english counties norfolk suffolk son member dynasty named grandfather kings details reign scarce primarily viking invasions 9th century destroyed monasteries documents kept reigned death initially result fighting battle river idle defeating able install authority new king battle son killed powerful english kings south according fourth ruler hold southern anglo saxon kingdoms referred written centuries death old english term meaning britain ruler wide ruler king christian converting court time whilst time maintaining pagan temple receiving faith helped ensure survival christianity anglo saxon kingdoms essex kent generally considered historians favoured candidate ship burial theories advanced context kingdom known included began arrive britain 5th century number kingdoms begun form conquered territories beginning 7th century southern england entirely control youth establishment ruling houses accomplished kent married christian daughter ruler early powerful ruler south repulsed according later sources founded sources makes difficult know royal line established north kingdoms possessed rival royal ruled death leaving daughter son unknown sibling dynasty allied kingdom gained forcing live exile court wars consolidated state able bring dominion family old english means power counsel born son succeeded elder brother according descended founder dynasty son father time married woman unknown known pagan fathered sons older son unlike names typical east saxon dynasty suggested queen previously married member essex royal family stated william 12th century earned step father drove exile possibly protect family tree includes descendants early reign baptism events occurred early years reign include arrival mission rome conversions establishment new kingdoms relating conversion son mentioned received christian kent happened later presumably invitation sponsor date conversion unknown occurred arrival mission claimed died dedicated church near followed conversion fairly swiftly marriage member royal dynasty essex helped form diplomatic alliance neighbouring kingdoms essex conversion kent affiliated bringing directly sphere kent conversion universally accepted household queen according historian pagan teachers persuaded default commitment christian faith result kept temple pagan dedicated christ writing decades later described grandson brother recalled seeing temple boy located dynasty according explains dual nature temple suggesting unprepared reject old religion fully embrace christianity act public lack commitment christianity earned regarded faith exile married mother son born according pursued exiled brother attempt destroy ensure found household later married daughter nephew exile british kingdom slain circumstances eventually sought protection received willingly promised protect lived king royal companions news reached sent offering money return death refused comply sent second time offering greater gifts silver promising war accepted weakened promised kill hand ambassadors chance arose escape safe country chose remain court visited stranger aware source story written stated stranger member canterbury mission offered hope support held prospect someday attain greater royal power previous english king assured accept religious teaching vision means decision embrace christianity condition survived achieved power supposed appeared flesh bishop presence court throw light king position religion pagan queen acting manner king trust sake money wanting sell friend exchange result ambassadors gone resolved war battle river idle assembled army marched north accompanied son confront met western boundary kingdom east bank battle fierce long commemorated saying river idle foul blood fighting son slain succeeded king sons subsequently forced exile separate account battle given stated army split formations led experienced fighters attacked loose formation sight thinking men cut way death son breached lines killing amid great slaughter argued battle clash kings treatment exiled nobleman protracted struggle determine military political leadership peoples time february year battle river idle kent died succeeded pagan son death christian essex sons shared kingdom returning pagan rule drove missionaries led canterbury mission removed brought fold period royal christian altar england belonged time death mission kent fully established power great recognise successor called king angles term contemporaries overlord unclear power centred established authority angles eastern england debt allegiance foreign king hold direct influence instrumental secure establishment king development quarter 7th century settlement important trading centre receiving imported goods pottery trading markets situated coasts north_sea suggests founding took place supervision took years settlement develop town beginnings seen reflection personal importance period supremacy excavated grave goods anglo saxon cemetery including found small particularly wealthy elaborate lacked strong characterization neighbouring late 6th century cemetery higher crossing river exception furnished grave suggested visitor death considered died death located years reigned time died order noted suggests died converted christianity bishop death recorded twice history dates 13th century appears include earlier annals unknown origin reliability notes earlier date taken mistaken reference death father later date commonly given death succeeded pagan son later persuaded adopt christianity lived time eminent individuals buried cemetery near suffolk large originally higher visible seen overlooking upper estuary mound known mound discovered contain anglo saxon ship burial mound enclosed ship metres long seen use seas repaired centre ship chamber containing collection jewellery rich grave goods including silver drinking vessels clothing weaponry unusual item large form showed sign previous use tool suggested symbol office gold body equipment found goods produced patron employed equal better europe designed project image imperial power mediterranean grave unique period europe objects personal possessions items designed denote authority dead individual point death person connected royal court according regards burial likely monument high king suggests treasures buried ship reflect size tribute paid subject kings period suggested inclusion treasures fits account conversion present convert christian significance coins found burial dated approximate date death controversy surrounding identity person mound built reflected comments article argued strongly convincingly man buried mound collins note evidence non existent alternative suggestions candidates include east kings prestigious foreign visitor alternative explanations person wealthy status king known residence east kings miles away swedish cultural influence detected strong similarities armour burial finds sweden suggested connection close imply dynasty came scandinavia significant differences exact parallels style artefacts found result connection generally regarded possible mound actually grave sign body chemical stain origins site includes meat companion animals lack ties clear evidence items adorned body left expected places relation stain theory consistent transition pagan burial christian burial certainly far concerned received christian burial mound completed conversion memorial symbol status
Rædwald of East Anglia