old english ruler reigned 8th century king anglo saxon kingdom today includes english counties norfolk suffolk king dynasty succeeded father ruled years ruled thirty years combined reigns barely record external military action internal strife represent long period peaceful stability time probably owing number factors including settled nature east ecclesiastical affairs prosperity brought commerce east port modern expanded time evidence east markets industry suggested concentrations coins discovered returning exile succeeded endowed church friendly stance helped maintain peaceful relations powerful neighbour life includes information period exile dedicated later versions life reveal high quality written old english produced reign christian king letter written reveals diplomatic skills gives rare glimpse life ruler obscurity pedigree east pedigree collection brings descent indicating compiled reign possibly son pedigree continues probably compiled early 9th century version descending order showing ruled britain race certain mistake referring different individual reign accession accession dominion essex sister upbringing undoubtedly christian nature following family tree shows descendants paternal grandfather kings kent coloured green blue red respectively life appropriation monastic assets reign created persecuted distant cousin grandson brother driven refuge deep descendant royal house living died sister provided stone coffin burial died insane according line extinct emerged king lived carried power new height debt forgotten soon accession richly endowed new church site lived life written monk appeared soon death known observed good scholar evidently access works life saint latin works gregory great east living kingdom wrote book written request life portrays exile asserts right rule old english verse versions life drawn work written vernacular heroic modes kingdom proposed old english heroic poem origins king bishops held east following division reign succeeded attended present having succeeded bishop known known travelled rome returning number illuminated manuscripts including library included according replaced information episcopal sees bishops bishop development port east town created new towns century excavation work revealed town expanded hectares acres size reign known generally considered trade capital kingdom developed king patronage rectangular grid streets linked earlier town northwards ancient ran eastwards continued develop form similar south continental town principal trading partner street grid parts survived subdivided rectangular plots new houses built directly adjacent roads town pottery industry producing known 1950s gained importance time church dedication dated relics translated successor coins reign earliest silver known expanded time types attributed east production fall main groups known series group bears royal title authority issued established series densely distributed western edge wash cambridge series bust standard derived earlier types densely distributed central eastern including area according series east letter letter leader english continental mission survived written time surviving documents period relate ecclesiastical history letter response requested support reveals sound understanding latin letter remembered contains offer exchange names dead mutual prayers read according phrase letter interpreted incorrectly historians imply time seven monasteries kingdom prayers read theory proved difficult scholars explain argues words phrase refer number times monks offered praise monastic day number monasteries existence points interpretation published long ago death died known left immediate heir death according sources divided kings circumstances clear
Ælfwald of East Anglia