Egbert

Egbert was born around the year 770 and died in 839. Having been accepted as King of Essex, Kent, Surrey and Sussex and for a short time Mercia, he has been referred to as the first King of all England.

In 789 Egbert was forced into exile, and may have spent some of his time in the court of Charlemagne. He returned a few years later and succeded Beorhtric (who was one of those responsible for his exile) as King of Wessex in 802.

Egbert removed Wessex from the Mercian confederation, and eventually defeated Beornwulfo of Mercia in 825. He was proclaimed "Bretwalda", or King of all England, in 829, but lost Mercia to Wiglaf in 830.

In 836 Egbert suffered a further military setback, being defeated by the Danes. However, he defeated them and their allies, the West Welsh, in 838. He died soon after in 839, and was succeeded by his son Aethelwulf.