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I said that various tribes in England had been fighting each other ever since the Romans left. There were still those great kingdoms but there were really only four of them now: Wessex, East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria. Egbert, who was king of the West Saxons, remember this part of the country began to be known as Wessex, established himself as the most powerful ruling in southern England.

Then, in 829AD, he managed to conquer Mercia. A little later Egbert persuaded the king of Northumbria to accept control. All was going well for Wessex and Egbert but still there were some worrying Viking raids along the coast of eastern England.

Egbert had another claim to fame in that his grandson was better known as …………….oh you can wait for this for a few years.

Forward to 839AD