Roman Britain
has now fallen out of academic use.
The word arose on the basis that the seven kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia, Kent, East
Anglia, Essex, Sussex and Wessex were the main polities of south Britain. More recent
scholarship has shown that theories of the 'heptarchy' are not grounded in evidence, and it
is far more likely that power fluctuated between many more 'kingdoms'. Other politically
important 'kingdoms' across this period include: Hwicce, Magonsaete, Kingdom of Lindsey
and Middle Anglia.
In the 9th century, the Viking challenge grew to serious proportions. Alfred the Great's
victory at Edington, Wiltshire, in 878 brought intermittent peace, but with their possession
of Jorvik the Danes gained a solid foothold in England.
An important development in the 9th century was the rise of the Kingdom of Wessex; by
the end of his reign Alfred was recognised as overlord by several southern kingdoms.
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