I’ve decided that my next project to occupy my time during quarantine will be to create and play test w/ family a board game about the Heptarchy. I am not yet up to date on the BHP (I’m just past Æthelstan’s unification, Ep 286) but I’ve been loving it and I finally got my dad to start it. The only source I’ve so far been using is the BHP, but I plan to try to find others (the only problem is, the BHP is to my knowledge the only source that covers this era in a sufficient amount of detail that I (a recent high school graduate) can easily make sense of).
The current plan for gameplay is to separate the map of England, Wales, and southern Scotland into provinces so that at the start of the game the kingdoms of the Heptarchy have 2-4 each and NPC kingdoms (Sussex, the Hwicce, Gwynedd, etc) will have 1-2 each. Each province has a Werod with a health that ranges from 0 (no soldiers) to 3 (ranks full of experienced veterans) in addition to the hearthwerod of the kingdom. In addition, each player kingdom has an amount of of colored pieces that can either be used to control a province directly or to hegemonically dominate a throne (to show that in the pre-numismatic period it was impossible to govern large territories directly. It will be run on a turn-based system. On a player’s turn they draw a number of cards (1? 2? Maybe 3?) of which some are characters, some are actions, some are buildings, and some are events.
Cards I’m considering:
Son
Daughter
Foreign courtier (maybe specify whether they’re from Francia or Wales or Pictland/Scotland, maybe not)
Cathedral
Monastery
Mint
Fortification (intentionally vague so as to allow for interpretation as either something like Offa’s Dike or Alfred’s Burh system)
Vikingr Raid
Vikingr Army (larger and less common in the deck than raids)
Pope Founds Archbishopric (The game is already going to be at least a bit historically inaccurate via the nature of its simplicity, but here I’m considering starting significantly from the real history. I’m picturing this card occurring twice in the deck, and when it is drawn, a cathedral in the richest kingdom becomes home to an Archbishopric.)
I’d really appreciate any advice or ideas, especially for how to put rules to interactions with the church and how the transition into a moneyed economy should work.
Hi everyone! Right now I'm currently doing some research into the Heptarchy located in modern day England, and thought I'd share the names of these monarchs (and Ealdormen)! They are listed in order of succession and skips over non-native kings (example being Mercian rule in East Anglia). I've bolded names that we can still see in use today, though with different spellings. For those who are unaware, all of these kingdoms eventually fall under the rule of Wessex and was unified as the Kingdom of England in 927. For that reason I've also included a list of early English monarchs until the Norman king, William the Conqueror, ascended to the throne in 1066, which marked an end to the widespread usage of Old English Anglo-Saxon names within the English monarchy. The years are also representative of the time spent ruled by native rulers, not the full extent of the kingdoms lifespan! Hope you all enjoy these as much as I do!
Kingdom of Wessex (Gewisse): 519 - 927 CE
- Cerdic (m)
- Cynric (m)
- Ceawlin (m)
- Ceol (m)
- Ceolwulf (m)
- Cynegils (m)
- Cwichelm (m)
- Cenwalh (m)
- Seaxburh (f)
- Cenfus (m)
- Æscwine (m)
- Centwine (m)
- Cædwalla (m)
- Ine (m)
- Æthelheard (m)
- Cuthred (m)
- Sigeberht (m)
- Cynewulf (m)
- Beorhtric (m)
- Ecgberht (m)
- Æthelwulf (m)
- Æthelbald (m)
- Æthelberht (m)
- Æthelred (m)
- Ælfræd/Alfred (m)
- Eadweard/Edward (m)
- Ælfweard (m)
- Æthelstan (m)
Kingdom of Mercia: 527 - 918 CE
- Icel (m)
- Cnebba (m)
- Cynewald (m)
- Creoda (m)
- Pybba (m)
- Penda (m)
- Eowa (m)
- Peada (m)
- Oswiu (m)
- Wulfhere (m)
- Æthelred I (m)
- Cœnred (m)
- Ceolred (m)
- Ceolwald (m)
- Æthelbald (m)
- Beornred (m)
- Offa (m)
- Ecgfrith (m)
- Cœnwulf (m)
- Cynehelm (m)
- Ceolwulf I (m)
- Beornwulf (m)
- Ludeca (m)
- Wiglaf (m)
- Ecgberht (m)
- Wigmund (m)
- Wigstan (m)
- Ælfflæd (f)
- Beorhtwulf (m)
- Burgred (m)
- Ceolwulf II (m)
- Æthelred II (m)
- Æthelflæd (f)
- Ælfwynn (f)
- Æthelstan (m)
- Eadgar/Edgar (m)
Kingdom of East Anglia: 6th Century - 869 CE
- Wehha (m)
- Wuffa (m)
- Tytila (m)
- Rædwald (m)
- Eorpwald (m)
- Ricberht (m)
- Sigeberht (m)
- Ecgric (m)
- Anna (m)
- Æthelhere (m)
- Æthelwold (m)
- Ealdwulf (m)
- Beonna (m)
- Alberht/Albert (m)
- Hun (m)
- Æthelred (m)
- Æthelberht (m)
- Eadwald (m)
- Æthelstan (m)
- Æthelweard (m)
- Eadmund/Edmund (m)
Kingdom of Essex: 527 - 825 CE
- Æscwine/Erchenwine (m)
- Sledd (m)
- Sæberht (m)
- Sexred (m)
- Saeward (m)
- Sigeberht (m)
- Sigeberht (m)
- Swithhel
So a while back I posted a list of names from the kings during the Heptarchy era of Britain. A few of you asked for the names of some of their wives, and finally I'm here to deliver!
First, this is again a list ranging from around 450-900's! I stuck to only using the names from the Heptarchy, which includes: Wessex, Kent, Essex, Sussex, East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria. I also included the kingdoms of Bernicia, Deira, and Hwicce since they all merge or become one of those larger kingdoms eventually.
Another thing to note is that the female names during this time are a lot less plentiful. Due to this I included not just queen consorts, but also daughters, nieces, mothers, and siblings of the kings.
Next to each name with a dash is a variant, modern spelling, or another name that person was called.
It's a short list but I hope you all enjoy!
- Sæthryth - Sedrido, Sethrida, Saethrid
- Seaxburh - Sexburga
- Æthelburh - Æthelburg, Ethelburga
- Æthelthryth - Etheldreda, Audrey
- Wihtburh - Withburga
- Hereswith - Hereswitha, Hereswithe, Hereswyde, Haeresvid
- Hild - Hilda
- Eormenhild - Ermenilda, Ermenildis, Ermengild
- Wærburh - Werburh, Werburgh, Werburga
- Leofruna - Leofrana
- Eadburh - Eadburg, Edburga
- Cynethryth
- Ælfflæd - Æthelflæd
- Cwenthryth - Quendreda, Cwoenthryth
- Acha
- Æbbe - Æbba
- Cwenburh - Quenburga, Cwenburg
- Cyneburh - Kyneburga, Kinborough
- Cyneswith - Cyneswitha, Kyneswide
- Tibba
- Eanflæd - Enfleda
- Osthryth
- Ælfthryth - Elftrudis, Elftrude, Elfrida
- Æthelswith
- Ælfwynn
- Godgifu - Godiva
- Ædgyth - Eadgyth, Aldgyth, Edith
- Bearnoch
- Cuthburh - Cuthburg
- Osgifu
- Osburh - Osburga
- Ealhswith - Ealswitha
- Æthelgifu
- Ecgwynn - Ecgwynna, Egwinna
- Eadgifu - Edgifu, Edgiva, Ogive
- Eadhild
- Osgyth - Osyth, Sythe, Othith, Ositha
- Wilburh - Wilburga
- Oslafa
- Eabae - Ebba, Eafe
Which of the historical Anglo-Saxon seven kingdoms do you think correspond best to each of the ASoIaF seven kingdoms?
This is my list:
-
The North = Northumbria. The northernmost kingdom, large but sparsely populated. Furthermore, the Starks were inspired by the Yorks of the War of the Roses, whose house is named after the Northumbrian city.
-
The Mountain and Vale = East Anglia. Geographically both correspond best to each other (as both are in the northeastern corner of the southern kingdoms).
-
The Isles and Rivers = Mercia. Geographically the Iron Isles correspond best to the Isle of Man, which is however not a part of the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy. The Riverlands geographically correspond quite well to Mercia, which was in a central location, bordering both the northern kingdom, and many of the southern ones. Many major rivers ran through Mercia, such as the Trent, the Ouse, the Severn and the Dee. An alternative identification is with Sussex, a kingdom that was more rarely independent than the others (a somewhat similar situation to that of the Riverlands).
-
The Rock = Either Sussex (a relatively small kingdom on a fringe of land, but temporarily powerful) or Mercia (one of the more powerful kingdoms, and close to the northern kingdom while still being a part of the south; additionally, the Lannisters are inspired by the Lancasters, who namesake castle was located in Northumbria, but very close to Mercia).
-
The Reach = Wessex. Large tracts of land, and an agricultural powerhouse.
-
The Stormlands = Essex. Both have the strongest geographic correspondence, being situated between the northeasternmost and southeasternmost of the southern kingdoms. And as once the Stormlands included what became the Crownlands, Essex too once included the area around London (Middlesex).
-
Dorne = Kent. Both are located in the southeasternmost part, and have significant cultural differences with the other kingdoms. Dorne was settled by Rhoynar, while Kent was settled by Jutes (contrary to the other English kingdoms, which were settled by Angles and Saxons). Furthermore, Kent enjoyed much stronger Frankish influence than the rest of England.
Sorry this is long, but I have tried to keep it brief.
Aaru, The First World.
This was a gigantic city-world. The Sun was in the centre while the city-world was shaped around it. So basically like a Dyson Sphere. The sun was worshipped by the inhabitants (the Ehoshim) and was called the Ilios. The Ehoshim explored the universe and created various Portal Henges all over their world/city to access these worlds. They discovered other races/species and even brought 3 of them to Aaru to serve them (this included humans). Eventually of course there was a civil war and eventually their world was shattered, into many pieces. The seven largest pieces (Aspects) became the Heptarchy, the sources of magic in my setting.
Archeron – The Twilight City
A city/world where the light is dim and the shadows are long. The Ilios glows pale. Magic is extremely difficult to access here. This is the husk of Aaru and more “real” than the rest of the Heptarchy. The Ghul are remnants of the human servants of the Ehoshim. They are twisted and mutated mindless being ravenous for the lifeforce of others, they roam the city/world. They avoid the areas around the Portal Henges though. The Epheirim are mutated Eloshim remnants who were caught on Archeron during the Shattering. They also hunger for life, but they still have their intelligence.
Cheveneh – The Shining City
A city/world where the Ilios is extremely bright. So bright that sometimes you can glimpse the city on other worlds, shining in the distance on a horizon. The city looks crystalline and glimmers in the light. There is no darkness or shadow as the light shines and reflects everywhere. The Alphim are the Ehoshim remnant on this world. Outwardly friendly but rather distant and preoccupied. Each day they live seems to be the same as the previous day, forgetting anything one new they meet. Magic dealing with Light, Control, Order, Discipline, Shields, Time comes from here. Healing magic is also drawn from here, but it is more about repairing damage from injuries and wounds.
Asphodel – The Green City
A city/world where everything is overgrown with vegetation. The Ilios shines with warm. The Azu, is a merged super-consciousness (the remnant of the Ehoshim on Asphodel). It is part of every living creature on Asphodel. This is the only Aspect of Aaru where the animal life has survived. Magic dealing with Nature, Life, Growth, Communication, Sickness are drawn from here. M
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What do we know of the Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians mixing culturally during the heptarchy? For instance, Penda of Mercia was an Angle and supposedly a descendent of Woden, but would it be odd for him to have Saxons fighting under his banner, or even as some of his banner lords? Did Christian Angles from Mercia ever migrate to Cantware to fight for Christian Jutes? Was allegiance based on religion or culture, or just on who one felt they could prosper the most with? Do we even know any of this or is it all guesswork? Sorry for the long question, but I found it difficult to articulate.
What would the average Englishmen soldier be equipped with ? What type of armor would they wear and what type of weapons would they wield?
What would the average Viking be equipped with ? What type of armor would they wear and what type of weapons would they wield?
If Alfred had returned the Heptarchy to its borders before the war, how long would it have logically lasted? Could England have gone throughout as a disjointed land? And would the Pope have sanctioned a Christian invasion like with William? Or would another external force have to unite the land?
