Biography of King Ine of Wessex 670-728

Paternal Family Tree: Wessex

715 Battle of Wanborough

722 Battle of Hehil

Around 670 King Ine of Wessex was born to Cenred Wessex.

In 688 King Cædwalla of Wessex (age 29) Abdicated as King Wessex. In 688 His second cousin once removed King Ine of Wessex (age 18) succeeded King Wessex.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 688. This year Ceadwall (age 29) went to Rome, and received baptism at the hands of Sergius the pope, who gave him the name of Peter; but in the course of seven nights afterwards, on the twelfth day before the calends of May, he died in his crisom-cloths, and was buried in the church of St. Peter. To him succeeded Ina (age 18) in the kingdom of Wessex, and reigned thirty-seven winters. He founded the monastery of Glastonbury [Map]; after which he went to Rome, and continued there to the end of his life. Ina (age 18) was the son of Cenred, Cenred of Ceolwald; Ceolwald was the brother of Cynegils; and both were the sons of Cuthwin, who was the son of Ceawlin; Ceawlin was the son of Cynric, and Cynric of Cerdic.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 694. This year the people of Kent covenanted with Ina (age 24), and gave him 30,000 pounds in friendship, because they had burned his brother Mull. Wihtred (age 24), who succeeded to the kingdom of Kent, and held it thirty-three winters, was the son of Egbert, Egbert of Erkenbert, Erkenbert of Eadbald, Eadbald of Ethelbert. And as soon as he was king, he ordained a great council to meet in the place that is called Bapchild; in which presided Wihtred (age 24), King of Kent, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Brihtwald, and Bishop Tobias of Rochester; and with him were collected abbots and abbesses, and many wise men, all to consult about the advantage of God's churches that are in Kent. Now began the king to speak, and said, "I will that all the minsters and the churches, that were given and bequeathed to the worship of God in the days of believing kings, my predecessors, and in the days of my relations of King Ethelbert and of those that followed him-shall so remain to the worship of God, and stand fast for evermore. For I Wihtred (age 24), earthly king, urged on by the heavenly king, and with the spirit of righteousness annealed, have of our progenitors learned this, that no layman should have any right to possess himself of any church or of any of the things that belong to the church. And, therefore, strongly and truly, we set and decree, and in the name of Almighty God, and of all saints, we forbid all our succeeding kings, and aldermen, and all lawmen, ever, any lordship over churches, and over all their appurtenances, which I or my elders in old days have given for a perpetual inheritance to the glory of Christ and our Lady St. Mary, and the holy apostles. And look! when it happeneth, that bishop, or abbot, or abbess, depart from this life, be it told the archbishop, and with his counsel and injunction be chosen such as be worthy. And the life of him, that shall be chosen to so holy a thing, let the archbishop examine, and his cleanness; and in no wise be chosen any one, or to so holy a thing consecrated, without the archbishop's counsel. Kings shall appoint earls, and aldermen, sheriffs, and judges; but the archbishop shall consult and provide for God's flock: bishops, and abbots, and abbesses, and priests, and deacons, he shall choose and appoint; and also sanctify and confirm with good precepts and example, lest that any of God's flock go astray and perish-"

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 710. This year Acca (age 50), priest of Wilferth, succeeded to the bishopric that Wilferth ere held; and Alderman Bertfrith fought with the Picts between Heugh and Carau. Ina (age 40) also, and Nun his relative, fought with Grant, king of the Welsh; and the same year Hibbald was slain.

715 Battle of Wanborough

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 715. This year Ina (age 45) and Ceolred fought at Wanborough;24 [possibly Wednesbury, Staffordshire [Map], Wanborough, Wiltshire [Map] or Woden's Barrow aka Adam's Grave [Map]] and King Dagobert (age 16) departed this life.

Note 24. Wothnesbeorhge, Ethelw.; Wonsdike, Malmsb.; Wonebirih, H. Hunt; Wodnesbeorh, Flor.; Wodnesbirch, M. West. There is no reason, therefore, to transfer the scene of action to Woodbridge, as some have supposed from an erroneous reading.

In 715 Ceolred King Mercia and King Ine of Wessex (age 45) were defeated by an unknown army during the 715 Battle of Wanborough at Adam's Grave [Map].

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 721. This year Bishop Daniel went to Rome; and the same year Ina (age 51) slew Cynewulf, the etheling. This year also died the holy Bishop John; who was bishop thirty-three years, and eight months, and thirteen days. His body now resteth at Beverley [Map].

Before 722 King Ine of Wessex (age 52) and Æthelburg Queen of Wessex (age 48) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Wessex.

722 Battle of Hehil

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 722. This year Queen Ethelburga (age 49) destroyed Taunton [Map], which Ina (age 52) had formerly built; Ealdbert wandered a wretched exile in Surrey and Sussex; and Ina (age 52) fought with the South-Saxons.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 725. This year died Wihtred (age 55), King of Kent, on the ninth day before the calends of May, after a reign of thirty-two winters. His pedigree is above; and he was succeeded by Eadbert. Ina (age 55) this year also fought with the South-Saxons, and slew Ealdbert, the etheling, whom he had before driven into exile.

In 728 King Ine of Wessex (age 58) died. Æthelheard King of Wessex succeeded King Wessex.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 728. This year Ina (age 58)25 went to Rome, and there gave up the ghost. He was succeeded in the kingdom of Wessex by Ethelhard his relative, who held it fourteen years; but he fought this same year with Oswald the etheling. Oswald was the son of Ethelbald, Ethelbald of Cynebald, Cynebald of Cuthwin, Cuthwin of Ceawlin.

Note 25. The establishment of the "English school" at Rome is attributed to Ina; a full account of which, and of the origin of "Romescot" or "Peter-pence" for the support of it, may be seen in Matthew of Westminster.

In 740 [his former wife] Æthelburg Queen of Wessex (age 67) died.

Bede. Ethelwalch, and wasted that country with much slaughter and plundering; but he was soon expelled by Berthun and Andhun, the king's commanders, who afterwards held the government of that province. The first of them was afterwards killed by the same Ceadwalla, when he was king of the Gewisse, and the province was more entirely subdued: Ina, likewise, who reigned after Ceadwalla, kept that country under the like servitude for several years; for which reason, during all that time, they had no bishop of their own; but their first bishop, Wilfrid, having been recalled home, they were subject to the bishop of the Gewisse, i. e. the West Saxons, in the city of Winchester, Hampshire [Map].

Bede. When Caedwalla went to Rome, Italy, Ini succeeded to the kingdom, being of the blood royal; and having reigned thirty-seven years over that nation, he in like manner left his kingdom and committed it to younger men, and went away to the threshold of the blessed Apostles, at the time when Gregory was pope, being desirous to spend some part of his pilgrimage upon earth in the neighbourhood of the holy places, that he might obtain to be more readily received into the fellowship of the saints in heaven. This same thing, about that time, was wont to be done most zealously by many of the English nation, nobles and commons, laity and clergy, men and women.

Royal Ancestors of King Ine of Wessex 670-728

Kings Wessex: Great x 3 Grand Son of Ceawlin King Wessex

Ancestors of King Ine of Wessex 670-728

Great x 4 Grandfather: Cynric King Wessex

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ceawlin King Wessex

Great x 2 Grandfather: Cuthwine

Great x 1 Grandfather: Cuthwulf Wessex

GrandFather: Ceolwald Wessex

Father: Cenred Wessex

King Ine of Wessex