22nd April, Today we commemorate the last British #Pagan King, and last king of the #IsleOfWight Arwald.

On this day in 686, Cædwalla, King of Wessex invaded the #Jutish kingdom of Wihtwara, the land of Whit [ ᚹᛁᚻᛏ ] (Spirits / Supernatural Beings).

Arwald had sent his two son to his kinsfolk, the Meonwara to keep them safe.

Due to their superior size, the army of Cædwalla were victorious. However, not without many casualties. #Folklore says that Arwald dealt Cædwalla a near fatal wound that never healed and would ultimately take his life many years later. The story says, that the last curse, uttered using the last of the old magic was from Arwald's lips as he struck Cædwalla.

After the battle, Cædwalla sent his men the commit genocide on the island. A memory that still runs deep on the Island, even to this day.

The two princes were also betrayed after they had been forced to convert to #christianity -- Cædwalla had them killed.

This is not the of the story, the sister of Arwald was the wife of the King of #Kent and was the great great great Grandmother of #AlfredTheGreat. One could argue, the line of Wiht is behind the whole of the British royal family.

#OldEnglish #histodons #medievodons #AngloSaxons #AngloSaxonSaturday #paganism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arwald

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A silver early medieval (Anglo-Saxon) penny of Cuthred (Cuþræd), King of #Kent, c.798-807 AD, mint: #Canterbury, moneyer: Duda.

Who was Cuþræd? After Coenwulf defeated Eadberht III Præn (The last independent King of Kent) in 798, Cuþræd was established as a client king of #Mercia. His reign was short and relatively uneventful, but is now for two things:

1. The re-establishment of the primacy of the Archbishopric of Canterbury. However, this was more due to the Council of Clovesho abolishing the Archbishopric of #Lichfield.

2. The first #Viking raids in Kent, however, these were small, and it's not really known if Cuþræd really did anything to defend the Kingdom.

Cuthred was one of three known sons of Cuthberht of Mercia, his brothers were Coenwulf (King of Mercia 796-821) and Ceolwulf (King of Mercia 821-823)

#Histordons #medievodons #AngloSaxon #AngloSaxonSaturday #Medieval

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https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/519562