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Beorhtric Of Wessex Beorhtric (died 802) was the King of Wessex from 786 until his death. In 786, Cynewulf, king of Wessex, was killed by the exiled noble Cyneheard, brother of the former King Sigeberht. The nobles of Wessex, influenced by Offa of Mercia, who had gained overlordship of the whole of England by defeating Cynewulf at the battle of Bensington in 779, executed Cyneheard and appointed Beorhtric king. In practice, Beorhtric seems to have subject to Offa's authority. In 787, he held the Synod of Chelsea jointly with Offa, and in 789 he married one of Offa's daughters, Eadburh. He also worked with Offa to expel Egbert, a serious rival for the West Saxon throne. It was during Beorhtric's reign that the first known Viking raids of England occurred: in 789, on the coast of Dorset near the Isle of Portland. After Offa's death in 796, Mercian power over England was weakened, and Beorhtric may have exercised more independence during this period. However, within a few years Offa's successor, Coenwulf, had restored Mercia's position, and after 799, Beorhtric's relationship with the Mercians seems to have been the same as it was prior to 796. width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Cynewulf | width="40%" align="center" | King of Wessex | width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:
Egbert |
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