The Dark Age Kingdom that Divided Britain.

Welcome to this weeks offering. The story of Hwicce is one I have been keen to cover for soem time now. I wish we knew more about it! I've covered every aspect i could find that can be sourced. there seems to be much specualtion and conjecture, including the sign in the video. What did I miss?

Join this channel to get access to perks:

Videos To Watch Next:

Usual notices:
1. We are not historians or Academics. We enjoy researching and learning, and with that we enjoy sharing our journeys with you. That said, sources for information often listed below with credits.
2. Corrections. Whilst we make every attempt to not include any errors, research, and piecing stories together from dozens of sources sometimes leads to one or two. I will note here if any are found:

Errors
1. One min in, I think I circled Swindon instead of Cirencester. But you get the idea.

Credit and thanks for assets

Filter: Snowman Digital and Beachfront
B-Roll Maps: Google Maps and Google Earth Studio
Maps: National Library of Scotland Maps:
OS Maps. Media License.
Stock Footage: Storyblocks
Music: Storyblocks, epidemicsound and artlist

Credit for images/footage:

Cerdic: John_Speed
Saxon warroir: wyrdlight
Sutton Hoo Mask: gernot keller

Sources:

[WagSchofield]

Another great story Paul, you've got 2025 off to a flyer. I hope the lovely low winter sun made up for the obvious frosty trek. Oh, and best of luck with the new studios.

[hittitecharioteer]

Well researched and the narration is superb. Excellent work Paul.

[chrismoule]

2:47 - my father delighted in calling it a "foul swoop". As do I. I sometimes call it a "foul sweep".

It is in fact a "fell swoop".

[boonarga]

Joined years ago for the train stations. Stayed for the history lessons. I watch from the other side of the planet and am fascinated every week.

[davidberlanny]

Hi Paul, that looked cold!!

Thats a lot of very unfamiliar names to take in. The Dark ages are beginning to appear from the shadows!! Gonna have to watch it again methinks!!

As always enjoyable to see your enthusiasm on the move.

Looks like your grand studio opening was a great success yesterday. Wish you both good luck with this.

All the best!!

[philcollinson]

Frosty, beautifully filmed and crammed with interesting history.

[jonwilmot]

This is what the Internet should be used for. Education and thought. Love your videos.

[bauerwesterentarot]

I'm struck by how an entire kingdom (though, that word can change some in meaning in 1, 000 years) can vanish from time with nothing but a few words to remember it by. Makes one wonder how many kingdoms have come and gone with no words to recall them at all. Love your adventures!

[tomlee]

I really look forward to Sundays and your inspiring videos. Thanks for all the work you put into them for us.

[markwwollacott]

As a Hwiccan it's nice to see my home region's history get a brief mention.

It's worth noting that Cirencester was a provincial capital and the second largest city in Roman Britain. It was probably the seat of power of Ambrosius Aurelianus around the time of the Battle of Badon. However, it was the tradition of Celtic Kings to divide their kingdoms up between male heirs which is probably why there were three kings, one for each city, by 577. Cirencester was utterly destroyed after this battle.


While the Gewisse/West Saxons conquered the Dobunni lands, the English settlers were Angles as you mention. The Hwiccan territory extended up into Worcestershire.

The region played host to the unification of England. Guthrum retreated to Cirencester after being defeated by Alfred and the later treaty would give western Mercia to him.

[hedleythorne]

Can't beat a neat and tidy hillfort! This is an area that I pass through often but am yet to explore. Interesting video, thanks Paul.

[paulapridy]

Your content is predictably well presented, informative, well written, filmed with true quality and entertaining. I so appreciate being the beneficiary of all the hard work by your team and yourself

[TheImmortalArt]

Yet another great and educational video Paul! Keep on!

[aoge]

in the past couple of years you have shone a light on the Dark Ages. keep it up, I find it very interesting how the Britons and Angles/Saxons/Jutes etc got on.

[danielferguson]

It's fairly clear that the 3 early 'Kings' were in fact just the head men of the 3 cities mentioned, & that they would have used different titles themselves to indicate this. The A S Chronicle just classed any leaders, even quit petty ones, as Kings. It's also interesting that these 3 'divisions' of the area of the Hwicce seem to continue into the times of Offa, & maybe later. This all seems to suggest a continuation, in some form, of the Roman era Civitas of the Dobunni people, perhaps as individual 'City states', based around each of these important settlements. Indeed each of them will surely have had it's local 'territorium' surrounding it, from which it drew it's food supplies & other resources. This also indicates that a territory, or even a larger Kingdom might pass under control of a force that conquers the forces of a leader, even in a single battle, but that territory will not became part of the winners holdings without continued efforts to assert that control, & may revert to previous independence if another battle goes against them. A single battle is rarely full conquest, but must indicate a protracted struggle, likely both before & after the actual recorded engagement. Even the battle of Hastings was not a simple singular 'conquest' event, though often portrayed as such, but one of a series of engagements of the year 1066. Then, even after that 'victory', William of Normandy had to fight several more campaigns before he gained control of England.

[mustrumridcully]

Lovely images and camera work. As usual a great story, thank you Paul.

[ianmckay]

Well done Paul. So much information, will have to rewatch, maybe several times, to get all the dates joined up in my head! Just love stuff like this.

[PinnedonPlaces]

Ooh wow! Now this was epic to watch, thank you Paul for the education on the Wessex battles and of course for the inspiring and educational video! Our history is so bloody vast and interesting, appreciate your time and your video!

[BeanCoyInPlaces]

@10:59 '[A]nd of course the Hwicce Heritage now falls out of use completely' No, Paul, surely they advised me on the purchase of the Best Airfryer of 2024 only last month. No lineage truly fades, they just live on in society's undergrowth. Great video - I can testify that it's just as bloody cold up North!

[adampascoe]

Thank you Paul, what a fantastic film. Last summer I walked this area investigating the hill forts of Little Sodbury, Old Sodbury and Dyrham, the history and landscape are fascinating. You have added so much detail to what is often considered a dark age of history.