⚔️ House of Hwicce — The Kingdom of the Hwicce (577-870)
Discover the fascinating story of one of Anglo-Saxon England's lesser-known kingdoms with this beautifully designed historical family tree and dynastic record exploring the House and Kingdom of Hwicce.
Situated broadly across the West Midlands, the Hwicce occupied lands associated with areas including Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, parts of Warwickshire and the region around Bath. Although considerably less familiar than Wessex, Mercia or Northumbria, the Hwicce possessed their own rulers, royal family, territory and distinctive political identity before becoming increasingly dominated by the powerful kingdom of Mercia.
Beginning with the earliest surviving Hwiccan royal figures, Eanhere and Eanfrith, this poster follows the dynasty through the documented reigns of Osric and Oshere, before tracing the known descendants of Oshere, including his sons Æthelheard, Æthelweard and Æthelric.
The family story also reaches beyond the Hwicce themselves. Eafe (Eaba), daughter of Eanfrith, became Queen of Sussex through her marriage to King Æthelwealh, creating a fascinating dynastic connection between two Anglo-Saxon kingdoms featured within the House of Histories collection.
The poster continues into the eighth century with the brothers Eanberht, Uhtred and Ealdred, who are explicitly recorded in surviving charter evidence as under-kings of the Hwicce. Their appearance also illustrates the increasing influence of Offa of Mercia, under whose authority Hwiccan rulers increasingly operated.
Poster Features
House of Hwicce — The Kingdom of the Hwicce
Anglo-Saxon royal and dynastic history
Eanhere and Eanfrith
Eafe / Eaba, daughter of Eanfrith and Queen of Sussex
King Osric
King Oshere
Æthelheard, Æthelweard and Æthelric, sons of Oshere
Eanberht, Uhtred and Ealdred
The growing influence of Mercia and Offa
Approximate geographical territory of the Hwicce
Historical notes explaining surviving evidence and uncertainties
Anglo-Saxon-inspired parchment, heraldic and medieval styling
Designed for historians, genealogists, students, collectors and lovers of Anglo-Saxon England
Ideal for studies, libraries, offices, reading rooms and history-inspired interiors
Historical Significance
The Hwicce occupy a fascinating position within the political landscape of Anglo-Saxon England. Their kingdom developed in the West Midlands and became closely connected with Mercia, while maintaining its own rulers and political identity for generations.
The surviving evidence is particularly valuable because much of Hwiccan history comes not from a single continuous genealogy, but from Bede, surviving Anglo-Saxon charters and ecclesiastical records. These sources allow individual members of the royal house and their relationships to be recovered, while also revealing the limitations of what can confidently be known.
The Hwiccan royal family was closely connected with the Christianisation and ecclesiastical development of the region. The establishment of the bishopric of Worcester and royal involvement in religious foundations demonstrate the growing importance of Christianity within the kingdom.
By the eighth century, the Hwicce increasingly operated under Mercian supremacy. The surviving evidence records Hwiccan rulers acting with the authority of Mercian kings, illustrating the gradual loss of the kingdom's political independence.
Eventually, the Hwicce ceased to exist as an independent kingdom and became incorporated into the wider Mercian political landscape.
The Evidence of the Hwicce
No complete contemporary genealogy of the Hwiccan royal house survives. For this reason, the poster carefully distinguishes between relationships supported by surviving evidence and connections that remain uncertain or debated.
Where the historical record gives us certainty, we preserve it.
Where history leaves questions, we leave them visible.
Rather than creating an artificial bloodline to fill the gaps, this family tree allows the surviving evidence to tell its own story.
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