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William of Worcester's Chronicle of England

William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.

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King Æthelstan of Kent -852

Paternal Family Tree: Wessex

King Æthelstan of Kent was born to King Æthelwulf of Wessex and Osburgh Queen Consort Wessex. There is some confusion as to whether he was Æthelwulf's son with some versions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle stating he was Æthelwulf's brother.

In or before 838 [his father] King Æthelwulf of Wessex and [his mother] Osburgh Queen Consort Wessex were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Wessex. He the son of [his grandfather] King Egbert of Wessex [aged 64].

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 839. In this year, [his grandfather] King Ecgbryht [aged 66] passed away, and previously, King Offa of Mercia and King Beorhtric of Wessex had exiled him for three years from the land of the English to the land of the Franks, before he became king. And Beorhtric supported Offa in this because he had Offa's daughter [Queen Eadburga of Wessex] as his queen. And Ecgbryht reigned for thirty-seven years and seven months, and [his father] Æthelwulf, son of Ecgbryht, succeeded to the kingdom of the West Saxons, and he gave his son Æthelstan the kingdom of the Kentish people, East Saxons, Surrey, and South Saxons.

Manuscript A. 836. Her Ecgbryht cyning forþferde, 7 hine hæfde ær Offa Miercna cyning 7 Beorhtric Wesseaxna cyning afliemed .iii. gear of Angelcynnes lande on Fronclond, ær he cyning wære, 7 þy fultomode Beorhtric Offan þy he hæfde his dohtor him to cuene; 7 se Ecgbyht ricsode .xxxvii. wintra, .vii. monaþ, 7 feng Ęþelwulf Ecgbrehting to Wesseaxna rice, 7 he salde his suna Ęþelstane Cantwara rice 7 Eastseaxna 7 Suþrigea 7 Suþseaxna.

In 839 King Æthelstan of Kent was appointed King of Kent by his father King Æthelwulf of Wessex.

Assers Life of Alfred 851. 851. 6. Defeat of the Danes at Sandwich.17 In that same year Æthelstan and Ealdorman Ealhere slew a large army of the heathen in Kent, at a place called Sandwich [Map], and took nine ships of their fleet, the others escaping by flight.

Note 17. From the Chronicle.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 851. This year Alderman Ceorl, with the men of Devonshire, fought the heathen army at Wemburg [Map], and after making great slaughter obtained the victory. The same year King Athelstan and Alderman Elchere fought in their ships, and slew a large army at Sandwich [Map] in Kent, taking nine ships and dispersing the rest. The heathens now for the first time remained over winter in the Isle of Thanet [Map]. The same year came three hundred and fifty ships into the mouth of the Thames; the crew of which went upon land, and stormed Canterbury, Kent [Map] and London; putting to flight Bertulf, king of the Mercians, with his army; and then marched southward over the Thames into Surrey. Here [his father] Ethelwulf and his son [his brother] Ethelbald, at the head of the West-Saxon army, fought with them at Ockley [Map], and made the greatest slaughter of the heathen army that we have ever heard reported to this present day. There also they obtained the victory.

In 852 King Æthelstan of Kent died. He may have been buried at Winchester Old Minster.

Royal Ancestors of King Æthelstan of Kent -852

Kings Wessex: Son of King Æthelwulf of Wessex

Ancestors of King Æthelstan of Kent -852

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ingild Wessex 3 x Great Grandson of Ceawlin King Wessex

Great x 3 Grandfather: Eoppa Wessex 4 x Great Grandson of Ceawlin King Wessex

Great x 2 Grandfather: Eafa Wessex 5 x Great Grandson of Ceawlin King Wessex

Great x 1 Grandfather: Ealmund King of Kent 6 x Great Grandson of Ceawlin King Wessex

Grandfather: King Egbert of Wessex 7 x Great Grandson of Ceawlin King Wessex

Father: King Æthelwulf of Wessex son of King Egbert of Wessex

King Æthelstan of Kent son of King Æthelwulf of Wessex

Grandfather: Oslac

Mother: Osburgh Queen Consort Wessex