Oeric

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Kent in Anglo-Saxon times

Oeric (also Œric, Eoric, Oisc, Oese, Aesc or Æsc ; † around 512) is considered an early king of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Kent . The Kentish royal family was named Oiscingas after his nickname Oisc .

Life and legend

As with his predecessors Hengest and Horsa , it is not certain whether Oeric is a historical person or a fictional figure from the legend . At least his deeds can be classified as rather mythical. There are no contemporary sources and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , the most important source on him, is from a much later period.

Oeric was a son of Hengest and father of Ohta . Oeric accompanied his father Hengest and his uncle Horsa when they were brought to Britain as mercenaries by Vortigern around the year 449 to fight with their men against his enemies, the Picts . At that time he did not appear any further. As pay they were given land at Ypwinesfleot in the south-east of the country, later the Kingdom of Kent .

Later the brothers fell out with Vortigern and there was a battle in 455 at Agælesþrep ( Aylesford ) in which Horsa fell. Hengest then made himself and Oeric kings of Kent. In 457, the two kings won the bloody battle of Crecganford (Crayford, east of London) over the British, who fled Kent to London. At Wippedesfleote , Hengest and Oeric were again victorious in 465 against the Walas ( Welsche , Celts) and again in 473 when they gained "immeasurable booty". Hengest probably died in the year 488 and Oeric ruled "24 winters" as sole king. William of Malmesbury , a 12th century historian, portrayed Oeric as a defensive king who tried not to enlarge his empire but to protect it. His son Ohta is considered to be his successor .

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literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Beda: HE 2.5
  2. ↑ Nicholas Brooks: Anglo-Saxon Myths: State and Church, 400-1066 , Hambledon & London, 1998, ISBN 978-1852851545 , The Kentish Origin Myth , pp. 37-46.
  3. ↑ so Beda: HE 2.5 . According to the Anglian Collection and Nennius ' Historia Brittonum chap. 58 was Ossa (Oeric) a son of Ohta and grandson of Hengests. Eormenric is named as a son .
  4. ↑ Beda: HE 1.15
  5. ↑ Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for the years 455-488, online in Project Gutenberg (English)
  6. ^ Oisc in Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
predecessor Office successor
Hengest Kingdom of Kent
around 488 – around 512
Co-king since around 455 		Ohta
personal data
SURNAME Oeric
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Œric; Eoric; Oisc; Eyelet; Aesc; Æsc
BRIEF DESCRIPTION King of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Kent
DATE OF BIRTH 5th century
DATE OF DEATH at 512