• General Notes

  Event: Ruled 534-560
  
  Ruled West Saxons, 534-60 or 554-71 (or 581).
  
  The son (or possibly grandson) of CERDIC, the supposed founder of the kingdom of Wessex. Cynric is closely associated in the ASC with his father from the year 494 to his death in 560, but even assuming he was just of age (16) in 494, this would make him 82 at the time of death, an unlikely age, since he was still battling the British only a few years before. The West Saxon regnal lists refers to CREODA as the son of Cerdic and father of Cynric, which would help explain the anomaly. Allowing a normal Saxon generation of about 20 years would bring Cynric's age at death down to a more acceptable 62. We also need to allow for the possible miscalculation of dates by the annalists (see under CERDIC for details) which introduced a 19-year discrepancy. This shifts Cynric's reign to around 554-581. Whether he did rule for 26 years must also be subject to doubt, especially as his son is also accorded a long reign. There may be some lost kings during this period, or some reigns overlapping.
  
  The ASC records two battles for Cynric, one at Searoburh (Old Sarum) in 552 (probably 571) and one at Beranburh (Barbury Castle) four years later. Both of these are consistent with establishing and sustaining a kingdom around Wiltshire. Cynric was succeeded by his son Ceawlin.

Details of Cynric's family