Anna was a mid-7th century King of East Anglia. He was the nephew of Raedwald of East Anglia, and probably the second of the sons of Eni, Raedwald's brother, to hold the kingdom, ruling (c. 636–653/654). The 7th century is the period from 601 - 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... The Kingdom of the East Angles (one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the so-called Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy) was founded in the 6th century. ... Rædwald (d. ... Eni was the king of East Anglia from 617-618. ... Events April 20 - Battle of Yarmuk - Byzantine Empire loses Syria to the Arabs The Arabs invade Persia Rothari marries queen Gundeparga, becomes king of the Lombards city of Basra Iraq founded by caliph Omar on a canal. ... Events Pope Martin I arrested Sigeberht II the Good succeeds Sigeberht I the Little as king of Essex Aripert, nephew of Theodelinda, succeeds Rodoald as king of the Lombards Births Deaths Chindaswinth, king of the Visigoths Rodoald, king of the Lombards Abbas, uncle of Muhammad and his chief financial supporter. ... Events King Reccaswinth issues Visigothic law code. ...

Family

Anna is always referred to by this name, though it may be an abbreviated or familiar form of a diathematic name. He married before becoming king, some time before 630. His wife, whose name may have been Saewara, brought to the marriage a daughter from a previous union named Saethryth. The S-allitteration of these names suggests a link with the East Saxon dynasty, a connection which had probably been established earlier through the association of Sigeberht of East Anglia with the Wuffinga family. Anna had four known daughters, named Seaxburga (the eldest), Aethelthryth (also called Etheldreda or Audrey), Aethelburga and Wihtburga, and a son whose name is preserved as Jurmin, possibly a modification of Eormen. Jurmin was of warrior age in 653. Anna himself and all of his daughters became renowned for their saintly Christian virtues. Sigeberht of East Anglia (also known as Saint Sigebert) was King of East Anglia from AD 631-634. ... The Wuffings were the ruling dynasty of East Anglia. ...

Earlier life and faith

Etheldreda's birth, in 631, is located by Ely tradition at Exning, Suffolk. This was an important place strategically, as it stood just on the East Anglian side of the Devil's Dyke, a major earthwork stretching between the Fen Edge and the headwaters of the river Stour, built at an earlier date to defend the East Anglian region from attack from the direction of Cambridge or via the Icknield Way. An Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Exning reveals that it had distinguished occupants during the sixth century. Anna may therefore have been resident there in 631 in a defensive capacity, watching the border in case of assault from Mercia which was hostile to the newly-Christian rule of Sigeberht. Events Battle of Wogastisburg between Slavs led by Samo and Dagobert I, king of the Franks Births Deaths Categories: 631 ... Statistics Population: 15,102 Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: TL535799 Administration District: East Cambridgeshire Shire county: Cambridgeshire Region: East of England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Cambridgeshire Historic county: Cambridgeshire Services Police force: Ambulance service: East of England Post office and telephone Post town: ELY... Exning is a village in Suffolk, England. ... Suffolk (pronounced ) is a large historic and modern non-metropolitan county in the East Anglia region of eastern England. ... View from Devils Dyke Devils Dyke is a V-Shaped valley on the South Downs Way in southern England, near Brighton & Hove formed by the waters of the receding ice at the end of the last ice age. ... A fen is a sere, a phase in the natural ecological succession from the open water of a lake to (for example) woodland. ... Stour is the name of several rivers in England: River Stour, East Anglia River Stour, Worcestershire River Stour, Warwickshire River Stour, Kent. ... Shown within Cambridgeshire Geography Status: City (1951) Region: East of England Admin. ... The Icknield Way is one of the oldest roads in Britain, being one of the few long-distance trackways to have existed before the Romans occupied the country. ... The Kingdom of Mercia at its greatest extent (7th to 9th centuries) is shown in green, with the original core area (6th century) given a darker tint. ...

Anna was an extremely devout Christian. Ely tradition (Liber Eliensis) attributes the establishment of a church at Cratendune, Ely, to Saint Augustine (before 604). In 631 Saint Felix was just beginning his work in East Anglia, and he is associated with a foundation at Soham (Cambridgeshire), then a Fen Isle lying between Exning and Ely. Anna may therefore have experienced direct Christian teaching in this locality. M.R. James also mentions an oral legend that Etheldreda was baptised at Exning in a pool known as St Mindred's Well. Augustine of Canterbury (birth unknown, died May 26, 604) was the first Archbishop of Canterbury, sent to Ethelbert of Kent, Bretwalda (ruler) of England by Pope Gregory the Great in 597. ... Events April 13 - Sabinianus becomes Pope, succeeding Gregory I. September 13 - Pope Sabinianus is consecrated. ... Events Battle of Wogastisburg between Slavs led by Samo and Dagobert I, king of the Franks Births Deaths Categories: 631 ... Saint Felix of Burgundy is a saint widely credited as the man who introduced Christianity to East Anglia in Eastern England. ... Norfolk and Suffolk, the core area of East Anglia. ... For the Sanskrit word Soham Soham is a small town in the English county of Cambridgeshire. ... Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs) is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west. ...

Emergence of Anna's rule

In 632-3 Edwin of Northumbria and his centre of Christian power in Northumbria was overthrown. Edwin was slain and Northumbria ravaged by Cadwallon ap Cadfan supported by the Mercian armies, and Edwin's family and bishop narrowly escaped to Kent. However King Oswald of Northumbria emerged to restore Northumbrian authority, and Saint Aidan was sent to Lindisfarne to bring the Irish mission to his court. This gave him independence both from the heathen cause of Mercia and the Roman ecclesiastical authority of Canterbury in Kent. At about the same time Saint Fursey came to East Anglia from Ireland. Saint Edwin (alternately Eadwine or Æduini) ( 586–October 12, 632/633) was the King of Deira and Bernicia - which would later become known as Northumbria - from about 616 until his death. ... Cadwallon ap Cadfan (c. ... Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. ... Oswald (c. ... Augustine was the Apostle of Kent, but Aidan was the Apostle of the English. ... Lindisfarne Castle Lindisfarne (grid reference NU125421, ), also called Holy Island (variant spelling, Lindesfarne), is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England, which is connected to the mainland of Northumberland by a causeway and is cut off twice a day by tides — something well described by Sir Walter... Statistics Population: 42,258 (2001) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: TR145575 Administration District: City of Canterbury Shire county: Kent Region: South East England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Kent Historic county: Kent Services Police force: Kent Police Ambulance service: South East Coast Post office and...

The Mercians, led by Penda, then turned on East Anglia and slew Sigeberht and Ecgric, and routed the East Anglian army. Anna recovered East Anglian rule and must have relied upon the support of Oswald to sustain it. Felix remained his bishop at Dommoc until his death in c647. Anna arranged a very important diplomatic marriage between his daughter Seaxburga and King Eorcenberht of Kent (r. 640-664), cementing an alliance between the kingdoms. During the 640s Anna's daughter Aethelburga and stepdaughter Saethryth were sent to Faremoutiers-en-Brie in Gaul to live religious lives under abbess Fara. Probably in consequence of this a holy man named Botolph (Saint Botolph), reputedly a chaplain at Faremoutiers, was granted lands in c 647 for monastic use in East Anglia, but his work was delayed by conflicts in the kingdom. Stained glass window from the cloister of Worcester Cathedral showing the death of Penda of Mercia. ... Events The Cheomseongdae astronomical observatory is constructed in Silla around this time. ... Eorcenberht (d. ... Events May 28 - Severinus becomes pope, but dies the same year. ... Events September, Synod of Whitby Births Deaths Xuanzang, famous Chinese Buddhist monk. ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin: ) was the name given, in ancient times, to the region of Western Europe comprising present-day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... Botolph or Botulph (born 610, died circa 680, pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable) was an English abbot and saint. ...

Patronage of Cenwalh of Wessex

In 641 Oswald was slain by Penda in battle (probably at Oswestry, Shropshire), and Oswine of Northumbria succeeded him as king. Soon afterwards King Cenwalh of Wessex, whose sister was Oswald's widow, but was himself married to the sister of Penda, renounced his wife. In c644 Penda drove Cenwalh out of Wessex, and he took refuge with King Anna for three years. During that time he was converted to Christianity. This was probably through the teaching of Saint Felix, who according to William of Malmesbury baptised him, presumably with King Anna as his sponsor. Then with Anna's help he returned to rule Wessex as a Christian king in 647. Events Founding of the city of Fostat, later Cairo, in Egypt. ... Statistics Population: 17,110 Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SJ292293 Administration District: Oswestry Shire county: Shropshire Region: West Midlands Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Shropshire Historic county: Shropshire Services Police force: West Mercia Fire and rescue: Shropshire Ambulance: West Midlands Post office and telephone Post... Shropshire (alternatively Salop or abbreviated Shrops) is an English county in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. ... Cenwalh (died 674) was the king of Wessex from 643 to 674, except for a brief period (645 – 648) when he was driven out of his kingdom by Penda of Mercia. ... The Tang dynasty of China begins invasion of Koguryo. ... Events The Cheomseongdae astronomical observatory is constructed in Silla around this time. ...

Saint Hilda's visit to Anna's kingdom

Also in 647 Hild (Saint Hilda), a grand-niece of King Edwin's who was baptised with him in 626 and had been encouraged by Saint Aidan, came to the East Anglian court intending to join her sister Hereswith. Hereswith had married AEthilric, brother of Anna (possibly Ecgric of East Anglia), but now a widow she had already left for a religious life in Gaul. Hild remained in East Anglia for a year, until recalled by Aidan to Northumbria to run the monastery at Hartlepool. Events The Cheomseongdae astronomical observatory is constructed in Silla around this time. ... Hilda of Whitby is a Christian Saint. ... Events July 2 - In the early morning, Li Shimin, the future Emperor Tang Taizong of China, eliminated two of his brothers, Li Yuanji and the crown prince Li Jiancheng in a coup détat at the Xuanwu Gate in Changan. ... Hartlepool is a town and North Sea port in North East England. ...

Dynastic incorporation of Ely into East Anglia

Anna strengthened the western extent of his kingdom through the marriage of his daughter Etheldreda to Tondberht, Prince of Ely or the South Gyrwae in the southern Fen, possibly in 651 or perhaps slightly later. At Ely Etheldreda had a minister named Owini, who later accompanied her to Northumbria during her second marriage. Tondberht died, and after this, Ely was always considered part of East Anglia. Thomas, a fenman, became Anna's second bishop at Dommoc c. 647-652. His religious education, like Anna's, may have been rooted in early foundations of Augustine or Felix in the Ely area. Events The Cheomseongdae astronomical observatory is constructed in Silla around this time. ... Events Khazaria becomes an independent state (approximate date) Rodoald succeeds his father Rothari as king of the Lombards Births Clotaire III, king of the Franks Deaths Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, uncle of Muhammed, progenitor of the Abbasids Saint Ida of Nivelles, widow of Pippin of Landen, monastic foundress Rothari...

Mercian assault on Cnobheresburg

Anna endowed Fursey's monastery at Cnobheresburg (possibly Burgh Castle) with rich buildings and objects. In time St Fursey, growing weary of attacks on the kingdom, followed one of his brothers into a hermitage, leaving the monastery at Cnobheresburg to his brother Foillan, and a year later went into Gaul. In 651 Penda struck again, attacking Foillan's monastery. Anna arrived on the scene with his force in time to hold them off while the monks escaped to Nivelles in Gaul by ship, but was himself defeated and driven into exile. Burgh Castle walls, 1845 engraving Church of St Peter and St Paul at Burgh Castle Burgh Castle is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. ... Nivelles (Dutch: Nijvel) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. ...

King Anna's exile

Anna possibly took refuge in the area of western Shropshire, the kingdom of Merewalh of the Magonsaetan. His friendship with Merewalh's family may account for the attachment of land-revenues from sites in Shropshire to the foundation of Iken, which commenced in 654. It may also explain the early conversion of Merewalh to Christianity, at or before the time of the Northumbrian mission to Mercia. Anna returned to East Anglia in c 653. By then Bishop Thomas had died, and Berhtgisl Boniface came from Kent as his successor. Anna's daughter Wihtburga was probably born in his last years. Iken is a small village and civil parish in the marshlands of the English county of Suffolk. ... Events Pope Martin I arrested Sigeberht II the Good succeeds Sigeberht I the Little as king of Essex Aripert, nephew of Theodelinda, succeeds Rodoald as king of the Lombards Births Deaths Chindaswinth, king of the Visigoths Rodoald, king of the Lombards Abbas, uncle of Muhammad and his chief financial supporter. ...

Battle of Bulcamp, c 653

In c.653 Penda had set his son Peada as ruler of the Middle Angles, the province lying between north Oxfordshire, the river Trent to the north-west, and the Fen. Peada became Christian through his marriage to Alhflaed, daughter of Oswiu of Northumbria, and a mission was sent to the Middle Angles. Penda himself did not convert, but permitted Christian teaching in his kingdom. Soon afterwards the assault of 651 was repeated: Penda with his armies met Anna at Bulcamp, and in a set battle defeated the East Anglian army and slew many of them, including Anna and his son Jurmin. Peada (died 656), a son of Penda, was briefly King of southern Mercia after his fathers death in November 655[1] until his own death in the spring of the next year. ...

Burial place

Bulcamp was afterwards believed to be the place of that name near Blythburgh, Suffolk, where the tomb of Anna and Jurmin was pointed out and venerated. The identification is likely, because Blythburgh occupies a defensible position near the fordable headwaters of the Blyth estuary flowing towards the sea at Southwold, comparable to Rendlesham as a typical site for a royal dwelling of that period. Part of an 8th century whalebone diptych used for liturgical purposes has been found near the site. Holy Trinity church Blythburgh is an English village in the coastal Suffolk marshes, under a hundred miles from London, and four miles from the North Sea at Southwold. ... Blyth is the name of more than one place. ... Statistics Population: 1,458 (2001 Census) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: TM510763 Administration District: Waveney Shire county: Suffolk Region: East of England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Suffolk Historic county: Suffolk Services Police force: Suffolk Constabulary Fire and rescue: {{{Fire}}} Ambulance: {{{Ambulance}}} Post office and... Rendlesham is a village in Suffolk in England. ... Ivory consular diptych of Areobindus, Byzantium, 506 AD, Louvre museum A diptych is any object with two flat plates attached at a hinge. ...

Botolph began to build his monastery at Icanho (Iken, Suffolk) in the year that Anna was killed.

Sources

• Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
• Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum, Ed. B. Colgrave and R.A.B. Mynors (Oxford 1969), iii.7,8,18,19; iv, 19.
• E.O. Blake (ed.), 1962, Liber Eliensis (Camden 3s, 92).
• M.R. James, Suffolk and Norfolk (London 1930).
• S. Plunkett, Suffolk in Anglo-Saxon Times (Tempus 2005).
• L. Webster and J. Backhouse, The Making of England. Anglo-Saxon Art and Culture AD 600-900 (London 1991)
• S.E. West, N.Scarfe and R.J. Cramp, 1984, 'Iken, St Botolph, and the Coming of East Anglian Christianity', Proc. Suffolk Inst of Archaeol 16.
• D. Whitelock, 1972, 'The Pre-Viking Age Church in East Anglia,'Anglo-Saxon England I.
• B. Yorke, Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England (London 1990).