Ælle is recorded in early sources as the first
king of the
South Saxons, reigning in what is now called
Sussex, England, from 477 to perhaps as late as 514. The information about him is so limited that it cannot be said with certainty that Ælle existed.
Ælle and three of his sons are reported to have arrived from the continent near what is now
Selsey Bill—the exact location is under the sea, and is probably the shoals currently known as
the Owers—and fought against the
Britons. A victory in 491 at present day
Pevensey is said to have ended with the Saxons slaughtering their opponents to the last man. Although the details of these traditions cannot be verified, evidence from the place names of Sussex does make it clear that it was an area with extensive and early settlement by the Saxons, supporting the idea that this was one of their early conquests.
Ælle was the first king recorded by the 8th century chronicler
Bede to have held "
imperium", or overlordship, over other
Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. In the late 9th-century
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (around four hundred years after his time) Ælle is recorded as being the first
bretwalda, or "Britain-ruler", though there is no evidence that this was a contemporary title. Ælle's death is not recorded, and it is not known who succeeded him as king of the South Saxons.
red article |
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club earned its first FA Cup victory on 30 October 1886. The club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford (pictured) in 1910. In 1968, under the management of Matt Busby, Manchester United was the first English football club to win the European Cup, ten years after the Munich air disaster that claimed the lives of eight players. The current manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has won 37 major honours since he took over in November 1986. Manchester United has won more titles than any other club in English football: 53 domestic trophies, a record 19 league titles, a record 11 FA Cups, four League Cups and 19 FA Charity/Community Shields. The club has also been successful globally, winning seven international titles: three European Cups, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, one Intercontinental Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup. In 1998–99, the club won a " Treble" of the Premier League, the FA Cup and the European Cup. ( more...)
Recently featured: Lester Brain – Statue of Liberty – Rudolph Cartier |