The West Saxon genealogy

We have already (p. 56 f.) seen that the West Saxon kings claimed to be of the same stock as the royal house of Bernicia. With the exception, however, of Wig and Freawine, whose history has been discussed above, no names occur in either genealogy which we can associate with extant traditions, whether English or Scandinavian. The same remark applies to the genealogies of the royal houses of East Anglia, Lindsey and Deira. Most of these lists contain suspicious elements, e.g. Gewis, Beornic, Biscop, Caser, but there is little reason for doubting that in general they are of great antiquity. Many of the names, and even of the single elements of which the names are compounded, are such as seem not to have been used in England within historical times, though we meet with them in the history or traditions of other Teutonic nations.

All the above families, together with those of Kent and Mercia, traced their descent from the god Woden. Of the latter we do not hear much in Anglo-Saxon literature; but the little information which we do get accords fairly well with the characteristics of the same god (Othin) as they appear in Scandinavian poems and sagas. Aethelweard (ad ann. 449) says that the heathen used to sacrifice to him for the sake of victory and valour. Elsewhere he is associated with the practice of magic, which is also a prominent feature of the Scandinavian Othin. It is impossible, however, here to enter on a discussion of the cult and myths connected with the god.