View source for Ine of Wessex

{{Infobox royalty
| type = monarch
| name = Ine
| image = 
King Ine in the Transfiguration Window of Wells Cathedral (crop).jpg
| caption = Ine in the Transfiguration Window of [[Wells Cathedral]]
| succession = [[List of monarchs of Wessex|King Of Wessex]]
| reign = 688 - 726
| predecessor = [[Caedwalla of Wessex|Caedwalla]]
| successor = [[Athelheard of Wessex|Athelheard]]
| house = House of Wessex
| spouse = Ethelburh of Wessex
| father = Cenred, underking in Wessex
| issue = [[Athelheard of Wessex|Athelheard]]
| birth_date = 26 March 670
| birth_place = [[Wessex]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|726|6|5|670|3|26|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Rome]], [[Italy]]
|}}

'''Ine''' (26 March 670 - 728) was a [[Wessex|West Saxon]] [[nobleman]] who was [[List of monarchs of Wessex|King of Wessex]] from 688 to 726. He established Wessex as a true [[kingdom]] by introducing a code of [[law]]s. He strengthened the position of the [[Church]] in Wessex. He was seen as one of Wessex's greatest & most powerful kings especially his long & successful reign & ahead of his predecessor. That is until [[Alfred the Great]] took that title away & made Ine second.

Just like Caedwalla, in 726, Ine abdicated the throne to go to [[Rome]] in [[Italy]] where he died there 2 years later. He was succeeded by his son, [[Athelheard of Wessex|Athelheard]].

== Atheling ==

Ine was the son of Cenred, an [[:en:wikt:underking|underking]] of Wessex.{{efn|Cenred was one of several underkings ruling in Wessex before Ine brought all of Wessex under his rule. Cenred's territory was centered on [[Dorset]] in the west.<ref name=Ashley308>Mike Ashley, ''The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens'' (New york: Carroll & Graf, 1999), p. 308</ref> Cenred seems to have been one of his son's main advisors.<ref name=Stenton72>Frank Stenton, ''Anglo-Saxon England'' (Oxford University Press, 1971), p. 72</ref>}}<ref name=Ashley308/> [[Bede]] says of Ine that he was "an [[atheling]]".<ref>Bede; A M Sellar, ''Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England: A Revised Translation with introduction, life, and notes'' (London: G. Bell, 1907), p. 314</ref> His brother was Ingild, ancestor of [[Alfred the Great]].<ref name=SchwenickeII77>Detlev Schwennicke, ''Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten'', Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 77</ref> His sister Cuthburh was married to King [[Aldfrith of Northumbria]].<ref name=SchwenickeII77/> She was the founder of [[Wimborne Minster (church)|Wimborne abbey]].

== King of Wessex ==

The former king, [[Caedwalla of Wessex|Caedwalla]], was one of Wessex's more important military leaders.<ref name=Schulman232>''The Rise of the Medieval World, 500-1300: A Biographical Dictionary'', ed. Jana K. Schulman (Westport,CT: Greenwood Press, 2002), p. 232</ref> When he [[abdicated]] in 688 it left a [[power vacuum]]. Wessex was broken up into several sub-kingdoms. Each was ruled by a underking. Ine many have started as a sub-king but before long was able to establish himself as the sole ruler of Wessex.<ref name=Ashley308/> Ine reorganized Wessex and established a system of [[shire]]s. He removed the positions of sub-kings, or underkings, and replaced them with [[:en:wikt:ealdormen|ealdormen]].<ref>Barbara Yorke, ''Wessex in the early Middle Ages'' (London; New York: Leicester University Press, 1995). p. 92</ref> In many respects Ine was the first true king of Wessex.{{efn|Most of the "kings" of Wessex up to this time, while called kings, were more war-leaders or [[:en:wikt:chieftains|chieftains]].<ref name=Ashley308/>}}

Ine wrote his laws between 688 and 694<ref name=Attenborough34>''The Laws of the Earliest English Kings'', ed. & trans. F. L. Attenborough (Clark, NJ: The Lawbook Exchange, 2006), p. 34</ref> He mentions in the [[:en:wikt:preamble|preamble]] bishop Erconwald who helped him. This is Erconwald who from 675 to 694 was bishop of [[Essex]] (London). He was replaced in 994 by Waldhere. But the mention of Ine's father still being alive points to the laws being written earlier in this period rather than later.<ref name=Attenborough34/> The laws of Ine are the first set of laws for the Saxons of Wessex.<ref name=Ashley308/> There were earlier law codes in Wessex. But none covered as wide a range of situations as a king or his officers might have to deal with.<ref>Frank Stenton, ''Anglo-Saxon England'' (Oxford University Press, 1971), pp. 71-72</ref> For the next two centuries there were no law codes written after those of Ine. Not until Alfred the Great was a more extensive law code created.<ref name=Attenborough34/>

In 705 the king of Essex was sheltering [[:en:wikt:exiles|exiles]] from Wessex.<ref name=Stenton72/> This created a serious problem between the two kings. But finally the exiles were expelled after a threat by Ine to invade the East Saxon territory.<ref name=Kirby106/> A similar situation occurred in 722 when an exile named Ealdbert was received in Sussex. Ine invaded sussex as a result.<ref name=Stenton72/> In 725 Ine invaded again and this time Ealdberht was killed.<ref name=Stenton72/> 
In 710 Ine was at war with Geraint, king of [[Dumnonia]].<ref name=Kirby106>D. P. Kirby, ''The Earliest English Kings'', Second Edition (London; New York: Routledge, 2000), p. 106</ref> This was part of his campaign against the [[Briton]]s and expanding the borders of Wessex west to the [[River Tamar]].<ref name=Kirby106/> But he was unable to conqueror [[Cornwall]].<ref name=Ashley309>Mike Ashley, ''The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens'' (New york: Carroll & Graf, 1999), p. 309</ref> Ine was defeated by the Cornish in 722 at the Tamar river.<ref name=Ashley309/> All through his reign Ine seems to have been on good terms with the [[Mercians]].<ref name=Ashley309/> There is only one incident; a battle at Wodnesbeorg in 715 between Ine and [[Ceolred of Mercia|Ceolred, King of Mercia]]. But the only source for this informaiton, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle does not say who won.<ref name=Stenton71>Frank Stenton, ''Anglo-Saxon England'' (Oxford University Press, 1971), p. 71</ref>

Ine was a strong supporter of the Church. While he resisted the creation of a second [[bishopric]] at [[Sherborne#History|Sherborne]], he did support the first bishop there in 705, bishop [[Aldhelm]].{{efn|Aldhelm, later Saint Aldhelm, was a member of the royal House of Wessex and was related to king Ine.<ref>Michael Walsh, ''A New Dictionary of Saints: East and West'' (London; New York: Burns and Oats, 2007), pp. 21-22</ref>}}<ref name=Stenton71/> Ine supported the creation of an organized church in Wessex. Formerly it was just scattered monasteries and churches.<ref name=Stenton71/> Many of Ine's laws concerned the spiritual [[welfare]] of his people. He law required [[baptism]] within thirty days of a child's birth, no working on sundays and the paying of church dues at [[Martinmas]].<ref>''The Laws of the Earliest English Kings'', ed. & trans. F. L. Attenborough (Clark, NJ: The Lawbook Exchange, 2006), p. 36</ref> The first [[synod]]s in Wessex trace back to his reign.<ref name=Stenton71/> The oldest surviving records shows Ine [[:wikt:presided|presided]] over these church [[council]]s.<ref name=Stenton71/>

In spite of his power and all the things he did near the end of his long reign he had internal problems.<ref name=Ashley309/> There was [[:en:wikt:dissension|dissension]] among several of the West Saxon athelings. In 721 Ine killed a Cynewulf. For what reason is not clear, but it was at this time Ealdbert fled Wessex.<ref name=Ashley309/> In 722 he was besieged by Ine's queen, Ethelburg at [[Taunton]]. The queen's involvement seems to indicate Ealdbert was a member of the family, possibly their son. He escaped only to be killed three years later (see above).<ref name=Ashley309/> Whatever their relationship, Ine seems to have become very tired. In 726 he abdicated the throne and went to [[Rome]]. Less than two years later (728) he died there.<ref name=Ashley309/> He stated he was leaving the kingdom "to younger men" and made no attempt to name an heir.<ref name=Ashley309/> He was succeeded by [[Athelheard of Wessex|Athelheard]].

== Family ==

There is no mention in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle of Ine's wife or children. Ine's brother and two sisters are recorded:

* Ingeld (died 718), was Ine's brother.<ref name=Wheeler164>G. H. Wheeler, 'The Genealogy of the Early West Saxon Kings', ''The English Historical Review'', Vol. 36, No. 142 (Apr., 1921), p. 164</ref>
* Cuenburg, Ine's sister.<ref name=Wheeler164/>
* Cuthburh, Ine's sister.<ref name=Wheeler164/>

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Other websites ==
* [http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/wessex.html Britannia: Kings of Wessex] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727015948/http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/wessex.html |date=2013-07-27 }}

[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:728 deaths]]
[[Category:Kings of Wessex]]