Anglia, EAST

Anglia, EAST, a kingdom founded by the Angles about the middle of the 6th century, in the eastern part of central England, in what forms the present counties of Norfolk and Suffolk—names which doubtless refer to a twofold settlement now entirely forgotten. At first to some extent dependent on Kent, and afterwards on Mercia, on the fall of the latter it was attached to Wessex, without, however, losing its own kings until the time of the Danish invasion, when it was seized by the invaders, and formed into a Danish kingdom under Guthrum (878). Edward, the son and successor of Alfred, after a long struggle forced the Danes to acknowledge him in 921. Under him Wessex grew to be England, and East Anglia was henceforward part and parcel of the kingdom. It was one of the four great earldoms of the kingdom under Canute. The modern see of Norwich is equivalent in extent to East Anglia, being an incorporation that took place about the end of the 9th century of the see founded for the Northfolk at Elmham (removed first to Thetford in 1078, then to Norwich in 1101), and that founded at Dunwich for the Southfolk.