672. Cenwealh of Wessex dies
Cenwealh's queen, Seaxburh, reigns for the following year
Division of kingdom and rule by sub-kings?
Bede notes that when Cenwealh died, sub-kings divided up the kingdom of Wessex and ruled for about ten years (HE, iv.12). The next West Saxon king mentioned by Bede is Cædwalla. However, since Cædwalla was in exile in the years before his accession (HE, iv.14), it may be that Bede's report of ineffective sub-kings reflects Cædwalla's verdict on his predecessors rather than the state of affairs in 672-85. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle has Cenwealh dying in 672, his queen Seaxburh reigning for a year after him, Æscwine succeeding in 674, and Centwine succeeding in 676. There is no record of what happened to Seaxburh after her year in power, nor is it clear whether the apparent gap between Seaxburh's reign and Æscwine's accession is deliberate or simply mechanical error. (A literal reading of Stephen's remark that Wulfhere of Mercia led "all of the southern nations" against Ecgfrith of Northumbria would suggest that Wulfhere was briefly in charge, but a literal reading is probably not appropriate; see 670?675.)