CHAPTER XVII

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EGBERT, KING OF ALL THE SAXONS.

Character of Egbert--His watchful policy--Death of Kenwulf, and decline of the kingdom of Mercia--Egbert annexes the kingdom of Kent to Wessex--Compels Wiglaf, king of Mercia, to pay him tribute--He conquers the kingdom of Northumbria, and subjects the whole of the Saxon kingdoms to his sway--Northumbria invaded by the Danes--They sack the abbey of Lindisfarne, and slay the monks--The Danes again land in Dorsetshire--Egbert presides over a council in London, to devise measures to prevent the ravages of the Danes--The remnant of the ancient Britons who have been driven into Wales, form a league with the Danes, and are defeated--Death of Egbert p. 145

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