y
govern England, he made his influence felt there. Offa had claimed his
protection, and Ecgberht took refuge at his court. Ecgberht doubtless
learned something of the art of ruling from him, and in =802= he
returned to England. Beorhtric was by this time dead, and Ecgberht
was accepted as king by the West Saxons. Before he died, in =839=, he
had made himself the over-lord of all the other kingdoms. He was
never, indeed, directly king of all England. Kent, Sussex, and Essex
were governed by rulers of his own family appointed by himself.
Mercia, East Anglia, and North-humberland retained their own kings,
ruling under Ecgberht as their over-lord. Towards the west Ecgberht's
direct government did not reach beyond the Tamar, though the Cornish
Celts acknowledged his authority, as did the Celts of Wales. The Celts
of Strathclyde and the Picts and Scots remained entirely independent.

CHAPTER IV.

THE ENGLISH KINGSHIP AND THE STRUGGLE WITH THE DANES.

LEADING DATES

First landing of the Danes 787
Treaty of Wedmore 878
Dependent alliance of the Scots with Eadward the Elder 925
Accession of Eadgar 959

1. =The West Saxon Supremacy.=--It was quite possible that the power
founded by Ecgberht might pass away as completely as did the power
which had been founded by AEthelfrith of North-humberland or by Penda
of Mercia. To some extent the danger was averted by the unusual
strength of character which for six generations showed itself in the
family of Ecgberht. For nearly a century and a half after Ecgberht's
death no ruler arose from his line who had not great qualities as a
warrior or as a ruler. It was no less important that these successive
kings, with scarcely an exception, kept up a good understanding with
the clergy, and especially with the Archbishops of Canterbury, so that
the whole of the influence of the Church was thrown in favour of the
political unity of England under the West Saxon line. The clergy
wished to see the establishment of a strong national government for
the protection of the national Church. Yet it was difficult to
establish such a government unless other causes than the goodwill of
the clergy had contributed to its maintenance. Peoples who have had
little intercourse except by fighting with one another rarely unite
heartily unless they have some