Summary: So the year is 586, and Ceawlin is the leader of the men of Wessex. Wessex has been expanding their holdings to the north and the west, and have been growing in power. Conversely, in the East are the men of Kent under the leadership of AEthelbehrt, who (we are told) has been ruling since he was 8 years old. But the dates are a bit dodgy. And now AEthelbert is 16 years old. Maybe? And he's growing in power. We know this because Kent is growing in wealth and are of sufficiently high status for the King to be marrying the daughter of the King of Frankia. Furthermore, he is a member of the Oiscingas, the ruling family of Kent... said to have been descended from Hengest himself. So something happened, which the scribes fail to tell us of, which resulted in invasion. AEthelberht crossed into Wessex and fought with Ceawlin and Cutha, his brother. But it didn't go too well because we're told that two of AEthelberht's ealdormen were slain and he was chased back into Kent. This is the first outbreak of war between two Anglo Saxon kingdoms, so that's huge. It's also a demonstration of the power of the House of Wessex. If it happened. This is, of course, the dark ages and we're hearing about this from chroniclers who were writing long after this battle took place. Furthermore, they were probably writing to please Ceawlin's descendant, Alfred. So talking about how his mighty ancestor chased off this famous king... this man who would become a Bretwalda... would probably have greatly pleased Alfred.
