Kingdom of the Hwicce

The Hwicce were the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the Severn valley, founded in 577 after Ceawlin's Gewisse slew three British kings at Deorham and took Gloucester, Cirencester and Bath. West Saxon holding soon failed, and in 628 Penda of Mercia beat the West Saxons at Cirencester and made the Hwicce his client kingdom of Husmerae, Stoppingas and Weorgoran. Assessed at seven thousand hides, diocese-wide between Cotswolds and Malverns, it turned Christian early and Celtic-wise: Eanhere and Eanfrith ruled a baptized people, Worcester got its bishop in 679 through Osric's wish and Oshere's pull, Tatfrid dying unordained for Bosel to replace, and the chronicle calls the city the capital. Oshere was succeeded by his sons Aethelheard, Aethelweard and Aethelric. At the beginning of Offa's reign, we find the kingdom ruled by three brothers, named Eanberht, Uhtred and Aldred, the two last of whom lived until about 780. kingship lapsed about 780, Earl Aethelmund fell on Wessex in 802, and the shire went with English Mercia to Alfred about 877.