The Tribal Hidage is a fascinating document; a chance survival that gives us a glimpse of the tribes and proto-kingdoms that formed in the 6th and 7th centuries. There’s a good article on Wikipedia, and the map below. It is a list of thirty-five tribes that was compiled some time between the 7th and 9th centuries, and only includes peoples who lived south of the Humber estuary. The value of 100,000 hides for Wessex is by far the largest – quite possibly a deliberate exaggeration. Why it exists isn’t entirely clear; the front runner is that it was a tribute list created by a king.
Do you happen to have a breakdown of clans and subtribes that make helped form the kingdoms in the traditional heptarchy? I can’t seem to find a good list that breaks it down by the core roots such as Gaini.
Hi David,
I’m Dale Spaulding from the United States. I’m working on a Family History Book. In the first chapter I talk about my Spalding family roots in England. I’d like to ask your permission to use the Map of the Tribal Hidage from your article on this page: https://thehostwiztestsite.com/resource/the-tribal-hidage/ in my family history book.
Please let me know.
Thanks so much!
Dale Spaulding
Hi Dale, and yes of course. bery happy to give my permission and please go ahead.
It looks quite clearly to be a tribute list compiled by a Northumbrian king. It most probably dates after 616 after Elmet had been overrun as a Brittonic kingdom. My guess would be c680 under Ecgfrith.
would like to photo copy of your map just for my own use in my learning of english history. thankyou
Chris.
No problem Chris, go right ahead!
Hello Chris
I’m writing a non-commercial history on my village (Thurgarton, Notts) and would like to use your map of the Tribal Hidage please on a chapter on Mercia
Hi William; not sure who Chris is but if you are asking me, David, for use ofmy map then yes, please go ahead, you are very welcome