Heptarchy
Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of south, east, and central Great Britain during late antiquity and the early Middle Ages / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The heptarchy (Ancient Greek: ἑπτά + ἀρχή, seven + realm) is a collective name applied to seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. These were: Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex and Wessex. The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms eventually became the Kingdom of England. The term has been in use since the 16th century. It is used to apply both to the seven kingdoms and to the time period in which they existed.