The House of Wessex

The House of Wessex was one of the seven kingdoms in Anglo-Saxon England, known as 'the heptarchy'. In reaction to the ongoing attacks by the Danish invaders, the heptarchy united under the Family of Wessex to form the Kingdom of England in 871. It's first King was Alfred the Great, who ruled from 871 until 899.

Its regional descent is located correspondingly to today's counties of Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, and Somerset. 1

The dynasty of the House of Wessex is associated with the 'Saxon Period'. It lasted from Alfred the Great's reign until the death of Harold II in 1066, when the Norman King William the Conqueror heralded the start of the 'House of Normandy'. The Wessex' regency was however not continuous: It was interrupted from 1014 until 1042 by Danish conquerors and then restored for the two regencies of Edward the Confessor and Harold II 2.

(http://www.britroyals.com/wessex.htm)

Sources:

[1] http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/ansax.html [01/05/2010]

[2] http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/639995/House-of-Wessex [01/05/2010]