Bellairs writes the Northern Kingdom was split early in its history into seven lesser kingdoms, whose kings - or heptarchs - met once a year at Feasting Hill, a circular plot of land that touched all the boarders of the Heptarchy. During the festivities, a High King of the Northern Kingdom was elected of the seven, whose reign lasted until the next festival.

Contributor James Card notes that the shared use of the word heptarch to describe each of the seven kings of the North Kingdom and of Anglo-Saxon England make it pretty clear where Bellairs got the idea. "Before the Viking invasions and the rise of Alfred and later great Anglo-Saxon kings, what is present-day England was a patchwork of small territories under control of various warlords who invaded Roman Britain largely in the fifth century. As time passed following the Anglo-Saxon invasions, these territories consolidated into seven kingdoms (the traditional number; there were often more or less). Among the seven kings, one of these would sometimes become a sort of high king, or Bretwalda, with nominal dominion over all the territory." The seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms from the fifth to the ninth century consisted of Kent, Sussex, Wessex, Essex, Northumbria, East Anglia, and Mercia.

Jon Caulkett also adds that while the Northern Heptarchy appeared cooperative, the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy fought constantly amongst themselves.

Cities

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