Kings of Kent 640 -798 Eorcenbehrt - Ealhmund
Created | Updated Apr 10, 2003
Eorcenberht (c.620 -664) son of Eadbald and his wife Emma who was the daughter of Clothaire II King of the
Franks. Somehow the crown passed over his elder brother Eormenred but Bede speaks
in high praise of the eventual successor saying he 'ruled most nobly for 24 years nad
some months'. He was the first English king to order the complete destruction of idols
in his realm and orderd his people to observe the lenten fast. He married Sexburga the
eldest daughter of King Anna of East Anglia who bore him two sons who would reign
after him and two daughters Eorcongota (a nun) and Eormengild who married
Wulfhere King of Mercia. He died on 14 July 664 as Bede notes the same day as
Deussdedit, the 6th Archbishop of Canterbury. His widow founded a convent and
eventually became Abess of Ely
Egbert I (d. 673) elder son of Eocenberht and Sexburga reigned from his father's
death in 664. During his reign Theodore of Tarsus was appointed Archbishop of
Canterbury. Egbert died in July 673 to be succeeded by his brother.
Hlothere (d. 685) son of Eorcenberht and Sexburg of East Anglia, daughter of
King Earpwald. He was named after his Great-grandfather Clothaire II , King of the
Franks. He suceeded his brother Egbert in 673 but from c. 676 ruled jointly with
Suaebhard son of King Sebbi of Essex they had formed an alliance to fend off the
Mercians, who in that year had ravaged Kent. In 685 a rebellion of the south Saxons
lead by his nephew Eadric rose up against Hlothere and according to Bede he died as
his wounds were being dressed. Nothing is known of his wife or children but Eadric
succedded to the throne.
The sons of Egbert I
Eadric (d.c. 686/7) reigned from 685 in siuceesion to his uncle Hlothere, reigned
jointly with Suaebhard and Oswini 1.
Wihtred (d.725) son of Egbert I who according to Bede became King in the
autumn of 690, at first jointly with Suaebhard until about 692. During his reign 'various
alien kings and usurpers plundered the kingdom for a while'. But Withred freed his
nation by his 'devotion and diligence'. He was married three time first to Cynegyth,
then Ethelburga then Weburga. Wihtred died on 23 April 725.
The sons of Wihtred
Ethelbert II (d. 762) and Eadberht (d. 748) Wihtred's sons by his first wife
Cynegyth, succeeded his father in 725 and co-reigned along with thier half brother
Alric. After Eadberht's death Ethelbert reigned in conjunction with his half brother
Alric and his nephew Eardwulf son of Eadberht who had started to co-reign from
747.
Alric son of Wihtred and his third wife Werberga. Reigned with his half brothers
Ethelbert and Eadberht. However after Eadbert's death Ethelbert exercises supreme
power over both Alric and Eardwulf.
Egbert II (d.c.780) Probably son of Ethelbert II reigned from 765. However
appears to have been subjugated by King Offa of Mercia.
Eadberht II Praen (d. 7982
)presumed son of Ethelbert II who took the Kentish throne in 796, however two years
later King Coenwulf of Mercia fought Kent and seized Eadberht taking him bound to
Mercia, where his eyes were gouged out and his hands cut off. It seems unlikely he
could have suvived this fate hence the presumed date of death.
Ealhmund (fl.786) son of Eafa of wessex. According to the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle he was reigning in 786. He probably inherited the title trough his wife who is
assumed to be the daughter of Ethelbert II. He is the father of Egbert who became King of Wessex and most of
England.