Kent

KENT

According to tradition, the first Anglo-Saxon (actually Jutish, says Bede) settlers were invited to Britain by king Vortigern. Lead by brothers Hengist and Horsa (sons of Wihtgils), they were employed as mercenaries - fighting off the marauding Picts and Scots. Bede provides a date of 449 for this so called 'Adventus Saxonum' (Saxon Advent). At the time, Kent was the British kingdom of Ceint, but, according to legend, Vortigern exchanged it for Hengist's daughter. Horsa is said to have died in battle against Vortigern (in 455 says the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'), leaving Hengist, and his son Æsc in control of Kent. The 'Chronicle' reports that, in 488, "... Æsc succeeded to the kingdom; and was king of the men of Kent twenty-four winters." The capital was Canterbury (Cantwarabyrig - 'Fortress of the people of Kent').

Kent's influence peaked under Æthelberht I (d.616). Æthelberht received missionaries sent by Pope Gregory I, became the first Christian Anglo-Saxon king, and Canterbury became the centre of the Church in England. By the end of the 8th century Kent was firmly under Mercian control. In the aftermath of the decisive defeat of Mercia by Wessex (at the battle of Ellendun in 825), Kent surrendered to, and was subsequently absorbed into, Wessex.

King of Kent

488 - 512 Æsc

Son of Hengist
Bede says: "... Oeric, surnamed Oisc [Æsc], from whom the kings of Kent are wont to be called Oiscings."

512 - 5 . . Octa

Son of Æsc

5 . . - 560 Eormenric

Son of Octa
The 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' claims that Eormenric's son, and successor, Æthelberht, was born in 552. His daughter, Ricula, was married to Sledd of Essex.

560 - 616 Æthelberht I (St.Ethelbert)

Son of Eormenric
In a dispute which was probably over the control of Surrey, the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' records that, in 568, Æthelberht fought Ceawlin, and his brother Cutha, of Wessex, who "... pursued him into Kent. And they slew two ealdormen at Wibbandune, Oslake and Cnebba." Despite this inauspicious start, Æthelberht went on to become the 3rd bretwalda listed by the 'Chronicle'. In 597, a team of missionaries, despatched by Pope Gregory I ('the Great'), and lead by St.Augustine, landed on the Isle of Thanet. Bede says they contacted Æthelberht, saying "... that they were come from Rome, and brought a joyful message, which most undoubtedly assured to those that hearkened to it everlasting joys in heaven, and a kingdom that would never end, with the living and true God. The king hearing this, gave orders that they, should stay in the island where they had landed, and be furnished with necessaries, till he should consider what to do with them. For he had before heard of the Christian religion, having a Christian wife of the royal family of the Franks, called Bertha; whom he had received from her parents, upon condition that she should be permitted to preserve inviolate the rites of her religion with the Bishop Liudhard, who was sent with her to support her in the faith. Some days after, the king came into the island, and sitting in the open air, ordered Augustine and his companions to come and hold a conference with him. For he had taken precaution that they should not come to him in any house, lest, by so coming, according to an ancient superstition, if they practised any magical arts, they might impose upon him, and so get the better of him." As a result of this conference, Æthelberht "... gave them an abode in the city of Canterbury, which was the metropolis of all his dominions, and, as he had promised, besides supplying them with sustenance, did not refuse them liberty to preach." Æthelberht was eventually baptised, but he "... compelled none to embrace Christianity, but only showed more affection to the believers, as to his fellow citizens in the kingdom of Heaven. For he had learned from those who had instructed him and guided him to salvation, that the service of Christ ought to be voluntary, not by compulsion. Nor was it long before he gave his teachers a settled residence suited to their degree in his metropolis of Canterbury, with such possessions of divers sorts as were necessary for them... In the meantime, Augustine, the man of God, went to Arles, and, according to the orders received from the holy Father Gregory, was ordained archbishop of the English nation, by Aetherius, archbishop of that city." In 604, one of the bishops subsequently ordained by St.Augustine, St.Mellitus, was sent to preach in Essex, which was ruled by Sæberht, the son of Æthelberht's sister, Ricula. Later the same year St.Augustine died. Bede reports that, in 616, Æthelberht "... having most gloriously governed his temporal kingdom fifty-six years, entered into the eternal joys of the kingdom of Heaven....

There are difficulties reconciling Bede's implication that Æthelberht became king in 560, with his marriage to Bertha (which apparently took place whilst his father was still on the throne). It has been suggested that Æthelberht, rather than ruling for 56 years (which seems implausibly long for this period anyway), actually died at the age of 56.

.... He ... died on the 24th day of the month of February, twenty-one years after he had received the faith ... Among other benefits which he conferred upon his nation in his care for them, he established, with the help of his council of wise men, judicial decisions [i.e. a law code], after the Roman model; which are written in the language of the English, and are still kept and observed by them. Among which, he set down first what satisfaction should be given by any one who should steal anything belonging to the Church, the bishop, or the other clergy, for he was resolved to give protection to those whom he had received along with their doctrine."

In his 'Anglo-Saxon England', Sir Frank Stenton writes that Æthelberht's laws "... show no sign of Roman influence. It is unlikely that they owed anything definite to any model ... The laws of Æthelberht were written in English and are of unique interest as by far the earliest body of law expressed in any Germanic language."

Mainline

616 - 640 Eadbald

Son of Æthelberht
Eadbald refused to embrace Christianity, and married Æthelberht's widow (who is unnamed). Bede says that Eadbald did not "... escape without the scourge of Divine severity in chastisement and correction; for he was troubled with frequent fits of madness, and possessed by an unclean spirit." Sæberht, the Christian king of Essex, had also died. His sons too rejected Christianity, and expelled St.Mellitus (Bishop of London). Mellitus travelled to Kent, to consult with St.Justus (Bishop of Rochester, who had been ordained by St.Augustine at the same time as Mellitus), and Laurentius (St.Lawrence - successor to Augustine as Archbishop of Canterbury). Bede takes up the story: "... with one consent they determined that it was better for them all to return to their own country, where they might serve God in freedom of mind, than to continue to no purpose among barbarians, who had revolted from the faith. Mellitus and Justus accordingly went away first, and withdrew into the parts of Gaul, intending there to await the event." Laurentius was about to follow, when he had a dream: "... in the dead of night, the blessed chief of the Apostles appeared to him, and scourging him grievously a long time, asked of him with apostolic severity, why he was forsaking the flock which he had committed to him? or to what shepherd he was leaving, by his flight, Christ's sheep that were in the midst of wolves? "Hast thou," he said, "forgotten my example, who, for the sake of those little ones, whom Christ commended to me in token of His affection, underwent at the hands of infidels and enemies of Christ, bonds, stripes, imprisonment, afflictions, and lastly, death itself, even the death of the cross, that I might at last be crowned with Him?" Laurentius, the servant of Christ, roused by the scourging of the blessed Peter and his words of exhortation, went to the king as soon as morning broke, and laying aside his garment, showed the scars of the stripes which he had received. The king, astonished, asked who had presumed to inflict such stripes on so great a man. And when he heard that for the sake of his salvation the bishop had suffered these cruel blows at the hands of the Apostle of Christ, he was greatly afraid; and abjuring the worship of idols, and renouncing his unlawful marriage, he received the faith of Christ, and being baptized, promoted and supported the interests of the Church to the utmost of his power." Mellitus and Justus were recalled: "They came back one year after their departure, and Justus returned to the city of Rochester, where he had before presided; but the people of London would not receive Bishop Mellitus, choosing rather to be under their idolatrous high priests; for King Eadbald had not so much authority in the kingdom [of Essex] as his father, and was not able to restore the bishop to his church against the will and consent of the pagans. But he and his nation, after his conversion to the Lord, sought to obey the commandments of God." Mellitus succeeded Laurentius in 619, and was, in turn, succeeded by Justus in 624. The pagan king of Northumbria, Edwin, asked to marry Eadbald's sister Æthelburh. Bede says that Eadbald replied: "That it was not lawful to give a Christian maiden in marriage to a pagan husband, lest the faith and the mysteries of the heavenly King should be profaned by her union with a king that was altogether a stranger to the worship of the true God." Edwin promised that "... he would in no manner act in opposition to the Christian faith, which the maiden professed; but would give leave to her, and all that went with her, men and women, bishops and clergy, to follow their faith and worship after the custom of the Christians. Nor did he refuse to accept that religion himself, if, being examined by wise men, it should be found more holy and more worthy of God." Accordingly, in 625, Æthelburh went to the Northumbrian court, accompanied by St.Paulinus. In 632/3 Edwin was killed by Penda of Mercia: "The affairs of the Northumbrians being thrown into confusion at the moment of this disaster, when there seemed to be no prospect of safety except in flight, Paulinus, taking with him Queen Ethelberg [Æthelburh], whom he had before brought thither, returned into Kent by sea, and was very honourably received by the Archbishop Honorius and King Eadbald. He came thither under the conduct of Bassus, a most valiant thegn of King Edwin, having with him Eanfled [Eanflæd], the daughter, and Wuscfrea [Uscfrea], the son of Edwin, as well as Yffi, the son of Osfrid [Osfrith], Edwin's son. Afterwards Ethelberg, for fear of the kings Eadbald and Oswald, sent Wuscfrea and Yffi over into Gaul to be bred up by King Dagobert, who was her friend; and there they both died in infancy, and were buried in the church with the honour due to royal children and to Christ's innocents." Paulinus became bishop of Rochester. Æthelburh (St.Ethelburga) became founding abbess of Lyming. Edwin's daughter, Eanflæd, became the wife of Oswiu of Northumbria. Bede: "In the year of our Lord 640, Eadbald, king of Kent, departed this life ..."

640 - 664 Eorcenberht

Son of Eadbald
Bede says that Eadbald "left his kingdom" to Eorcenberht, who governed Kent "... most nobly twenty-four years and some months. He was the first of the English kings that of his supreme authority commanded the idols throughout his whole kingdom to be forsaken and destroyed, and the fast of forty days to be observed; and that the same might not be lightly neglected, he appointed fitting and condign punishments for the offenders."

There are a group of texts (linked by their interest in the early 8th century Abbess of Minster-in-Thanet, St.Mildrith) known as the 'Mildrith Legend'. Once the legendary accretions are stripped away from the tale they tell, it is widely believed that the remaining framework represents genuine history. One of the texts (somewhat surprisingly, since there is no Northumbrian connection) appears as a preface to the 'Historia Regum' of Symeon of Durham.

In 'The Mildrith Legend - A Study in Early Medieval Hagiography in England', D.W. Rollason asserts that the 'Historia Regum' text was written "... at the abbey of Ramsey in Huntingdonshire in the late tenth or early eleventh century. But it seems to have been based on an earlier version of the Mildrith Legend, composed in the second quarter of the eighth century ... This earlier version seems to have been composed at a certain monasterium Wacrinense which is referred to by the Historia Regum Text and was apparently located at one or other of the adjacent villages of Great or Little Wakering in Essex."

According to the 'Mildrith Legend', Eorcenberht actually had an older brother, Eormenred, but the 'Historia Regum' text reports that Eorcenberht "... by his father's arrangement, assumed the sovereignty of the kingdom." The texts do not agree about Eormenred's status, and he may well have been a sub-king.

Eorcenberht was married to Seaxburh (St.Sexburga), eldest daughter of Anna, king of East Anglia. One of their daughters, Eormenhild (St.Ermenilda), married Wulfhere of Mercia. According to Bede: "Deusdedit, the sixth bishop of the church of Canterbury, died on the 14th of July. Earconbert [Eorcenberht], also, king of Kent, departed this life the same month and day; leaving his kingdom to his son Egbert [Ecgberht], who held it for nine years."

Bede records Deusdedit's death as 14th July 664, but other references, also by Bede, are incompatible with this date. Some scholars suggest that, by modern reckoning, the date of Deusdedit's death should be 28th October 663. Following Eorcenberht death, Seaxburh became a nun, and later succeeded her sister, Æthelthryth (St.Etheldreda or St.Audrey), as Abbess of Ely. Seaxburh was herself succeeded by Eormenhild, who had also become a nun on the death of her husband.

664 - 673 Ecgberht I

Son of Eorcenberht
In 667, Ecgberht and Oswiu of Northumbria despatched one Wighard, to Rome, to be ordained as Deusdedit's replacement. Unfortunately Wighard, and most of his companions, died "by a pestilence" not long after their arrival. The Pope ordained Theodore, a monk from Tarsus (in modern Turkey), in Wighard's stead. Theodore eventually arrived at Canterbury in 669. In the meantime (between 666 and 669), according to Eddius Stephanus (who, between 710 and 720, wrote a biography of St.Wilfrid), Ecgberht, for want of his own archbishop, had been obliged to call on Bishop Wilfrid's services "... to ordain a good number of priests and deacons." William of Malmesbury (d.c.1143), in his 'Gesta Regum Anglorum' (Deeds of the English Kings), says that Ecgberht "... did nothing memorable in so short a reign; unless indeed it be ascribed to the glory of this period, that Theodore the archbishop and Adrian the abbot, two consummate scholars, came into England in his reign.

Ecgberht is one of the leading players in the 'Mildrith Legend'. Eormenred, Ecgberht's uncle, was, according to the 'Historia Regum' text, a "pious man". He and his "very pious wife" had two sons, Æthelberht and Æthelred "... marked by a singular beauty of holiness, bound in the closest yoke of charity, rich in the duties of meek humility, blessed with the distinction of unconquerable patience, adorned with the inmost grace of unwearying prayer, they were fulfilled with abundant reflections of the goodness of the Father of spirits." The brothers were orphaned and came into Ecgberht's care. The 'Historia Regum' version of events says that "... in the royal palace was found a certain man of sin, and son of perdition, a limb of Satan, and of the house of the devil, who, puffed up with the empty pomp of the world, and graced by the munificence of the king, neither feared God nor regarded man." The man's name was Thunor "... which means 'Thunder', for he was unceasingly tormented by deadly furies of wicked spirits, by whose hideous tumults he should be sunk in the pit of hell." Thunor counsels that the young brothers pose a threat to Ecgberht and his children, and should be exiled or murdered: "The king winked at these things, not asserting that he was averse to either plan ..." In Ecgberht's absence, Thunor kills Æthelberht and Æthelred and "... the precious bodies of these noble champions were ordered by him to be interred in the earth in a disgraced part of the royal courts ..." A heavenly light reveals where the bodies are buried, and Ecgberht discovers what has happened: "What could the king do? For struck with a paroxysm of fear, he stood stupefied and grieved to the utmost, because tormented by the sting of conscience that he shared in the infamy; since he had not strongly resisted the enemy of goodness, and because he was unable to avenge what had so wrongfully been perpetrated." These events are purported to have taken place at Eastry, Kent, but the corpses are said to have been immovable until it was decided to take them to Wakering, in Essex, for proper burial.

In other versions of the legend, Ecgberht directly orders Thunor to kill the brothers, and they are buried under the king's throne. The 'Historia Regum' text is not alone in having Deusdedit, Archbishop of Canterbury, play a supporting rôle, but other versions substitute Theodore for Deusdedit. Since (according to Bede) Deusdedit died in 664, on the same day as Ecgberht's father, Eorcenberht, Theodore does seem a more acceptable candidate.

The 'Historia Regum' text says that Æthelberht and Æthelred had a sister "... named Eormenburg [Eormenburh] or Domneva [Domne Eafe], who became the wife, by lawful marriage, of Mearwold [Merewalh], king of the Mercians."

The 'Historia Regum' is not the only text to assert that Eormenburh and Domne ('Lady') Eafe were the same person, but D.W. Rollason ('The Mildrith Legend - A Study in Early Medieval Hagiography in England') writes: "This seems to be incorrect. CS 99, an apparently authentic document of the late seventh century, is attested by Æbba (the Latin form of Domne Eafe) and Eormenburg, who were presumably Eormenred's daughters. It is clear that they were separate persons." In other versions of the legend, Merewalh is described as the son of Penda. His kingdom is also restricted to the western part of Mercia (the Magonsætan - modern northern Herefordshire and southern Shropshire). The claim that Merewalh was Penda's son is not universally accepted.

Ecgberht offers Domne Eafe anything "... within the compass of his power to bestow, if it were a thing becoming his dignity, and she should immediately receive it. The holy woman, in a meek reply, begged that he would grant her only as much land as a doe which she had brought up, guided by divine instinct, could travel in one day." The royal party travelled to the Isle of Thanet, and the doe began to encompass a large area of land. Thunor, "moved by spite" asked Ecgberht ""... why do you follow, in this devout procession, this brute animal, as if it could perform something wonderful?" As he said this, struck by the bolt of the Almighty, he fell from his steed. Immediately the very wretched Thunor was swallowed up, with his horse and arms, in a frightful chasm of the earth." Domne Eafe founded the monastery of Minster-in-Thanet on the land selected by her doe, and became its first abbess. The second abbess was her daughter, Mildrith. Bede makes no mention of any aspect of the 'Mildrith Legend'

Bede notes that, in 673 "... Egbert, king of Kent, died in the month of July; his brother Hlothere succeeded him on the throne, which he held eleven years and seven months."

673 - 685 Hlothere

Son of Eorcenberht
Without providing a reason, Bede reports that, in 676, Æthelred "... king of the Mercians, ravaged Kent with a hostile army, and profaned churches and monasteries, without regard to pity, or the fear of God, in the general destruction he laid waste the city of Rochester ..." Hlothere appears to have shared power with his nephew Eadric - a code of law, still extant, was issued in their joint names. (The earliest known Anglo-Saxon law code was issued, around 602, by Æthelberht I). There must have been a quarrel, however, since, in 685, Bede says that: "... Hlothere, king of Kent, died on the 6th of February ... he was wounded in battle with the South Saxons, whom Edric [Eadric], the son of Egbert [Ecgberht], had raised against him, and died whilst his wound was being dressed."

685 - 686 Eadric

Son of Ecgberht
Bede says that, following the death of Hlothere, Eadric "... reigned a year and a half. On his death, kings of doubtful title, or of foreign origin, for some time wasted the kingdom, till the lawful king, Wictred [Wihtred], the son of Egbert [Ecgberht], being settled in the throne, by his piety and zeal delivered his nation from foreign invasion."

In 686, according to the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle', Cædwalla of Wessex and his brother, Mul, "... spread devastation in Kent ..." It seems that Mul ruled Kent, but, in 687, he was "... consigned to the flames in Kent, and twelve other men with him; after which, in the same year, Ceadwall [Cædwalla] overran the kingdom of Kent." Cædwalla possibly ruled Kent directly, until his abdication in 688.

688 - 690 Oswine

Co-ruler of Swæfheard. Named in charters dated 689 and 690. He was in the second year of his reign in January 690. Despite Bede's reference to "kings of doubtful title, or of foreign origin", Oswine actually seems to have been a descendant of King Eorcenberht's brother, Eormenred. Both Oswine and Swæfheard, however, appear to have had the backing of Æthelred of Mercia.

688 - 694? Swæfheard

Son of Sæbbi of Essex
Co-ruler of Oswine, and then Wihtred. Named in charters dated 689 and 690. He was in the second year of his reign in March 690. Mentioned by Bede, as co-ruler of Wihtred, on 1st July 692.

690 - 725 Wihtred

Son of Ecgberht
By Bede's reckoning, Wihtred came to the throne in late 690. He was not sole ruler until late 692 at the earliest (Bede mentions Swæfheard as joint ruler on 1st July 692). By 694, however, Wihtred seems to be sole king, when, according to the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle', "the people of Kent came to terms with Ine [of Wessex]", and agreed to pay compensation for the death, in 687, of his predecessor's brother, Mul. Wihtred issued a law code "in the fifth year of his reign", which, using Bede's figures, would be 694-5. This code, amongst other things, grants tax free status to the Church. Bede states: "In the year of our Lord 725 ... Wictred [Wihtred], the son of Egbert [Ecgberht], king of Kent, died on the 23rd of April, and left his three sons, Ethelbert [Æthelberht], Eadbert [Eadberht], and Alric, heirs of that kingdom, which he had governed thirty-four years and a half."

Sir Frank Stenton ('Anglo-Saxon England') argues that "... the death of Wihtred in 725 and the abdication of Ine in 726 ..." left Æthelbald of Mercia "... without a serious rival among the other southern kings, and within five years he had brought all of them to accept him as their lord."

In the summer of 2002, timber remains from an Anglo-Saxon water mill were excavated at Ebbsfleet. The mill is thought to date from c.700, making it the earliest horizontal wheel mill yet found in England. The two large oak timbers, which directed water onto the wheel, were taken, intact, to conservation facilities at Chatham Historic Dockyard.

725 - 748 Eadberht I

Son of Wihtred
Bede says that Wihtred left the kingdom to Eadberht and his brothers, Æthelbehrt and Alric. The 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle', however, makes it clear that Eadberht was first among equals with its statement that Wihtred "... was succeeded by Eadbert [Eadberht]." In 748, the 'Chronicle' announces: "... Edbert [Eadberht], King of Kent, died; and Ethelbert [Æthelberht], son of King Wihtred, succeeded to the kingdom." Alric receives no mention.

725 - 762 Æthelberht II

Son of Wihtred
Charters show that Æthelberht was a co-ruler with Eadberht, although, from the attitude of the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle', he must have been subservient to his brother.

There exists a letter, written by Æthelberht to St.Boniface (an archbishop in Germany - although he was English, probably born in Crediton, Devon, and was originally called Wynfrith - martyred 754), in which, after introducing himself, Æthelberht goes on to say: "By the bearer of this letter I am sending Your Grace with my devoted affection a few gifts: a silver drinking-cup lined with gold, weighing three and a half pounds, and two woollen cloaks. I am not sending these gifts in the hope of receiving any earthly gift in return, but rather on bended knee begging from you what is far more necessary, namely, that in these days of manifold and sudden perils and in this world of scandals you would deign to help me with your prayers. And with this same purpose may Your Grace have in mind to urge others by command or persuasion to do the same, not only as long as I live, but after my death, should you survive me. Having thus briefly mentioned these matters, there is one other favour I have to ask, which, from what I hear, will not be difficult for you to grant, namely, to send me a pair of falcons, quick and spirited enough to attack crows without hesitation and bring them back to earth after catching them. We ask you to procure these birds and send them to us, since there are few hawks of this kind over here in Kent, which produce good offspring, quick-witted, mettlesome and capable of being tamed, trained and taught for the purpose I have mentioned. Finally, I pray you to reply to my letter and be so kind as to let me know whether the things I am sending have duly arrived."

In 754, the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' notes that "... Canterbury was this year on fire." William of Malmesbury, rather cryptically, says that Æthelberht "... by the casual burning of Canterbury ... considerably obscured the glory ..." of his reign. Æthelberht died in 762.

Following Æthelberht's death, in 762, the line of Kentish succession enters something of a black-hole. The 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' fails to name a successor. Roger of Wendover says that he was succeeded by Eadberht, and, indeed, an Eadberht does appear in charters. Unfortunately, Roger repeats Æthelberht's death and Eadberht's succession in 796 - the year the throne was taken by Eadberht Præn. William of Malmesbury contrives to attribute this thirty-four year period (between the death of Æthelberht II in 762, and the accession of Eadberht Præn in 796), to the rule of Alric, the third son of Wihtred mentioned by Bede. In fact Alric is mentioned in neither chronicles nor charters, and it must be presumed that he died shortly after his father. Various names, however, do appear in charters, and they indicate that joint rulership continued, a conjectural line of succession being shown below:

Eardwulf

around 748-762. Possible successor to, Eadberht I.

Sigered

around 762-764. The style of his name suggests possible East-Saxon origins. Referred to as "king of half Kent" in one charter. The charter is confirmed by King Eanmund.

Ecgberht II

around 765-779.

Eadberht II

around 762-764. Possible successor to Æthelberht II.

Eanmund

around 762-764.

Heaberht

around 764-765. Heaberht appears as king of Kent in a charter issued (764) by Offa of Mercia at Canterbury. He and Offa also confirm a charter by Ecgberht (765).

The appearance of Offa in a charter dating from 764 suggests that Kent was, as Sir Frank Stenton, in his 'Anglo-Saxon England', notes "... the first long-established kingdom to fall under his influence." It would appear, however, that there was opposition, since, in 776, at Otford (Kent), there was a battle. The 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' simply says that: "... the Mercians and the men of Kent fought at Otford ..." The traditional reading of this is provided by Roger of Wendover: "... after a fearful slaughter on each side, Offa gained a signal victory, and returned in triumph." However, Sir Frank Stenton, suggests that, in fact, Offa was defeated, and did not manage to reestablish his authority until 785 (when he made a land grant in Kent). In the meantime, the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle', in an entry dated 784, states: "At this time reigned Elmund [Ealhmund] king in Kent ..." There is also a charter which mentions Ealhmund dated 784.

A margin note in Manuscript F (the 'Canterbury Manuscript') of the 'Chronicle' states that Ealhmund was the father of Ecgberht of Wessex. Ealhmund appears in Wessex genealogies as a descendant of Ingild, brother of Ine.

Roger of Wendover notes that "... Offa the most powerful king of the Mercians, having quarrelled with the people of Kent, sought to deprive Jainbert [Jænberht], archbishop of Canterbury, of the primacy, with a view to grace the kingdom of the Mercians with the Archbishopric." The upshot was that, following the 'Synod of Chelsea' in 787, jurisdiction over several dioceses passed from the Archbishop of Canterbury to the newly created Archbishop of Lichfield. Roger continues: "This violence on the part of the king lasted during the entire prelacy of Jainbert, although that archbishop spared no expense or labour to preserve his ancient dignity."

796 - 798 Eadberht (Præn)

In July of 796, King Offa of Mercia died, followed by his successor, Ecgfrith, just a few months later. This Mercian instability seems to have provided the opportunity for one Eadberht (also called Præn) to establish himself on the throne of Kent.

It seems that Eadberht had been a priest, and that he had probably sought refuge from Offa at the court of Charlemagne. Jænberht, Archbishop of Canterbury, had died in 792. He was replaced by Æthelheard, who was effectively an appointee of Offa. When Eadberht began his rebellion against Mercia, Æthelheard was obliged to flee Kent. At the behest of Æthelheard, Eadberht was excommunicated by Pope Leo III (795-816).

In 798, Ecgfrith's successor, Cenwulf, quelled Eadberht's revolt. Florence of Worcester (who, in line with the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle', which carries a two year error for most entries during this period, incorrectly places the event in 796) reports that Cenwulf "... laid waste nearly the whole of Kent, took captive its king Pren [Præn], and carried him in chains to Mercia." An addition to Manuscript F, of the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' (inserted after the manuscript was originally written), however, asserts that Eadberht was maimed following his capture; that Cenwulf "... suffered men to pick out his eyes, and cut off his hands." Roger of Wendover says that Cenwulf: "... taking prisoner king Eadbert [Eadberht], surnamed Pren, who was not a match for him in might, triumphantly brought him back with him in fetters. But not long after, at the dedication of the church which he had founded at Winchelcomb, he gave the captive king his liberty before the altar. There was present on that occasion Cuthred, whom king Kenulf [Cenwulf] had set over the people of Kent in the room of the aforesaid Eadbert."

798 - 807 Cuthred

Brother of Cenwulf of Mercia
Under Cenwulf's auspices, Canterbury was restored to its former status - at the 'Synod of Clofesho', on the twelfth of October 803, the archbishopric of Lichfield was abolished.

The location of Clofesho is not known with certainty, but Brixworth in Northamptonshire is a popular candidate.

Roger of Wendover states that: "In the year of our Lord 807, Cuthred, king of Kent, ended his days, and was succeeded in the kingdom by Baldred." However, the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' does not actually name a successor, and it seems likely that there was no separate king of Kent as such. In charters, both Cenwulf (809) and, his successor, Ceolwulf (822 and 823), are referred to as "king of Mercia and Kent".

823? - 826 Baldred

Baldred appears to have been a puppet of the Mercian regime (possibly a relative of the Mercian king Beornwulf). William of Malmesbury (who assumes that he was Cuthred's direct successor) describes Baldred as "... a mere abortion of a king ... having for eighteen years more properly possessed than governed the kingdom ..." In 825, the Mercians were decisively beaten by Ecgberht of Wessex. The 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' says that Ecgberht then "... sent his son Æthelwulf from the army, and Ealhstan, his bishop, and Wulfeard, his ealdorman, to Kent with a great troop, and they drove Baldred the king north over the Thames; and the inhabitants of Kent turned to him - and the Surrey men and South Saxons and East Saxons - because earlier they were wrongly forced away from his relatives." (That passage from the 1996 translation by Michael Swanton).
The 'Chronicle' incorrectly places the above events two years earlier, but, in any case, a Kentish charter suggests that Baldred was not expelled from Kent until 826.

Kent, along with the other provinces that surrendered to Æthelwulf, formed an eastern sub-kingdom of Wessex. In 860, this sub-kingdom was integrated into Wessex proper.