Ecgberht of Kent

Ecgberht (or Egbert) (died 4 July 673) was a King of Kent (sometimes called Egbert I) who ruled from 664 to 673, succeeding his father Eorcenberht.[1]

For the later king of Kent of the same name, see Egbert II of Kent.

He may have still been a child when he became king following his father's death on 14 July 664, because his mother Seaxburh was recorded as having been regent.

Ecgberht's court seems to have had many diplomatic and ecclesiastic contacts. He hosted Wilfrid and Benedict Biscop, and provided escorts to Archbishop Theodore and Abbot Adrian of Canterbury for their travels in Gaul.

The various versions of the Kentish Royal Legend state that, spurred on by his adviser Thunor, he had his cousins Æthelred and Æthelberht (sons of his uncle Eormenred) killed and had to pay wergild to their sister Domne Eafe, enabling her to build a Monastery at Thanet;[2] this may reflect a dynastic struggle that ended in the success of Eorcenberht's line. The two murdered princes were later venerated as saints at Ramsey Abbey.[3]

A charter records Ecgberht's patronage of the monastery at Chertsey.

Ecgberht was succeeded by his brother Hlothhere, who was in turn succeeded by Ecgberht's sons, Eadric and still later Wihtred.

See also

References
  1. s:Ecclesiastical History of the English People/Book 4#1
  2. Wasyliw, Patricia Healy. Martyrdom, Murder, and Magic: Child Saints and Their Cults in Medieval Europe, Peter Lang, 2008, p. 74ISBN 9780820427645
  3. Rollason, D. W. (1982), The Mildrith Legend: A Study in Early Medieval Hagiography in England, Leicester: Leicester University Press, p. 16, ISBN 0-7185-1201-4CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Bede, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People
  • Kirby, D. P. (1991). The Earliest English Kings. London: Unwin Hyman. pp. 43–44. ISBN 0-04-445691-3.
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Eorcenberht		 King of Kent
664–673
with Seaxburh (664-?)		 Succeeded by
Hlothhere

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