List of monarchs of Kent facts for kids
This article is about the kings who ruled the ancient Kingdom of Kent in England. These kings were part of the Anglo-Saxons, a group of people who lived in England a very long time ago.
Learning about these early kings can be a bit tricky! We know about the first kings mostly from a writer named Bede. Later on, information comes from old documents called "charters." However, some of these charters might not be completely real, or they were changed over time. This can make it hard for historians to figure out exactly who ruled when, especially when some kings ruled at the same time or had similar names.
Most of the time, these rulers were simply called "King of Kent" (rex Cantiae) or "King of the Kentish People" (rex Cantuariorum). Even if they ruled a smaller area, they were still known as "king."
Kings of Kent: A Timeline
Here is a list of the kings who ruled Kent, along with important facts about their time.
| When They Ruled | King's Name | How They Were Known | Interesting Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 455-488 | Hengest | no charters | Father of Oisc or Octa. |
| 455 | Horsa | no charters | Brother of Hengest. |
| 488-512/516 | Oisc (Œsc, Æsc, Ash, Oeric) |
no charters | Son of Hengest or Octa. |
| 512/516-534/540 | Octa (Octha) |
no charters | Son of Hengest. |
| 534/540-c.590 | Eormenric | no charters | Father of Æðelberht I. |
| c.590 - 24 February 616 (Bede) | Æðelberht I | no genuine charters | The first Christian King of Kent. |
| February 616 to 20 January 640 (Bede) | Eadbald | no genuine charters | Son of Æðelberht I. |
| unknown | Æðelwald | no charters | Lived around the time of Pope Boniface V (619-625). |
| January 640 to 14 July 664 (Bede) | Eorcenberht | no charters | Son of Eadbald. |
| unknown | Eormenred | Irminredus | Brother of Eorcenberht. |
| July 664 to 4 July 673 (Bede) | Ecgberht I | no charters | Son of Eorcenberht. |
| acceded 674 or 675, died 685 | Hlothhere | Lotharius rex Cantuariorum | Son of Eorcenberht; ruled with Eadric. |
| 685 to 686 (Bede) | Eadric | Eadricus rex Cantuariorum | Son of Ecgberht I; ruled with Hlothhere. |
| killed 687 | Mul | Mulo rege regnum Cantie | Brother of Cædwalla, King of Wessex. |
| acceded 687 or 688, still reigning 692 | Swæfheard | Suebhardus rex Cantuariorum | Son of Sæbbi, King of Essex; ruled with Oswine and Withred. |
| fl. 689 | Swæfberht | Gabertus | Ruled with Oswine. |
| fl. 689 to 690 | Oswine | Oswynus rex Cantie | Ruled with Swæfberht and Swæfheard. |
| acceded c. 693, died 23 April 725 | Wihtred | Wihtredus rex Cantie | Son of Ecgberht I; ruled with Swæfheard. |
| succeeded 725 | Alric | no charters | Son of Wihtred; ruled with his brothers Æðelberht II and Eadberht I. |
| 725 to 748 | Eadberht I | Eadbertus rex Cantuariorum terram dimidii | Son of Wihtred; ruled with his brothers Æðelberht II and Ælfric. |
| Around this time, Kent became controlled by the powerful Kingdom of Mercia. | |||
| 725 to 762 | Æðelberht II | Æthilberhctus rex Cantie | Son of Wihtred; ruled with his brothers Eadberht I and Ælfric, and nephew Eardwulf. |
| unknown | Eardwulf | Earduulfus rex Cantuariorum | Son of Eadberht I; ruled with Æðelberht II. |
| fl. 762 | Eadberht II | Eadberht rex Cantiae | Ruled with Sigered. |
| fl. 762 | Sigered | Sigiraed rex Cantiae | Ruled with Eadberht II. |
| 762-764 | Eanmund | Eanmundus rex | Lived around the time of Archbishop Bregowine (761-764). |
| fl. 764 to 765 | Heaberht | Heaberhtus rex Cantie | Ruled with Ecgberht II. |
| fl. 765 to 779 | Ecgberht II | Ecgberhtus rex Cantie | Ruled with Heaberht. |
| fl. 784 | Ealhmund | Ealmundus rex Canciæ | Father of Ecgberht III. |
| Kent was directly ruled by Offa of Mercia from 785 to 796. | |||
| 796 to 798, deposed | Eadberht III Præn | no charters; coins: EADBEARHT REX | Removed from power by Cœnwulf. |
| acceded 797 or 798, died 807 | Cuðred | Cuthredus Rex Cantiae | Brother of Cœnwulf and Ceolwulf. |
| fl. 809 | Cœnwulf | Ceonulfus Christi gracia rex Merciorum atque provincie Cancie | Brother of Cuðred and Ceolwulf; also King of Mercia. |
| fl. 822 to 823 | Ceolwulf | Ceolwulf rex Merciorum vel etiam Contwariorum | Brother of Cuðred and Cœnwulf; also King of Mercia. |
| deposed in 825 | Baldred | no charters; coins: BALDRED REX CANT | Forced out by Æðelwulf in 825. |
| 825 to 839 | Ecgberht III | Ecgberht rex occidentalium Saxonum necnon et Cantuariorum | Son of Ealhmund; ruled Kent with his son Æðelwulf; also King of Wessex. |
| 825 to 858 | Æðelwulf | Aetheluulf rex | Ruled with his father Ecgberht III and son Æðelstan; also King of Wessex. |
| fl. 839 to 851 | Æðelstan I | Edelstan rex Kancie | Ruled with his father Æðelwulf. |
| fl. 855 to 866 | Æðelberht III | Aeðelberht rex | Ruled with his father Æðelwulf; also King of Wessex. |
| 866 to 871 | Æðelred I | Eðelred rex occidentalium Saxonum . non et Cantwariorum | Son of Æðelwulf; also King of Wessex. |
See Also
- List of English monarchs
- Kentish Royal Legend
- Anglo-Saxon royal genealogies
eo:Kent (regno)
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