Sæberht of Essex facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sæberht
A picture of Sæberht from an old map made by John Speed in 1611.
King of the East Saxons
Reign	c. 604 – c. 616
Predecessor	Sledd
Successor	his three sons
Died	616
Issue	Sexred Sæward another son
Father	Sledd
Mother	Ricula, sister of King Æthelberht of Kent

Sæberht (died around 616 AD) was an early Anglo-Saxon king of the East Saxons, a group of people who lived in what is now Essex, England. He ruled from about 604 AD to 616 AD. Sæberht was the son of King Sledd. He is famous for being the first king of the East Saxons to become a Christian.

Most of what we know about Sæberht comes from a book called Historia Ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum. This book was written in the early 700s by a monk named Bede. Other old writings, like the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, also mention him.

Sæberht's Family and Background

Sæberht was the son of King Sledd. His mother was Ricula, who was the sister of a very important king named Æthelberht of Kent. King Æthelberht ruled the powerful kingdom of Kent.

Sæberht had three sons. Two of them were named Sexred and Sæward. These sons later became kings after their father died.

Becoming a Christian King

In 604 AD, a church leader named Mellitus became the first bishop for the East Saxons. Their main city was London. Bede, the monk who wrote the history book, tells us that Sæberht became a Christian in 604 AD. Mellitus baptized him, which means he officially welcomed Sæberht into the Christian faith.

Even though Sæberht became Christian, his sons chose to stay with their old pagan beliefs. Sæberht allowed the new Christian church to be set up in London. The main church building in London was likely started by King Æthelberht of Kent, Sæberht's uncle, who was also a Christian.

The End of Sæberht's Reign

Both King Æthelberht and King Sæberht died in 616 AD. Their deaths meant that the Christian missionaries, like Mellitus, lost their powerful supporters. Sæberht's sons, who were still pagan, made Bishop Mellitus leave London. Bede says this happened because Mellitus would not give the brothers some special bread used in Christian ceremonies.

Where is Sæberht Buried?

There are a few ideas about where King Sæberht might be buried.

Westminster Abbey Legends

A 1906 map of Westminster Abbey showing where Sæberht's tomb is thought to be.

Later stories from the Middle Ages say that Sæberht and his wife built a monastery in London. This monastery was dedicated to Saint Peter and is now the famous Westminster Abbey. These stories also claim that Sæberht and his wife were buried there.

During the time of King Henry III (in the 1200s), when Westminster Abbey was being rebuilt, some bones believed to be Sæberht's were moved to a special tomb. People said the king's bones still had royal clothes on them! In 1308, the bones were supposedly moved again to a marble tomb that you can still see today in the Abbey. However, there is no real proof that these stories are true. Most experts today do not believe Sæberht's bones were ever actually buried there.

Great Burstead Tradition

There is also a local story in Great Burstead in Essex. People there believe that Sæberht lived and was buried in their area.

The Prittlewell Royal Burial

In 2003, archaeologists found a very important Anglo-Saxon tomb in Prittlewell, near Southend in Essex. The items found inside were so grand that experts thought it might be the tomb of an East Saxon king. They also found small golden crosses, which showed the person was an early Christian.

At first, people thought the tomb was from the early 600s. This made Sæberht a likely person to be buried there. However, later tests on the tomb showed it was actually from the late 500s. In 2019, experts from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) suggested the tomb might belong to Seaxa, who was Sæberht's brother. The tomb was built between 575 and 605 AD, which is at least 11 years before Sæberht died.