The Kingdom of Essex (East Seaxe "East Saxons", one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the so-called Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy) was founded around 500 AD and covered the territory currently occupied by the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire and Middlesex.

The kingdom was bounded to the north by the River Stour and Kingdom of East Anglia, to the south by the River Thames and Kent, to the east lay the North Sea and to the west Mercia. The earliest record of the kingdom dates to Bede's History Eccl., which noted the arrival of Bishop (later Saint) Mellitus in London in 604. The territory included the remains of two provincial Roman capitals Colchester and London. For a brief period in the 8th century the kingdom also encompassed the Kentish Kingdom to the South, but by the mid 8th century much of the kingdom, including London, had fallen to Mercia. After the defeat of the Mercian king Beornwulf around 825 AD, the kingdom became a possession of the Wessex king Ecgbert. In 870 the territory was ceded by Wessex, under the Treaty of Wedmore, to the Danelaw kingdom of East Anglia. The modern English county of Essex maintains the historic northern and the southern borders, but only covers the territory east of the River Lee.

The dates, names and achievements, like those of most early rulers in the Heptarchy, remain conjectural. The dynasty claimed descent from the god Seaxneat, rather than the god Woden (from whom the other Saxon tribes claimed descent). The list of kings may omit whole generations.

This was a time when spellings varied widely, even within a document. A number of variations of the details below exist. Amongst these are the preference between þ and ð (unvoiced and voiced "th").

The character '7' was used as the ampersand '&' in contemporary Anglo-Saxon writings. The era pre-dates the emergence of forms of writing accepted today, notably minuscule, and the letters 'W' and 'U'. Where W was followed by U this was generally rendered as 'VV' (which was also used for 'W' alone).

Kings of East Saxon - Essex

Aescwine 527 to 587 - Aescwine (Erchenwin) (494-587) was born in ancient Saxony in northern Germany. In 527 he became king of the Kingdom of Essex in modern-day England. He reigned until his death in 587. Very little is known about him or his reign. He was succeeded by his son Sledda.

Sledda 587 to ante 604 - Sledda (587? - c. 604) was a King of Essex. He was a son of Aescwine. Sledda's rule is traditionally recorded as beginning in 587, but next to nothing is known about him. He married Ricula, sister of King Aethelbert of Kent. His name appears as being the father of Saebert, whose rule began in 604. Sledda is a direct ancestor of the ealdorman Eadric Streona.

Saebert ante 604 to 616/7 - Saebert (d. c. 616) was a King of Essex (c. 604 – c. 616). He was the son of Sledda. A tomb, found in Prittlewell in the autumn of 2003, is thought to be the burial chamber of Saebert. Several foil crosses, perhaps sewn into his shroud, correlate with the accepted history that Saebert was a convert to Christianity. Other funereal goods, such as glass and copper alloy bowls, indicate a continuation of pagan beliefs.

Sexred 616/7 to 617 - Joint king with Saeward; killed in battle against the West Saxons - Sexred became joint king of the Kingdom of Essex from 616 to 617 along with his brother Saeward after the death of their father Saebert. Their father converted to Christianity in 604. After his death they repressed the Christian religion in favor of the old Saxon paganism, allowing the worship of idols. They banished St. Mellitus, bishop of London, from the kingdom after he refused them the sacramental bread.
In 617 Sexred and Saeward were killed in a battle against the forces of Wessex.

Saeward 616/7 to 617 - Joint king with Sexred; killed in battle against the West Saxons - Saeward was the joint king of the Kingdom of Essex from 616 to 617 along with his brother Sexred after the death of their father Saebert. Their father converted to Christianity in 604. After his death they repressed the Christian religion in favor of the old Saxon paganism, allowing the worship of idols. They banished Mellitus, Bishop of London, from the kingdom after he refused them the sacramental bread.
In 617 Sexred and Saeward were killed in a battle against the forces of Wessex. Saeward's son Sigeberht succeeded them as king of Essex.

Sigeberht I the Little 617 to ante c.653 - Sigeberht I (Siegeberht the Little) was king of Essex from 617 to 653. He was the son of Saeward, who was slain in battle against forces from Wessex.
After his death, he was succeeded by his relative Sigeberht the Good.

Sigeberht II the Good c.653 to 660 - Saint Sigeberht; Saint Sebbi (Feast Day 29 August) - Sigeberht II (also known as Sigeberht the Good or the Blessed) was King of Essex from 653 to 660. He succeeded his relative Sigeberht I the Little.
During his reign, Saint Cedd was sent on a missionary errand to Essex to convert its people to Christianity. Cedd was consecrated as Bishop of Essex, and founded monasteries at Tilbury and Ithancester (almost certainly Bradwell-on-Sea).
In 660, Sigeberht was murdered by his brothers Swithelm and Swithfrith, who accused him of being too friendly towards Christians. Swithelm became his successor.

Swithelm 660 to 664 - King of Essex from 660 to 664.He succeeded King Sigeberht II after he, along with his brother Swithfrith, murdered him. They accused him of being too friendly toward Christians. In 662, however, he was persuaded to convert to Christianity by Aethelwald, king of East Anglia. After his death in 664, he was succeeded by his cousins Sighere and Sebbi.

Sighere 664 to 683 - Joint-king with Sebbi - Sighere was the joint king of the Kingdom of Essex along with his brother Sebbi from 664 to 683. He was outlived by Sebbi, who became the sole ruler of Essex after his death.
Sighere and Sebbi were cousins of their predecessor Swithelm. While Sighere fell back into paganism, Sebbi remained a faithful Christian. They soon developed a rivalry. Sighere found an ally in Wessex, and Sebbi in Mercia. As a result of their rivalry, King Wulfhere of Mercia established himself as overlord of Essex. and induced Sighere to marry his niece Osyth, daughter of Firthuwold, sub-king of Surrey. Jaruman, the bishop of Mercia, was assigned to reconvert the people of Essex to Christianity. In 673, Sighere separated from Osyth, who then fled to the protection of Bishop Beaduwine of North Elmham. Sighere died in 683, and Sebbi became sole ruler of Essex.

Sebbi 664 to c.694 - Joint-king with Sighere; abdicated in favour of his son Sigeheard - See King Sebbi

Sigeheard c.694 to c.709 - Joint-king with his son Swaefred - Sigeheard was joint king of Essex along with his brother, Swaefred, from 694 to 709, succeeding their father Sebbi.
In 705, they became estranged from King Ine of Wessex for sheltering his rivals to the throne. At the Synod of Brentford, they agree to banish them from Essex in return for King Ine promising not to attack Essex. The exact chronology of the later years of their rule are uncertain. It isn't known whether they governed together until 709 or if Swaefred died before then.
In 709, Sigeheard's son Offa was briefly joint ruler of Essex and succeeded them as ruler of Essex, but he later abdicated and traveled with King Cenred of Mercia to Rome.

Swaefred (Swaebheard) c.695 to ante c.709 - Joint-king with his father Sigeheard - Swaefred was joint king of Essex along with his brother, Sigeheard, from 694 to 709, succeeding their father Sebbi.
In 705, they became estranged from King Ine of Wessex for sheltering his rivals to the throne. At the Synod of Brentford, they agree to banish them from Essex in return for King Ine promising not to attack Essex. The exact chronology of the later years of their rule are uncertain. It isn't known whether they governed together until 709 or if Swaefred died before then.
In 709, Sigeheard's son Offa was briefly joint ruler of Essex and succeeded them as ruler of Essex, but he later abdicated and traveled with King Cenred of Mercia to Rome.

Offa 709 OFFA SIGEHERING ESTSEAXNA CYNING, OFFA REX SAXONVM ORIENTALIVM Abdicated
Offa was King of Essex until 709, when he abdicated in order that he may take up life in a monastery in Rome along with Cenred, King of Mercia. He was the son of Sigeheard of Essex, and according to some sources St. Osyth.
In his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, Bede described him as "a youth of most lovely age and beauty, and most earnestly desired by all his nation to be their king. He, with like devotion, quitted his wife, lands, kindred and country, for Christ and for the Gospel, that he might receive an hundredfold in this life, and in the world to Come life everlasting. He also, when they came to the holy places at Rome, receiving the tonsure, and adopting a monastic life, attained the long wished-for sight of the blessed apostles in heaven."
He was succeeded by Saelred of Essex. See King Offa

Saelred (Swebert) c.709 to 746 - Probably joint-king with Swaefbert - Saelred of Essex (also known as Swebert and Selered) reigned as King of Essex from c.709 to 746. His claim to the throne was due to descent from Sigeberht II The Good. For part of his reign he probably ruled jointly with Swaefbert, who, it is speculated, may have ruled the sub-kingdom of Middlesex. His date of death is known from an entry in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle although the circumstances are not recorded.
He was succeeded by Swithred, grandson of Sigeheard. Saelred's own son Sigeric succeeded Sigeheard.

Swaefbert c.715 to 738 - Probably joint-king with Saelred - Swaefbert of Essex was King of Essex (715-738). He ruled along with Saelred of Essex (709-746) who appointed him provisional king in 715.

Svvithred 746 to 758 - Swithred of Essex was King of Essex (746-758).

Sigeric 758 to 798 - Abdicated - Sigeric of Essex was a King of Essex, he reigned from 758 until he abdicated in 798.

Sigered 798 to 812 - 812 to 825 - SIGERED DVX SAXONVM ORIENTALIVM Rank reduced by Mercian overlords - Sigered of Essex was the last king of Essex from 798 to 825. The son of Sigeric of Essex, Sigered became king when his father abdicated the throne.
In 812 Sigered was reduced from king to duke by his Mercian overlords. In 825 he finally ceded the kingdom of Essex to Egbert of Wessex.

c.825 Mercia defeated by Egbert of Wessex, sub-kingdom of Essex subsumed into Wessex

Sigered was the last king of Essex, and he ceded the kingdom to Egbert of Wessex.

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