Kingdom of Essex
The Kingdom of the East Seaxe (one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the so-called Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy) was founded around 500 AD, occupying territory to the north and east of London. Around 825 AD, the kingdom was merged with Wessex, and was eventually ceded by Wessex under the Treaty of Wedmore to the Danelaw control of the Danish kingdom of East Anglia. Essex is now a county in England.Here are the Kings of Essex; the dates, names and achievements, like those of most early rulers in all countries of the Heptarchy, remain conjectural. This dynasty claimed descent from the god Seaxneat, not the god Woden (of which the other Saxon tribes claimed descent). This list of kings may omit whole generations.
Kings of the East Saxons (Essex)
| Reign | Incumbent | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 527 to 587 | Aescwine | ÃÂscvvine Cenfusing EstSeaxe Cyning ÃÂscvvine Rex Saxonum Orientalium'' | |
| 587 to ante604 | Sledda | Sledda ÃÂscvvining EstSeaxe Cyning Sledda Rex Saxonum Orientalium | |
| ante604 to 616/7 | Saebert | Sæbryht Sledding EstSeaxe Cyning Sæbryht Rex Saxonum Orientalium | |
| 616/7 to 617 | Sexred | Sexred Sæbryhting EstSeaxe Cyning Sexred Rex Saxonum Orientalium | Joint king with Saeward; killed in battle against the West Saxons |
| 616/7 to 617 | Saeward | Sævvard Sæbryhting EstSeaxe Cyning Sævvard Rex Saxonum Orientalium | Joint king with Sexred; killed in battle against the West Saxons |
| 617 to ante c.653 | Sigeberht I the Little | Sigebryht Sævvarding EstSeaxe Cyning Sigebryht Parvus Rex Saxonum Orientalium | |
| c.653 to 664 | Sigeberht II the Good | Sigebryht Sævvarding EstSeaxe Cyning Sigebryht Sanctus Rex Saxonum Orientalium | Saint Sigeberht; Saint Sebbi (Feast Day 29 August) |
| 660 to 664 | Swithelm | Svviþelm EstSeaxe Cyning Svviþelm Rex Saxonum Orientalium | |
| 664 to 683 | Sighere | Sighere Sigebryhting EstSeaxe Cyning Sighere Rex Saxonum Orientalium | Joint-king with Sebbi |
| 664 to c.694 | Sebbi | Sebbi EstSeaxe Cyning Sebbi Rex Saxonum Orientalium | Abdicated in favour of his son Sigeheard |
| c.694 to c.709 | Sigeheard | Sigeheard Sebbing EstSeaxe Cyning Sigeheard Rex Saxonum Orientalium | Joint-king with his son Swaefred |
| c.695 to ante c.709 | Swaefred | Svvæfred Sigehearding EstSeaxe Cyning Svvæfred Rex Saxonum Orientalium | Joint-king with his father Sigeheard |
| 709 to 709 | Offa | Offa Sighering EstSeaxe Cyning Offa Rex Saxonum Orientalium | Abdicated |
| c.709 to 746 | Saelred | Sælred Sigebryhting EstSeaxe Cyning Sælred Rex Saxonum Orientalium | (aka Swebert) Probably joint-king with Swaefbert |
| c.715 to 738 | Swaefbert | Svvæfbryht EstSeaxe Cyning Svvæfbryht Rex Saxonum Orientalium | Probably joint-king with Saelred |
| 746 to 758 | Svvithred | Svviþred Sigemunding EstSeaxe Cyning Svviþred Rex Saxonum Orientalium | |
| 758 to 798 | Sigeric | Sigeric EstSeaxe Cyning Sigeric Rex Saxonum Orientalium | Abdicated |
| 798 to 812 | Sigered | Sigered Sigericing EstSeaxe Cyning Sigered Rex Saxonum Orientalium | then:- |
| 812 to 825 | Sigered Dux Saxonum Orientalium | Rank reduced by Mercian overlords | |
| 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.
| Heptarchy |
| East Anglia | Essex | Kent | Mercia | Northumbria | Sussex | Wessex |
| Others: Lindsey, Hwicce |