Eadbald King of Kent [7163] ¹⁶⁹⁸

   FamilySearch ID: 94WK-1S8.

  General Notes:

Foundation for Medieval Genealogy

EADBALD (-20 Jan 640). "Eadbaldo filio meo" subscribed King Æthelberht's charter dated 604[287]. He succeeded his father in 616 as EADBALD King of Kent. Bede records that "filius eius Eadbald" succeeded as king after the death of "Aedilbercti", adding that he refused to embrace Christianity and was also "fornicatione pollutus" because he had "uxorem patris"[288]. A heathen on his accession, Justus Bishop of Rochester fled to France with Mellitus Bishop of London fearing persecution. Laurentius (Augustine's successor at Canterbury) was planning to follow them, but allegedly received a scourging from St Peter in a dream. Bede says that it is recounted that, fearing for himself on seeing Laurentius's flesh wounds, King Eadbald renounced his unlawful marriage and embraced Christianity[289]. This was presumably marked by his grant of land at Northbourne, Kent to St Augustine, by charter dated 618[290]. The king recalled Justus and Mellitus from France, and restored Justus as Bishop of Rochester. Mellitus succeeded Laurentius as Archbishop of Canterbury in [619], and Justus succeeded Mellitus at Canterbury in 624[291]. During the period of Bishop Honorius, who succeeded Justus, the church at Canterbury consolidated its position and Christianity became firmly established in Kent under the patronage of King Eadbald. Eadbald was also responsible for minting the first gold coins in London[292], maybe as a result of Frankish influences through his wife. Bede records that "Honorio archiepiscopo et rege Eadbaldo" received with honour Paulinus and "regina Aedilberge" after they fled to Kent following the battle of Hatfield Chase in 633[293].

According to Stenton[294], the year of King Eadbald's death is recorded in the annals of the church of Salzburg, but not in any English source. His death is, however, referred to in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle[295]. Bede records the death in 640 of "Eadbald rex Cantuariorum"[296].

m firstly (repudiated [618]) as her second husband, his stepmother, ---, widow of ÆTHELBERHT King of Kent, daughter of --- (-after [618]). Her second marriage is confirmed by Bede who records that "filius eius Eadbald" succeeded as king after the death of "Aedilbercti", adding that he refused to embrace Christianity and was also "fornicatione pollutus" because he had "uxorem patris", adding in a later passage that her husband was persuaded to repudiate her when he was converted to Christianity[297].

m secondly (after [618]) EMMA of the Franks, daughter of [CHLOTHACHAR II King of the Franks & his first wife Adaltrudis]. "Emma Francorum regis filia et regis Eadbaldi copula" subscribed her husband's 618 charter[298]. Although Emma seems an unlikely name for a Merovingian princess, given the more complex names which are typical of the family, Settipani suggests that it is the diminutive of a name containing a root similar to "Ermen-", like Ermenberga or Ermentrudis, which would also explain the root "Eormen-" in her son's name[299].

Stenton says[300] that there seems no doubt that Eadbald's second wife belonged to the Frankish royal house but that her parentage has not been ascertained. Werner suggests[301] that she was the daughter of Erchinoald, maior domus of the palace of Neustria, linking the name root "Eorcen-" with "Erchin-". Settipani[302] identifies Emma's parents as shown above, seemingly because he eliminates all other possible couples from the known members of the Merovingian royal family from a chronological viewpoint. He prefers a Merovingian ancestry in order to explain the name "Hlothhere" given to Emma's grandson, similar to "Chlothachar" or "Chlothaire", the name of Emma's supposed father.

King Eadbald & his [first/second] wife had one child:

a) EORMENRED (-[640/64]).

King Eadbald & his second wife, Emma, had [two] children:

b) EORCENBERHT ([620/25]-14 Jul 664). Bede records that "Earconbercto filio" succeeded after the death of "Eadbald rex Cantuariorum" in 640 and reigned for twenty-four years[324]. He succeeded his father in 640 as EORCENBERHT King of Kent.

- see below.

c) [EANSWITH . The life of St Eanswith cannot now be traced to any earlier authority than John of Tinmouth, who wrote in the second quarter of the 14th century[325]. His De sancta Eanswida virgine et abbatissa names "rex Cancie…Edbaldus" and "Emma regis Francorum filia" as parents of "Ermenredum et Ercombertum et filiam Eanswidam", adding that Eanswith refused to marry and retired to Folkestone where her father built a church dedicated to St Peter[326].]

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He was Christianity in 618 in Kent, , Kent, England. ¹⁷⁰⁰

2. Title Of Nobility: King of Kent, between 24 February 616 and 20 January 640,. ¹⁷⁰⁰

3. Reburial: Relics were translated for reburial in the south transept of St Augustine's Abbey., about 1087,. ¹⁷⁰⁰

4. Biographical Information:,. It is known that Æthelberht married twice as Eadbald married his step-mother after his father's death, to the consternation of the church.[11]
from 0616 to 0618
Kingdom of Kent, Anglo Saxon England
The marriage was prohibited by the church and subsequently annulled.

Eadbald married Princess Emma of Austrasia [7164] [MRIN: 5577] after 616.¹⁷⁰⁰ (Princess Emma of Austrasia [7164] was born about 585 in Kingdom of Austrasia, Frankish Empire,¹⁶⁹⁸ died in 642 in Canterbury, , Kingdom of Kent, Anglo Saxon England ¹⁶⁹⁸ and was buried in 642 in St Paul, Canterbury, Kingdom of Kent, Anglo Saxon England ¹⁶⁹⁸.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. They had a marriage annulled in 618 in Kent, , Kent, England. ¹⁷⁰⁰