Cuthred

Cuthred was a king of Kent who reigned from approximately 798 to 807 AD. His reign is primarily documented through charters and chronicles from the period. He succeeded his father, Eardwulf, as king of Kent, though the exact circumstances of his succession and the length of his reign are subject to some scholarly debate.

During Cuthred's rule, Kent was often under the influence of the more powerful kingdom of Mercia. The Mercian king, Coenwulf, exerted significant authority over Kent, and Cuthred's charters sometimes indicate Mercian overlordship. Despite this, Cuthred appears to have maintained a degree of royal authority within Kent itself, issuing charters for land grants and other administrative matters.

His reign falls within a period of considerable political flux in Anglo-Saxon England, with Mercia emerging as the dominant power. Cuthred's relationship with the church is also evident in the charters, which often mention grants to religious institutions. The exact date and manner of Cuthred's death are not definitively known, but his reign ended around 807 AD, at which point Eadberht succeeded him as king of Kent. The historical record for Cuthred, like many Anglo-Saxon rulers of this era, is fragmented, making a complete understanding of his reign challenging.