Eadberht III Præn

Eadberht Præn (also Odberht, Eadbriht, Eadbryht, Eadbert III; epithet. Pryn, Prænn, Praen, Wræn ) was from 796-798 King of Kent.

Life

Kent was advised in 785 under the reign of King Offa of Mercia. Eadberht seems to have lived at that time as a priest at the court of Charlemagne in exile. To 795/796 traveled Eadberht, which was probably just forcedly become a priest to Rome to his case by Pope Leo III. Decide to leave ( 795-816 ). Archbishop Æthelheard ( 792-805 ) of Canterbury was sent by Offa to Rome to represent the side of Mercia.

Broke shortly before Offa's death in 796 in Kent a revolt, headed to Eadberht Præn presented. He was probably supported by Charlemagne, but at least benevolently tolerated, as he allowed himself to proclaim in Kent 796 king. Also Eadwald ( 796 to 800 ), king of East Anglia, seems to have solved of Mercia and allied with Kent, as both rebellious kings shaped similar own coins. Archbishop of Canterbury Æthelheard fled to Mercia, whose king Cenwulf in correspondence with Pope Leo III. occurred. Leo excommunicated Eadberht and gave Cenwulf his consent to the reconquest of Kent. Cenwulf marched with his army plundering and destroying 798 in Kent, took King Eadberht caught and brought him in chains to Mercia. Eadberht was mutilated: he chopped off the hands and ripped out his eyes, but his life should have been spared. Later traditions report that he was kept in Winchcombe ( at Tewkesbury ) in monastery prison. William of Malmesbury, a chronicler of the 12th century narrated that Eadberht Præn was pardoned and released in the year 811 of Cenwulf. Eadberhts further life and his death were not known.

When the rebellion was put down in 798, his brother sat Cenwulf Cuthred as sub- king in Kent a.

Swell

• Symeon of Durham, Historia regum Anglorum et Dacorum
• Anonymous: Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Online in Project Gutenberg (English)