Sæberht, Saberht or Sæbert was an Anglo-Saxon King of Essex, in succession of his father King Sledd. He is known as the first East Saxon king to have been converted to Christianity.
1906 plan of Westminster Abbey showing Sæberht's putative tomb by the entrance of the south ambulatory
The Kingdom of the East Saxons, referred to as the Kingdom of Essex, was one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was founded in the 6th century and covered the territory later occupied by the counties of Essex, Middlesex, much of Hertfordshire and west Kent. The last king of Essex was Sigered of Essex, who in 825 ceded the kingdom to Ecgberht, King of Wessex. From 825 Essex was ruled as part of a south-eastern kingdom of Essex, Kent, Sussex and Surrey. It was not until 860 that Essex was fully integrated into the crown of Wessex.
The Diocese of London in 1714. The diocese had its roots in the East Saxon kingdom, and was probably originally larger than shown here.
St Peter’s Chapel, Bradwell-on-Sea. Established by St Cedd, the patron saint of Essex around 662, it was built on the site of the abandoned Roman Saxon Shore fort of Othona.