Eormenric of Kent

Who is Eormenric of Kent?

Eormenric of Kent was King of Kent from circa 534/540 to 564/580. His father may have been Octa of Kent, whom Eormenric succeeded. His son, Æthelberht of Kent, in turn succeeded him circa 580/590, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

Gregory of Tours records that the marriage of Æthelberht to a Frankish princess, Bertha, took place while he was filius regis, most likely during the reign of his father, whom the genealogies name Eormenric. Therefore Eormenric can be regarded as the first historical King of Kent. As the date of the marriage is not known, Eormenric's reign cannot be dated. The Venerable Bede placed his death in 560, but since his son's wife was not even born at that time, it seems unlikely. Rather, Gregory implies that Æthelberht's father was still reigning as of his writing.

Eormenric's Frankish connexion goes deeper than his daughter-in-law. The first component of his name Eormen- was uncommon in England at the time, but common in Francia. Both Eormen- and -ric were used repeatedly in naming by the Oiscingas thereafter.