Saelred of Essex reigned as King of Essex

Kingdom of Essex

The Kingdom of Essex or Kingdom of the East Saxons was one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the so-called Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was founded in the 6th century and covered the territory later occupied by the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Middlesex and Kent. Kings of Essex were...

 from c. 709 to 746. His claim to the throne was due to descent from Sigeberht II The Good

Sigeberht II of Essex

Sigeberht II, nicknamed the Good or the Blessed , was King of the East Saxons , in succession to his relative Sigeberht I the Little...

. For part of his reign he probably ruled jointly with Swaefbert

Swaefbert of Essex

Swaefbert of Essex was King of Essex . He ruled along with Saelred of Essex who appointed him provisional king in 715....

, who, it is speculated, may have ruled the sub-kingdom of Middlesex

Middlesex

Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...

. His date of death is known from an entry in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the Chronicle was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alfred the Great...

 although the circumstances are not recorded.

He was succeeded by Swithred

Swithred of Essex

Swithred of Essex was King of Essex . He was the second son of Sebbi, and the grandson of King Sigeheard of Essex. Like his predecessors, he was not an independent ruler, but a dependent of the Kingdom of Mercia....

, grandson of Sigeheard

Sigeheard of Essex

Sigeheard was joint king of Essex along with his brother, Swaefred, from 694 to 709, succeeding their father Sebbi.In 705, they became estranged from King Ine of Wessex for sheltering his rivals to the throne. At the Synod of Brentford, they agreed to banish the rivals from Essex in return for...

. Saelred's own son Sigeric

Sigeric of Essex

Sigeric of Essex was a King of Essex, and a son of Saelred of Essex, reigning from 758 until he abdicated in 798, makes a pilgrimage to Rome, and enters Roman monastery. Like his predecessors, he was not an independent ruler, but a dependent of the Kingdom of Mercia....

 succeeded Sigeheard.

Like his predecessors, he was not an independent ruler, but a dependent of the Kingdom of Mercia

Mercia

Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...

.