WIHTRED

died April 23, 725 king of Kent who came to the throne in 690 after a period of anarchy. Wihtred was not sole king until 692 at the earliest, for Bede, the 8th-century historian, states that Swaefred, king of the East Saxons, was joint ruler in this year. Wihtred, however, seems to have become sole king by 694. At his death, 31 years later, he left the kingdom to his sons Aethelberht, Eadberht, and Alric. During the fifth year of his reign (probably 695), Wihtred issued a code of laws in a council held at a place called Berghamstyde (Barham?). Copies of this code still exist. A grant of privileges to the Christian church, purportedly issued by Wihtred, follows the entry for the year 694 in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Although scholars do not accept this grant as genuine, the claim that Wihtred issued such a document does illustrate his close ties with the church.