ETH'ELBERT, King of Kent, and fourth in direct descent from the great Hengist, was b. in the year 552, and succeeded to the throne in about the eighth year of his age. The representative of the first Saxon king who ruled in England, and envious on that account of the title_ of Bretwalda, then enjoyed by Cealwin of Wessex, E. rashly undertook an eitatition against that king'in 568, a he known the extent of country covered by the West Saxons, he would probably never have made. The rival kings met at Wibbandune, now Wimbledon, in Surrey, where a great battle took place, resulting in the defeat of Ethelbert. This is recorded as being the first bat tle that ever occurred between Anglo-Saxon sovereigns. Taught by disaster and danger, E. became more prudent. His subsequent schemes were more successful, and, about the year 590, he was acknowledged as Bretwalda of the Saxon octarchy, a dignity which he maintained to the close of his reign and life. In 570, E. married Bertha, a Frankish princess. The lady was a Christian, and it is said had stipulated, as a condition of her marriage, that she should be allowed, after her arrival in Kent, to practice her own religion. Her amiable piety had completely disarmed E. of all violence against the
Christian religion long before the most important event of his life took place, viz., the formal introduction of Christianity into his kingdom. This was effected by means of the ministrations of St. Augustine, who was sent to Britain by pope Gregory, and who landed in Kent in 596. In the following year the king himself was converted, and Christianity established among the hitherto pagan Saxons. After his conversion and baptism, he founded the bishopric of Rochester, and, in concert with his nephew Sebert, king of Essex—who also had been converted—erected the church of St. Paul's in London. He died in 616.
E. is also distinguished as the author of the first written Saxon laws. These are the Dooms, as they are called by Bede, " which he established with the consent of his Witan in the days of St. Augustine." They are in the Saxon language, and are the earliest written laws that exist in any modern tongue.