Alberht of East Anglia

Alberht Of East Anglia

Alberht (also Ethælbert or Æthelberht I; ruled from 749) was an eighth century king of East Anglia. He shared the kingdom with Beonna and possibly a supposed ruler named Hun. He may still have been king in around 760.

Historians have accepted that Alberht was a real historical figure who was possibly an heir of Ælfwald of East Anglia. At Ælfwald's death in 749, the kingdom was divided between Alberht and Beonna, who was perhaps a Mercian and who took the lead in issuing regnal coinage and maintaining a military alliance with Æthelbald. East Anglia was probably drawn into the affairs of 757, when Beornred ruled in Mercia, but after Offa seized power, Beonna was still ruling in East Anglia. The evidence of Alberht's single discovered coin indicates that he had sufficient authority to issue his own coinage, a degree of independence that was soon eclipsed by the rapid growth of Offa's power in East Anglia.