c.779 Anglo-Saxon Black King Saint Ethelbert II Of England aka Æthelberht II

Anglo-Saxon King Æthelberht, also called Saint Ethelbert the King was a so-called BLACK man based on his coin (died 20 May 794 at Sutton Walls, Herefordshire), was an 8th-century saint and a king of East Anglia, the Anglo-Saxon English kingdom today now includes the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Very few of the coins he issued have been discovered. The British Museum only shows one coin without his face.

King Æthelberht was canonised and revered by the nation in East Anglia and at Hereford, where a shrine of the saintly King once existed. Churches in Suffolk, Norfolk and the west of England are dedicated to the King, a joint patron of Hereford Cathedral. 

Æthelberht’s reign may have begun in 779. Very Little is known of Æthelberht’s life or reign, as few East Anglian records have survived from this period. According to Cleric Richard of Cirencester, writing in the 15th century, Æthelberht’s parents were King Æthelred I of East Anglia and Leofrana of Mercia. Richard, in detail, tells a story of Æthelberht’s piety, election as King and wise rule. Urged to marry against his will, he agreed to wed Princess Eadburh, the daughter of Offa of Mercia and set out to visit her. Despite his mother’s prophecy and his experiences of terrifying events, he had a vision of destruction.

*It is speculated that King Æthelberht was put to death by Offa under unclear circumstances, apparently at the royal vill at Sutton Walls. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, he was beheaded. 

The history of the King’s life is made clear that the historians know little about the King, so the tales about his death could be another lie. It seems far-fetched and reads like a romance novel.

“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth” Gautama Buddha.

Disclaimer: True Race Facts have made the long overdue honest determination that the King was dark brown, aka BLACK of the Hebrew, Shemitic negro race. Based on his facial phenotype features and thick braided hairstyle. Original Coins are the most accurate determination to identify the King because he would have approved the coins before they were hammered and issued.