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Following the arrival in Britain of the Germanic-speaking Angles, Saxons and Jutes in the early 5th century AD, the kingdom of the East Saxons (from which Essex ultimately gets its name) began to emerge in the area of the present-day county in around 527 AD. The earliest known King of Essex was, according to some records, Æscwine (or Erkenwine), who reputedly died in 587 AD, although Æscwine's existence is questionable. Sledd, of whom Æscwine was said to be the father, is the first certain King of Essex. Although he is said to have reigned from 584-604 AD, details about his life are extremely elusive.

Following the arrival in Britain of the Germanic-speaking Angles, Saxons and Jutes in the early 5th century AD, the kingdom of the East Saxons (from which Essex ultimately gets its name) began to emerge in the area of the present-day county in around 527 AD. The earliest known King of Essex was, according to some records, Æscwine (or Erkenwine), who reputedly died in 587 AD, although Æscwine's existence is questionable. Sledd, of whom Æscwine was said to be the father, is the first certain King of Essex. Although he is said to have reigned from 584-604 AD, details about his life are extremely elusive.

The coming of the Great Heathen Army in 865 saw Essex among the English counties which were conquered by the pagan Norse king Guthrum, and became part of the [[Danelaw]], a political entity that existed in mainly northern and eastern England between the early 10th and mid-11th centuries in which Danish laws applied. Although Norse settlement is not as obvious in the place-names of Essex as it is in those of Yorkshire and the North Midlands, a few Norse toponymic relics can be found scattered throughout the county; [[Kirkby-le-Soken]] (Tendring) is ultimately from Old Norse ''kirkju-býr'' ("church village") and [[Arkesden]] in the north-east of the county contains the Norse given-name ''Arnkel''.

The coming of the Great Heathen Army in 865 saw Essex among the English counties which were conquered by the pagan Norse king Guthrum, and became part of the [[Danelaw]], a political entity that existed in mainly northern and eastern England between the early 10th and mid-11th centuries in which Danish laws applied. Although Norse settlement is not as obvious in the place-names of Essex as it is in those of Yorkshire and the North Midlands, a few Norse toponymic relics can be found scattered throughout the county; [[Kirkby-le-Soken]] (Tendring) is ultimately from Old Norse ''kirkju-býr'' ("church village") and [[Arkesden]] in the north-westof the county contains the Norse given-name ''Arnkel''.

== Administration ==

== Administration ==