Raedwald of East Anglia

Rædwald of East Anglia was Bretwalda from 616-627. He is thought to be the most likely candidate to be the principal of the Sutton Hoo ship burial; although no bodily remains were ever retrieved from this site.

In 616 Rædwald defeated Ethelfrith of Northumbria, thereby promoting the exiled Edwin to the Northumbrian kingship.

He is thought to have vacillated between Christianity and the old pagan beliefs; according to Bede at his temple in Rendlesham he had both a Christian shrine and a pagan shrine side by side. This juxtaposition was not an uncommon occurrence during the early years of Christianity in Britain.