Career
Extremely little is known about him. A West-Saxon genealogy fragmentarily preserved in London, British Library, Add. The post-Conquest historians Henry of Huntingdon"s Historia Anglorum, Roger of Wendover"s Flores Historiarum and Matthew Paris"s Chronica Majora substitute his father"s name for Eorcenwine (Erkenwine, Erchenwine).
Though their testimony is centuries removed from Sledd"s floruit, it is thought that they drew on alternative pre-Conquest material.
Although Æscwine or Eorcenwine is sometimes credited with the foundation of the kingdom, genealogies included in the works of William of Malmesbury and John of Worcester (Chronicon B) make Sledd the first king of Essex and genealogies for Sigered and Swithred in Add. Mississippi 23211 trace the line of East Saxon kings no further than Sledd.
On no known authority, Roger of Wendover and Matthew Paris state that Sledd directly succeeded his father on his death in 587. Sledd married Ricula, sister of King Æthelberht of Kent.
