Editing Jutes (section)

===Mercian and South Saxon takeover===
In Kent, [[Hlothhere]] had been ruler since 673/4. He must have come into conflict with [[Mercia]], because in 676 the Mercian king [[Æthelred of Mercia|Æthelred]] invaded Kent and according to [[Bede]]:
{{blockquote|In the year of our Lord's incarnation 676, when Ethelred, king of the Mercians, ravaged Kent with a powerful army, and profaned churches and monasteries, without regard to religion, or the fear of God, he among the rest destroyed the city of Rochester|source={{harvnb|Bede|1910|loc=1.15}}}}

In 681 [[Wulfhere of Mercia]] advanced into southern Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Shortly after he gave the Isle of Wight and Meonwara to [[Æthelwealh of Sussex]].{{sfn|Bede|1910|loc=4.13}}{{sfn|Kirby|2000|p=97}}

In Kent, Eadric was for a time co-ruler {{efn|There is no certain evidence for Eadric ruling with his uncle. There is a charter where they are both jointly named but it may just have been a conflation of two earlier separate codes {{sfn|Kirby|2000|p=99}}}} alongside his uncle Hlothhere with [[Law of Hlothhere and Eadric|a law code]] being issued in their names. Ultimately, Eadric revolted against his uncle and with help from a South Saxon army in about 685, was able to kill Hlothhere, and replace him as ruler of Kent.{{sfn|Yorke|1990|pp=29-30}}