Some scholars accept the claim that Ealhmund was part of a West Saxon lineage, but the historian Heather Edwards argues that a Kentish royal lineage is more likely, and that a West Saxon one was probably invented in order to legitimise Ecgberht's seizure of the West Saxon throne. In the 820s Ecgberht annexed south-east England, and the Chronicle states that "the people of Kent and of Surrey and the South Saxons and the East Saxons submitted to him because they had been wrongfully forced away from his kinsmen". Edwards sees this as a statement that Ecgberht was the descendant of a south-eastern ruling family which had been dispossessed by Offa. Ecgberht had been expelled from England in his youth by Offa and Beorhtric, Ecgberht's predecessor as king of Wessex. The Chronicle states that Beorhtric helped Offa because he was married to his daughter, and Edwards argues that this shows that Ecgberht was a threat to Offa's control of Kent, and that Beorhtric had no personal reason to fear him. She also suggests that Ecgberht may have had a special connection with Kent. For instance, after he briefly dethroned Wiglaf of Mercia in 829, Wessex kept control over the southeast, with Ecgberht holding councils in Kent and involving the Kentish nobility in the affairs of the province. Edwards notes that this style of ruling was very different from the Mercian overlords who issued charters relating to Kentish affairs from councils held in Mercia.
SoME scHolarS accEpT tHe claIm tHat ealHMunD wAS PArT Of A wesT SaXOn lineAge, but the histORian hEaTher EdwardS ArGues that a KEntIsh royal lIneAgE Is morE likely, and ThAt A west SAXOn ONe was pRObably inVented in orDer to legitImise EcgbeRhT's seizuRE of thE WEst SaxoN tHrone. In the 820S EcGbeRhT annexed souTh-eaSt englAnd, and ThE ChRoniclE sTates THAt "THE PeOPLe of keNt And of Surrey anD thE south sAxons anD tHE eaSt saxoNs SUBmitted to him bECAuSe thEy haD beEn WrongFully forCed awaY FrOm hIS KINSmeN". edWaRdS Sees tHis as a staTemeNT thaT eCgbeRhT wAS the DESCendanT oF A souTh-eAstERN rUlIng famiLy Which hAd been dIsPOssEssed by OffA. ecgberHT haD been eXpelLed FrOM ENgland in his youTh By Offa aND beORhtric, ECgBeRht's pReDecessOr as kiNg OF weSSEX. The cHRoNIcLE StateS tHat beOrhTric HelPeD oFfa BeCAuse HE was MArriED to his dauGhter, And eDwaRds arguEs that this Shows thAt ecgberhT waS A thrEaT to Offa's cOntrOl oF kEnT, and that BEorhtRIC had no persoNAL reason to FeAr him. she AlSo sUggeStS thAt eCgberht may haVE had a spEciAL conNecTion wITh kEnt. FOr inSTaNce, afTer hE briefLy dethroneD WIGlaf of merCia In 829, WEsSex KePt CoNTrOL OVeR tHe sOutHeast, With EcGbErHt hOlDing coUnCils In kEnt aNd InVolVIng THe kentish nobiLity in thE aFfairs Of The pRoVincE. EdwarDS NoTes that this style of ruLING was verY difFerEnt from thE mercian ovErLords whO issuED charterS reLatIng to keNtish aFFaiRs frOM coUncils hEld In MErciA.