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The Kingdom of Mercia was a state in the English Midlands from the 6th century to the 10th century. For some two hundred years from the mid-7th century onwards it was the dominant member of the Heptarchy and consequently the most powerful of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. During this period its rulers became the first English monarchs to assume such wide-ranging titles as King of Britain and King of the English.
Spellings varied widely in this period, even within a single document, and a number of variants exist for the names given below. For example, the sound th was usually represented with the Old English letters ð or þ.
For the Continental predecessors of the Mercians in Angeln, see List of kings of the Angles. For their successors see List of English monarchs.
Kings of the Mercians
Further information: IclingasThe traditional rulers of Mercia were known as the Iclingas, descendants of the kings of the Angles. When the Iclingas became extinct in the male line, a number of other families, labelled B, C and W by historians, competed for the throne.
Iclingas B-dynasty (so-called – a conjectural grouping based on names alone) C-dynasty (traditionally a branch of the Iclingas, probably instead descended from the West Saxon king Cenwalh and his Iclinga wife) W-dynasty (Wiglaf and his descendants, later intermarried with C) Unknown dynastic affiliation Mercia under external occupation Æthelred II and family (recognising West Saxon overlordship)All the following are kings, unless specified. Those in italics are probably legendary, are of dubious authenticity, or may not have reigned.
| Ruler | Reign | Biographical notes | Died |
|---|---|---|---|
| Icel | c. 515-c.535 | Son of Eomer, last King of the Angles in Angeln. Led his people across the North Sea to Britain. | c.535 |
| Cnebba | c. 535-c.554 | Son of Icel of Mercia | c.554 |
| Cynewald | c. 554-c.584 | Son of Cnebba. | c.584 |
| Creoda | c. 584–c. 593 | Son of Cynewald. Probable founder of the Mercian royal fortress at Tamworth. | c. 593 |
| Pybba | c. 593–c. 606 | Son of Creoda. Extended Mercian control into the western Midlands. | c. 606 |
| Cearl | c. 606–c. 626 | Named as king by Bede, not included in later regnal lists. | c. 626 |
| Penda | c. 626–655 | Son of Pybba. Raised Mercia to dominant status amongst the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Last pagan ruler of Mercia. Killed in battle by Oswiu of Northumbria. | 15 Nov 655 |
| Eowa | c. 635–642 | Son of Pybba. Co-ruler. Killed in battle. | 5 Aug 642 |
| Peada | c. 653–656 | Son of Penda. Co-ruler in the south-east Midlands. Murdered. | 17 Apr 656 |
| Oswiu of Northumbria | 655–658 | Briefly took direct control of Mercia after the death of Penda. Also King of Northumbria (655–670). | 15 Feb 670 |
| Wulfhere | 658–675 | Son of Penda. Restored Mercian dominance in England. First Christian king of all Mercia. | 675 |
| Æthelred I | 675–704 | Son of Penda. Abdicated and retired to a monastery at Bardney. | 716 |
| Cœnred | 704–709 | Son of Wulfhere. Abdicated and retired to Rome. | ? |
| Ceolred | 709–716 | Son of Æthelred I. Probably poisoned. | 716 |
| Ceolwald | 716 | Presumed son of Æthelred I (may not have existed). | 716 |
| Æthelbald | 716–757 | Grandson of Eowa. Proclaimed himself King of Britain in 736. Murdered by his bodyguards. | 757 |
| Beornred | 757 | No known relation to his predecessors. Deposed by Offa. | ? |
| Offa | 757–796 | Great-great-grandson of Eowa. The greatest and most powerful of all Mercian kings, he proclaimed himself King of the English in 774, built Offa's Dyke, and introduced the silver penny. | 29 Jul 796 |
| Ecgfrith | 787–796 | Son of Offa. Co-ruler, died suddenly a few months after his father. | 17 Dec 796 |
| Cœnwulf | 796–821 | Seventh generation descendant of Pybba, probably through a sister of Penda. Assumed the title of 'emperor'. | 821 |
| Cynehelm | c. 798–812 | Son of Cœnwulf. Although he existed, his status as co-ruler and his murder are legendary. Canonised (St Kenelm). | 812 |
| Ceolwulf I | 821–823 | Brother of Cœnwulf. Deposed by Beornwulf. | ? |
| Beornwulf | 823–826 | Conjectured kinsman of Beornred. Killed in battle against the East Anglians. | 826 |
| Ludeca | 826–827 | No known relation to his predecessors. Killed in battle against the East Anglians. | 827 |
| Wiglaf (1st reign) | 827–829 | No known relation to his predecessors. Deposed by Ecgberht of Wessex. | 839 |
| Ecgberht of Wessex | 829–830 | Briefly took direct control of Mercia after the deposition of Wiglaf. Also King of Wessex (802–839). | 4 Feb 839 |
| Wiglaf (2nd reign) | 830–839 | Restored. Although Mercia regained its independence, its dominance in England was lost. | 839 |
| Wigmund | c. 839–c. 840 | Son of Wiglaf and son-in-law of Ceolwulf I. Probably co-ruler. | c. 840 |
| Wigstan | 840 | Son of Wigmund. Declined the kingship and was later murdered by Beorhtwulf. Canonised (St Wystan). | 849 |
| Ælfflæd (Queen) | 840 | Daughter of Ceolwulf I, wife of Wigmund and mother of Wigstan. Appointed regent by Wigstan. | ? |
| Beorhtwulf | 840–852 | Claimed to be a cousin of Wigstan. Usurped the kingship and forced Ælfflæd to marry his son, Beorhtfrith. | 852 |
| Burgred | 852–874 | Conjectured kinsman of Beorhtwulf. Fled to Rome in the face of a Danish invasion. | ? |
| Ceolwulf II | 874–879 or c. 883 | Possibly a descendant of the C-dynasty, of which Ceolwulf I was a member, perhaps via intermarriage with W-dynasty. Lost eastern Mercia to the Danes in 877. | 879 or c. 883 |
| Æthelred II (Lord) | c. 883–911 | Recognised Alfred of Wessex as his overlord. Regarded as an 'ealdorman' by West Saxon sources. | 911 |
| Æthelflæd (Lady) | 911–918 | Wife of Æthelred II and daughter of Alfred of Wessex. Possibly descended from earlier Mercian kings via her mother. With her brother, Edward the Elder, reconquered eastern Mercia. | 12 Jun 918 |
| Ælfwynn (Lady) | 918 | Daughter of Æthelred II and Æthelflæd. Deposed by her uncle, Edward the Elder, Dec 918, who annexed Mercia to Wessex. | ? |
Titular kings following Mercia's annexation
| Ruler | Reign | Biographical notes | Died |
|---|---|---|---|
| Æthelstan | 924 | Son of Edward the Elder and nephew of Æthelflæd. Became King of Mercia on Edward's death (Jul 924), and King of Wessex about 16 days later. | 27 Oct 939 |
| Eadgar | 957–959 | Nephew of Æthelstan. Seized control of Mercia and Northumbria in May 957, before succeeding to the reunited English throne in Oct 959. | 8 Jul 975 |
Ealdormen and Earls of the Mercians
The chief magnate of Mercia as an English province held the title of ealdorman until 1023/32, and earl thereafter. Both offices were royal appointments, but the latter in effect became hereditary.
Ealdormen of the Mercians (non-dynastic) Earls of the Mercians (descendants of Leofwine)| Ruler | Reign | Biographical notes | Died |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ælfhere | 957–983 | Appointed ealdorman of Mercia in 957 by Eadgar, when the English kingdom was disunited. | 983 |
| Ælfric Cild | 983–985 | Brother-in-law of Ælfhere. Deposed by Æthelred the Unready in 985. | ? |
| Wulfric Spot | ?–1004 | Possibly ealdorman of Mercia after the deposition of Ælfric Cild. | 22 Oct 1004 |
| Eadric Streona | 1007–1017 | Appointed by Æthelred. A notorious turncoat, he was later murdered by Cnut for his treachery. | 25 Dec 1017 |
| Leofwine | 1017–1023/32 | Possibly appointed by Cnut as ealdorman of Mercia, he was also ealdorman of the Hwicce. | 1023/32 |
| Leofric | 1023/32–1057 | Son of Leofwine, appointed by Cnut as earl. Chiefly remembered for his famous wife, Godgifu (Lady Godiva). | 31 Aug or 30 Sep 1057 |
| Ælfgar | 1057–1062 | Son of Leofric. Had previously been Earl of East Anglia until succeeding his father to Mercia. | 1062 |
| Eadwine | 1062–1071 | Son of Ælfgar. Submitted to William the Conqueror in 1066, but later rebelled, and was betrayed by his own men. Mercia was then broken up into smaller earldoms. | 1071 |
Earls of March
The title Earl of March (etymologically identical to 'Earl of Mercia') was created in the western Midlands for Roger Mortimer in 1328. It has fallen extinct, and been recreated, three times since then, and exists today as a subsidiary title of the Duke of Richmond and Lennox.
Kings of Mercia family tree
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References
- Zaluckyj, Sarah & Feryok, Marge. Mercia: The Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Central England (2001) ISBN 1-873827-62-8
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| Kingdom of Mercia 527–918 | .png) | |
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