State
Kingdom of Mercia
one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy
- This boundary
- 527–918 CE
- Founded
- 527 CE
- Ended
- 918 CE
- Capital
- Tamworth
- Government
- absolute monarchy, monarchy
- Languages
- Old English, Latin
- Religion
- Anglo-Saxon paganism, Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England
- Preceded by
- Kingdom of the Hwicce
- Succeeded by
- Kingdom of Wessex
Overview
Mercia () was an early medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom, one of the seven kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon period. It was centred on the River Trent and its tributaries, in a region now known as the Midlands of England.
The royal court moved around the kingdom without a fixed capital city. Early in its existence Repton seems to have been the location of an important royal estate. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Great Heathen Army deposed the King of Mercia from Repton in 873–874. Slightly earlier, King Offa seems to have favoured Tamworth. He was crowned there, and Tamworth is where he resided during multiple Christmases.
All rulers (29)
- Icel515–535 CE
- Cnebba535–545 CE
- Cynewald545–580 CE
- Creoda of Mercia584–593 CE
- Pybba of Mercia593–615 CE
- Penda of Mercia632–655 CE
- Peada of Mercia655–656 CE
- Oswiu656–658 CE
- Wulfhere of Mercia658–675 CE
- Æthelred of Mercia675–704 CE
- Coenred of Mercia704–709 CE
- Ceolred of Mercia709–716 CE
- Ceolwald of Mercia716 CE
- Æthelbald of Mercia716–757 CE
- Beornred of Mercia757 CE
- Offa of Mercia757–796 CE
- Coenwulf796–821 CE
- Ecgfrith of Mercia796 CE
- Ceolwulf I of Mercia821–823 CE
- Beornwulf of Mercia823–826 CE
- Ludeca of Mercia825–827 CE
- Ludeca of Mercia826–827 CE
- Wiglaf of Mercia827–829 CE
- Ecgberht829–830 CE
- Wiglaf of Mercia830–839 CE
- Wigmund of Mercia839–840 CE
- Beorhtwulf of Mercia840–852 CE
- Burgred of Mercia852–874 CE
- Edgar of England957–959 CE
Records (9)
- 642 CE — Battle of MaserfieldBattle
- 779 CE — Battle of BensingtonBattle
- 825 CE — Battle of EllandunBattle
- 848 CE — Battle of BurnhamBattle · Wessex ▸ Vikings
- 893 CE — Battle of ButtingtonBattle
- 899–902 CE — Æthelwold's RevoltWar
- 902 CE — Battle of the HolmeBattle
- 910 CE — Battle of TettenhallBattle
- 917 CE — Battle of TempsfordBattle
Facts from Wikidata (CC0), HCED (CC0) and Cliopatria (CC BY 4.0); overview excerpted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).