Rulers
Rulers
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Kings of Mercia (585 .. 883)

ercia was one of the seven kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England. It was located at the centre of the country and was bounded in the north by the River Humber, and by the River Thames in the South. To the west was the River Severn. The kingdom was created in around 580 AD and remained one of the more powerful kingdoms until Alfted the Great united the kingdom almost 300 years later.

Over those 300 years the size and power of Mercia changed dramatically with the success or failures of its rulers. Offa was one of its more powerful rulers and from around 785 he could have been concidered to be the first 'King of England'.

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Mercia Map

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The Iclingas

The rulers of Mercia are known as the Iclingas from Icel who was the great-grandfather of Creoda. Icel had a son called Cnebba, who had a son called Cynewald, who was the father of Creoda.

From
Date		 Ruler Relationship to Predecessor To
Date		 Comments
585(6) Creoda Son 593 Creoda is thought to be the first ruler of Mercia.
593 Pybba Son 606 During the reign of Pybba Mercia gained territories in the west.
606 Cearl (Ceorl) - 626 Bede states that Cearl was a King of Mercia but there is little other evidence.
626 Penda Son of Pybba 655 Was very young when his father died so did not become ruler after this father.
635 Eowa Son of Pybba 642 Jointly ruled Mercia with Penda.
653 Peada Son of Penda 655 Ruled in the south of Mercia until his murder.
Between 655, after the death of Penda, and 658 Oswy of Northumbria took control of Mercia.
658 Wulfhere Son of Penda 675 Ruler of Mercia as a whole after pushing Oswy out. Was first Christian king of Mercia.
675 Athelred (I) Son of Penda 704 A religious man and a younger son of Penda. He abdicated in 704 to live in a monastery.
704 Cenred (Coenred) Son of Wulfhere 709 Cenred abdicated and went to Rome where he became a monk.
709 Ceolred Son of Athelred 716 Poisoned?
716 Athelbald Grandson of Eowa 757 May have been responsilble for death of Ceolred. Murdered by his own men.
757 Beornred - 757 Unknown relationship to previous rulers. May have been responsilble for death of Athelbald. Was removed by Offa.
757 Offa Descended from Eowa July 796 Came to power after conflicts of Athelbald and Beornred. Could be seen as the first King of England. Built defensive banks (dyke) between Mercia and Wales.
796 Ecgfrith Son Jul-Dec Died within months of his father.
Details
Name:
Creoda
Reign:
585(6) to 593
Creoda is thought to be the first ruler of Mercia.
Name:
Pybba
Reign:
593 to 606
During the reign of Pybba Mercia gained territories in the west.
Name:
Cearl (Ceorl)
Reign:
606 to 626
Bede states that Cearl was a King of Mercia but there is little other evidence.
Name:
Penda
Reign:
626 to 655
Son of Pybba. Was very young when his father died so did not become ruler after this father.
Name:
Penda
Reign:
635 to 642
Son of Pybba. Jointly ruled Mercia with Penda.
Name:
Peada
Reign:
653 to 655
Ruled in the south of Mercia until his murder.
Between 655 and 658 Oswy of Northumbria took control of Mercia.
Name:
Wulfhere
Reign:
658 to 675
Ruler of Mercia as a whole after pushing Oswy out. Was first Christian king of Mercia.
Name:
Athelred (I)
Reign:
675 to 704
A religious man and a younger son of Penda. He abdicated in 704 to live in a monastery.
Name:
Cenred (Coenred)
Reign:
704 to 709
Cenred abdicated and went to Rome where he became a monk.
Name:
Ceolred
Reign:
709 to 716
Poisoned?
Name:
Athelbald
Reign:
716 to 757
Grandson of Eowa. May have been responsilble for death of Ceolred. Murdered by his own men.
Name:
Beornred
Reign:
757
Unknown relationship to previous rulers. May have been responsilble for death of Athelbald. Was removed by Offa.
Name:
Offa
Reign:
757 - 796
Came to power after conflicts of Athelbald and Beornred. Could be seen as the first King of England. Built defensive banks (dyke) between Mercia and Wales. Descended from Eowa.
Name:
Ecgfrith
Reign:
757 July - December
Died within months of his father.

Cenwulf became ruler of Mercia after the short reign of Ecgfrith. It is not known if Cenwulf had any part to play in Ecgfrith's death. Cenwulf was not directly related to the previous rulers of Mercia and it is claimed that he was descended from a sibling of Penda.

From
Date		 Ruler Relationship to Predecessor To
Date		 Comments
796 Cenwulf - 821 Cenwulf claimed to be a descendent of a sibling of Penda and a member of the Hwicce royal family.
821 Ceolwulf Brother 823 Brother of Cenwulf but was deposed quickly by Beornwulf.
823 Beornwulf - 826 Overthrew Ceolwulf, but under Beornwulf the power of Mercia was greatly reduced.
826 Ludeca - 827 Ludeca took control after Beornwulf was killed and was killed himself fighting against East Anglia.
827 Wiglaf - 839 Wiglaf ruled twice in a short time. Between 829 and 830 Egbert of Wessex invaded Mercia and ruled for several months before Wiglaf regained control.
839 Wigmund Son 840 Wigmund may have not been a ruler in his own right and may have been a sub-ruler of Merica alongside Wiglaf.
839/40 Beorhtwulf - 852 Wigstan, the son of Wigmund had dedicated himself to the Church so did not become Mercia's ruler. Beorhtwulf took that position. Wigstan was murdered in a dispute with Beorhtwulf over a marriage proposal between Wigmund's widow Elfleda to Beorhtwulf's son.
852 Burgred - 874 Closely aligned with Athelwolf of Wessex and married his daughter. Vikings invaded during his reign and forced Burgred from Mercia.
874 Ceolwulf II - 883 Puppet king installed by the Vikings. May have just reigned to 879 rather than 833.
See later rulers of Mercia and England
Details
Name:
Cenwulf
Reign:
796 to 821
Cenwulf claimed to be a descendent of a sibling of Penda and a member of the Hwicce royal family.
Name:
Ceolwulf
Reign:
821 to 823
Brother of Cenwulf but was deposed quickly by Beornwulf.
Name:
Beornwulf
Reign:
823 to 826
Overthrew Ceolwulf, but under Beornwulf the power of Mercia was greatly reduced.
Name:
Ludeca
Reign:
826 to 827
Ludeca took control after Beornwulf was killed and was killed himself fighting against East Anglia.
Name:
Wiglaf
Reign:
827 to 829
Wiglaf ruled twice in a short time. During his reign Egbert of Wessex invaded Mercia and ruled for several months.
Name:
Wigmund
Reign:
839 to 840
Wigmund may have not been a ruler in his own right and may have been a sub-ruler of Merica alongside Wiglaf.
Name:
Beorhtwulf
Reign:
839/40 to 852
Wigstan, the son of Wigmund had dedicated himself to the Church so did not become Mercia's ruler. Beorhtwulf took that position. Wigstan was murdered in a dispute with Beorhtwulf over a marriage proposal between Wigmund's widow Elfleda to Beorhtwulf's son.
Name:
Burgred
Reign:
852 to 874
Closely aligned with Athelwolf of Wessex and married his daughter. Vikings invaded during his reign and forced Burgred from Mercia.
Name:
Ceolwulf II
Reign:
874 to 879 or 883
Puppet king installed by the Vikings. May have just reigned to 879 rather than 833.
See later rulers of Mercia and England

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