Mercia

Mercia was an independent Anglo-Saxon Kingdom on the island of Great Britain, roughly analogous to the modern English Midlands. Its name in English was probably the 'Marc' (meaning 'borderland', in reference to the border with Wales). It was part of the English Heptarchy, and was the dominant member of it from the mid-7th to the mid-9th century A.D. Following the Danish invasions, Mercia was partitioned during the Treaty of Wedmore into the Saxon-controlled West Mercia and Danish-controlled East Mercia. Mercia was eventually united along with the other Kingdoms of the Heptarchy to create the Kingdom of England.

Kings of the Mercians[edit]

Iclings (House of Icel)[edit]

• Icel (c.488-c.501)
• Cnebba (c.501-c.566)
• Cynewald (c.566-584)
• Créoda (584-593)
• Pybba (593-606)
• Céorl (606-626)
• Penda (626-655)
• Éowa (co-monarch, c.635-642)
• Péada (co-monarch, c.653-656)
• (Mercia occupied by Northumbria, 655-658)
• Wulfhere (658-675)
• Æþelred (675-704) (abdicated)
• Cœnred (704-709) (abdicated)
• Céolred (709-716)
• Céolwald (716)
• Æþelbald (716-757) (proclaimed King of Britain, 746)

Usurper[edit]

• Béornred (757) (deposed)

House of Offa[edit]

• Offa the Mighty (757-796) (proclaimed King of the English, 774)
• Egfriþ (co-monarch, 787-796)

House of Cœnwulf[edit]

• Cœnwulf (796-821) (proclaimed Emperor)
• Cynehelm (812 or 821)
• Céolwulf (821-823) (deposed)

Elected monarchs[edit]

• Béornwulf (823-826)
• Ludeca (826-827)
• Wigláf (827-829, 830-840)
• (Mercia occupied by Wessex, 829-830)
• Wigmund (co-monarch, c.840)
• Wigstan (840) (abdicated)
• Béorhtwulf (840-852)
• Burgred (852-874) (abdicated)
• Céolwulf the Foolish (874-883)
• Æþelred Mucil (883-911)

Ladies of the Mercians[edit]

• Æþelflæd (911-918)
• Ælfwynn (918-919) (deposed)
• (Mercia annexed by Wessex, 919)