Beornwulf of Mercia
Encyclopedia
Beornwulf was King of Mercia
(now the Midlands
of England
) from 823 to 825. His short reign saw the collapse of the Mercia's supremacy
over the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy
.
Beornwulf's ancestry is practically unknown. His father was a Mercian nobleman, ealdorman Beorhtweald (died 796). A man named Beornwulf is mentioned as having witnessed a charter of King Coenwulf
in 812 and another of King Ceolwulf
in 823, but his position on each of these charters suggests he was not of an exceptionally high rank.
Ceolwulf I was overthrown in 823, and Beornwulf became king. Powys was conquered by the Mercians at about this time, but it is unclear which of the two kings was ruling when it occurred. It has been argued that the known record suggests Beornwulf was more vigorous and likely to wage such a campaign than Ceolwulf, and that the conquest of Powys may have therefore been accomplished by Beornwulf at the beginning of his rule. Soon after he rebuilt the Abbey of St. Peter (later Gloucester Cathedral
). He presided over two synods at Clofesho (an unknown location believed to be near London) with archbishop Wulfred
of Canterbury
, in 824 and 825.
In 825, Beornwulf attacked the West Saxons
but was badly defeated by the King of Wessex, Ecgbert
, in battle at Ellandun
, fought at Wroughton
near Swindon
, Wiltshire
. Ecgbert's son Æðelwulf
subsequently invaded Kent
and drove out its pro-Mercian king, Baldred
.
In the wake of these events, Mercia's dominance of southern England rapidly unravelled. Essex
and Sussex
switched their loyalty to Egbert. The East Angles
, led by Athelstan
and backed by the West Saxons, exploited the moment of weakness by rebelling against Mercian rule, and Beornwulf was killed attempting to crush the revolt. One extant charter of Beornwulf refers to his third regnal year, 825.
A silver penny coinage of Beornwulf was struck during his reign. These coins are very rare indeed today, with only around twenty-five examples known to exist.
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
(now the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) from 823 to 825. His short reign saw the collapse of the Mercia's supremacy
Mercian Supremacy
The Mercian Supremacy is a term commonly used to describe that period of English history between AD 600 and 900, in which the Kingdom of Mercia dominated the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy...
over the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy
Heptarchy
The Heptarchy is a collective name applied to the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of south, east, and central Great Britain during late antiquity and the early Middle Ages, conventionally identified as seven: Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex and Wessex...
.
Beornwulf's ancestry is practically unknown. His father was a Mercian nobleman, ealdorman Beorhtweald (died 796). A man named Beornwulf is mentioned as having witnessed a charter of King Coenwulf
Coenwulf of Mercia
Coenwulf was King of Mercia from December 796 to 821. He was a descendant of a brother of King Penda, who had ruled Mercia in the middle of the 7th century. He succeeded Ecgfrith, the son of Offa; Ecgfrith only reigned for five months, with Coenwulf coming to the throne in the same year that Offa...
in 812 and another of King Ceolwulf
Ceolwulf I of Mercia
Ceolwulf I was King of Mercia and Kent, from 821 to 823. He was the brother of Cœnwulf, his predecessor, and was deposed by Beornwulf.-External links:* http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+186...
in 823, but his position on each of these charters suggests he was not of an exceptionally high rank.
Ceolwulf I was overthrown in 823, and Beornwulf became king. Powys was conquered by the Mercians at about this time, but it is unclear which of the two kings was ruling when it occurred. It has been argued that the known record suggests Beornwulf was more vigorous and likely to wage such a campaign than Ceolwulf, and that the conquest of Powys may have therefore been accomplished by Beornwulf at the beginning of his rule. Soon after he rebuilt the Abbey of St. Peter (later Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the river. It originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter .-Foundations:The foundations of the present...
). He presided over two synods at Clofesho (an unknown location believed to be near London) with archbishop Wulfred
Wulfred
Wulfred was an Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of Canterbury in medieval England. Nothing is known of his life prior to 803, when he attended a church council, but he was probably a nobleman from Middlesex. He was elected archbishop in 805 and spent his time in office reforming the clergy of his cathedral...
of Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, in 824 and 825.
In 825, Beornwulf attacked the West Saxons
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
but was badly defeated by the King of Wessex, Ecgbert
Egbert of Wessex
Egbert was King of Wessex from 802 until his death in 839. His father was Ealhmund of Kent...
, in battle at Ellandun
Ellandun
Ellandun was the site of the Battle of Ellandun between Egbert of Wessex and Beornwulf of Mercia in 825. Sir Frank Stenton described it as "One of the most decisive battles of English history", effectively ending the Mercian supremacy over the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy...
, fought at Wroughton
Wroughton
Wroughton is a large village in Wiltshire, England. It is part of the Borough of Swindon and is south of Swindon.-History:The earliest evidence of human presence in the area is from the Mesolithic period, although this is fairly limited...
near Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. Ecgbert's son Æðelwulf
Ethelwulf of Wessex
Æthelwulf, also spelled Aethelwulf or Ethelwulf; Old English: Æþelwulf, meaning 'Noble Wolf', was King of Wessex from 839 until his death in 858. He is the only son who can indisputably be accredited to King Egbert of Wessex. He conquered the kingdom of Kent on behalf of his father in 825, and was...
subsequently invaded Kent
Kingdom of Kent
The Kingdom of Kent was a Jutish colony and later independent kingdom in what is now south east England. It was founded at an unknown date in the 5th century by Jutes, members of a Germanic people from continental Europe, some of whom settled in Britain after the withdrawal of the Romans...
and drove out its pro-Mercian king, Baldred
Baldred of Kent
Baldred was a king of Kent, until 825, when he was expelled by Æthelwulf, son of King Egbert of Wessex, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, "because formerly they had been wrongly forced away from their allegiance to his kinsmen"....
.
In the wake of these events, Mercia's dominance of southern England rapidly unravelled. Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
and Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
switched their loyalty to Egbert. The East Angles
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
, led by Athelstan
Aethelstan of East Anglia
Æthelstan was king of East Anglia in the 9th century.As with the other kings of East Anglia, there is very little textual information available. He did, however, leave an extensive coinage of both portrait and non-portrait type Æthelstan was king of East Anglia in the 9th century.As with the other...
and backed by the West Saxons, exploited the moment of weakness by rebelling against Mercian rule, and Beornwulf was killed attempting to crush the revolt. One extant charter of Beornwulf refers to his third regnal year, 825.
A silver penny coinage of Beornwulf was struck during his reign. These coins are very rare indeed today, with only around twenty-five examples known to exist.