Mercian Supremacy
Encyclopedia
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
. The term appears to have been coined by Frank Stenton
, who put forward the argument that the unification of England south of the Humber
under Mercia had been achieved during the reign of King Offa
, although opinion on the relationship between Wessex
and Mercia at this time remains divided.
While the precise period covered remains uncertain (depending upon whether the reigns of King Penda and Wulfhere
are included or not), the end of the era is generally agreed to be around 825
, following the defeat of King Beornwulf at the Battle of Ellandun, near Swindon
.
Nicholas Brooks noted that "The Mercians stand out as by far the most successful of the various early Anglo-Saxon peoples until the later ninth century", and with the exception of 3 years under Northumbrian domination, this is certainly the case between 633 and 825.
Recorded by Bede
as the nemesis of early Anglo-Saxon Northumbria
, King Penda was responsible for the early expansion of Mercian territory, but his reign ended with defeat followed by a brief three-year period of Northumbrian rule. The rebellion against Northumbria by Penda’s son Wulfhere in 658
was quickly followed by the restoration of Penda’s kingdom and then by a period of expansion which saw the influence of Mercia reach as far south as the Isle of Wight
. This period of expansion was briefly hindered by the loss of Lindsey
between 661 and 665, but its recapture by Æthelred following the Battle of the Trent
in 679 secured Mercia’s position as the dominant power for more than a century.
Mercia’s grip on Essex
, Sussex
and Kent
seems to have been tenuous until 716, when Æthelbald restored Mercia’s control for over 40 years. The rise of Offa as king in 757
created a golden age for Anglo-Saxon Mercia. Some suggested that it is Offa’s defeat of the Welsh and the West Saxons of Wessex that established the Mercian supremacy, which remained unchallenged until 825 when Ecgberht
, king of Wessex supported an East Anglian rebellion against Beornwulf of Mercia, whose death at Ellandun effectively brought the Supremacy to an end.
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...
history between AD 600 and 900, in which the Kingdom of Mercia
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...
dominated the Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
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...
. The term appears to have been coined by Frank Stenton
Frank Stenton
Sir Frank Merry Stenton was a 20th century historian of Anglo-Saxon England, and president of the Royal Historical Society . He was the author of Anglo-Saxon England, a volume of the Oxford History of England, first published in 1943 and widely considered a classic history of the period...
, who put forward the argument that the unification of England south of the Humber
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
under Mercia had been achieved during the reign of King Offa
Offa
Offa may refer to:Two kings of the Angles, who are often confused:*Offa of Angel , on the continent*Offa of Mercia , in Great BritainA king of Essex:*Offa of Essex A town in Nigeria:* Offa, Nigeria...
, although opinion on the relationship between Wessex
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...
and Mercia at this time remains divided.
While the precise period covered remains uncertain (depending upon whether the reigns of King Penda and Wulfhere
Wulfhere of Mercia
Wulfhere was King of Mercia from the end of the 650s until 675. He was the first Christian king of all of Mercia, though it is not known when or how he converted from Anglo-Saxon paganism. His accession marked the end of Oswiu of Northumbria's overlordship of southern England, and Wulfhere...
are included or not), the end of the era is generally agreed to be around 825
825
Year 825 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Egbert of Wessex defeats Beornwulf of Mercia at Ellandun. Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Essex submit to Wessex and East Anglia acknowledges Egbert as overlord.* Emperor Louis the Pious of the Franks wars against the Wends...
, following the defeat of King Beornwulf at the Battle of Ellandun, 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...
.
Nicholas Brooks noted that "The Mercians stand out as by far the most successful of the various early Anglo-Saxon peoples until the later ninth century", and with the exception of 3 years under Northumbrian domination, this is certainly the case between 633 and 825.
Recorded by Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
as the nemesis of early Anglo-Saxon Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
, King Penda was responsible for the early expansion of Mercian territory, but his reign ended with defeat followed by a brief three-year period of Northumbrian rule. The rebellion against Northumbria by Penda’s son Wulfhere in 658
658
Year 658 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 658 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* The Union of Slavic Tribes falls apart after...
was quickly followed by the restoration of Penda’s kingdom and then by a period of expansion which saw the influence of Mercia reach as far south as the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. This period of expansion was briefly hindered by the loss of Lindsey
Lindsey
Lindsey was a unit of local government until 1974 in Lincolnshire, England, covering the northern part of the county. The Isle of Axholme, which is on the west side of the River Trent, has normally formed part of it...
between 661 and 665, but its recapture by Æthelred following the Battle of the Trent
Battle of the Trent
The Battle of the Trent was a battle fought at an unspecified site near the River Trent within the Kingdom of Lindsey, in the ninth year of Ecgfrith's reign . The battle was fought between the Northumbrian army of King Ecgfrith and the Mercian army of Æthelred, king of Mercia. Æthelred defeated...
in 679 secured Mercia’s position as the dominant power for more than a century.
Mercia’s grip on 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...
, 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...
and Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
seems to have been tenuous until 716, when Æthelbald restored Mercia’s control for over 40 years. The rise of Offa as king in 757
757
Year 757 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 757 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.-Africa:* Foundation of the city of Sijilmasa by the...
created a golden age for Anglo-Saxon Mercia. Some suggested that it is Offa’s defeat of the Welsh and the West Saxons of Wessex that established the Mercian supremacy, which remained unchallenged until 825 when Ecgberht
Egbert of Wessex
Egbert was King of Wessex from 802 until his death in 839. His father was Ealhmund of Kent...
, king of Wessex supported an East Anglian rebellion against Beornwulf of Mercia, whose death at Ellandun effectively brought the Supremacy to an end.