MerewalhMerewalh (sometimes given as Merwal or Merewald was a sub-king of the Magonsæte, a western cadet 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...

 thought to have been located in Herefordshire

Herefordshire

Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...

 and Shropshire

Shropshire

Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...

. Merewalh is thought to have lived in the mid to late 7th century, having acceded the throne during the time of Penda of Mercia

Penda of Mercia

Penda was a 7th-century King of Mercia, the Anglo-Saxon kingdom in what is today the English Midlands. A pagan at a time when Christianity was taking hold in many of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Penda took over the Severn Valley in 628 following the Battle of Cirencester before participating in the...

, who, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the Chronicle was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alfred the Great...

 implies, was his fatherhttp://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/hst/english/TheAnglo-SaxonChronicle/chap3.html:

A.D. 656. This year was Peada slain; and Wulfhere, son of Penda, succeeded to the kingdom of the Mercians. In his time waxed the abbey of Medhamsted very rich, which his brother had begun. The king loved it much, for the love of his brother Peada, and for the love of his wed-brother Oswy, and for the love of Saxulf the abbot. He said, therefore, that he would dignify and honour it by the counsel of his brothers, Ethelred and Merwal; and by the counsel of his sisters, Kyneburga and Kyneswitha; and by the counsel of the archbishop, who was called Deus-dedit; and by the counsel of all his peers, learned and lewd, that in his kingdom were.

The name Merewalh signifies "Famous Foreigner" or "Celebrated Welshman", possibly indicating that he, and perhaps even Penda's dynasty, was of Celtic origin. During his lifetime, Merewalh converted to Christianity

Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

 in about 660, founding Leominster Prioryhttp://www.operationleofric.com/. Merewalh married Saint Ermenburga, having several children (see below). He died sometime between 670 and 685, being succeeded by his son Merchelm.

Offspring

• Merchelm
• Mildfrith
• Saint Milburga
  Milburga of Wenlock
  Saint Mildburh was the Benedictine abbess of Wenlock Abbey.She was a daughter of Merewalh, King of the Mercian sub-kingdom of Magonsaete, and Saint Ermenburga. Saint Mildrith and Saint Mildgytha were her sisters. She had a mysterious power over birds; they would avoid damaging the local crops...
  
  
• Saint Mildred
• Saint Mildgytha
  Mildgytha
  Saint Mildgyth was the youngest daughter of Merewalh, king of Mercia and Saint Eormenburh. Her sisters were Saint Mildburh of Wenlock and Saint Mildrith....
  
  
• Merefin, described by Florence of Worcester
  Florence of Worcester
  Florence of Worcester , known in Latin as Florentius, was a monk of Worcester, who played some part in the production of the Chronicon ex chronicis, a Latin world chronicle which begins with the creation and ends in 1140....
  
  as "a youth of eminent piety."