Succession
Succeeds as King of the East Saxons
Role range: 0707-0709
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Offa Biography and Timeline
Follow Offa through 41 dated historical records for England.
Offa, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
41Distinct records
1 of 2Page
707–796Years on this page
707
757
Succession
Elected King of Mercia, a patrician of the Royal Line of Mercia descended from Wibba
Role range: 0757-0796
Capture of Mercia
Offa seeks to establish Mercian hegemony in England
Role range: 0757-0796
Rule of England
Offa seeks to establish Mercian hegemony in England
Role range: 0757-0796
Offa Becomes King Of Mercia
Offa seized the throne after Beornred's short reign and built one of the strongest kingdoms in early medieval England.
771
Offa Expands Southern Influence
Offa's growing supremacy in southern England placed Sussex within Mercia's political orbit, although a specific invasion in 771 is not securely recorded.
772
Capture of Sussex
Offa captures Sussex & it ceases to exist as a kingdom
Role range: 0757-0796
774
Capture of London
Subdues the East Saxons & captures London in open battle
Role range: 0757-0796
Offa Secures Kentish Influence
Offa's charters and political interventions demonstrate expanding Mercian control in Kent and other southern territories.
776
Battle of Otford
Offa is forced to leave Kent for 9 years. Egbert II defeats Offa near Sevenoaks, despite having a much smaller army
Role range: 0757-0796
777
Capture of Mercia
Captures Powysland
778
Reform of Currency
A new silver coin called the Sceatta is minted, becomes the Anglo Saxon coinage
Role range: 0757-0796
779
Unification
1st Anglo Saxon King to call himself "Rex Anglorum", King of the English
Role range: 0757-0796
Battle of Bensington
Strikes a crippling blow against Wessex in Oxfordshire
Role range: 0757-0796
780
Offas Dyke
Completes 150 mile dyke from the Wye to the Dee. A border with the Welsh territories, extends from the Severn to the Dee Estuary
Role range: 0757-0796
785
Rule of Kent
Reasserts his right to Overlordship over Kent
Role range: 0757-0796
786
Holds the only council in the Anglo-Saxon period to be attended by
Holds the only council in the Anglo-Saxon period to be attended by papal legates
Role range: 0757-0796
Exile of Offa
Drives the King of Kents son, Egbert, into exile
Role range: 0757-0796
Offa Strengthens Royal Administration
Offa consolidated Mercian authority through royal assemblies charters and ecclesiastical patronage across his dominions.
787
Recognition of Offa as the King of the English
The Pope recognizes Offa as the "King of the English"
Role range: 0757-0796
Succession
The Pope recognizes Offa as the "King of the English"
Role range: 0757-0796
Annointment
Offa has his son Egfrith annointed as the next King to ensure his succession
Role range: 0757-0796
Bishop
Pope Adrian I creates the Bishopric at Lichfield to challenge Canterbury
Role range: 0757-0796
Rule of Mercia
Has his son Egfrith made King of the Mercians
Role range: 0757-0796
Succession
Offa has his son Egfrith annointed as the next King to ensure his succession
Role range: 0757-0796
789
Charlamagne closes Frankish ports to English merchants
Charlamagne closes Frankish ports to English merchants
Role range: 0757-0796
Capture of Kent
Offas Capture of Kent forces Egbert to live with Charlamagne until 802
Invasion of Great Britain
1st recorded Viking raid in Britain
Role range: 0757-0796
Siege of Dorchester
1st recorded Viking raid in Britain
Role range: 0757-0796
793
Assassination of Ethelbyrht
Ethelbyrht is killed in Offas court while selecting 1 of Offas daughters as a bride
Role range: 0757-0796
Martyrdom
Offa establishes a monastery on the site where Alban was martyred
Role range: 0757-0796
Capture of East Anglia
East Anglia quickly submits to Mercian rule
Siege of Lindesfarne
The Vikings lay siege to Lindesfarne
Offa Founds Alban Monastery
King Offa of Mercia founded or endowed a monastery in honour of Alban, establishing an influential religious institution near ancient Verulamium.
794
Death of Offa
Has King Ethelbert of East Anglia beheaded
Role range: 0757-0796
Execution
Has King Ethelbert of East Anglia beheaded
Role range: 0757-0796
Siege of Jarrow
The Vikings lay siege to Jarrow
795
Siege of Iona
The Vikings lay siege to Iona
796
Alliance Offa and Charles of the Franks to protect merchants on both sides of the Channel
Allies with Charles of the Franks to protect merchants on both sides of the Channel
Role range: 0757-0796
Death of Offa
Marks the end of Mercian dominance in England & the beginning of the rise of Wessex. Death of Offa
Role range: 0757-0796
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.