Mercia in History

A vassal under the supremacy of Northumbria

Succeeds as King of the March

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Athelfrith advances on Mercia

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Agrees to marry Cynewise, sister of Cynegils

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Pendas son & heir is baptized

Succeeds as King of Mercia, rules the middle Angles

Converts Mercia to christianity after Pendas death

Death of Penda, Oswy kills Penda in battle, the last great pagan King

Death of Penda, Oswy kills Penda in battle, the last great pagan King

Succeeds as King of Mercia, rules south Mercia

Mercian nobles acknowledge Oswy's overlordship, extending his authority over Mercia.

Mercian nobles submit to Oswy & acknowledge him as their overlord

Mercian nobles conceal Wulfere who becomes King of the Mercians & Middle Angles

Mercian nobles submit to Oswy & acknowledge him as their overlord

Succeeds as King of Mercia, son of Penda. Restores the Kingdom of Mercia & Wessex becoming King of all the "Australian Regions". Becomes Bretwalda south of the Humber

Succeeds as King of Mercia, brother of Wulfhere

Marries Osthryth, daughter of Oswy of Northumbria

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Athelreds Queen is assassinated by Mercian nobles for the murder of Peada 40 yrs ago

Athelreds Queen is assassinated by Mercian nobles for the murder of Peada 40 yrs ago

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Goes mad at a banquet & dies

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Appointed Overlord, Bretwalda, of Kingdoms south of the Humber

Aethelbald calls himself "King of Britain"

Leads to a civil war which results in Offa taking the throne of Mercia

Ethelbalds assassination leads to civil War In Mercia, causing its loss of supremacy

Offa seeks to establish Mercian hegemony in England

Death of Aethelbald, assassinated

Ethelbalds assassination leads to civil War In Mercia, causing its loss of supremacy

Organizes a rebellion of Athelbads troops to gain the throne

Offa seeks to establish Mercian hegemony in England

Succeeds as King of Mercia, known as "the tyrant"

Elected King of Mercia, a patrician of the Royal Line of Mercia descended from Wibba

Captures Powysland

A new silver coin called the Sceatta is minted, becomes the Anglo Saxon coinage

1st Anglo Saxon King to call himself "Rex Anglorum", King of the English

Drives the King of Kents son, Egbert, into exile

Holds the only council in the Anglo-Saxon period to be attended by papal legates

Offa has his son Egfrith annointed as the next King to ensure his succession

Has his son Egfrith made King of the Mercians

Offa has his son Egfrith annointed as the next King to ensure his succession

Charlamagne closes Frankish ports to English merchants

Has King Ethelbert of East Anglia beheaded

Has King Ethelbert of East Anglia beheaded

Death of Egfrith

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Succeeds as King of Mercia, reigns for 141 days

Marks the end of Mercian dominance in England & the beginning of the rise of Wessex. Death of Offa

Death of Ecgfrith

Invades Powys & Gwynnedd

Cenwulf concludes a peace Treaty with Wessex & re-establishes Mercian authority

Leads an expedition against Cenwulf of Mercia

Wessex slips away from Cenwulfs rule

Succeeds as King of Mercia & Kent

Crowned King of Mercia & Kent

Deposed by Beornwulf

Succeeds as King of Mercia & Kent, after deposing Ceolwulf I

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Captures Mercia

Mercia is invaded by Wessex & Wiglaf is deposed by Egbert

Takes the title, "King of the Mercians" for 1 yr before Mercia regains independence

Takes the title, "King of the Mercians" for 1 yr before Mercia regains independence

Wins back Mercia from Egbert of Wessex who is weakened by Viking invasions

Mercia regains its independence from Egbert

Mercia regains its independence from Egbert

Restored to the throne of Mercia

Mercia regains its independence from Wessex

Mercia regains its independence from Wessex

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Marries a daughter of Aethelwulf

The Vikings invade Mercia but are driven back. In order to establish peace, King Burhred of Mercia cedes Nottingham to the Danes in exchange for leaving the rest of Mercia undisturbed

The Danes invade Mercia

Alfred marries Ealhswith, strengthening political links between Wessex and Mercian nobility.

The marriage to Ealhswith connects Alfred with an important Mercian family through her father Aethelred Mucel.

The Danes turn to the north and attack Mercia, a campaign that lasts until 874

The Danes turn to the north and attack Mercia, a campaign that lasts until 874

Viking pressure on Mercia continues after the army leaves Wessex, increasing Alfred's strategic concern.

The Vikings occupy Mercia

Death of Egbert I

The Vikings occupy Mercia

The Danes occupy Mercia with little resistance, Burgred abdicates

The Viking army installed Ceolwulf as ruler of the remaining English part of Mercia.

The Vikings defeat Burgred

The Danish leader, Ivar, and the Mercian leader, Burgred, die during the invasion of Mercia, with Ivar being succeeded by Guthrum the Old, who finishes the campaign against Mercia

Succeeds as King of Mercia, a Viking puppet

Ceolwulf retained western Mercia while the Viking army divided eastern lands for settlement.

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Aethelred, Lord of the Mercians, accepts Alfred's overlordship and becomes his principal Mercian ally.

Succeeds as King of Mercia

Alfred's daughter Aethelflaed marries Aethelred, strengthening West Saxon influence in Mercia.

Later tradition places the young Athelstan at the Mercian court of Aethelflaed and Aethelred.

Unites Wessex & Mercia

The Vikings quickly sought retaliation for the Northern excursion, the Danelaw King's assembled a fleet and transported a Danish army, via the River Severn, directly into the heart of Mercia

The Vikings quickly sought retaliation for the Northern excursion, the Danelaw King's assembled a fleet and transported a Danish army, via the River Severn, directly into the heart of Mercia

Athelstan developed close connections with Mercian nobles and churchmen before becoming king.

Northumbrians attack Mercia

Aethelflaed assumed sole rule of Mercia and intensified the reconquest of Danish-held territory.

Succeeds as Queen of Mercia, eldest child of Alfred the Great

Edward the Elder & his sister Athelflaed recapture Mercia from the Danes

Edward the Elder & his sister Athelflaed recapture Mercia from the Danes

Edward assumed direct control of Mercia after Aethelflaed’s death.

Aethelflaed of Mercia dies; Edward the Elder takes control of her kingdom

Succeeds as Queen of Mercia

Succeeds as Queen of Mercia, daughter of Athelred & Athelflaed

After taking direct control of Mercia soon after Ethelfledas death, Edward the Elder forces Ragnall to acknowledge his rule

Mercian leaders recognised Athelstan as king soon after Edward the Elder died.

Re-captures Mercia from the Danes

Rules Northumbria & Mercia, unites English & Danes as fellow subjects

Canute conquers Mercia from Edmund Ironside

Allies with the Earl of Northumbria & conquers Mercia

Harold's marriage to Ealdgyth creates a dynastic link with the powerful house of Mercia.

Edwin of Mercia weighs support for Harold II as royal authority shifts after Edwards death

Mercia rebels against Williams victory at the Battle of Hastings

Tostig invades Mercia, after mounting raids further south, but is repulsed by Edwin and Morcar and fled to Scotland