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Source: Kingdom of Mercia Ancient History Encyclopedia

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Titre	Kingdom of Mercia Ancient History Encyclopedia

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King PENDA of Mercia

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Ancient History Encyclopedia.

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The Kingdom of Mercia (c. 527-879 CE) was an Anglo-Saxon political entity located in the midlands of present-day Britain and bordered on the south by the Kingdom of Wessex, on the west by Wales, north by Northumbria, and on the east by East Anglia. It wasfounded by the semi-legendary king Icel (r. c. 515 – c. 527 CE) who migrated from Germany with his tribe, later known as `Iclings', to the region of East Anglia and then to the midlands. For its first 100 years, Mercia struggled to maintain its boundaries and defend its interests from neighboring kingdoms but that changed with the reign of Penda (r. c. 625-655 CE) who initiated the period of Mercian strength which reached its height underOffa (r. 757-796 CE), the greatest of the Mercian monarchs, best known for the 148-mile-long (238 km) dyke he had constructed along his border with the Welsh kingdoms. Icel established an urban center at Tamworth which would become the capital (later possibly moved to Repton). Although he seems to have been king as early as 515 CE, the date of Mercia's founding is given as 527 CE based on the 13th century CE chronicles known as the Flores Historiarum. Icel was succeeded by his only son Cnebba (r. c. 535 - c. 545 CE) who was then succeeded by his son Cynewald (c. 545 - c. 580 CE); very little is known of their reigns other than approximate dates. The lack of information on these and later kings – as well as much of Mercian history – is due to the Viking raids and wars with Wessex While this is true, enough of these records survive to be able to piece together a chronology of the kings and the development of the kingdom. The next king, Creoda (r. c. 580-c.595 CE), gave away whatever holdings Mercia had to the east and these would develop into the Kingdom of East Anglia. His successor, Pybba (r. c. 595 - c. 606 CE), consolidated the kingdom and pushed its boundaries west. This may have resulted in the Battle of Chester in c. 616 CE and possibly involved Pybba's successor Cearl (r. c. 606 - c. 625 CE) about whose reign little is known (it is even unclear who he was or how he came to power). Aethelfrith of Northumbria (r. 593-616 CE) defeated the Welsh and their allies, including (possibly) Cearl. The causes of the battle are unclear but it is possible Aethelfrith was responding to Mercian aggression since Cearl was the overlord of the eastern Welsh kingdoms. PENDA, SON OF PYBBA, WAS THE LAST OF THE PAGAN KINGS OF MERCIA, WHO ELEVATED THE KINGDOM TO THE MOST POWERFUL IN THE REGION. He was succeeded by Penda, son of Pybba, last of the pagan kings of Mercia, who elevated the kingdom to the most powerful in the region. Penda defeated the West Saxon king Cynegils (r. 611-643 CE) at the Battle of Cirenchester in 628 CE and took the Severn Valley and Kingdom of Hwicce from Wessex. He then allied with the Welsh king Cadwallon ap Cadfan (r. c. 625-634 CE) to defeat Edwin of Northumbria (r. 616-633 CE) at the Battle of Hatfield Chase in 633 CE. Edwin and his son were killed and the Kingdom of Northumbria collapsed; Penda expanded Mercia to the north and west. In 642 CE Oswald of Northumbria (later known as St. Oswald, r. 634-642 CE) rallied his troops to reassert Northumbria's power but was defeated and killed at the Battle of Maserfield. Penda's religious beliefs were considered a significant factor in his victories. All of the kings who fought against him had been Christian and his unbroken record of military success argued for the supremacy of the pagan gods over the new Christian faith. By 650 CE, Penda controlled large portions of both Wessex and Northumbria and had strong alliances with East Anglia and the Welsh kingdoms. In 655 CE, however, he was challenged by Oswald's brother Oswiu (r. 642-670 CE) who controlled the northern region of Northumbria. Penda marched on Oswiu in November 655 CE but was defeated and killed at the Battle of the Winwaed. The Northumbrian victoryresulted in the Christianization of Mercia (since it seemed clear the Christian god of Oswiu was stronger than Penda's) and division of the kingdom. Penda's son and successor, Peada (r. 655-656 CE) converted to Christianity before taking the throne and every Mercian king after him would be Christian.

The Kingdom of Mercia (c. 527-879 CE) was an Anglo-Saxon political entity located in the midlands of present-day Britain and bordered on the south by the Kingdom of Wessex, on the west by Wales, north by Northumbria, and on the east by East Anglia. It wasfounded by the semi-legendary king Icel (r. c. 515 – c. 527 CE) who migrated from Germany with his tribe, later known as `Iclings', to the region of East Anglia and then to the midlands.

For its first 100 years, Mercia struggled to maintain its boundaries and defend its interests from neighboring kingdoms but that changed with the reign of Penda (r. c. 625-655 CE) who initiated the period of Mercian strength which reached its height underOffa (r. 757-796 CE), the greatest of the Mercian monarchs, best known for the 148-mile-long (238 km) dyke he had constructed along his border with the Welsh kingdoms.
Icel established an urban center at Tamworth which would become the capital (later possibly moved to Repton). Although he seems to have been king as early as 515 CE, the date of Mercia's founding is given as 527 CE based on the 13th century CE chronicles known as the Flores Historiarum. Icel was succeeded by his only son Cnebba (r. c. 535 - c. 545 CE) who was then succeeded by his son Cynewald (c. 545 - c. 580 CE); very little is known of their reigns other than approximate dates.

The lack of information on these and later kings – as well as much of Mercian history – is due to the Viking raids and wars with Wessex

While this is true, enough of these records survive to be able to piece together a chronology of the kings and the development of the kingdom. The next king, Creoda (r. c. 580-c.595 CE), gave away whatever holdings Mercia had to the east and these would develop into the Kingdom of East Anglia. His successor, Pybba (r. c. 595 - c. 606 CE), consolidated the kingdom and pushed its boundaries west.
This may have resulted in the Battle of Chester in c. 616 CE and possibly involved Pybba's successor Cearl (r. c. 606 - c. 625 CE) about whose reign little is known (it is even unclear who he was or how he came to power). Aethelfrith of Northumbria (r. 593-616 CE) defeated the Welsh and their allies, including (possibly) Cearl. The causes of the battle are unclear but it is possible Aethelfrith was responding to Mercian aggression since Cearl was the overlord of the eastern Welsh kingdoms.

PENDA, SON OF PYBBA, WAS THE LAST OF THE PAGAN KINGS OF MERCIA, WHO ELEVATED THE KINGDOM TO THE MOST POWERFUL IN THE REGION.
He was succeeded by Penda, son of Pybba, last of the pagan kings of Mercia, who elevated the kingdom to the most powerful in the region. Penda defeated the West Saxon king Cynegils (r. 611-643 CE) at the Battle of Cirenchester in 628 CE and took the Severn Valley and Kingdom of Hwicce from Wessex. He then allied with the Welsh king Cadwallon ap Cadfan (r. c. 625-634 CE) to defeat Edwin of Northumbria (r. 616-633 CE) at the Battle of Hatfield Chase in 633 CE. Edwin and his son were killed and the Kingdom of Northumbria collapsed; Penda expanded Mercia to the north and west. In 642 CE Oswald of Northumbria (later known as St. Oswald, r. 634-642 CE) rallied his troops to reassert Northumbria's power but was defeated and killed at the Battle of Maserfield.

Penda's religious beliefs were considered a significant factor in his victories. All of the kings who fought against him had been Christian and his unbroken record of military success argued for the supremacy of the pagan gods over the new Christian faith. By 650 CE, Penda controlled large portions of both Wessex and Northumbria and had strong alliances with East Anglia and the Welsh kingdoms.

In 655 CE, however, he was challenged by Oswald's brother Oswiu (r. 642-670 CE) who controlled the northern region of Northumbria. Penda marched on Oswiu in November 655 CE but was defeated and killed at the Battle of the Winwaed. The Northumbrian victoryresulted in the Christianization of Mercia (since it seemed clear the Christian god of Oswiu was stronger than Penda's) and division of the kingdom. Penda's son and successor, Peada (r. 655-656 CE) converted to Christianity before taking the throne and every Mercian king after him would be Christian.