Généalogie and Heritage

Source: The History Files - Mercias British Alliance

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Type	Valeur
Titre	The History Files - Mercias British Alliance

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PYBBA King of Mercia

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Was the Mercian kingdom more British than Angle? It's a curious question given that Mercia is often acclaimed as being one of the great English kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon era. In fact, during much of the eighth century Mercia was clearly the greatest of the kingdoms south of the River Humber. Its kings ruled either directly or through vassals all of the Anglo-Saxon lands. They pursued a policy of aggressively enforcing that dominance by invading any region that dared to display pretensions towards renewed independence. This dominance gradually faded after the death of Offa in 796, and could said to have ended with defeat at the Battle of Ellandon (Wroughton, near Swindon) in 825 at the hands of the rising West Saxons. However, it had rather peculiar and unusual beginnings. In the early days of the kingdom, Mercians more often sided with Britons, not other Angles or Saxons. In fact, they sided with Britons to fight against other Angles and Saxons and, for quite some time, the alliance was a very successful one. This seems tohave been largely forgotten, but seventh century Mercia was a staunch ally of the Britons of the west. How on earth did this seemingly strange alliance come about? Early days The early Mercians were known as the Iclingas. As mentioned in the Mercian list of rulers (see links, right), it seems reasonable to assume that they arrived in Britain via the East Anglian coast. This was perhaps the most popular route in the late fifth century and early sixth for Angles entering Britain (the Wash being the other main entry point in this region). It's impossible to know the precise circumstances of that entry into Britain. Only archaeology and recorded population movements give us any clue to events in an otherwise 'dark' East Anglia. In theory, in their earliest days in Britain from around AD 500, the Iclingas may have served in some capacity as a foederati force for a proposed British territory known as Caer Went, which was centred around the city of Venta Icenorum (modern Caistor-by-Norwich). Alternatively, they may have opposed Caer Went and played a part in its downfall but, either way it seems quite reasonable to assume that there was some intermarriage with the existing British population. Map of Britain AD 500-550 This map of Britain between around AD 500-550 shows the most probable route of migration for the Iclingas, from the East Anglian coast to their early position in the Midlands, apparently close to the Tomsæte FOLLOWING PAGES: Who were the Hwicce? Æthelfrith's Growing Fyrd West Saxon Ethnic Cleansing? Who Were the Jutes? RULERS OF BRITAIN: Iclingas Mercia East Engle Caer Went EXTERNAL LINKS: Mercia Northumbrian Domination King Offa King Offa was Mercia's greatest ruler, but was his wife really the power behind the throne? RELATED LINKS: The Mercian Tribal Hidage If Caer Went was indeed managing the defence of the East Anglian region in the late fifth century, it seems to have fallen to invading Angles fairly quickly, by around 500. If the Iclingas served it at all, they did so only briefly. If they opposed it then they weren't permitted to make the most of the success. Forced westwards, possibly by a rival group of Angles, the warband of the Iclingas ended up on the western edge of the Anglian penetration into Britain, in the East Midlands. The reasoning behind this is detailed in the Mercian list and does not require repeating here, but they initially followed a path that had become well-trodden in the past half century. And then they went even farther. ....article continues

Was the Mercian kingdom more British than Angle? It's a curious question given that Mercia is often acclaimed as being one of the great English kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon era.

In fact, during much of the eighth century Mercia was clearly the greatest of the kingdoms south of the River Humber. Its kings ruled either directly or through vassals all of the Anglo-Saxon lands. They pursued a policy of aggressively enforcing that dominance by invading any region that dared to display pretensions towards renewed independence.

This dominance gradually faded after the death of Offa in 796, and could said to have ended with defeat at the Battle of Ellandon (Wroughton, near Swindon) in 825 at the hands of the rising West Saxons. However, it had rather peculiar and unusual beginnings.

In the early days of the kingdom, Mercians more often sided with Britons, not other Angles or Saxons. In fact, they sided with Britons to fight against other Angles and Saxons and, for quite some time, the alliance was a very successful one. This seems tohave been largely forgotten, but seventh century Mercia was a staunch ally of the Britons of the west.

How on earth did this seemingly strange alliance come about?

Early days

The early Mercians were known as the Iclingas. As mentioned in the Mercian list of rulers (see links, right), it seems reasonable to assume that they arrived in Britain via the East Anglian coast. This was perhaps the most popular route in the late fifth century and early sixth for Angles entering Britain (the Wash being the other main entry point in this region).

It's impossible to know the precise circumstances of that entry into Britain. Only archaeology and recorded population movements give us any clue to events in an otherwise 'dark' East Anglia.

In theory, in their earliest days in Britain from around AD 500, the Iclingas may have served in some capacity as a foederati force for a proposed British territory known as Caer Went, which was centred around the city of Venta Icenorum (modern Caistor-by-Norwich). Alternatively, they may have opposed Caer Went and played a part in its downfall but, either way it seems quite reasonable to assume that there was some intermarriage with the existing British population.

Map of Britain AD 500-550
This map of Britain between around AD 500-550 shows the most probable route of migration for the Iclingas, from the East Anglian coast to their early position in the Midlands, apparently close to the Tomsæte
FOLLOWING PAGES:
Who were the Hwicce?
Æthelfrith's Growing Fyrd
West Saxon Ethnic Cleansing?
Who Were the Jutes?

RULERS OF BRITAIN:
Iclingas
Mercia
East Engle
Caer Went

EXTERNAL LINKS:
Mercia
Northumbrian Domination

King Offa
King Offa was Mercia's greatest ruler, but was his wife really the power behind the throne?

RELATED LINKS:
The Mercian Tribal Hidage

If Caer Went was indeed managing the defence of the East Anglian region in the late fifth century, it seems to have fallen to invading Angles fairly quickly, by around 500. If the Iclingas served it at all, they did so only briefly. If they opposed it then they weren't permitted to make the most of the success.

Forced westwards, possibly by a rival group of Angles, the warband of the Iclingas ended up on the western edge of the Anglian penetration into Britain, in the East Midlands. The reasoning behind this is detailed in the Mercian list and does not require repeating here, but they initially followed a path that had become well-trodden in the past half century. And then they went even farther. ....article continues