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 was founded 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.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 515 - c. 535Reign of King Icel, founder of Mercia.
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c. 535 - c. 545Reign of King Cnebba in Mercia.
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c. 545 - c. 580Reign of King Cynewald in Mercia.
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c. 580 - c. 595Reign of King Creoda in Mercia.
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c. 595 - c. 606Reign of King Pybba in Mercia.
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c. 606 - c. 625Reign of King Cearl in Mercia; lands lost to Northumbria after Battle of Chester.
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c. 616Battle of Chester; Mercia loses Welsh kingdoms to Northumbria.
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c. 625 - 655Reign of King Penda in Mercia; kingdom expands.
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628Battle of Cirenchester; King Penda of Mercia defeats West Saxons and takes land.
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633Battle of Hatfield Chase; King Penda of Mercia defeats Northumbria and takes lands.
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655Battle of the Winwaed; King Penda of Mercia killed; Mercia defeated by Northumbria and partitioned.
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655 - 656Peada, son of Penda, rules southern Mercia.
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655 - 658Oswiu of Northumbria rules northern Mercia.
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658 - 675King Wulfhere reigns in Mercia; reunites the kingdom.
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675 - 704King Aethelred I reigns in Mercia.
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704 - 709King Coenred reigns in Mercia.
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709 - 716King Ceolred reigns in Mercia. .
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716 - 757King Aethelbald reigns in Mercia.
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757Beornred reigns briefly in Mercia; deposed by Offa.
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757 - 796King Offa reigns in Mercia; builds famous dyke along border with Wales.
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796Offa's son Ecgfrith reigns briefly in Mercia.
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796 - 821King Coenwulf reigns in Mercia.
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821 - 823King Ceolwulf I reigns in Mercia.
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823 - 826King Beornwulf reign in Mercia; loses supremacy to Mercia after Battle of Ellandun.
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825Battle of Ellandun; Wessex defeats Mercia, Mercian supremacy in the region lost. .
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826 - 827King Ludeca reigns in Mercia.
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827 - 829First reign of King Wiglaf in Mercia; deposed by Egbert of Wessex.
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827 - 829First reign of King Wiglaf in Mercia; deposed by Egbert of Wessex.
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827 - 829First reign of King Wiglaf in Mercia; deposed by Egbert of Wessex.
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827 - 829First reign of King Wiglaf in Mercia; deposed by Egbert of Wessex.
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829 - 830King Egbert of Wessex rules Mercia directly.
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830 - 839Second reign of Wiglaf in Mercia.
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839 - 840King Wigmund reigns in Mercia. .
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840King Wigstan reigns in Mercia.
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840 - 852King Beorhtwulf reigns in Mercia.
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852 - 874King Burgred reigns in Mercia; deposed by Viking army.
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874 - 883King Ceolwulf II reigns in Mercia; Viking puppet-king.
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879King Ceolwulf II cedes eastern part of Mercia to Vikings; end of united Mercian kingdom.
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883 - 911King Aethelred II reigns in Mercia; submits to Alfred the Great of Wessex as overlord.
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911 - 918Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, reigns in Mercia.
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918Lady Aelfwynn, daughter of Aethelflaed, reigns briefly in Mercia.
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918Aelfwynn deposed by Edward the Elder of Wessex; Mercia becomes part of Kingdom of Wessex.
