List of monarchs of Mercia
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A list of the Kings etc. of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia
This was a time when spellings varied widely, even within a document. A number of variations of the details below exist. Amongst these are the preference between þ and ð (hard and soft 'th').
The character '7' was used instead of ampersand '&' in contemporary Anglo-Saxon writings.
Kings, Ealdormen and Ladies of the Mercians
The first dynasty of the Mercians was called Iclingas after Icel, father of Cynewald, grandfather of Cnebba, and great-grandfather of Creoda of Mercia.
| Reign | Incumbent | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.585 to 593 | Creoda | CREODA CYNEVVALDING MIERCNA CYNING CREODA REX MERCIA | |
| 593 to c.606 | Pybba | PYBBA CREODING MIERCNA CYNING PYBBA REX MERCIA | |
| 606 to 626 | Ceorl | CEORL MIERCNA CYNING CEORL REX MERCIA | |
| 626 to 655 | Penda | PENDA PYBBING MIERCNA CYNING PENDA REX MERCIA | |
| 655 to 656 | Peada | PEADA PENDING MIERCNA CYNINC PEADA REX MERCIA | Killed in battle by Oswiu, King of Northumbria |
| Northumbrian Dynasty | |||
| direct rule 656 to 659 | Oswiu | OSVVIV ÆÞELFRIÞING NORÞANHYMBRA 7 MIERCNA CYNING OSVVIV REX NORÞYMBRIA ET MERCIA | |
| Mercian Dynasty | |||
| 659 to 675 | Wulfhere | VVLFHERE PENDING MIERCNA CYNING VVLFHERE REX MERCIA | |
| 675 to 704 | Aethelred | ÆÞELRED PENDING MIERCNA CYNING ÆÞELRED REX MERCIA | Abdicated to become a monk |
| 704 to 709 | Cenred | COENRED VVLFHERING MIERCNA CYNING COENRED REX MERCIA | Abdicated |
| 709 to 716 | Ceolred | CEOLRED ÆÞELREDING MIERCNA CYNING CEOLRED REX MERCIA | |
| 716 to 757 | Ethelbald | ÆÞELBALD ALVVIHING MIERCNA CYNING ÆÞELBALD REX MERCIA ÆÞELBALD REX BRITANNIAÆ | Murdered |
| 757 | Beornrad | BEORNRED MIERCNA CYNING BEORNRED REX MERCIA | Killed by Offa, King of Mercia |
| 757 to 796 | Offa | OFFA ÞINCFERÞING MIERCNA CYNING OFFA REX MERCIA OFFA REX ANGLORVM | Joint-king with his son Ecgfrith |
| 787 to 14/17 December 796 | Ecgfrith | ECGFRIÞ OFFING MIERCNA CYNING ECGFRIÞ REX MERCIA | Joint-king with his father Offa |
| December 796 to 821 | Cenwulf | COENVVLF CVÞBRYHTING MIERCNA CYNING COENVVLF REX MERCIA\ | |
| 821 | Cenelm | COENELM MIERCNA CYNING CENELM REX MERCIA | |
| 821 to 823 | Ceolwulf I | CEOLVVLF CVÞBRYHTING MIERCNA CYNING CEOLVVLF REX MERCIA | Deposed and exiled |
| 823 to 825 | Beornwulf | BEORNVVLF MIERCNA CYNING BEORNVVLF REX MERCIA | Defeated by Egbert, King of Wessex and killed by the East Angles later that year |
| 826 to 827 | Ludeca | LVDECAN MIERCNA CYNING LVDECAN REX MERCIA | Murdered |
| 827 to 829 | Wiglaf | VVIGLAF MIERCNA CYNING VVIGLAF REX MERCIA | Deposed |
| Wessex Dynasty | |||
| 829 to 830 | Egbert of Wessex | ECGBRYHT EALHMVNDING VVESTSEAXE 7 EST SEAXE 7 SVÞSEAXE 7 CANTVVARE 7 MIERCNA CYNING ECGBRYHT REX SAXONVM ORIENTALIVM ET SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM EX SAXONVM AVSTRALIVM ET CANTVVARVM ET MIERCIA | |
| Mercian Dynasty | |||
| 830 to 840 | Wiglaf | VVIGLAF MIERCNA CYNING VVIGLAF REX MERCIA | Restored |
| 840? to 840? | Wigstan | VVIGSTAN MIERCNA CYNING VVIGSTAN REX MERCIA | |
| 840 to 852 | Beorhtwulf | BEORHTVVLF MIERCNA CYNING BEORHTVVLF REX MERCIA | Defeated by invading Danes; fate uncertain, traditionally killed |
| 852 to 874 | Burgred (Burhred) | BVRGRED MIERCNA CYNING BVRGRED REX MERCIA | Expelled by Danes |
| 873 to 879 | Ceolwulf II | CEOLVVLF MIERCNA CYNING CEOLVVLF REX MERCIA | Puppet king set up by the Danes in East Mercia |
| 879 to 911 | Aethelred | ÆÞELRED | As ealdorman of Anglo-Saxon West Mercia under the King of Wessex |
| 911 to 918 | Ethelfleda | EÞELFLEDA | "Lady of the Mercians" under the King of Wessex |
| 918 to 919 | Aelfwynn | ÆLFVVYNN | Joint "Lady of the Mercians" under the King of Wessex |
| The Heptarchy |
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| East Anglia | Essex | Kent | Mercia | Northumbria | Sussex | Wessex |