History
The Kingdom of Mercia (i.e., Miercna Rīce) occupied the region now known as the Midlands. The name Mercia is a Latinization of the OE word Mierce or Myrce meaning “border people”.
- Map of “Mercia” created by “Amitchell125”, English Wikipedia
Cyningas
- Icel (ca. 527- ); son Eomer, last King of the Angles
- Cnebba; son of Icel
- Cynewald; son of Cnebba
- Creoda (ca. 584-ca. 593); son of Cynewald
- Pybba (ca. 593-ca. 606); son of Creoda
- Cearl (ca. 606-ca. 626)
- Penda (ca. 626-655); son of Pybba, killed in battle by Oswiu of Northumbria
- Eowa (ca. 635-642); son of Pybba, killed in battle
- Peada (ca. 653-656); son of Penda, joint ruler of southeast Mercia, murdered
- Oswiu of Northumbria (655-658)
- Wulfhere (658-675); son of Penda, first Christian king
- Æþelred I (675-704); son of Penda, abdicated, retired to monastery
- Cœnred (704-709); son of Wulfhere, abdicated, retired to Rome
- Ceolred (709-716)
- Ceolwald (716); son of Æþelred I, possibly poisoned
- Æþelbald (716-757); grandson of Eowa, murdered by bodyguards
- Beornred (757); no known relations, deposed by Offa, burnt to death
- Offa (757-796); great, great, grandson of Eowa
- Ecgfrith (787-796); son of Offa, joint ruler, died suddenly
- Cœnwulf (796-821); descendant of Pybba, self-titled “emperor”
- Cynehelm (ca. 798-812); son of Cœnwulf, canonized
- Ceowulf I (821-823); brother of Cœnwulf, deposed by Beornwulf
- Beornwulf (823-826); kinsman of Beorned, killed in battle
- Ludeca (826-827); no known relations, killed in battle
- Wiglaf (827-829); no known relations; deposed by Ecgberht of Wessex
- Ecgberht of Wessex (829-830)
- Wiglaf (830-839); restored
- Wigmund (ca. 839-ca. 840); son of Wiglaf, son-in-law of Ceolwulf I
- Wigstan (840); son of Wigmund, declined kingship, murdered by Beorhtwulf, canonized
- Ælfflæd (840); daughter of Ceolwulf I, wife of Wigmund, mother of Wigstan, regent
- Beorhtwulf (840-852); possible cousin, usurped throne, forced Ælfflæd to marry son, Beorhtfrith
- Burgred (852-874); possible kinsman to Beorhtwulf; fled Danish invasion
- Ceolwulf II (874-879 or ca. 883); possible relation
- Æþelred II (ca. 883-911); lord, ealdorman
- Æþelflæd (911-918); lady, wife of Æþelred, daughter of Alfred of Wessex
- Ælfwynn (918); daughter of Æþelred II and Æþelflæd; deposed by uncle, Eadweard the Elder
- Æþelstan (924); so nof Eadweard the Elder, nephew of Æþelflæd
- Eadgar (957-959); nephew of Æþelstan