What was the Kingdom of Mercia?
Q: What was the Kingdom of Mercia?
A: The Kingdom of Mercia was an important monarchy in the English Midlands from the 6th century to the 10th. It was one of the seven kingdoms of the Heptarchy, and at its peak it was the most powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdom.
Q: Who were some of its rulers?
A: Some of its rulers were Icel, Penda, Bretwalda, and Offa. Offa is particularly notable as he is considered to be the first Anglo-Saxon king who might rightly be called "king of the English".
Q: Where did they come from?
A: Members of this dynasty claimed to be descendants of a royal family from their homeland in Western Europe.
Q: When did Mercia become a dominant force?
A: Mercia became a dominant force under Penda from about c. 632 until his death in 655.
Q: Who was Bretwalda?
A: Bretwalda was Penda's son and he was the first Mercian overlord of southern England.
Q: When did Offa reign?
A: Offa reigned from 757–796 and during his reign, Mercia reached its peak power level.
Q: What happened after Offa's reign?
A: After Offa's reign, Mercia never regained its former power level and for their successors in England see List of English monarchs.
