Mercia examines the Anglo-Saxon kingdom that dominated much of central England and became one of the principal powers of early medieval Britain. It follows rulers such as Offa, the kingdom’s rivalry with Northumbria and Wessex, and the political and religious institutions that supported Mercian authority. The book also traces the impact of ninth-century Viking invasions and the eventual absorption of Mercian lands into the expanding West Saxon kingdom.
Mercian power is especially important for understanding that early England was not destined to be dominated by Wessex. Offa’s diplomacy, coinage and control of central routes demonstrate the sophistication of a kingdom able to influence neighbouring rulers and communicate with continental courts. Viking conquest later breaks that dominance, but Mercian institutions and elites remain important in the creation of a unified kingdom.
Saul David
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Adrian Goldsworthy
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Alison Weir
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Peter Ackroyd
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