Historical person
Offa of Mercia
died 796
Offa was King of Mercia from 757 until 796 and became the most powerful ruler in late eighth-century Anglo-Saxon England. Through warfare, dynastic diplomacy and control of tributary kingdoms, he extended Mercian influence across much of southern Britain.
His reign is associated with major earthworks along the Welsh frontier, a sophisticated silver coinage and sustained dealings with Charlemagne and the papacy. Offa’s political achievement did not produce a lasting Mercian dynasty, but it established models of royal authority later adapted by the kings of Wessex.
Non Fiction
Non Fiction featuring Offa of Mercia (1 book)
Biographies, histories and other non-fiction are listed separately from the historical novels above.