Mercia

Mercia, the great Anglian kingdom of central England. The name, originally limited to the district around Tamworth and Lichfield and the Upper Trent valley, refers to a 'march' or frontier that had to be defended against hostile Welshmen. The first settlements were most probably made in the second half of the 6th century, but Mercia first rose into real importance, and indeed grew into Middle England, under the vigorous rule of Penda (626-655). His nephew, Wulfhere (659-675), pushed back the Northumbrians, and extended the boundary southward to the Thames, and Ethelbald (716-755) spread his conquests round all the neighbouring states. But the mightiest kings of Mercia were Offa (757-795) and Cenwulf (796-819), and after their time its power rapidly declined before the invasions of the Danes on the one side, and the spread of the West Saxon kingdom on the other. At length it became one of the great earldoms, and Elfgar, Leofric, Edwin, and Morcar retained at least the shadow of past power. See ENGLAND (History); also DIALECT.