Beornwulf
Silver penny of Beornwulf from a mint in East Anglia, struck 823–825.
Legend: +beornpvlf rex
King of Mercia
Reign823–826
PredecessorCeolwulf I
SuccessorLudeca
Died826
HouseB-dynasty

Beornwulf (died 826) was the King of Mercia, a kingdom of Anglo-Saxon England, from 823 until his death in 826. His short reign saw the collapse of Mercia's supremacy over the other kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy.

Biography

Beornwulf became King of Mercia in 823 following the deposition of King Ceolwulf I.[1] His family, as well as the majority of his background, are unknown.[2] However, Beornwulf may be distantly related to a prior Mercian king, Beornred, as well as two subsequent rulers, Beorhtwulf and Burgred— all members of the so-called B-dynasty or group.[3] Though this is only speculation, alliterative names were prevalent in Anglo-Saxon royal families, and the confirmed kin of these leaders also had names that began with B.[4][5]

Prior to becoming king, Beornwulf is mentioned as having witnessed a charter of King Coenwulf in 812 and another of King Ceolwulf I in 823, but his position on each of these charters suggests that he was not of an exceptionally high rank.[2]

In 825 Beornwulf marched against the West Saxons. Beornwulf's army met them at Ellandun (now Wroughton near Swindon in Wiltshire). Although the details are unknown, the battle ended in a disastrous defeat for the Mercians, and is seen by historians as the end of the so-called Mercian Supremacy. That same year, Ecgberht's son Æthelwulf invaded Kent and drove out its pro-Mercian king, Baldred.

In the wake of these events, Mercia's dominance in southern England rapidly unravelled. Essex and Sussex switched their loyalty to Ecgberht; and the East Anglians asked for Ecgberht's protection against the Mercians in the same year. Beornwulf was killed by the East Anglians in battle while attempting to put down a rebellion.

Beornwulf rebuilt the Abbey of St. Peter (later Gloucester Cathedral)[6] and he presided over two synods at Clofesho (an unknown location believed to be near London with Archbishop Wulfred of Canterbury, in 824 and 825.[7] A Kentish charter shows that Beornwulf still had authority in Kent on 27 March 826 – S1267, issued on that date, is said to be in the third year of Beornwulf's reign.[8] Coins minted during Beornwulf's reign are very rare, with only around 25 known examples.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kelly, S. E. (2004). "Beornwulf (d. 826?), king of the Mercians". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 Stenton, F.M. (1971). Anglo-Saxon England (3rd ed.). Oxford at The Clarendon Press. p. 231. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  3. ↑ Zaluckyj, Sarah (2001). Mercia: The Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Central England. Logaston Press. p. 136. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Wormald, Patrick (1982). "The Ninth Century". In Campbell, James (ed.). The Anglo-Saxons. Cornell University Press. p. 138. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  5. ↑ Yorke, Barbara (1990). Kings And Kingdoms Of Early Anglo-Saxon England. Routledge. p. 119. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  6. ↑ "Houses of Benedictine monks: The abbey of St Peter at Gloucester". A History of the County of Gloucester, Volume 2. (William Page, ed.) London: Victoria County History, 1907. 53-61. British History Online
  7. ↑ Hunt, William (1885). "Beornwulf" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 4. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  8. ↑ Sawyer 1267, esawyer.org.uk, archived from the original on 19 January 2015, retrieved 14 January 2015
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