Wiglaf of Mercien

Mercia during Wiglaf's reign

Wiglaf († 840 ) was king of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia from 827 to 829 and from 830 until his death in 840. His reign fell during the continuous rise of the Kingdom of Wessex , which rivaled Mercia for supremacy in the Anglo-Saxon southern England .

Domination

Like his predecessor, Wiglaf does not seem to have belonged to the original ruling house of the kings of Mercia. Wiglaf became king after his predecessor Ludeca was killed in an unsuccessful attempt to subdue the rebellious east fishing rods . At this point Mercia was in constant conflict with the expanding Kingdom of Wessex. King Egbert of Wessex , who had all the resources of south-west England at his disposal, concentrated all his power in one campaign, subjugated Mercia in 829 and was made King of Mercia. Just a year later, however, Wiglaf was able to recapture the throne and shake off King Egbert's rule. This appears to have happened as a result of an uprising by the Mercier. Wiglaf was able to exercise his rule unchallenged, maintain his dominion and expand even if not unchallenged, since he was involved in constant conflicts with Wessex. Thus, London remained a Mercian city during the reign of Wiglaf, and lands on the central Thames , which were claimed by both Mercia and Wessex, came under the rule of Wiglaf.

Individual evidence

1. ^ FM Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England , p. 232
2. ↑ ASC , s. a. 830
3. ↑ James Campbell (ed.), The Anglo-Saxons, pp. 139 f.
4. ^ FM Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England , pp. 233f.

source

• The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: MS A v. 3 , Janet Bately (Ed.), Brewer, Rochester (NY) 1986, ISBN 0-8599-1103-9 .

literature

• James Campbell (Ed.): The Anglo-Saxons . Phaidon, London 1982, ISBN 0-7148-2149-7 .
• Frank M. Stenton: Anglo-Saxon England . Oxford University Press, Oxford 1971, ISBN 0-1928-0139-2 .

predecessor	Office	successor
Ludeca	King of Mercien 827-829	Egbert
Egbert	King of Mercien 830–840	Beorhtwulf