Beornwulf of Mercia

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Beornwulf (killed in 825) was King of Mercia from 823 to 825. His short reign saw the collapse of Mercia's dominant position among the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of the Heptarchy.

Beornwulf's ancestry is practically unknown. His father was a Mercian nobleman, ealdorman Beorhtweald (died 796). A man named Beornwulf is mentioned as having witnessed a charter of King Coenwulf in 812 and another of King Ceolwulf in 823, but his position on each of these charters suggests he was not of an exceptionally high rank.

Beornwulf overthrew Ceolwulf I in 823. Soon after he rebuilt the Abbey of St. Peter (later Gloucester Cathedral). He presided over two synods at Clofesho (an unknown location believed to be near London) with archbishop Wulfred of Canterbury, in 824 and 825. In 825, he was badly defeated by the King of Wessex, Ecgbert, in battle at Ellandun, fought at Wroughton near Surrey. Ecgbert's son Æðelwulf subsequently captured Kent and drove out its pro-Mercian king, Baldred.

In the wake of these events, Mercia's dominance of southern England rapidly unravelled. Essex and Sussex switched their loyalty to Egbert. The East Angles, led by Athelstan and backed by the West Saxons, exploited the moment of weakness by rebelling against Mercian rule, and Beornwulf was killed attempting to crush the revolt. One extant charter of Beornwulf refers to his third regnal year, 825. Two of his sons ruled Mercia after his death, Wiglaf from 827 to 829 and from 830 to 840 and Beorhtwulf from 840 to 852.

A silver penny coinage of Beornwulf was struck during his reign. These coins are very rare indeed today, with only around twenty five examples known to exist.

Preceded by: Ceolwulf I	King of East Anglia	Succeeded by: Aethelstan
	King of Mercia	Ludeca