Cearl of Mercia facts for kids
Cearl (also spelled Ceorl) was an early king of Mercia, a powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdom in what is now England. He ruled in the early 600s, likely until around the year 626. Cearl is important because he is the first Mercian king mentioned by Bede, a famous historian from Northumbria, in his book Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum.
Contents
Who Was King Cearl?
We don't know much about Cearl's family background. He isn't listed in the main family tree of Mercian kings. A historian named Henry of Huntingdon wrote in the 1100s that Cearl ruled after King Pybba. He said Cearl was a relative of Pybba, but not his son.
Bede, the historian, didn't write much about Cearl directly. He mainly mentioned him because Cearl was the father-in-law of Edwin, who later became a very important king of Northumbria.
Cearl's Family and Connections
A Royal Marriage
According to Bede, King Edwin of Northumbria married Cwenburh (also called Quenberga), who was Cearl's daughter. This happened while Edwin was living away from his own kingdom, in exile. Cearl and Cwenburh had two sons together, named Osfrith and Eadfrith.
Historians believe this marriage was a big deal. It showed that Cearl was independent from Æthelfrith, who was the powerful king of Northumbria at the time. Edwin was Æthelfrith's enemy, so Cearl marrying his daughter to Edwin meant Cearl wasn't under Æthelfrith's control. If he had been, he probably wouldn't have been allowed to marry his daughter to an enemy of his ruler.
Some historians think that Cearl might have been able to make this marriage because he had the protection of Raedwald, the strong king of East Anglia.
Cearl's Rule and Power
It's thought that Cearl's power as king might have changed after a big battle around the year 616, known as the Battle of Chester. It's possible that Cearl was involved in this fight. This battle might have weakened his control over Mercia until Penda, another powerful Mercian king, rose to power later.
The End of His Reign
We don't know for sure if Cearl ruled until Penda became king. Penda was definitely in charge by 633, and possibly even by 626. We also don't know what relationship Cearl had with Penda.
Some historians suggest that Cearl and Penda might have been rivals. This is because Cearl married his daughter to Edwin, but Penda later fought against and defeated Edwin in battle. Penda even had Edwin's son, Eadfrith (who was Cearl's grandson), killed later on. This could have been for political reasons, perhaps because Eadfrith might have been seen as a threat to Penda's own position as king.
See also
- Kings of Mercia family tree
