Ceolred of Mercia facts for kids
Ceolred was the King of Mercia from 709 until his death in 716. Mercia was a powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdom located in what is now the central part of England.
Contents
Mercia and its Neighbors
By the late 600s, most of England was divided into kingdoms ruled by the Anglo-Saxons. These groups had arrived in Britain about 200 years earlier. The Kingdom of Mercia was in the middle of England. To the north was Northumbria, to the east was East Anglia, and to the south was Wessex. London was part of the Kingdom of Essex, which was between East Anglia and the kingdom of Kent.
Much of what we know about this time comes from a book called Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (meaning "Ecclesiastical History of the English People"). It was written by a monk named Bede around 731. Even though it focuses on church history, it tells us a lot about the early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. We also learn from "charters," which were official documents where kings gave land to people or religious groups. Another important source is the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a collection of historical records.
Ceolred's Family and Rule
Ceolred's father, Æthelred, became King of Mercia in 675. In 704, Æthelred decided to stop being king and went to Rome. He passed the kingdom to his nephew, Coenred.
In 709, Coenred also decided to give up his throne. He went to Rome and became a monk there, with the help of Pope Constantine. Most historians agree that Coenred chose to step down. However, some historians think he might have been pressured to leave the throne. Sometimes, kings were forced to become monks so they could no longer rule.
Ceolred was Æthelred's son, but his mother was not Æthelred's only known wife, Osthryth. Ceolred might have been quite young when he became king. Some old writings describe Ceolred in a very negative way. They suggest he treated the Church poorly.
In 715, the Mercians, led by King Ceolred, fought a battle at "Woden's Barrow". We don't know for sure who they fought against. It might have been the West Saxons led by Ine, or perhaps they fought together against another group, possibly the British. The result of this battle was not recorded.
Royal Charters
King Ceolred signed a charter that gave land to Waldhere, who was the Bishop of London. This shows that London was clearly under Mercian control during Ceolred's rule. Later Mercian kings would treat London as their own property.
Death and the Next King
Ceolred died the next year, in 716. Some accounts say he died suddenly during a feast. After Ceolred's death, Æthelbald became the new King of Mercia. Æthelbald was from a different branch of the Mercian royal family and had been forced to live away from Mercia during Ceolred's time as king.
Images for kids
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The kingdoms of Britain in the late 7th century
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Ceolred's family tree
