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==Mercian dominance== [[File:British seventh century kingdoms.svg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|The kingdoms of Britain in the late seventh century, when Æthelbald was born.]] Æthelbald's reign marked a resurgence of Mercian power, which would last until the end of the eighth century.<ref name=BlairRBaEE_168>Hunter Blair, ''Roman Britain'', p. 168.</ref> With the exception of the short reign of [[Beornrad of Mercia|Beornrad]], who succeeded Æthelbald for less than a year, Mercia was ruled for eighty years by two of the most powerful Anglo-Saxon kings, Æthelbald and [[Offa]].<ref name=Swanton_46>Beornrad was "put to flight" by Offa in one version of the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle''; according to another, he held the kingdom for "a little while, and unhappily". Swanton, ''The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', pp. 46–50.</ref> These long reigns were unusual at this early date; during the same period eleven kings reigned in [[Northumbria]], many of whom died violent deaths.<ref name=BlairAITASE_52>Hunter Blair, ''An Introduction'', p. 755.</ref> By 731, Æthelbald had all the English south of the Humber under his overlordship.<ref name=Bede_PC_324>Bede, p. 324, translated by [[Leo Sherley-Price]].</ref> There is little direct evidence of the relationship between Æthelbald and the kings who were dependent on him.<ref name=Stenton_203 /> Generally, a king subject to an overlord such as Æthelbald would still be regarded as a king, but would have his independence curtailed in some respects. [[Charter]]s are an important source of evidence for this relationship; these were documents which granted land to followers or to churchmen, and were witnessed by the kings who had power to grant the land.<ref name=BlairRBaEE_14>Hunter Blair, ''Roman Britain'', pp. 14–15.</ref><ref name=Campbell_95_2>Campbell, ''The Anglo-Saxons'', pp. 95–98.</ref> A charter granting land in the territory of one of the subject kings might record the names of the king as well as the overlord on the witness list appended to the grant; such a witness list can be seen on the [[Ismere Diploma]], for example. The titles given to the kings on these charters could also be revealing: a king might be described as a "subregulus", or underking.<ref name=Campbell_123>For an account of the progression from Offa's overlordship of the Hwicce to suppression of the ruling dynasty, and consequent absorption of the kingdom into Mercia, see Campbell, ''The Anglo-Saxons'', p. 123.</ref> Enough information survives to suggest the progress of Æthelbald's influence over two of the southern kingdoms, [[Wessex]] and [[Kingdom of Kent|Kent]]. At the start of Æthelbald's reign, both Kent and Wessex were ruled by strong kings; [[Wihtred]] and [[Ine of Wessex|Ine]], respectively. Wihtred of Kent died in 725, and Ine of Wessex, one of the most formidable rulers of his day, abdicated in 726 to go on a pilgrimage to Rome. According to the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', Ine's successor, [[Aethelheard of Wessex|Aethelheard]], fought that year with an [[ealdorman]] named Oswald, whom the ''Chronicle'' provides with a genealogy showing descent from [[Ceawlin]], an early king of Wessex.<ref name=Swanton_42>Swanton, ''The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', pp. 42–43.</ref> Aethelheard ultimately succeeded in this struggle for the throne, and there are subsequent indications that he ruled subject to Mercian authority. Hence it may be that Æthelbald helped establish both Aethelheard and his brother, Cuthred, who succeeded Aethelheard in 739.<ref name=Kirby_133>Kirby, ''Earliest English Kings'', p. 133.</ref> There is also evidence of South Saxon territory breaking away from West Saxon dominance in the early 720s, and this may indicate Æthelbald's increasing influence in the area, though it could have been Kentish, rather than Mercian, influence that was weakening West Saxon control.<ref name=Kirby_131>Kirby, ''Earliest English Kings'', p. 131.</ref> As for Kent, there is evidence from Kentish [[Chartulary|charters]] that shows that Æthelbald was a patron of Kentish churches.<ref name=Campbell_95>Campbell, ''The Anglo-Saxons'', p. 95.</ref> There is no charter evidence showing Æthelbald's consent to Kentish land grants, and charters of [[Aethelberht of Kent|Aethelberht]] and [[Eadbert I of Kent|Eadberht]], both kings of Kent, survive in which they grant land without Æthelbald's consent.<ref name=Kirby_132>Kirby, ''Earliest English Kings'', p. 132.</ref> It may be that charters showing Æthelbald's overlordship simply do not survive, but the result is that there is no direct evidence of the extent of Æthelbald's influence in Kent. Less is known about events in Essex, but it was at about this time that London became attached to the kingdom of Mercia rather than that of Essex. Three of Æthelbald's predecessors—[[Æthelred of Mercia|Æthelred]], [[Coenred of Mercia|Coenred]], and Ceolred—had each confirmed an East Saxon charter granting Twickenham to Waldhere, the [[bishop of London]]. From Kentish charters it is known that Æthelbald was in control of London, and from Æthelbald's time on, the transition to Mercian control appears to be complete; an early charter of Offa's, granting land near Harrow, does not even include the king of Essex on the witness list.<ref name=Stenton_203 /><ref name=Campbell_95 /> For the South Saxons, there is very little charter evidence, but as with Kent, what there is does not show any requirement for Æthelbald's consent to land grants.<ref name=Kirby_132 /> The lack of evidence should not obscure the fact that Bede, who was after all a contemporary chronicler, summarized the situation of England in 731 by listing the bishops in office in southern England, and adding that "all these provinces, together with the others south of the Humber and their kings, are subject to Æthelbald, King of the Mercians."<ref name=Bede_PC_324 /> There is evidence that Æthelbald had to go to war to maintain his overlordship. In 733 Æthelbald undertook an expedition against Wessex and captured the royal [[manorialism|manor]] of [[Somerton, Somerset|Somerton]]. The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' also tells how when [[Cuthred of Wessex|Cuthred]] succeeded Aethelheard to the throne of Wessex, in 740, he "boldly made war against Aethelbald, king of Mercia".<ref name=Swanton_44>Swanton, ''The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', pp. 44–45.</ref> Three years later, Cuthred and Æthelbald are described as fighting against the Welsh. This could have been an obligation placed on Cuthred by Mercia; earlier kings had similarly assisted [[Penda]] and [[Wulfhere]], two strong seventh-century Mercian rulers.<ref name=Kirby_133 /> In 752, Æthelbald and Cuthred are again on opposite sides of the conflict, and according to one version of the manuscript, Cuthred "put him [Æthelbald] to flight" at [[Battle Edge|Burford]].<ref name=Swanton_46_2>Swanton, ''The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', pp. 46–47.</ref> Æthelbald seems to have reasserted his authority over the West Saxons by the time of his death, since a later West Saxon king, [[Cynewulf of Wessex|Cynewulf]], is recorded as witnessing a charter of Æthelbald at the very beginning of his reign, in 757.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+96 | title = Anglo-Saxons.net: S 96 | access-date=28 April 2007 }}</ref> In 740, a war between the Picts and the Northumbrians is reported. Æthelbald, who might have been allied with [[Óengus I of the Picts|Óengus]],<ref name=Campbell_95 /> the king of the Picts, took advantage of [[Eadberht of Northumbria|Eadberht]]'s absence from Northumbria to ravage his lands, and perhaps burn [[York]].<ref>Anderson, ''Scottish Annals'', pp. 55–56.</ref>
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