Editing Coenwulf of Mercia (section)

==Reign==
[[Image:Coenwulf.svg|300px|thumb|Southern England during Coenwulf's reign]]

Coenwulf was unwilling to take military action in Kent without acknowledgement from [[Pope Leo III]] that Eadberht was a pretender. The basis for this assertion was that Eadberht had reportedly been a priest, and as such had given up any right to the throne.<ref name=Kirby_178/> Coenwulf wrote to the Pope and asked Leo to consider making London the seat of the southern archbishopric, removing the honour from Canterbury; it is likely that Coenwulf's reasons included the loss of Mercian control over Kent.<ref name=Kirby_178/><ref name=EHD_204>Whitelock, ''English Historical Documents'', 204, p.&nbsp;791.</ref> Leo refused to agree to moving the archiepiscopate to London, but in the same letter he agreed that Eadberht's previous ordination made him ineligible for the throne:<ref name=EHD_205>Whitelock, ''English Historical Documents'', 205, p.&nbsp;793.</ref>

{{blockquote|And concerning that letter which the most reverend and holy Æthelheard sent to us&nbsp;... as regards that apostate cleric who mounted to the throne&nbsp;... we excommunicate and reject him, having regard to the safety of his soul. For if he should still persist in that wicked behaviour, be sure to inform us quickly, that we may [write to] princes and all people dwelling in the island of Britain, exhorting them to expel him from his most wicked rule and procure the safety of his soul.}}

This authorisation from the Pope to proceed against Eadberht was delayed until 798, but once it was received Coenwulf took action.<ref name=Kirby_178/> The Mercians captured Eadberht, put out his eyes and cut off his hands,<ref name=Yorke_121>Yorke, ''Kings and Kingdoms'', p.&nbsp;121.</ref> and led him in chains to Mercia, where according to later tradition he was imprisoned at Winchcombe, a religious house closely affiliated with Coenwulf's family.<ref name=Story_142>Story, ''Carolingian Connections'', p.&nbsp;142.</ref> By 801 at the latest Coenwulf had placed his brother, [[Cuthred of Kent|Cuthred]], on the throne of Kent.<ref name=Kirby_179/> Cuthred ruled until the time of his death in 807, after which Coenwulf took control of Kent in name as well as fact.<ref name=Yorke_32>Yorke, ''Kings and Kingdoms'', p.&nbsp;32.</ref> Coenwulf styled himself "King of the Mercians and the Province of Kent" (''rex Merciorum atque provincie Cancie'') in a charter dated 809.<ref name=S_164>{{cite web | url = http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+164 | title = Anglo-Saxons.net: S 164 | publisher = Sean Miller|access-date=2 February 2008}}</ref>

Offa's domination of the [[kingdom of Essex]] was continued by Coenwulf. King [[Sigeric of Essex]] left for Rome in 798, according to the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'',<ref name=Swanton_56>Swanton, ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', p.&nbsp;56.</ref> presumably abdicating the throne in favour of his son, [[Sigered of Essex|Sigered]]. Sigered appears on two charters of Coenwulf's in 811 as king (''rex'') of Essex, but his title is reduced thereafter, first to ''subregulus'', or subking, and thereafter to ''dux'' or [[ealdorman]].<ref name=Yorke_51>Yorke, ''Kings and Kingdoms'', p.&nbsp;51.</ref><ref name=Stenton_305>Stenton, ''Anglo-Saxon England'', p.&nbsp;305.</ref>

[[File:Coenwulf of Mercia lead bulla.jpg|thumb|Lead [[bulla (seal)|bulla]] of king Coenwulf of Mercia ([[British Museum]])]]
The course of events in East Anglia is less clear, but Eadwald's coinage ceased, and new coinage issued by Coenwulf began by about 805, so it is likely that Coenwulf forcibly re-established Mercian dominance there.<ref name=Kirby_179>Kirby, ''Earliest English Kings'', p.&nbsp;179.</ref> The resumption of friendly relations with Wessex under Beorhtric received a setback when Beorhtric died and the throne of Wessex passed to Egbert, who, like Eadberht, had been an exile at Charlemagne's court.<ref name=Zaluckyj_232>Sarah and John Zaluckyj, "Decline", in Zaluckyj & Zaluckyj, ''Mercia'', p.&nbsp;232.</ref> The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' records that on the same day that Egbert came to the throne, an ealdorman of the Hwicce named Æthelmund led a force across the Thames at [[Kempsford]] but was defeated by the men of Wiltshire under the leadership of Weohstan, also an ealdorman.<ref name="Swanton_58-9">Swanton, ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', pp.&nbsp;58–59.</ref> Egbert may also have had a claim on the Kentish throne, according to the ''Chronicle'', but he made no move to recover it during Coenwulf's reign.<ref name=Kirby_189>Kirby, ''Earliest English Kings'', p.&nbsp;189.</ref> Egbert appears to have been independent of Mercia from the beginning of his reign, and Wessex's independence meant that Coenwulf was never able to claim the overlordship of the southern English that had belonged to Offa and Æthelbald.<ref name = Stenton_225/> He did, however, claim the title of "Emperor" on one charter, the only Anglo-Saxon king to do so before the 10th century.<ref name=TAS_101>Patrick Wormald, "The Age of Offa and Alcuin", in Campbell et al. ''The Anglo-Saxons'', p.&nbsp;101.</ref>

In 796 or 797 the Welsh engaged Mercian forces at [[Rhuddlan]]. By 798 Coenwulf was in a position to invade in return, killing [[Caradog ap Meirion]], the King of [[Gwynedd]].<ref name = Kirby_187/> A civil war in Gwynedd in the 810s ended with the succession of [[Hywel ap Rhodri Molwynog|Hywel ap Caradog]] in 816 or 817, and Coenwulf invaded again, this time ravaging [[Snowdonia]] and taking control of Rhufuniog, a small Welsh territory near [[Rhos (North Wales)|Rhos]]. It is not clear if the Mercians were involved in a battle recorded in [[Anglesey]] in 817 or 818, but the following year Coenwulf and his army devastated [[Dyfed]].<ref name=Kirby_188>Kirby, ''Earliest English Kings'', p.&nbsp;188.</ref>

The Northumbrian king, [[Æthelred I of Northumbria|Æthelred]], was assassinated in April 796, and less than a month later his successor, [[Osbald of Northumbria|Osbald]], was deposed in favour of [[Eardwulf of Northumbria|Eardwulf]].<ref name=Kirby_155>Kirby, ''Earliest English Kings'', p.&nbsp;155.</ref> Eardwulf had [[Alkmund of Derby|Alhmund]] killed in 800; Alhmund was the son of King [[Alhred of Northumbria]], who had reigned from 765 to 774. Alhmund's death was regarded as a martyrdom, and his cult subsequently developed at [[Derby]], in Mercian territory, perhaps implying Mercian involvement in Northumbrian politics at the time. Coenwulf gave hospitality to Eardwulf's enemies, who had been exiled from Northumbria, and consequently Eardwulf invaded Mercia in 801. The invasion was inconclusive, however, and peace was arranged on equal terms. Coenwulf may also have been behind the coup in 806 that led to Eardwulf losing his throne,<ref name=Yorke_95>Yorke, ''Kings and Kingdoms'', p.&nbsp;95.</ref> and he likely continued to support Eardwulf's enemies after Eardwulf returned in 808.<ref name=Kirby_197>Kirby, ''Earliest English Kings'', p.&nbsp;197.</ref>