The place of the Kingdom of Mercia in the TV Show ‘Vikings’

Mercian history in Vikings is a bit awkward. As with many things in Vikings and Vikings Vahalla, the timeline is squished in an attempt to get as many people in as possible. For example, it would seem in Vikings that Ecgbert’s reign lasted from the raid on Lindesfarne 793, until the Invasion of the Great Heathen Army 865 (73 years), when in reality it lasted from 802 – 839 (37 years).

I will briefly explain the real history of this period, so we can compare with its history in Vikings.

Vikings covers from 793 – 878

Here’s the Regnal list of the Kings of Mercia for that period. I have put in bold anyone who features or is mentioned in the show:

• 756 – 796: Offa
• 796: Ecgrith (Offa’s son)
• 796 – 821: Coenwulf
• 821 – 823: Ceolwulf I (Ceonwulf’s brother)
• 823 – 826: Beornwulf
• 826 – 827: Ludeca
• 827 – 830: Wiglaf
• 830: Ecgbert (of Wessex)
• 830 – 839: Wiglaf (restored)
• 839 – 840: Wigmund (Wiglaf‘s son)
• 840: Wigstan (Wigmund’s son)
• 840 – 852: Beorhtwulf
• 852 – 874: Burgred
• 874 – 879: Ceolwulf II

West Saxon-Mercian relations

Before Ecgbert’s reign, Wessex had on and off been a vassal-like state of Mercia, recently under the overlordship of Offa and Coenwulf.

Ecgbert became King of Wessex in 802 and defeated a Mercian invasion, securing West Saxon independence. He made further gains by expanding into Mercian Kent and into Cornish territory in the 810s and 820s.

In the mid 820s East Anglia asked for Ecgbert’s protection, as they had recently rose up against Mercian overlordship and became an independent Kingdom, however, we don’t know if protection was provided or the political arrangements between Wessex and East Anglia at the time.

In 829, he conquered the Kingdom of Mercia. Shortly after he held a meeting with King Eanred of Northumbria. Different interpretations give different suggestions, some that Eanred acknowledged Ecgbert’s overlordship, others that they just recognised one another’s authority.

King Ecgbert (Linus Roach)

A year later, Mercia’s old King, Wiglaf returned to power, re-taking Mercia from Ecgbert. There are some interpretations that believed Wiglaf was invited to return as a vassal king of Ecgbert, but this is mostly rejected now, it’s more likely he re-took Mercia from Ecgbert and became its independent ruler.

Relations were amicable between the two kingdoms for the rest of his reign. This developed into an alliance from 853 – 868, between the two kingdoms, Mercia’s King Burgred was key to this alliance, maintaining his ties to Wessex from the reign of Æthelwulf, marrying the West Saxon’s king’s daughter, and continuing the alliance during the reign of Æthelwulf’s sons.

Vikings the TV Show

In Vikings we are introduced to Mercia via the lense of King Ecgbert of Wessex. Originally he wants to carve it up between himself and his ally, King Ælle of Northumbria.

King Ælle (Ivan Kayne)

In season 2, we are then introduced to the Mercian Royal family. Which is:

King Offa who dies, setting off a succession crisis in Mercia. His family consist of the following:

His daughter: Princess Kwentrith, who wants Ecgbert to make her Queen of Mercia.

Princess Kwentrith (Amy Bailey) arrives in Wessex to request military aid from King Ecgbert

His son: Prince Kenhelm, who dies around the time of Offa’s death, making the succession crisis more chaotic. He becomes a saint, a status of which Kwentrith suggests he does not deserve.

What they have done here is merge Offa with Coenwulf as a single character. Offa was Mercia’s greatest ruler and had dealings with Ecgbert in the 780s. Yet, Kwentrith and Kenhelm were Coenwulf’s children.

Another of Offa’s children in the show is, Prince Burgred, who collaborated in Vikings with his uncle, (Offa’s brother) King Brihtwulf, to deny the throne to Kwentrith and make Brihtwulf the King of Mercia. They were eventually defeated by the combined forces of Ecgbert’s West Saxons, under Æthelwulf’s command and Ragnar’s Viking Mercenaries. Brihtwulf died during this battle, while Burgred was poisoned by Kwentrith, to secure her claim over Mercia.

Prince Burgred (Aaron Monaghan) prepares to fight Æthelwulf and Ragnar’s joint army

In real history Burgred and Brihtwulf were part of the Royal Mercian B-Dynasty, likely not related to Offa or Coenwulf. Brithwulf seems to be based on a mix of King Beornwulf (r. 823 – 826) and King Beorhtwulf (r. 840 – 852).

King Brihtwulf (Ian Beattie) AKA Ser Meryn Trant

Kwentrith, who in the show is the client Queen of Mercia, historically was the daughter of King Coenwulf and became an Abbess of Minster-in-Thanet in Kent, which was ruled by Mercia at the time.

She was also suspected of playing a role in the death of her brother Kenhelm and was well known for her property disputes with Archbishop Wulfred, which led to her being forced out of her position. She is also one of the very few Anglo-Saxon Princesses who were marked as a attending any Royal court as a Princess and signing charters.

Another character we see is Prince Wigstan. In the show, after the Mercians overthrow Kwentrith, they set up a ruling council, likely made up of the remaining male members of the Mercian Royal families and leading nobles.

Prince Wigstan (Declan Conlon) offers the Throne of Mercia to King Ecgbert

Wigstan seems to be a Royal cousin of one of the former Mercian kings, but is clearly very powerful in his own reign, although he is not part of the ruling council. However, he offers the crown directly to Ecgbert of Wessex in order to bring peace and stability to Mercia. This leads to Ecgbert becoming Mercia’s King until his death. With Wigstan deciding to spend the rest of his days in Rome.

King Ecgbert is crowned as King of Mercia

We do see in this scene, Ælle possibly reluctantly acknowledge Ecgbert as a superior king to him. With Ecgbert telling Ælle:

Ecgbert:

“It may be true that things have changed.

Life is all about change,

is it not, King Aelle?

If we don’t change, we fall behind.

What was once true, and real, is suddenly no longer true, no longer real.

And sometimes, we have to accept that”

Ælle:

“You mean our alliance?”

Ecgbert:

Yes.

We had an alliance as equals.

But, as you can plainly see, we are no longer equals.

Everything has changed.

For both of us.

You must get used to it.

Ecgbert continuing as Mercia’s king until his death, and this position being continued into Æthelwulf and Alfred’s reigns, means the show provides nothing on Wessex’s relations with Mercia of historical value from 830 – 878.

East Anglia is also bearly mentioned until Ecgbert’s deal with Bjorn. You may have noticed when Ecgbert abdicates his throne to Æthelwulf, Bishop Edmund at the coronation, declares Ecgbert, and then Æthelwulf as:

“King of Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia, Cornwall, Bretwalda, King of Kings”

King Æthelwulf (Moe Dunford)

How he acquired East Anglia is not mentioned, although historically he is consider to be a Bretwalda and for me is the last real Bretwalda.

In summary to return to the original questing, who was the king of Mercia in Vikings?

At the beginning it was Offa. Offa seemed to be lining up Kenhelm as his successor, until he died. The throne then passed to Brithwulf, Offa’s brother. Offa’s son, Burgred, didn’t appear to have the strength or confidence to take the throne for himself, so supported Brihtwulf’s claim, likely in exchange for being his heir. Then with the support of Wessex and Ragnar, Kwentrith became the Client Queen of Mercia. She was then overthrown by the Mercian nobility, who set up a Ruling Council during the interregnum, it’s next monarch was Ecgbert of Wessex, after being offered the throne by Prince Wiglaf, he was suceeded by Æthelwulf and then by Alfred, as King of Mercia.