Penda of Mercia

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Penda (died November 15, 654/655) was the King of Mercia from about 626 until his death. A pagan at a time when Christianity was taking hold in the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Penda was the most powerful ruler in what is now England for much of his reign, and he is remembered by history as a cruel conqueror.

Penda was the son of Pybba and, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, became king in 626. His age at this time is a matter of some dispute: according to the Chronicle, he was 50 years old, but the evidence with regard to the ages of his children and relatives makes this seem implausible. The noted 20th century historian Frank Stenton was of the opinion that Penda did not become king at this early date, however: according to Stenton, the language used by Bede in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People "leaves no doubt that ... Penda, though descended from the royal family of the Mercians, only became their king after Edwin's defeat in 632." The Chronicle records a battle between Penda and the West Saxons under their kings Cynegils and Cwichelm taking place at Cirencester in 628, and it says that afterwards, the two "came to an agreement."

Geoffrey of Monmouth, in his semi-legendary History of the Kings of Britain, says that Penda was conducting a siege of Exeter when he was defeated by the exiled king of Gwynedd, Cadwallon ap Cadfan, and forced into an alliance with Cadwallon. Whatever the case, Penda and Cadwallon were certainly allied and fought against the Northumbrians, and on October 12, 632 (or 633), they defeated the Northumbrians at Hatfield Chase and killed their king, Edwin, along with his son Osfrith. Another of Edwin's sons, Eadfrith, fell into Penda's hands (Bede reports that Eadfrith went over to Penda, "compelled by necessity") and Penda later had him killed ("contrary to his oath", as Bede says).

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says that, following the victory at Hatfield Chase, "Cadwallon and Penda went and did for the whole land of Northumbria." Cadwallon was, however, killed at the Battle of Heavenfield by Oswald of Bernicia, who then became king of Northumbria. On August 5, 641 (or 642), Penda defeated the Northumbrians at the Battle of Maserfield and killed Oswald. The pagan Penda had the Christian Oswald's body mutilated, and Oswald was thereafter revered as a martyr; the site of the battle became known as Oswestry, or "Oswald's Tree", because Penda had hung his remains from a tree. Penda's brother Eowa, from whom the later Mercian kings Ethelbald and Offa were descended, was also killed in this battle.

Penda devoted most of his reign to aggression against the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. It was probably at some point between 635 and 640 that he fought with the East Anglians and defeated them, killing their kings Sigebert and Egric. In 645, Penda attacked Wessex again and its king, Cenwealh (who had divorced Penda's sister), fled into exile; however, Cenwealh was able to return to power in 648. Around the year 650, Penda attacked East Anglia and drove out its king, Anna; when Anna attempted to reclaim his kingdom in 653 or 654, Penda invaded again and killed him in battle.

During the reign of Penda, the districts corresponding to Cheshire, Shropshire and Herefordshire were probably acquired by Mercia; here Penda installed a king called Merewalh over the Magonsaete. In later centuries it was said that Merewalh was a son of Penda, but there is little basis for that claim.

Penda also established his son Peada as a dependent prince in Middle Anglia. Although a pagan, he allowed his daughter Cyneburg to marry Ecgfrith, the son of King Oswiu of Northumbria, and it was during Peada's reign that Christianity was introduced into Middle Anglia.

Penda's reign was primarily characterized by the long conflict with Northumbria, the only other Anglo-Saxon kingdom of this period that could rival Mercia in power. Despite his major successes in battle against the Northumbrians in 633 and 642, war dragged on endlessly, since Penda was never able to achieve a final victory over them and yet was unwilling to compromise. He continually raided Northumbria and once almost succeeded in reducing the royal stronghold of Bamburgh; when he was unable to capture it, Bede reports that he attempted to set the city ablaze, but that it was saved by a sacred wind that blew the fire back in the faces of the Mercians.

Finally, in 654 (or 655), Penda invaded Northumbria with a huge army, reported to have been thirty legions strong, which included several of his client kings and allies, such as Cadfael ap Cynfeddw of Gwynedd and Aethelhere of East Anglia. He even enjoyed the support of Aethelwald, the king of Deira, a sub-kingdom of southern Northumbria, who Bede says acted as Penda's guide during his invasion. Recognizing the odds against him, Oswiu tried to buy peace. In the Historia Britonum, it is said that Oswiu offered treasure, which Penda distributed among his allies; Bede states that the offer was simply rejected. (Additionally, according to Bede, Oswiu's son Ecgfrith was being held hostage "at the court of Queen Cynwise, in the province of the Mercians.") In any case, a great battle was fought near the river Winwaed on November 15. Although the numerical odds were on his side, Penda was deserted by Cadfael and Aethelwald. He suffered a crushing defeat and was killed.

References

• Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 626 to 655.
• Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People (731).
• Geoffrey of Monmouth, History of the Kings of Britain (c. 1136). Part Eight: "The Saxon Domination"
• Stenton, Frank M., Anglo-Saxon England (1943). Third edition. Chapter III: "Anglian Northumbria."

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