Mercia and the Making of England

The role of King Alfred and his successors in the defence of Wessex against the Vikings, in the recovery of lost territory and in the forging of a unified English kingdom is widely known. However, less is known about the part played in these crucial events by the Mercians - the neighbours and rivals of the West Saxons, who occupied central England. This text re-examines the events of the mid-8th to late-10th centuries to provide a balanced account of the period.