So, the poem starts with Offa of Mercia. Offa is considered by some to be the first king of England – despite his “of Mercia” title – because he was pretty powerful and also, he was excellent on the battlefield. He managed to defeat the Welsh and then went on to construct a dyke on the border between England and Wales to keep them out. The dyke still exists and is now a popular 177 mile walking trail.
Offa was living testament to that old: “Pride comes before a fall” adage. Determined that his son – given the catchy name of Ecgfrith – would succeed him as king, he tried to bully the Archbishop of Canterbury into consecrating the aforementioned prince. The archbishop wasn’t having any of it, so Offa – not one to accept defeat – created an alternative diocese at Litchfield and asked the new Archbishop of Litchfield to do the deed. Ecgfrith was duly consecrated and Offa could now sit back and relax in the knowledge that his dynasty would live on. Just to be on the safe side, though, he slaughtered all his close relations so there could be no argument after his death. A pretty ruthless chap, was Offa.
When Offa died in 796 Ecgfrith did, indeed, succeed him. But after five months he too promptly died, leaving the throne empty and with no obvious heir for obvious reasons.
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