The Birth of the Anglo-Saxons: Three Kings and a History of Britain at the Dawn of the Viking Age

The seventh century in England saw the rise of an independent Mercian kingdom in the English Midlands that eclipsed an earlier Northumbrian kingdom and dominated the Anglo-Saxon landscape. From the reign of King Penda (632–655) to the death of King Offa in 796, there were several kings, most of whom descended from Penda’s line and ruled over a stable, dynamic kingdom. The Mercians established a culturally sophisticated realm with extensive foreign trade routes and economic and political ties to other lands, such as Frisia and Scandinavia. British archaeologist Adams (The Viking Wars) expertly uses written, archaeological, and numismatic evidence to paint an intriguing picture of early medieval Britain. His book shows that while the Mercians inhabited a violent and exploitative world, they left behind traces of a vibrant material culture: architecture, jewelry, literature, new weaving techniques The Mercian church also cemented its ties to Rome by appointing numerous bishops and establishing new dioceses.