Welcome to the British History Podcast. My name is Jamie and this is Episode 136, the

power of Mercia. This show is free and independent due to member support and as thanks for helping

keep the community going, I offer members only content such as extra episodes and rough

transcripts. If you're interested in supporting the show and helping us out, you can do so over

at the British History Podcast dot com. And thank you very much to Alexis, David and Ryan for joining

up already. This episode will cover the years 678 to 685 and its major characters will be King

Egg Frith of Northumbria, the man who brought down Wolf Hera, was wielding supreme power in Northumbria

and was arguably exercising quite a bit of power south of the Humber as well. King Atheoret of

Mercia, son of Penda and brother of Wolf Hera, and a frighteningly savvy King, quite possibly the

most like his father out of all the sons of Penda. And he has been busy securing his religious

flank while also working hard to secure his border territories.

Ang King Brydie of Pekblund, the cousin of King Egg Frith of Northumbria, and frankly,

he probably owed his throne to Egg Frith's military intervention some years ago.

So, when we last left off, Bishop Wilfrid had returned to Northumbria with a people decree

that he was to be reinstated and that he'd be given rather significant powers within the kingdom

of Northumbria. And King Egg Frith was less than impressed, and he imprisoned the bishop shortly

before ejecting him from Northumbria entirely. Tough break for Wilfrid. He had a warband,

but King Egg Frith was too much like his dad and grandfather, so that didn't work out.

So then he taddled to the Pope, and the Pope gave him full support.

But Egg Frith didn't seem to care all that much about what some priest in a far-off land thought.

So, pretty much played all his cards at this point, and what's the next tile Bishop to do in a

circumstance such as that? Well, Northumbria is a bit chilly. You don't hear many people talking

...