Burghred of Mercia (born 830) was the king of Mercia from 852 to 874, succeeding Beorhtwulf of Mercia and preceding Ceolwulf II of Mercia.
Biography[]
Burghred of Mercia was born in 830, and it is unclear if he was related to his predecessor Beorhtwulf of Mercia. In 852, he became king of Mercia, and in 853 he was joined by Aethelwulf of Wessex in the subjugation of the Welsh. However, in 865 he was faced with a stronger opponent: the Great Heathen Army. The Vikings of Jorvik defeated East Anglia and Northumbria and pushed into Mercia, and, following his defeat at the Siege of Nottingham in 868, he was forced to surrender to the Danes. He was allowed to retain the throne, but he was forced to allow the Danes to garrison all of Mercia's principal fortresses and allow for new Danish settlers to take whatever lands they liked. However, southern Mercia was still under Saxon control, and Burghred continued to encourage resistance against the Danes. In 874, he was driven from his kingdom when the Vikings sacked his capital of Tamworth. Ceolwulf II of Mercia succeeded Burghred, as Ceolwulf pledged his loyalty to the Vikings. Burghred fled to Rome, and when he died, he was buried in the Church of Santa Maria.
