Æthelbald and Offa: Two Eighth-Century Kings of Mercia. Papers from a Conference Held in Manchester in 2000, Manchester Centre for Anglo-Saxon Studies

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In these sixteen papers, from a conference held by the Manchester Centre for Anglo-Saxon Studies in 2000, some well-known names approach the reigns of Æthelbald and Offa from a range of perspectives. Archaeology, landscapes, histories and coinage are used to discuss the nature of Mercian kingship; the use of violence; the patronage of nunneries; the legends of Offa and his legacy; the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and works of literature; Mercia and East Anglia; the urban landscape; Offa's Dyke; military obligations. The final three papers focus on the iconography and historical context of 8th-century coins and recent archaeological coin discoveries. 1. The Kingdom of the Mercians in the Eighth Century / Simon Keynes 1 -26 2. Orchestrated Violence and the 'Supremacy of the Mercian Kings' / Damian J. Tyler 27-34 3. Onuist son of Uurguist: 'tyrannus carnifex' or a David for the Picts? / Alex Woolf 35-42 4. Æthelbald, Offa and the Patronage of Nunneries / Barbara Yorke 43-48 5. The Lives of the Offas: the Posthumous Reputation of Offa, King of the Mercians / Richard Martin 49-54 6. Legends of Offa: the Journey to Rome / Stephen Matthews 55-58 7. Æthelbert, King and Martyr: the Development of a Legend / Sheila Sharp 59-64 8. Mentions of Offa in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 'Beowulf' and 'Widsith' / Mark Atherton 65-74 9. Felix’s 'Life of Guthlac': History or Hagiography? / Audrey Meaney 75-84 10. Guthlac’s 'Vita', Mercia and East Anglia in the first half of the Eighth Century / N. J. Higham 85-90 11. Offa’s Dyke / Margaret Worthington 91-96 12. The Eighth-century Urban Landscape / David Hill 97-102 13. Military Obligations and Mercian Supremacy in the Eighth Century / Gareth Williams 103-110 14. The Coinage of Offa in the light of Recent Discoveries / Derek Chick 111-122 15. Beonna and Alberht: Coinage and Historical Context / Marion M. Archibald 123-132 16. Riches in Heaven and on Earth: Some Thoughts on the Iconography of Coinage at the time of Æthelbald / Anna Gannon 133-138