Peada (Mercia) of Mercia (abt. 629 - 656)

Born about 0629 in Mercia Kingdom, Midlands, England

Ancestors

Died 0656 at about age 27 in Middle Angles, Mercia Kingdom, England

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Biography

Birth and Parents

Paeda was born about 629.

Paeda was a son of Penda. ^[1]

Paeda was one of eight children of King Penda and his wife. ^[2] William of Malmesbury names (in order) "Weda, Wulfer, Ethelred, Merewald, Mercelin" as the sons of King Penda & his wife. ^[2]

653 King

About 653, Paeda's father, King Penda, made Paeda king of the Angles of the Midland country. Bede described Paeda as "an excellent youth, and most worthy of the name and office of a king." ^[1]

He was briefly King of southern Mercia after his father's death in November 655until his own death in the spring of the next year. ^[1]

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that he succeeded his father in 654 as Paeda King of Mercia, but only ruled south of the river Trent under the overlordship of Oswiu King of Northumbria, his father-in-law. That part of Mercia north of the river Trent was effectively annexed by Northumbria after Penda's defeat. ^[2]

Marriage to Alchflaed of Bernicia

Bede writes, that on being made King of the Middle Angles, Paeda 'came to Oswy, king of the Northumbrians, requesting to have his daughter Alchfled given him to wife'. King Oswy (Oswiu) made the betrothal of Paeda and Alchfled conditional upon Peada's baptism and conversion to Christianity. Paeda, encouraged by his friend Alchfrid (Alhfrith), a son of Oswy who had married Paeda's sister Cyneburh, willingly agreed and 'was baptized by Bishop Finan, with all his nobles and thegns, and their servants that came along with him.' ^{[1] [3]}

He married about 653 ^[4][1]

In 653 Paeda married Alhflaed [Alehfleda], illegitimate daughter of Oswiu King of Bernicia [Northumbria] & his mistress. She died after 656. ^[2]

Bede records that "Peada filio Pendan regis" married "Osuiu…filiam eius Alchfledam" on condition that he accepted Christainity. ^[2]

William of Malmesbury states that Peada married the (unnamed) daughter of King Oswiu "on condition of renouncing his idols and embracing Christianity" and that Peada's death was "hastened as they say by the intrigues of his wife". The primary source which confirms that she was illegitimate has not yet been identified. ^[2]

Conversion to Christianity

Bede says that Peada eagerly accepted conversion, for "when he heard the preaching of truth, the promise of the heavenly kingdom, and the hope of resurrection and future immortality, he declared that he would willingly become a Christian, even though he should be refused the virgin (Alchflaed). ^[1]

Paeda was encouraged to receive the faith by King Oswy's son Aifrid, who was his relation and friend, and had married his sister Cyneburga, the daughter of King Penda.^[1]

Peada was subsequently baptized by Finan of Lindisfarne, and this was followed by a campaign to convert Peada's people: ^[1]

Bede records that "Peada filio Pendan regis" was baptised by Finan, Bishop of Lindisfarne, at the time of his marriage, dating the event to two years before the death of King Penda. ^[2]

Finan Bishop of Lindisfarne consecrated Diuma in 654 as bishop of a see comprising Mercia, Middle Anglia and Lindsay. Bede records that "Peada" was killed in spring "by the treachery, as is said, of his wife". ^[2]

655 Death of Penda at hand of Oswiu

On 15 November 655 Oswiu defeated and killed Penda at the Battle of the Winwaed, and consequently he came to exercise power in Mercia. According to Bede, Oswiu allowed Peada to rule the southern part of Mercia; southern Mercia consisted of 5,000 families, Bede reports, while northern Mercia was populated by 7,000 families, and the two were divided by the River Trent. ^[1]

Monastery of Peterborough

According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Peada helped found the monastery at Peterborough: ^[1]

In his time they came together, [Peada] and Oswy, brother of King Oswald, and declared that they wished to establish a minster in praise of Christ and in honor of St Peter. And they did so, and gave it the name Medeshamstede, because there is a spring there called Medeswael. And then they began the foundations and built upon them, and then entrusted it to a monk who was called Seaxwulf. He was a great friend of God, and all people loved him, and he was very nobly born in the world and powerful. He is now much more powerful with Christ.^[1]

656 Paeda Betrayed by Queen

However, the Chronicle continues, "Peada ruled no length of time, because he was betrayed by his own queen at Eastertide"; Bede also reports that Peada was "very wickedly killed" through his wife's treachery "during the very time of celebrating Easter" in 656.^[1]

Paeda was murdered 17 April 656. ^[2]

After his death, Oswiu King of Northumbria became ruler of the whole of Mercia until 657 when Peada's brother Wulfhere was proclaimed king. ^[2]

Bede records that "Peada" was killed was killed in spring, 656 "by the treachery, as is said, of his wife" ^[2]

Issue

There are no known issue of Paeda and his wife. Paeda had previously been shown with a daughter Koneswitha born in 700, long after his death. She has been disconnected.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11} Wikipedia:Peada_of_Mercia Accessed 10/16/2019 jhd
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10} Cawley, Charles. Medieval Lands: A Prosopography of Medieval European Noble and Royal Families, Online at Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. Paeda Accessed 10/16/2019 jhd
3. ↑ The Project Gutenberg EBook of Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England - Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum book: ll; ch: 21 p:180; trans: A.M.Sellar 1907
4. ↑ Pryde, E.B. & D. E. Greenway, D.E. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology, (pp.3). Cambridge University Press Google Books.