Kings of Mercia, Coenwulf Penny, East Anglia issue, moneyer Wihtred

Coenwulf (796-821), King of Mercia, silver portrait Penny, Group III (c.810-821), East Anglia, moneyer Withred, crude bust right with annulet curls to edge of coin, head within beaded circle, legend commences at upper left, COENVVLF REX, outer beaded circle surrounding both sides, rev. cross crosslet with central panel containing five pellets, moneyer name surrounding, PI HT R ED, weight 1.33g (Naismith C.S.E. type E12.7 c to e; N.372; S.920). Toned with one tiny rim chip, line of discolouration on one part of rim from possible repair, one tiny split a millimetre into edge, otherwise a bold very fine and very rare.

Coenwulf became King of Mercia on the unexpected death of Ecgfrith the son of Offa in December 796, allegedly the son of Cuthbert descendent of Penda, and he soon earned a reputation as being unprincipled and ruthless. Early on Eadberht Praen had rebelled in Kent causing Archbishop Aethelheard to flee and Coenwulf therefore petitioned Pope Leo III to move the Archbishopric to London which was refused. Coenwulf invade Kent in 798 and removed Eadberht and Aethelheard was restored as Archbishop of Canterbury, and the See remained under control for the next three decades, with Coenwulf's brother Cuthred as the King of Kent. Coenwulf entered a Treaty with Beorhtric of Wessex in 799 the latter clearly as the junior partner and Coenwulf removed or enforced vassalage of East Anglia around 800. He was soon styling himself as Emperor like Charlemagne on the continent, the first use of a title by a British King. Other military clashes were quelled with Northumbria in 801 and the Welsh borders in 798 and later resumed in 820. Coenwulf also abandoned the Mercian See at Lichfield that Offa had set up with its one and now only Bishop and attempted to set up a new Bishop for London but was refused by Rome. When Coenwulf took full control of Kent in 807 on the death of Cuthred he fell into dispute with Archbishop Wulfred over the church lands, who went to Rome to win Papal backing for the claims returning in 815 to take those lands, however Coenwulf expelled Wulfred by taking control of Canterbury and there was no Archbishop in situ for some six years, though Coenwulf did allow Wulfred back on the demand of Pope Paschal as long as he did not assert any authority.

It was whilst preparing for a second raid of Wales in 821 that Coenwulf died, his son Coenhelm having been recently murdered in the Clent Hills in some sort of family feud. Coenwulf was the last great King of Mercia as his overlordship of southern England collapsed within two years of his passing.

Provenance:

Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, October 2006, item HS2569, with ticket in the hand of Paul Dawson, no discolouration apparent at that time and where noted this coin is similar to Lockett, part 1, lot 378.

Ex Paul Runze Collection.