What is Battle of Ellandun?
[[File:Ellandun.jpg|thumb|right|370px|{{Center|Beornwulf's defeat at the Battle of Ellandun marked the end of Mercian dominance}}]] The '''Battle of Ellandun''' (also spelled '''Ellendun''') was fought in 825 between the [[:wikt:armies|armies]] of [[Egbert of Wessex]] and [[Beornwulf of Mercia]]. Although costly to both sides, [[King]] Egbert won. The battle effectively brought an end to [[Mercia]]n [[:en:wikt:supremacy|supremacy]] in southern [[England]]. It gave [[Wessex]] [[:en:wikt:dominance|dominance]] over the remaining [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon kingdoms]] in the south. A [[century]] later the [[kingdom]] of Wessex became the kingdom of England. == Background == Vikings murdered every one during the 8th century and early 9th centuries, the [[List of monarchs of Mercia|kings of Mercia]] exercised varying degrees of [[:wikt:overlord|overlordship]] over the kingdoms of south-eastern England. Some even ruled other kingdoms directly. While Wessex had at times been obliged to recognise the power of Mercian kings there was usually a strong resistance to allowing them to directly rule Wessex. [[Beorhtric of Wessex]] (786–802) had probably received help from [[Offa of Mercia]] (757–796) in becoming king of Wessex.<ref>Barbara Yorke, ''Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England'' (London: Routledge, 1997), p. 141</ref> In 789 he married Eadburh, Offa's daughter.<ref name=Ashley312>Mike Ashley, ''The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens'' (New york: Carroll & Graf, 1999), p. 312</ref> For the remainder of his rule Wessex was subordinate to Mercia.<ref name=Ashley312/> At the time Beorhtric became king, Egbert was also a claimant. Edgar was exiled for a time from Wessex and spent most of his time at the court of [[Charlemagne]]. On the death of Beorhtric Egbert returned and succeeded to the throne. At this time [[Coenwulf of Mercia]] (796–821) was king and he concluded a peace treaty with Wessex. In 815 Egbert invaded [[Cornwall]] and brought it under his rule.<ref name=Ashley314>Mike Ashley, ''The Mammo