WULFHERE (d. 675)  , king of the Mercians, was a younger son of King Penda, and was kept in concealment for some time after his father's defeat and death in 655 . In 658 or 659, however, the Mercians threw off the supremacy of Oswio, king of Northumbria, and Wulfhere became their king . He took energetic measures to spread Christianity, and was greatly helped by his bishop, Jaruman, and afterwards by St Chad . Outside Mercia he did something to induce the East and the South Saxons to accept Christianity, and is said to have founded one or two monasteries . He gained Lindsey from Northumbria in 6J7, and was successful against Wessex . He extended his borders in all directions, and was the founder of the passing greatness of Mercia, although he lost Lindsey just before his death . Wulfhere's wife was Eormenhild, a daughter of Erconberht, king of Kent, and he was succeeded by his brother Aethelred . His only son Coenred became king in 704 in succession to Aethelred . His only daughter was St Werburga or Werburh, abbess of Ely . See Bede, Historia ecclesiastica, ed . C . Plummer (Oxford, 1896) ; and J .

R .

Green, The Making of England (1897—1899) .