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Ethelbald (or Æthelbald) of Mercia (d. 757) was a king of Mercia (ruled 716 - 757) in England and a Bretwalda.
Ethelbald succeeded Ceolred in 716. He made an expedition against Wessex in 733, in which year he took the royal vill of Somerton. In 740, he took advantage of the absence of Eadberth in a campaign against the Picts to invade Northumbria. In 743, he fought with Cuthred, king of Wessex, against the Welsh. Boniface, bishop of Mainz, wrote him a letter, in either 746 or 747, that reproached him for his behavior towards church property, towards nuns, and concerning the example he set for his subjects. By a charter of 749, he freed ecclesiastical lands from all obligations except the trinoda necessitas.
In 757, Ethelbald was slain by his guards at Seckington, Warwickshire, near the royal seat of Tamworth. His death was possibly due to a feud. He was buried at Repton.
Reference
Preceded by:
Oswiu of Northumbria
List of British monarchs
Succeeded by:
Offa of Mercia
