Changes

|name=Offa

|name=Offa

|image=  

|image=  

|birth_date=c. 730

|birth_date=

|birth_place=

|birth_place=

|death_date=July 29, 796

|death_date=July 29, 796  

|death_place=Bedford

|death_place=Bedford

|religion=

|religion=

|term_start=757

|term_start=757

|term_end=July 29, 796

|term_end=July 29, 796

|preceded=Beornred

|preceded=[[Beornred]]

|succeeded=Ecgfrith

|succeeded=[[Ecgfrith]]

}}

}}

'''Offa''' (c. 730 - July 29, 796) was King of [[Mercia]] 757-796 and [[Bretwalda]] of the other kingdoms of the [[Heptarchy]]. His power was so great that he declared himself ''King of the English'' in 774, the first person in Britain to use that title. He made a trade agreement with [[Charlemagne]] in Europe, and introduced the [[pound]] as a unit of currency in England.

'''Offa''' (died July 29, 796) was King of [[Mercia]] 757-796 and [[Bretwalda]] of the other kingdoms of the [[Heptarchy]]. His power was so great that he declared himself ''King of the English'' in 774, the first person in Britain to use that title. He made a trade agreement with [[Charlemagne]] in Europe, and introduced the [[pound]] as a unit of currency in [[England]].

Offa gives his name to [[Offa's Dyke]], a wall which once marked long stretches of the border between England and [[Wales]] (similar to [[Hadrian's Wall]] between England and [[Scotland]], although the latter is substantially older and also more famous and impressive).

Offa gives his name to [[Offa's Dyke]], a wall which once marked long stretches of the border between England and [[Wales]] (similar to [[Hadrian's Wall]] between England and [[Scotland]], although the latter is substantially older and also more famous and impressive).

{{Nb english monarchs}}

{{Nb english monarchs}}