Offa

Rory Naismith is professor of early medieval history at the University of Cambridge and the author of prize-winning books Money and Power in Anglo-Saxon England, The Coinage of Southern England 796–865, Citadel of the Saxons, and Making Money in the Early Middle Ages.

“Naismith has revealed multiple layers to his story and that of the Mercian supremacy, which, with a mystique common to many lost kingdoms, has become an earthily ancient touchstone for the identity of the modern West Midlands.”—Jack Watkins, Country Life“This is first-rate medieval history: rigorous without being dry, ambitious without being overstated, and attentive to both the limits and possibilities of the surviving evidence. For readers seeking to understand the power, ambition, and fragile political world of Anglo-Saxon Mercia, Rory Naismith’s Offa is essential and rewarding reading.”—Luciano Anastasi, HistoryMedieval“Naismith has brought to life Offa’s actions, their consequences and his interactions with his peers in a way that places him and Mercia back where they belong, at the centre of English history.”—Philip Parker, Literary Review“Artfully assembled from the fragments that remain.”—Unseen Histories“The book’s biggest and best achievement, however, is to take a man best (and perhaps only) known for the earthwork that bears his name . . . and to restore him to his rightful place among the pantheon of truly great Anglo-Saxon monarchs.”—Paul Bernadi, Aspects of History“Brilliant, well-written biography that I shall return [to]. On finishing it, I found myself echoing the words that Hill put into the king's mouth in the first of his Mercian Hymns: "I liked that . . . sing it again".”—Sarah Foot, Times Literary Supplement“Naismith has come to be counted among the leading historians of pre-Conquest England, and this volume will only cement that reputation. Authoritative, lucid, and insightful, its broad scope makes it valuable reading for anyone interested in early medieval kingship, a triumph worthy of its subject.”—Andrew Rabin, History Today“In this brilliant piece of historical detective work, Rory Naismith restores Offa to his proper dimensions, revealing a hardnosed but pious ruler who changed the course of English (and indeed British) history. Authoritative and eminently readable, it will long be the standard work on the subject!”—Levi Roach, author of Empires of the Normans“Offa was the most powerful English king before the mid-tenth century, but he resists analysis. . . . Naismith shows a remarkable skill in bringing all the threads together to produce a compelling picture of how an eighth-century king in England could make himself central, to both English and European politics.”—Chris Wickham, author of Medieval Europe“A dependable biography of this most elusive of English rulers. It captures what would otherwise be only fleeting impressions of a fascinating individual.”—Christine Rauer, author of Beowulf and the Dragon