lady of the Mercians Æthelfleda

Æthelfleda, lady of the Mercians (d. 918), was the last independent ruler of Mercia. The daughter of Alfred of Wessex and his Mercian wife Ealhswith, she was married to Æthelred of Mercia, probably in the second half of the 880s. Even before his death in 911, Æthelfleda is recorded as exercising regalian power in the province. In particular she provided a ring of burhs (fortified centres) around western Mercia and conducted successful military campaigns against the Welsh, the Hiberno-Norse Vikings, and the Danes of York. After Æthelfleda's death in 918, Edward the Elder deposed her daughter Ælfwynn and took over control of the province.