hereas Mercia and Wessex were just getting into their stride during the Middle Saxon period, Kent is notable in that its predominance (and indeed, independence) was coming to an end. Although a major force to be reckoned with during the 6th to earlier 7th centuries (and indeed, the kingdom through which Christianity had come to Britain by Augustine’s mission of 597), by c.785 the kingdom had come under total, direct control of the Mercian kings. However, initial power plays had been made by King Offa some 20 years earlier in c.764, when he attempted to increase influence through kings such
