Coenwulf was King of Mercia, in Anglo-Saxon England, from December 796 until his death in 821. He ascended the throne five months after the death of Offa, one of the most powerful kings of early medieval England, when Offa's son, Ecgfrith, died after a brief reign. In the early years of Coenwulf's reign he had to deal with a revolt in Kent, which had been under Offa's control. After Eadberht Præn returned from exile in Francia to claim the Kentish throne, Coenwulf invaded and retook the kingdom. He probably lost control of the kingdom of East Anglia during the early part of his reign, as evidenced by an independent coinage appearing under King Eadwald, but Coenwulf's coinage reappeared in 805. Coenwulf was the last king of Mercia to exercise substantial dominance over other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms; within a decade of his death, the rise of Wessex had begun under King Ecgberht, and Mercia never recovered its former position of power.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenwulf_of_Mercia

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1850:

Brigham Young announced his decision to go to war against Timpanogos who were hostile to the Mormon settlement at Fort Utah. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_at_Fort_Utah

1920:

The signing of the Treaty of Tartu ended the Estonian War of Independence, with Russia agreeing to recognize the independence of Estonia and renounce in perpetuity all rights to that territory. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tartu_%28Russian%E2%80%93Estonian%29

1974:

The F-16 Fighting Falcon, the most numerous fixed-wing aircraft in military service, made its first flight. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-16_Fighting_Falcon

2004:

Swiss tennis player Roger Federer became the top-ranked men's singles player, a position he held for a record 237 consecutive weeks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Federer

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

Imbolc: (Britain, Ireland) A Gaelic and Wiccan festival celebrated on 1 or 2 February which marks the beginning of spring. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Imbolc

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn't imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.   --Groundhog Day https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day_%28film%29