The Kingdom of Mercia was an important monarchy in the English Midlands from the 6th century to the 10th. From the mid-7th century until it ceased to exist as a kingdom, Mercia was the most powerful of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Some of its rulers were the first to claim titles such as "King of the English" and "King of Britain". Mercia was one of the seven kingdoms of the . This is a later name given to the seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England during the early Middle Ages. Besides Mercia it included Northumbria, Wessex, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, and Sussex.