Early Medieval period in the context of "South Saxons"

The Kingdom of the East Saxons, referred to as the Kingdom of Essex (/ˈɛsɪks/), was an early medieval English kingdom, constituting one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon period. It was founded in the 6th century and covered the territory later occupied by the counties of Essex, Middlesex, much of Hertfordshire and (for a short while) west Kent. The last king of Essex was Sigered of Essex, who in 825 ceded the kingdom to Ecgberht, King of Wessex.
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Mercia (/ˈmɜːrsiə, -ʃə/) was an early medieval English kingdom, one of the seven kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon period. It was centred on the River Trent and its tributaries, in a region now known as the Midlands of England.

The royal court moved around the kingdom without a fixed capital city. Early in its existence Repton seems to have been the location of an important royal estate. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, it was from Repton in 873–874 that the Great Heathen Army deposed the King of Mercia. Slightly earlier, King Offa seems to have favoured Tamworth. It was there where he was crowned, and where he resided during multiple Christmases.