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Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms
Angles North of the Humber
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Deira
This kingdom was founded in AD 559 from the earlier
Celtic region of the
same name (pronounced Deywr in
the Brythonic tongue). It, like Bernicia,
was settled by
Angles
who were probably hired as mercenary soldiers. These Angles seem to have been
present in the area for some time, and may even have enjoyed full autonomy in
Deywr before they declared their kingdom, perhaps with the help of Bernicia.
Both kingdoms then seem to have attacked British
Ebrauc, which was stuck
in between them.
The principal pagan temple site of the Angles of Deira was at Goodmanham. At
Sancton the region had the largest pagan cemetery in England. Cremation urns
from Sancton are very similar to those found in the great Anglian cemetery at
Borgstedt in southern Schleswig. Others are directly comparable to those in
general use throughout Schleswig and Fyn. Dera wudu was the wood of the
Deirans, located at Beverley in East Yorkshire. The sixth century history of
the kingdom is largely unknown. Even its first recorded king has left little
more than his name, Ælle.
(Additional information from Rheged: An Early Historic Kingdom near the
Solway, Mike McCarthy, from A History of the English Church and
People, The Venerable Bede (Leo Sherley-Price translation - revised by R
E Latham), and from the Annales Cambriae, James Ingram (taken from
the Harleian manuscript, the earliest surviving version, London, Everyman
Press, 1912).) |
559 |
It
seems more than coincidental that the
Angles in
Deywr assert their full independence
at the same time as Ida of Bernicia
dies. Up until now their new leader, Ælle, may have had a role as one of Ida's
generals or allies who chooses this moment to assert his own independence. |
559/60 - 588 |
Ælle / Aelle / Aelli / Ulli |
Sixth generation
of Anglian leaders in Deywr. |
c.570 - 580 |
The Deirans continue to gain
ground in the region. Although by now they seem to have already captured the
coast by about 570, the
British city of
Ebrauc (York) is known to have fallen later,
between about 570-580, so it seems likely, given their dates of death (Annales
Cambriae), that the sons of Eliffer had been fighting on from their capital
until overrun. The capital of the north is now in the hands of the Deirans,
greatly increasing their territory and exposing the borders of two more
British kingdoms, those of
Dunoting and
Elmet.
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A map showing Elmet's probable borders during its greatest
extent, with the grey areas being lost first, and the deep pink
area last, in 617 (click or tap on map to view full size)
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588 - 593 |
Edwin |
Son. Forced
out by Æthelfrith. |
593 |
Edwin
is driven out of the kingdom by his brother-in-law, Æthelfrith of
Bernicia. He seeks asylum
in the court of Raedwald of the
East Engle, and survives
at least one assassination attempt ordered by Æthelfrith. |
593 - 616 |
Æthelfrith |
King of
Bernicia. |
601 |
Testimony to the revival of the city of Eboracum (York) occurs when
Pope
Gregory announces his intention to make York the home of the Northern see,
although it actually takes until 627 to persuade the Deiran king to be
christened. However, the city remains on the western frontier of the
kingdom, close to the border with British Elmet
and is not regarded as the kingdom's heartland or focus point. |
616 - 632 |
Edwin (St) |
Restored after taking control
of Bernicia and returning to Deira. |
c.616 |
Edwin
regains his throne after Æthelfrith is killed by King Raedwald of the
East Engle at the Battle
of the River Idle in 616. Shortly afterwards Edwin forces the collapse of the
British kingdom of North Rheged,
although a northern portion of it survives and continues as an isolated
enclave. He also conquers Ynys Manau. |
617 |
As recorded by Bede, Saint Hilda had been born in 614 as a
member of the royal family of Deira. Hilda grows up
under the protection of Ceretic of Elmet.
Now Edwin begins a push westwards that will gain him the entire
Pennine region, and in this year he uses the poisoning of Hilda's father as a pretext
for invading Elmet, holding Ceretic responsible. As Ceretic had been on peaceful
terms with Æthelfrith, it is possible that the death was to appease that
Bernician king. The Elmetians are outnumbered by Edwin's host and are defeated at a battle
fought near Bawtry. Edwin is able to subdue the kingdom and its last native
king, Ceretic, is expelled. |
c.620 - c.658 |
Following the fall of Elmet, the
increasingly powerful Bernician and Deiran thrones begin to dominate the
newly exposed
Lindisware. The Humber
region, including its tributary rivers and quite possibly Lindsey itself,
are probably counted as Edwin's domains. |
627 |
Edwin
accepts Christianity, thanks to his Christian wife, Æthelburh (Ethelburga)
of Kent, and a victory in battle
over the West Seaxe. He is
baptised in St Peter's Chapel in York (now York Minster). The chapel, a
wooden building, is constructed especially for the ceremony as apparently,
unlike St Martin's Church in Canterbury, there is no suitable
Roman-period
British Church building
in York to rebuild. The dependant
Lindisware are also swiftly
converted as part of the same mission, and Edwin's friendship with the royal
house of the East Engle
sees King Earpwald converted too.
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The modern building of York Minister was begun in AD 627 when
King Edwin of Deira and Bernicia erected a wooden building which
was consecrated as a chapel amid York's Roman ruins
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632/3 |
Edwin is killed at Hatfield Chase (just outside the western borders of
Lindsey) by Penda of
Mercia while the
latter is allied to Cadwallon, king of
Gwynedd and
High King of
the Britons. Both of Edwin's sons are also killed, ending his royal line.
Cadwallon repays many years of defeats, deaths, rapes and pillaging at
Northumbrian hands by conducting a year-long campaign of revenge in the
kingdoms of Bernicia and
Deira. It is likely that Lindsey becomes independent for a while following
this destruction of its masters. |
632 - 633 |
Osric |
Reverted to
paganism. Killed by Cadwallon. |
633 - 642 |
Oswald (St) |
King of
Bernicia. |
642 |
Oswald is killed by Penda of Mercia
on 5 August at the Battle of Maserfelth. The location of Maserfelth is
still disputed but opinion favours Oswestry ('Oswald's tree') in Shropshire.
Politically, Oswald's death splits Northumbria. His brother succeeds him in
Bernicia but Deira breaks
away under their cousin Oswine, whose father, Osric, led the kingdom back to
paganism during the dark days after Hatfield Chase. |
644 - 651 |
Oswine |
Son of Osric.
Ruled until 20 August. |
651 |
Oswiu of Bernicia plans to take his
cousin, the exiled Roman
Catholic Eanflaed of Deira, as his new bride, in order to cement his claim
on Deira. The Deirans object strongly and Oswiu prepares to invade. Oswine
shamefully disbands his army and goes into hiding with one faithful companion
who betrays him. Oswiu has Oswine killed, but the Deiran nobles still refuse
to accept Oswiu as their king, choosing instead a cousin of Oswine's to lead
them. |
651 - 654 |
Æthelwald |
Cousin. Ruled
until or after Nov 654. |
654 |
With
the victory of Oswiu of Bernicia
at the Battle of Winwaed, Deira falls under permanent Bernician control and a
united Northumbria
is created. Æthelwald is removed for supporting the losing side against Oswiu,
and the Deirans are forced to accept Oswiu's son, Aldfrith, as their sub-king
in the early days of Northumbrian union. |
654 - 664 |
Aldfrith /
Ahlfrith / Alchfrith |
Son of Oswiu of
Bernicia. Sub-king. Died. |
664 |
Aldfrith
is the son of Oswiu of
Bernicia, who has been king of a
united Northumbria
since 654. Aldfrith's mother had been, according to Nennius, Rienmelth,
daughter of Royth (or Rhwyth), better known as Rhoedd map Rhun map Urien
Rheged. At the
very least, Oswiu's marriage is a dynastic union, albeit with a bride whose
family had found themselves in severely reduced circumstances, but it also
solidifies his claim to rule all of the North, a land that he and his
forebears have reunited so that it closely resembles the 'Kingdom of
Northern Britain' over two
hundred years before.
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The cemetery at Sancton in East Yorkshire was created by the
pagan Saxons of Deira in the sixth century, situated close to
two Roman roads which would have been in use at the time, albeit
in a declining state of repair
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With Aldfrith's death, Deira is apparently drawn fully within Northumbria to
be ruled as a single kingdom. His daughter, Eahlflæd, becomes a nun. There is
a brief period in 670-679 when the title 'King of Deira' is bestowed on the
boy Ælfwine, another of Oswiu's sons, but there is little direct control of
Deira involved, and Ælfwine is killed at the Battle of Trent in 679 by the
Mercians. Deira and
Bernicia are now inextricably linked. |
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