North of the Humber: II Trivia Quiz

Answer: Osric, Eanfrith

Osric, cousin of Edwin, claimed the crown of Deira, and within the year had laid siege to Cadwallon, (probablly at York) but Cadwallon launched a suprise attack from within the town and destroyed Osric and the Dieran army. Meanwhile, Eanfrith eldest son of Aethelfrith had claimed Bernicia, Eanfrith acompanied by twelve thanes came to Cadwallon to beg for peace, but meet the same fate. Both Osric and Eanfrith had reverted to paganism and Bede stated that "It was an ill-omened year" and that "Those who calculated the dates of the kings agreed to expunge the memory of the apostate king and assign that year to the reign of their successor".

Answer: Heavenfield

Oswald, his brother Oswui Their Gesithas and a strong force of Dalriadan warriors came into Northumbria and arrived at Hadrian's Wall, six miles NW of Hexham (the site was since known as Heavenfield). Before the battle Oswald planted a cross and ordered all his men to kneel and pray, he then launched an attack before dawn and routed Cadwallons army, in the running battle that followed Oswald is said to have personally cut down Cadwallon at a place called Deniseburn (now Rowley Burn), five miles to the south of Heavenfield.

Answer: Aidan

At first a new bishop named Corman was sent but returned to Iona stating that the Northumbrians were an "intractable people of stubborn and uncivilised character." Aidan was sent to replace him, and became the founder and first bishop of the monastery of Lindisfarne. Oswald had to translate Aidan's words to his ealdormen and thegns because Aidan could only speak little English, however Aidan had twelve English boys train at the monastery so as to ensure the future religious leadership would be English, one of whom was Eata who would become the first English bishop of Lindisfarne.

Answer: 13

At the death of Oswald, Oswine was chosen as king by the Deiran's and ruled for nine years, Bede states that the cause of their quarrel had increased so much that they raised armies against each other, however Oswine didn't like the odds and sent his army home, and accompanied by one loyal thane took refuge in a friend's house but was betrayed.

He was murdered by Oswiu's reeve Aethelwin at Giling. Aethelwald, son of Oswald, then became king of Deira and formed an alliance with Penda of Mercia, Aethelwald disappears from history after the defeat of penda in 655. Oswiu then installed his own son, Alchfrith, as king of Diera.

Answer: Aethelhere

Penda had amassed an army of "thirty legions" according to Bede, including the Britons of Gwynedd under king Cadefael, East Angles of king Aethelhere and the Deirans of king Aethelwald. Oswiu was besieged at Stirling, but is thought to have bought the besiegers off with a large amount of treasure, but it did not stop Penda and his allies laying waste the area. Penda then began the long march home. Oswiu followed and attacked him at the river Winwaed "in the region of Loidis" - Leeds (Unidentified- possibly the Cock beck in Leeds which runs near Pendas Field close to an area called Whinmoor). Cadefael and his army deserted Penda and Aethelwald of Deira is said to have withdrawn to a place of safety to await the outcome of the battle.

In heavy rain Oswiu attacked and routed Penda's army, both Penda and Aethelhere king of the East Anglia were killed, Bede stated that the river "had overflowed its channels and its banks to such an extent that many more were drowned in the flight than destroyed by the sword".

Answer: Streanaeshalch

King Oswiu gave 120 hides of land to the church in thanks for his victory over Penda. Hilda who was abbess of the monastery of Hartlepool (Heruteu - Island of the hart) gained ten of these hides and in 557 built a monastery on a headland at a place named Streanaeshalch. The monastery fell victim to the Danes in the 860s and was abbandoned, they named it Prestebi (settlement of priests), and the settlement that grew around the harbour as Witebi or Hwytbi (white settlement). Gyrwe is Bede's Jarrow.

Answer: Natural causes

Bede states that he was taken ill and died of natural causes at the age of 58 on 15th February 670. He was the first of the Northumbrian kings recorded as dying of natural causes, all the previous kings down to Aethelfrith died in battle or some other bloody end. As for those who came before Aethelfrith, their fate is unknown, but it is highly likley that they died a violent death.

Answer: Lindsey

Wulfhere who had gained control of Lindsey during Oswiu's reign, formed a confederacy of all the Southern peoples against Northumbria, but was defeated by Ecgfrith and driven out of Lindsey in 674. Aethelred, who succeeded Wulfhere, disputed the ownership of Lindsey and in 679 defeated the Deiran's and killed Aelfwine (Ecgfrith's younger brother) in battle at the river Trent, Ecgfrith and the Northumbrians were outraged, a bloodfeud and further hostilities were avoided by the intervention of Archbishop Theodore of Canterbury who persuaded Aethelred to pay a large weregild to compensate for Aelfwine's death, however Mercia retained the province of Lindsey.

Answer: Irish

The monasteries of Magh-Bregh and the plain of Brega in Leinster were swept with fire and sword by Berht an ealdorman of Northumbria, and a large amount of slaves and treasure were taken. The reasons for the attack are uncertain, but a possible rival for the Northumbrian kingdom in the person of Aldfrith (his illegitimate brother), who may have been in the area, plus from c. 682 exiled northern Britons from the Cumbria area are reported to have appeared in eastern Ireland at that time, and may have used Ireland as a base for raids against the Northumbrians.

Answer: Picts

Ecgfrith began his reign by crushing a Pictish revolt in 672, by the early 680's Bridei son of Beli (he was Ecgfrith's cousin) had made himself high-king of the Picts, and maybe in Ecgfrith's eye a threat to his overlordship of the North. Ecgfrith advanced deep into pictish territory, and according to Bede "the enemy feigned flight, he was drawn into a narrow pass in the inaccessible mountains and killed with the greater part of his army". Bede never names the site of the battle, but Nennius records it as 'Gueith Lin Garan'- the battle at he pool of the herons, while Symeon of Durham identified it as Nechtansmere,and the Irish as Dun Nechtain (modern Dunnichen). Bede dates the begining of the decline of Northumbria from Ecgfrith's defeat. His illegitamate half-brother Aldfrith ruled until 704, from then on kings would be usurped, deposed even murdered.