List of monarchs of Northumbria
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Northumbria, a kingdom of Angles in northern England, was initially divided into two kingdoms, Bernicia and Deira. The two were first united by Aethelfrith around the year 604, and except for occasional periods of division over the subsequent century, they remained so.
The exceptions are during the brief period from 633 to 634, when Northumbria was plunged into chaos by the death of King Edwin in battle and the ruinous invasion of Cadwallon ap Cadfan of Gwynedd. The unity of the Northumbrian kingdoms was restored after Cadwallon's death in battle in 634.
Another exception is a period from about the year 644 to 664, when kings ruled individually over Deira. In 651, King Oswiu had Oswine of Deira killed and replaced by Aethelwald, but Aethelwald did not prove to be a loyal sub-king, allying with the Mercian king Penda; according to Bede, Aethelwald acted as Penda's guide during the latter's invasion of Northumbria but withdrew his forces when the Mercians met the Northumbrians at the Battle of Winwaed. After the Mercian defeat at Winwaed, Aethelwald lost power and Oswiu's own son, Alchfrith, became king in his place. In 670, Aelfwine, the brother of the childless King Ecgfrith, was made king of Deira; by this point the title may have been used primarily to designate an heir. Aelfwine was killed in battle against Mercia in 679, and there was not another separate king of Deira until the time of Norse rule.
Following are lists of the kings of Bernicia, Deira, and Northumbria. Note that many of their dates, particularly in the earlier period, are considered unreliable.
This was a time when spellings varied widely, even within a document. A number of variations of the details below exist. Amongst these are the preference between þ and ð (hard and soft 'th').
The character '7' was used as represent ampersand '&' in contemporary Anglo-Saxon writings.
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Kings of Bernicia
| Reign | Incumbent | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| fl.500 | Esa (Oesa) | ESA INGVING CYNING ESA REX BERNICIA CYNING | |
| fl.c.520 | Eoppa | EOPPA ESING BERNICIA CYNING EOPPA REX BERNICIA | |
| 547 to 559 | Ida | IDA EOPPING BERNICIA CYNING IDA REX BERNICIA | |
| 559 to 560 | Glappa (Clappa) | GLAPPA BERNICIA CYNING GLAPPA REX BERNICIA | |
| 560 to 568 | Adda | ADDA IDING BERNICIA CYNING ADDA REX BERNICIA | |
| 568 to 572 | Aethelric | ÆÞELRIC IDING BERNICIA CYNING ÆÞELRIC REX BERNICIA | |
| 572 to 579 | Theodric (Deoric) | ÞEODRIC IDING BERNICIA CYNING ÞEODRIC REX BERNICIA | |
| 579 to 585 | Frithuwald (Frithewlf) | FRIÞVVALD BERNICIA CYNING FRIÞVVALD REX BERNICIA | |
| 585 to 593 | Hussa | HVSSA BERNICIA CYNING HVSSA REX BERNICIA | |
| ante? 588 to 604 | Aethelric (Aedilric, Eathilric) | ÆÞELRIC IDING BERNICIA 7 DEIRA CYNING ÆÞELRIC REX BERNICIA ET DEIRA | |
| Bernicia Dynasty | |||
| 593/604? to 616 | Aethelfrith | ÆÞELFRIÞ ÆÞELRICING BERNICIA 7 DEIRA CYNING ÆÞELFRIÞ REX BERNICIA ET DEIRA | Killed in battle |
| Deira Dynasty | |||
| 616 to 12/14 October 632 | Edwin | EDVVIN ÆLLING BERNICIA 7 DEIRA CYNING EDVVIN REX BERNICIA ET DEIRA | Killed in battle by Penda, King of Mercia |
| Bernicia Dynasty | |||
| late 632 to 633 | Eanfrith | EANFRIÞ ÆÞELFRIÞING BERNICIA CYNING EANFRIÞ REX BERNICIA | |
| 634 to 5 August 641 | Oswald | OSVVALD ÆÞELFRIÞING BERNICIA 7 DEIRA CYNING OSVVALD REX BERNICIA ET DEIRA | Killed by Penda, King of Mercia; Saint Oswald |
| late 641 to 654 | Oswiu | OSVVIO ÆÞELFRIÞING BERNICIA CYNING OSVVIO REX BERNICIA | Became King of united Northumbria |
Kings of Deira
| Reign | Incumbent | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 559/560 to 589 | Aella (Aelli) | ÆLLA YFFING DEIRA CYNING ÆLLA REX DEIRA | |
| Bernician Dynasty | |||
| 589 to 604 | Aethelric (Aedilric) | ÆÞELRIC IDING BERNICIA 7 DEIRA CYNING ÆÞELRIC REX BERNICIA ET DEIRA | |
| 593/604? to 616 | Aethelfrith | ÆÞELFERÞ ÆÞELRICING DEIRA CYNING ÆÞELFERÞ REX DEIRA | Killed in battle |
| Deira Dynasty | |||
| 616 to 12/14 October 632 | Edwin | EDVVIN ÆLLING BERNICIA 7 DEIRA CYNING EDVVIN REX BERNICIA ET DEIRA | Killed in battle by Penda, King of Mercia |
| late 633 to summer 634 | Osric | OSRIC ÆLFRICING DEIRA CYNING OSRIC REX DEIRA | |
| 633 to 5 August 642 | Oswald | OSVVALD BERNICIA 7 DEIRA CYNING OSVVALD REX BERNICIA ET DEIRA | Killed by Penda, King of Mercia; Saint Oswald |
| 642 to 644 | Oswiu | OSVVIO ÆÞELFRIÞING BERNICIA 7 DEIRA CYNING OSVVIO REX BERNICIA ET DEIRA | |
| 644 to 651 | Oswine | OSVVINE OSRICING DEIRA CYNING OSVVINE REX DEIRA | Murdered |
| summer 651 to late 654 or 655 | Aethelwald | ÆÞELVVALD OSVVALDING DEIRA CYNING ÆÞELVVALD REX DEIRA | |
| 654 to 15 August 670 | Oswiu | OSVVIO ÆÞELFERÞING NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING OSVVIO REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Restored |
| 656 to 664 | Alchfrith | ALCHFRIÞ DEIRA CYNING ALCHFRIÞ REX DEIRA | |
| 670 to 679 | Aelfwine | ÆLFVVINE DEIRA CYNING ÆLFVVINE REX DEIRA | |
Kings of Northumbria
| Reign | Incumbent | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 654 to 15 February 670 | Oswiu | OSVVIO ÆÞELFRIÞING NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING OSVVIO REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Hitherto king of Bernicia and Deira |
| February 670 to 20 May 685 | Ecgfrith | ECGFERÞ OSVVEOING NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ECGFERÞ REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Killed in battle against the Picts |
| May 685 to 14 December 704 | Aldfrith (Ealdfrith) | ALDFERÞ OSVVEOING NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ALDFERÞ REX NORÞANHYMBRA | |
| late 704 to early 705 | Eadwulf | EADVVLF NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING EADVVLF REX NORÞANHYMBRA | |
| 705 to 716 | Osred I | OSRED ALDFERÞING NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING OSRED REX NORÞANHYMBRA | |
| 716 to 718 | Coenred | COENRED NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING COENRED REX NORÞANHYMBRA | |
| 718 to 29 May 729 | Osric | OSRIC ALDFERÞING NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING OSRIC REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Killed |
| 729 to 731 | Ceolwulf | CEOLVVLF NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING CEOLVVLF REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Deposed; Saint Ceolwulf |
| 731 to 737/8 | Ceolwulf | CEOLVVLF NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING CEOLVVLF REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Restored; abdicated to become a monk |
| 737 to 758 | Eadberht | EADBRYHT EATING NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING EADBRYHT REX NORÞANHYMBRA | |
| 758 to 759 | Oswulf (Osulf) | OSVVLF NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING OSVVLF REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Murdered by his servants |
| 759 to 765 | Aethelwald Moll | ÆÞELVVALD MOLL NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ÆÞELVVALD MOLL REX NORÞANHYMBRA | |
| 765 to 774 | Ealchred | EALCHRED NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING EALCHRED REX NORÞANHYMBRA | |
| 774 to 779 | Aethelred I | ÆÞELRED NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ÆÞELRED REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Deposed |
| 779 to 23 September 788 | Aelfwald I | ÆLFVVALD NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ÆLFVVALD REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Murdered |
| 788 to 790 | Osred II | OSRED ALCHREDING NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING OSRED REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Deposed and exiled |
| 790 to 18 April 796 | Aethelred I | ÆÞELRED NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ÆÞELRED REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Restored |
| 796 | Osbald | OSBALD NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING OSBALD REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Exiled after a reign of 27 days |
| 14 May 796 to 806/8 | Eardwulf | EARDVVLF NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING EARDVVLF REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Deposed |
| 806/8 to 808/10 | Aelfwald II (Elfwald II) | ÆLFVVALD NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ÆLFVVALD REX NORÞANHYMBRA | |
| 808 to 810 | Eardwulf | EARDVVLF NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING EARDVVLF REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Restored |
| 810 to 841 | Eanred | EANRED EARDVVLFING NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING EANRED REX NORÞANHYMBRA | |
| 840/1 to 844 | Aethelred II | ÆÞELRED EANREDING NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ÆÞELRED REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Deposed |
| 844 | Raedwulf (Redwulf) | RÆDVVLF NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING RÆDVVLF REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Usurper |
| 844 to c.848/9 | Aethelred II | ÆÞELRED EANREDING NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ÆÞELRED REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Restored |
| c.848/9 to 862/3 | Osbeorht (Osbert) | OSBEORHT NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING OSBEORHT REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Deposed |
| 862/3/7 to 23 March 867 | Aelle II | ÆLLE NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ÆLLE REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Usurper; Killed by the Danes with Osbeorht |
| 867 to 21 March 867 | Osbeorht (Osbert) | OSBEORHT NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING OSBEORHT REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Killed by the Danes with the usurper Aelle |
Sub-Kings under Norse Kingdom of York
| Reign | Incumbent | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 867 to 872 | Ecgberht I | ECGBRYHT NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ECGBRYHT REX NORÞANHYMBRA | Puppet king of the Danes | |
| 872 to 876 | Ricsige | RICSIGE NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING RICSIGE REX NORÞANHYMBRA | ||
| 876 to c.878 | Ecgberht II | ECGBRYHT NORÞANHYMBRA CYNING ECGBRYHT REX NORÞANHYMBRA | ||
| Northumbria subsumed into the Norse kingdom of York | ||||
Deira under Norse York Control from 878
| Reign | Incumbent | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? to 913 | Eadulf | Eadulf | |
| 913 to 930 | Ealdred I | Ealdred | |
| 930 to 963 | Osulf | Osulf | |
| 963 to 970 | Waltheof | Walþeof | |
| 995 to 1016 | Uchtred the Bold | Uchtred | |
| 1016 to 1019 | Eadulf I | Eadulf | |
| 1019 to 1038 | Ealdred II | Ealdred | |
| 1038 to 1041 | Eadulf II | Eadulf |
| The Heptarchy |
|---|
| East Anglia | Essex | Kent | Mercia | Northumbria | Sussex | Wessex |