Bernicia facts for kids
Bernicia was an early kingdom in Northern England. It was set up by Anglian settlers in the 500s. Bernicia covered parts of what are now Northumberland and County Durham in England. It also included areas like Berwickshire and East Lothian in Scotland.
Bernicia was one of two important Anglo-Saxon kingdoms north of the River Humber. The other was Deira. In the early 600s, these two kingdoms joined together. They formed a much larger and stronger kingdom called Northumbria.
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What's in a Name? Bernicia's Past
The name Bernicia comes from an older Celtic name, Bryneich. This name probably meant 'The Land of Hills'. It was the home of a group of Celtic people called the Votadini. Their main fort was called Din Guairi. Today, we know this place as Bamburgh.
After the Romans left Britain around 410 AD, the Votadini faced attacks from the Picts. They were not strong enough on their own. So, they asked for help from Germanic fighters. These fighters were likely Angles and Saxons.
The Rise of English Bernicia
We don't have many details about when the Angles first arrived in this area. But a writer named Bede tells us that Ida of Bernicia started the Bernician royal family. Ida's rule began in 547.
The first few kings of Bernicia had a tough time. They constantly fought with the native British people to keep their land. Then came Athelfrith of Bernicia. He was the first king to really make Bernicia bigger. He took land from the British.
In 605, Athelfrith did something very important. He brought Bernicia and Deira together. This created the powerful kingdom of Northumbria. Athelfrith ruled this combined kingdom until 616.
Kings of Bernicia
Here are some of the kings who ruled Bernicia:
- Ida (547–559)
- Glappa (559–560)
- Adda (560–568)
- Aethelric (568–572)
- Theodric (572–579)
- Frithuwald (579–585)
- Hussa (585–593)
- Athelfrith (593–616)
- He ruled Bernicia from 593 to 604.
- He then ruled Northumbria (Bernicia and Deira combined) from 605 to 616.
The kingdom was briefly split again:
- Eanfrith (633–634)
- Oswald, son of Æthelfrith, reunited Bernicia with Deira under Northumbria from 634.
Images for kids
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Y Hen Gogledd or "The Old North"
See also
In Spanish: Reino de Bernicia para niños
