Eanred of Northumbria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eanred |
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Coin of King Eanred
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| King of Northumbria | |
| Reign | c. 810 – c. 850 |
| Predecessor | Eardwulf |
| Successor | Æthelred II |
| Issue | Æthelred |
| House | Northumbria |
| Father | Eardwulf |
Eanred was a king who ruled Northumbria, an old kingdom in what is now northern England, during the early 800s. He was an important ruler, even though we don't know much about him today.
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King Eanred's Reign
We don't know a lot for sure about King Eanred. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a very old historical record, mentions Northumbria only once during his time. It says that in 829, Egbert of Wessex, a powerful king from southern England, marched his army to a place called Dore. There, the Northumbrians met him and agreed to accept his rule. This event meant that Egbert's power, or hegemony, spread across all of Anglo-Saxon Britain for a while.
How Long Did Eanred Rule?
Historians have different ideas about how long Eanred was king.
- Roger of Wendover, another old writer, said Eanred ruled from 810 to 840.
- The History of the Church of Durham says he ruled for 33 years.
- A recently found coin from Eanred's time suggests he might have ruled until about 850.
A long reign like this was quite unusual for Northumbria back then. This suggests Eanred was a strong and important leader. Not long after he died, the kingdom of Northumbria changed a lot, and the way kings ruled there ended.
Eanred's Family and Succession
Eanred was the son of King Eardwulf. His father was removed from power in 806 by a king named Ælfwald, whom we don't know much about. The History of the Church of Durham says Ælfwald ruled for two years before Eanred became king.
However, some records from Frankish (French) sources tell a different story. They say that after Eardwulf was kicked out of England, he went to see Charlemagne, a famous emperor, and then the Pope. These powerful leaders sent their helpers with Eardwulf back to Northumbria. They helped him get his throne back. So, it's not totally clear how Eanred became king. What we do know for sure is that Eanred's son, Æthelred, became king after him.
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The Styca Coins
During Eanred's time, a new type of small coin appeared. These coins were called stycas. They replaced older coins known as sceats.
- Early styca coins had a small amount of silver in them.
- Later styca coins were mostly made of brass, which is a mix of metals.
These coins were made in York. Many of them have been found, and they often show the names of the people who made them, called moneyers. This tells us that a lot of styca coins were made. Some experts think hundreds of thousands of these coins were being used.
How Stycas Were Used
Most of the found styca coins suggest they were mainly used for trading with other places. For everyday life, most people in Northumbria probably didn't use coins much, except maybe to pay taxes.
