Oswiu of Northumbria facts for kids
Oswiu (c. 611–15 February 670), also known as Oswy or Old English: Ōswīg, became the King of Bernicia at the death of his brother Oswald. Later he became the King of Northumbria. When Oswiu defeated and killed Penda of Mercia at the Battle of the Winwaed, he became the seventh over the southern English kings. He took the throne of Mercia and appointed his son-in-law Peada (Penda's son) as a client king. Oswiu was one of those rare kings of Northumbria who died of natural causes and not in battle.
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Early career
Oswiu was born c. 611 He was a son of King Athelfrith of Bernicia and his second wife Acha of Deira. He was a younger brother of King Oswald of Northumbria. When he was about 6 years old his father was killed in battle by Edwin who became King of Northumbria. Along with his brothers Eanfrith and Oswald and their sister Aebbe, he found safety with the Scots in Dál Riata. The monks of Iona baptized the children and raised them in the Celtic Christian faith.
About 634 Oswiu married Rhiainmelt, daughter of Rhoeth of Rheged, a marriage alliance arranged by his brother King Oswald. He had a son by this marriage, Alfrith of Deira. Rhiainmelt seems to have died as a year later Oswiu was in Ireland with the Dál Riatans. There he was involved with Fina, the daughter of the high King Colman. There is no record they married but they had a son Aldfrith of Northumbria (Irish name Flann Fína mac Oswiu).
King of Bernicia
When his brother Oswald was killed in 642, the overlordship died with him. Oswald had been king of a combined Bernicia, Deira and Lindsey (kingdom). But Northumbria was divided back into its earlier weaker sub-kingdoms. Penda, now the most powerful king in England took Lindsey. Oswiu became King of Bernicia. Oswine claimed Deira, preventing Oswiu from keeping it with Bernicia. A year after it happened Oswiu recovered his brother's body from the battlefield where he died. Oswiu had Oswald's remains buried at Bardney in Lindsey.
Oswiu invaded Deira in 651 seeking to reunite Deira with Bernicia. Oswine was betrayed by one of his own noblemen and was murdered in 651 on Oswiu's orders. But the Deirans chose Athelwald, Oswiu's nephew, as their king. Athelwald then aligned himself with Oswiu's enemy, Penda. Deira was under the protection of Mercia for the next three years. But Penda was determined to defeat Oswiu and take Bernicia as well. In 654 Penda raised a large army of some thirty 'legions'. According to Bede, Penda attacked Oswiu several times. With a much smaller force Oswiu attacked Penda's army near the banks of the River Winwaed. Most of the commanders of the thirty legions were killed including King Anna of East Anglia and Penda. From this time Oswiu became the or overlord over all the southern English people including Mercia. Mercia was then divided. North of the River Trent was controlled directly by Oswiu. He made Peada of Mercia, Penda's son, king over the part of Mercia south of the Trent. Peada had married Oswiu's daughter, Alflaed. Peada was murdered five months later by Alflaed, possibly on Oswiu's orders. Mercians rebelled against Oswiu and Peada's brother Wulfhere became king of Mercia.
Family
Based on Nennius' Historia Brittonum Oswiu's first wife was a Briton named Reinmelth. She was the daughter of Royth, King of Rheged. Together they had a son:
- Alfrith, King of Deira.
- Alflaed, she married Peada of Mercia.
By Fina, daughter of the Irish High King Coleman, he had:
- Aldfrith (Flann Fína mac Oswiu), King of Northumbria.
Oswiu married Eanflaed, daughter of King Edwin of Deira. Together they had:
- Ecgfrith, King of Deira under his father's rule and King of Northumbria at Oswiu's death.
- Elfwine, Kings of Deira.
- Ostryth, married Aethelred I of Mercia
- Enflaed, co-abbess of Whitby
See also
In Spanish: Oswiu de Northumbria para niños
