Editing Eric Bloodaxe (section)

===Eric's first reign (947/8–948)===
When [[Eadred]] succeeded to the throne in 946, Northumbrian as well as Scottish loyalties had proved unstable, though nothing is known for certain of the ambitions of rival rulers at this stage. Eadred "reduced all the land of Northumbria to his control; and the Scots granted him oaths that they would do all that he wanted."<ref name="ftn46">''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' (MSS D, E) 946. Cf: William of Malmesbury, ''Gesta regum'' II ch. 146: "The Northumbrians and Scots were easily brought to swear an oath of fealty to him [Eadred]".</ref> Moreover, in 947 he convened Archbishop Wulfstan and the Northumbrian witan at [[Tanshelf]] (now in [[Pontefract]], West Yorkshire), on the boundary of the Humber (near an old Roman road), where they pledged their obedience to him. What perceived threat was being countered remains unclear, but English rule does not seem to have been very warmly received.

In any event, the ''Chronicle'' (MS D) notes that the Northumbrians soon violated their pledges and oaths (947)<ref name="ftn47">''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' (MS D) 947.</ref> and records a definite outcome of their disloyalty in 948, by which time "they had taken Eirik [''Yryc''] for their king".<ref name="ftn48">''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' (MS D) 948. Cf: William of Malmesbury, ''Gesta regum'' II ch. 146: "...&nbsp;and soon afterwards, when they broke the agreement and set up a certain King Eric [{{lang|la|quodam Iritio rege}}] over them, he [Eadred] almost wiped them out, and laid waste the whole province with famine and bloodshed."</ref> That year, King Eadred harshly punished the northern defectors by launching a destructive raid on Northumbria, which notably included burning the [[Ripon]] [[Ripon Cathedral|minster]] founded by [[St Wilfrid]]. Although Eadred's forces had to sustain heavy losses in the Battle of [[Castleford]] (''Ceaster forda'')&nbsp;– near Tanshelf&nbsp;– as they returned southwards, Eadred managed to check his rival by promising the latter's supporters even greater havoc if they did not desert Eric. The Northumbrians preferred to appease the English king, renounced Eric and paid compensation.<ref name="ftn49">''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' (MS D) 948. ''Historia regum'' AD 950, ed. Arnold, vol. 2, p. 127: 'Verum hoc cognito, Northymbrenses timore perterriti, Yrcum quem sibi regem praefecerant abjecerunt, regis injurias honoribus, detrimenta muneribus expleverunt, ejusque offensam pecunia non modica placaverunt'.</ref>

The [[Chronicle of the Kings of Alba]] records that shortly thereafter, in 948 or 949, [[Malcolm I of Scotland|Malcolm (I) of Scotland]] and Cumbria, at [[Constantine II of Scotland|Constantine]]'s instigation, raided Northumbria as far south as the [[River Tees]] and returned with many cattle and captives.<ref name="ftn92">''Chronicle of the Kings of Alba'', ed. Skene, p. 10.</ref> Marios Costambeys suggests that it "may have been directed against, or mounted in favour of, Eirik, though the protagonist could just as easily have been Óláf Sihtricson."<ref name="ftn95">Costambeys, "Erik Bloodaxe (''d''. 954)".</ref>