Editing Oswiu (section)

==Penda==
Oswiu's relations with [[Penda]] were not entirely peaceful between 642 and 655. Bede appears to place a major assault on Bernicia by Penda, which reached the gates of [[Bamburgh]], at some time before 651 and the death of Bishop [[Aidan of Lindisfarne]].<ref>Bede, ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book III, Chapter 16.</ref> An entry in the Irish annals recording "[t]he battle of Oswy against Penda" circa 650 may refer to this campaign.<ref>Fraser, p. 20; ''[[Annals of Ulster]]'', s.a. 650.</ref>

[[David Peter Kirby|D.P. Kirby]] suggests that the killing of Oswine may have led to an improvement in relations between Penda and Oswiu in the early 650s. Oswiu's son Ealhfrith married Penda's daughter [[Cyneburh]], while his daughter Ealhflæd married Penda's son [[Peada]]. Peada was [[baptised]] at ''Ad Murum''—in the region of [[Hadrian's Wall]]—by Aidan's successor [[Finan of Lindisfarne|Finan]]. Peada and Ealhflæd took a missionary group, including [[Cedd]] and [[Diuma]], to establish a church in their lands.<ref>Kirby, pp. 93–94; Bede, ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book III, Chapter 21.</ref>

In 655 Bede reports that Penda invaded Bernicia at the head of a large army. Bede states that Oswiu offered "an incalculable quantity of regalia and presents as the price of peace", but that Penda refused. Oswiu vowed to give his daughter Ælfflæd to the church, and to found a dozen monasteries if he was granted the victory, and assisted by Ealhfrith he engaged Penda with a small army in the [[Battle of the Winwæd]], which took place in the region of ''Loidis'', which is to say [[Leeds]]. He was successful, and Penda was killed, along with many of his allies, including King [[Æthelhere of East Anglia|Æthelhere]] of the East Angles. Œthelwald had assisted Penda, but stood aside from the fighting.<ref name="HE III 24">Bede, ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book III, Chapter 24. The Winwæd is thought to be the [[River Went]]; Keynes, "Penda".</ref>

The ''Historia Brittonum'' gives a somewhat different account. Here, Oswiu's offer of treasure is accepted, and is associated with the siege of a place named ''Iudeu''. It is assumed that [[Ecgfrith of Northumbria|Ecgfrith]] was given over as a hostage, into the keeping of Penda's queen Cynewise, at this time.<ref>Kirby, pp. 90, 94–95 accepts that ''Iudeu'', also ''Giudi'', may have been the site of modern [[Stirling]], and proposes that Ecgfrith became a hostage as a result of Oswiu's submission to Penda.</ref> The ''Historia'' suggests that many of Penda's allies were British kings, and notes that [[Cadafael ap Cynfeddw]] joined Œthelwald in avoiding the battle, so gaining the [[epithet]] ''Cadomedd'' (the Battle-Shirker). The decisive battle is located at "Gaius's field".<ref>''Historia Brittonum'', Chapters 64–65.</ref>