Editing Oswiu (section)

==Overlord of Britain==
The surprising defeat of the hitherto dominant Penda, and the death of the East Anglian king Æthelhere left Oswiu as the dominant figure in Britain. Œthelwald's ambivalent stance during the campaign which led to the Winwæd appears to have led to his removal as he disappears from the record at this time. Oswiu installed his adult son Ealhfrith as king of Deirans in Œthelwald's place. Penda's son Peada was installed as king of southern Mercia, while Oswiu took the north of the kingdom. Other subject rulers seem to have been established elsewhere in Mercia.

Further south, Æthelhere's brother [[Æthelwold of East Anglia|Æthelwold]] may have been established with Oswiu's assistance, as well as that of his kinsman by marriage King [[Eorcenberht of Kent]]. [[Cenwalh of Wessex]], who had been driven out of his lands by Penda for putting aside his marriage to Penda's sister, may also have returned to power in this period, again with Oswiu's assistance. King [[Sigeberht the Good]] of the East Saxons was Oswiu's ally.<ref>Kirby, pp. 96–97.</ref> Oswiu's nephew, Eanfrith's son [[Talorgan I|Talorcan]], may have also been established as a leading king among the Picts at this time.<ref>Or not, needed.</ref>

Oswiu's total domination lasted only a short time, around three years. The proximate cause was the death of Peada, supposedly poisoned by his wife, Oswiu's daughter Eahlflæd.<ref>Higham, ''Convert Kings'', pp. 252–253, sees Ealhfrith's hand in his sister's murder of her husband.</ref> This probably occurred at [[Easter]] 656, and Oswiu proceeded to install governors or subject kings in Mercia. Probably in late 659, but perhaps in 657, a revolt led by three Mercian noblemen—Immin, Eata, and Eadberht—installed Penda's son [[Wulfhere of Mercia|Wulfhere]] as ruler of the Mercians and drove out Oswiu's supporters.<ref>Bede, ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book III, Chapter 24.</ref> Oswiu remained a force to be reckoned with, and political settlement rather than open warfare appears to have resolved the crisis. Oswiu's kinsman [[Trumhere]] was named to be Wulfhere's bishop.<ref>Trumhere was a relation of Queen Eanflæd and first abbot of Gilling, established to expiate the killing of Oswine of Deira; Bede, ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book III, Chapter 24.</ref> While Wulfhere extended Mercian influence and authority in southern Britain, he apparently continued to recognise Oswiu's primacy.<ref>Higham, ''Convert Kings'', pp. 245–247. Kirby notes Wulfhere's marriage to [[Eormenhild]], daughter of the Kentish King Eorcenberht, the one ruler over whom Oswiu held no sway; Kirby, p. 114.</ref>

Welsh sources suggest that Oswiu campaigned in Wales in the late 650s, imposing tribute on the Welsh kings who had previously been Penda's allies such as [[Cadafael Cadomedd ap Cynfeddw|Cadafael]], the battle-dodging [[King of Gwynedd]].<ref>Kirby, p. 96.</ref> Elsewhere in the south, Oswiu's ally Sigeberht of the East Saxons was murdered and replaced by his brother [[Swithelm of Essex|Swithhelm]], who remained a Christian, but distanced himself from Oswiu and the Irish-Northumbrian church. Switthelm was probably subject to the East Angles.<ref>Bede, ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book III, Chapter 22; Higham, ''Convert Kings'', p. 249; Kirby, p. 97.</ref>