Editing Northumbria (section)

===Kings===
{{main|List of monarchs of Northumbria}}

====Æthelfrith (r. 593–616)====
{{main|Æthelfrith}}
[[Æthelfrith]] was the first Anglo-Saxon leader to hold the thrones of both [[Deira]] and [[Bernicia]],<ref>{{harvnb|Kirby|1991|pp=60–61}}</ref> and so he ruled over all the people north of the [[Humber]]. His rule was notable for his numerous victories over the [[British people|Britons]] and the [[Gaels]].<ref>{{harvnb|Bede|2008}} Book I chapter 34</ref>

====Edwin (r. 616–633)====
{{main|Edwin of Northumbria}}
[[Edwin of Northumbria|Edwin]], like Æthelfrith, was king of both Deira and Bernicia and ruled them from 616 to 633. Under his reign, the [[Isle of Man]] and the lands of [[Gwynedd]] in Northern Wales were incorporated into Northumbria. Edwin married [[Æthelburh of Kent|Æthelburh]], a Christian Princess from [[Kent]] in 625. He converted to Christianity two years later after a period of heavy consideration and after consulting numerous advisors.<ref>{{harvnb|Bede|2008}} II.9–14</ref> Edwin fell in battle in 633 against [[Cadwallon ap Cadfan|Cadwallon of Gwynedd]] and the pagan [[Penda of Mercia]].<ref>{{harvnb|Higham|1993|p=124}}</ref> He was venerated as a saint and martyr after his death.<ref>{{harvnb|Bede|2008}} II.20, III.24</ref>

====Oswald (r. 634–642)====
{{main|Oswald of Northumbria}}
Oswald was a king of Bernicia, who regained the kingdom of Deira after defeating [[Cadwallon ap Cadfan|Cadwallon]] in 634. Oswald then ruled Northumbria until his death in 642. A devout Christian, Oswald worked tirelessly to spread the faith in his traditionally pagan lands. It was during his reign that the monastery at [[Lindisfarne]] was created. Oswald fell in the Battle of [[Maserfield]] against [[Penda of Mercia]] in 642 but his influence endured because, like Edwin, Oswald was venerated as a saint after his death.<ref>{{harvnb|Bede|2008}} III.1–13</ref>

====Oswiu (r. 642–670)====
{{main|Oswiu}}
Oswiu was the brother of Oswald and succeeded him after the latter's defeat in [[Maserfield]]. Oswiu succeeded where Edwin and Oswald failed as, in 655, he slew Penda during the [[Battle of the Winwaed]], making him the first Northumbrian King also to control the kingdom of [[Mercia]].<ref>{{harvnb|Yorke|1990|pp=78–9}}</ref> During his reign, he presided over the [[Synod of Whitby]], an attempt to reconcile religious differences between Roman and Celtic Christianity, in which he eventually backed Rome.<ref>{{harvnb|Yorke|1990|}}</ref> Oswiu died from illness in 670 and divided Deira and Bernicia between two of his sons.<ref>{{harvnb|Bede|2008}} IV.5</ref> His son [[Aldfrith of Northumbria]] took over the throne upon his death.

==== Eadberht (r. 738–758) ====
[[Eadberht of Northumbria]], the brother of [[Ecgbert of York|Ecgbert]], [[Archbishop of York]], is seen by some historians as a return to the imperial ambitions of seventh-century Northumbria and his reign may represent a period of economic prosperity. He faced internal opposition from rival dynasties and at least two actual or potential rivals were killed during his reign. In 758 he abdicated in favour of his son [[Oswulf of Northumbria|Oswulf]] and became a monk at York. Oswulf was murdered the next year and [[Æthelwald Moll of Northumbria]] seized the throne, which he occupied for seven years until he was deposed by [[Alhred]]. [[Æthelred I of Northumbria]], son of Æthelwald, reigned for 10 interrupted years to 796.

====Halfdan Ragnarsson (r. 876–877)====
{{main|Halfdan Ragnarsson}}
Halfdan Ragnarsson was a Viking leader of the Great Heathen Army which invaded England in 865.<ref>{{harvnb|Venning|2014|p=132}}</ref> He allegedly wanted revenge against Northumbria for the death of his father, who was supposedly killed by [[Ælla of Northumbria]].<ref>{{harvnb|Munch|Olsen|1926|pp=245–251}}</ref> While he himself only ruled Northumbria directly for about a year in 876, he placed [[Ecgberht I of Northumbria|Ecgberht]] on the throne as a client-king, who ruled from 867 to 872.<ref>{{harvnb|Stevenson|1885|p=489}}</ref> Halfdan was killed in Ireland in 877 whilst trying to regain control over [[Early Scandinavian Dublin|Dyflin (Dublin)]], a land he had ruled since 875. There were no further Viking kings in Northumbria until [[Guthred|Guthfrith]] took over in 883.<ref>{{harvnb|Lapidge|Blair|Keynes|Scragg|2013|p=526}}</ref>

====Æthelstan of Wessex (r. 927–939)====
{{main|Æthelstan}}
Æthelstan ruled as [[King of the Anglo-Saxons]] from 924 to 927 and [[King of the English]] from 927 to 939. The shift in his title reflects that in 927, Æthelstan conquered the Viking Kingdom of [[York]], previously part of the Northumbrian Kingdom.<ref name="auto">{{harvnb|Foot|2011|p=40}}</ref> His reign was quite prosperous and saw great strides in many fields such as law and economics, but was also characterized by frequent clashes with the [[Scottish people|Scots]] and the Vikings.<ref name="auto"/> Æthelstan died in 939, which led to the Vikings' retaking of York. Æthelstan is widely considered one of the greatest Anglo-Saxon kings for his efforts to consolidate the English kingdom and the prosperity his reign brought.<ref>{{harvnb|Sturluson|1964|pp=42–43}}</ref>

====Eric of York (r. 947–948, 952–954)====
{{main|Eric Bloodaxe}}
In the early twentieth century, historians identified Eric of York with the Norwegian king Eric Bloodaxe, although more recent scholarship has challenged this association.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} He held two short terms as King of Northumbria, from 947 to 948 and 952 to 954.{{efn|Although the Northumbrian king Eric was conflated with King Eric Bloodaxe of Norway in Icelandic sagas, [[Clare Downham]] and others have recently argued that the two were separate people. For a discussion of this shift in identification, see Downham, Clare 2004 "Eric Bloodaxe – Axed? The Mystery of the Last Scandinavian King of York", ''Medieval Scandinavia'', vol. 14, pp. 51–77}} Historical documentation on his reign is scarce, but it seems Eric pushed out the joint English-Viking rulers of Northumbria in 947,<ref>{{harvnb|Swanton|1996}} MS D 940</ref> who then regained the land in 948 or 949. Eric took back the throne in 952, only to be deposed again in 954.<ref>{{harvnb|Swanton|1996}} MS D & E 954</ref> Eric was the last Viking king of Northumbria and his authority only extended to the southern [[Scandinavian York|kingdom of York]]. In 954 he was murdered, allegedly with the connivance of [[Oswulf I of Bamburgh|Oswulf]], the Anglo-Saxon ruler of the northern Northumbrian territory of Bamburgh.{{sfn|Rollason|2003|pp=265-266}}

====Eadred of Wessex (r. 946–954)====
{{main|Eadred}}
King Eadred was the half-brother of [[Æthelstan]] and full brother of [[Edmund I|Edmund]], all of whom were sons of King [[Edward the Elder]]. Eadred inherited the rule of Northumbria, but like Edmund lost it soon afterwards. When Eadred finally regained control in 954, he appointed Oswulf earl of the whole of Northumbria.{{sfn|Rollason|2003|pp=266-267}}