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User:Greenshed/sandbox/Kings of Northumbria in the Norse era

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The kings of Northumbria in the Norse era variously controlled Jórvík, the former Deira, from its capital York or the northern part of the kingdom, the former Bernicia, from Bamburgh. The southern kings were usually vikings while the northern rulers were Anglo-Saxons. Some of the rulers controlled all or most of Northumbria although there is some doubt over the details as he history of Northumbria in the ninth and tenth centuries is poorly recorded.

Years Ruler of southern Northumbria Ruler of northern Northumbria Notes
867 to 872 Military conquest by the Great Heathen Army Ecgberht I Ecgberht I ruled north of the Tyne as a puppet king of the Danes.[1]
872 to c. 875 Ricsige Probably ruled most of Northumbria as an sovereign Anglo-Saxon king.[2]
c. 875 to 877 Halfdan Ragnarsson[3] Ecgberht II[4] The year in which Ecgberht II ceased to be king is unclear.
877 to 883 Interregnum in York
c. 883 to 895 Guthred Uncertain. Possibly Ecgberht II.
c. 895–900 Siefried Eadwulf II 1. Eadwulf II is variously titled as either a king or a reeve and the year in which he came to power is unknown. Conventionally he is thought to have ruled only the northern part of the kingdom but he may have ruled the entirely of Northumbria.
2. Siefried and Cnut may have been joint kings in York for part or all of the period between 895 and 905[5]: 79 
3. Along with Hálfdan and Eowils, another king, Ingwær, their brother, may have also ruled. All three were killed at the Battle of Tettenhall in 910.
c. 900–905 Cnut
c. 900 to 902[5]: 79  Æthelwold
c. 902 to 910[5]: 87  Hálfdan and Eowils
910 to 913 Anglo-Saxon control, possibly under Eadwulf II
913 to c. 918 Anglo-Saxon control, possibly under Ealdred I Ealdred I 1. There is some evidence that Ealdred submitted to Edward the Elder in 924 who died in that year.
2. Ealdred submitted to Æthelstan in 927, making Æthelstan the overlord of all Northumbria as King of the English from 12 July 927, following the Treaty of Eamont Bridge. It is likely that Ealdred's submission was somewhat nominal with Ealdred ruling semi-independently while acknowledging West Saxon authority.[6]
918 to 921[7]: 144–8  Ragnall
921 to 927[7]: 148–51  Sigtrygg
927 Guthfrith
927 to c. 933 Æthelstan
c.933 to c. 934 Adulf mcEtulfe 1. The name Adulf mcEtulfe can be taken to be Æthelwulf son of Eadwulf.
2. Alternatively, Adulf mcEtulfe indicates Ealdred son of Eadwulf, i.e. Ealdred I.[8]
3. Adulf mcEtulfe died in 934 and had been named 'King of the Northern Saxons' by the Annals of Clonmacnoise.[9]
c. 934 to 939 [7]: 151, 74  Overlordship of Æthelstan
939 to 941[7]: 174, 81  Olaf Guthfrithson Possibly Olaf Guthfrithson After Æthelstan's death in 939, the men of York immediately chose the Viking king of Dublin, Olaf Guthfrithson (or his cousin, Anlaf Cuaran[a]), as their king and the Anglo-Saxon control of the north collapsed.
941 to 943 or 944[7]: 181–2  Olaf Sihtricson Possibly Olaf Sihtricson Olaf Sihtricson was also known as Amlaíb Cuarán
c. 942 Sitric II Possibly Sitric II Sitric's existence is only evidenced by coins bearing his name which were minted at York.
943 to 944[7]: 182  Ragnall Guthfrithson (possibly with Olaf Sihtricson) Possibly Ragnall Guthfrithson with Olaf Sihtricson
c. 944 to 946[7]: 182, 86  Eadmund of Wessex Possibly under Eadmund's overlordship Edmund's authority was as King of the English.
c. 947 to 948[7]: 186–8  Eric Bloodaxe[11] From 946, Osulf I appears in the historical record as high-reeve of Bamburgh under Eadred the King of the English.
949 to 952[7]: 186, 88  Olaf Sihtricson[11] Olaf Sihtricson was restored to the throne. During this time, Osulf I is variously described as the high-reeve or earl of Bamburgh.
952 to 954[7]: 188–90  Eric Bloodaxe[11] Eric Bloodaxe was restored to the throne. In 954 Osulf I was responsible for a conspiracy that led to the death of Eric Bloodaxe.
From 954[7]: 190  Eadred Claiming rule from 946;[7]: 185–90  Kingdom absorbed permanently into England after 954.[7]: 190  Osulf had control of all Northumbria under Eadred .[12] See Rulers of Bamburgh for subsequent lords of Bamburgh.
  1. ^ Rollason, David (2003). Northumbria, 500-1100: Creation and Destruction of a Kingdom. Cambridge University Press. p. 249. ISBN 0 521 81335 2.
  2. ^ Kirby, D. P. (1990). The Earliest English Kings. Routledge. ISBN 9781134548132.
  3. ^ Costambeys, M (2004). "Hálfdan (d. 877)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/49260. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  4. ^ Symeon of Durham (1855). "The Historical Works of Simeon of Durham". Church Historians of England, volume III, part II. J. Stevenson, translator. Seeley's. p. 493. Retrieved 14 December 2019. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
  5. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Downham was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Williams, "Ealdred"; Woolf, From Pictland to Alba, p. 158
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Woolf, Pictland to Alba.
  8. ^ Woolf, From Pictland to Alba, pp. 163-164
  9. ^ McGuigan, Neil (2015). "Ælla and the descendants of Ivar: politics and legend in the Viking Age". Northern History. 52 (1): 20–34. doi:10.1179/0078172X14Z.00000000075. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  10. ^ Halloran, "Anlaf Guthfrithson at York", pp. 180–185
  11. ^ a b c Costambeys, "Erik Bloodaxe"; Hudson, Viking Pirates, pp. 37—8
  12. ^ Rollason, Northumbria, pp. 65—6


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