Ethelfrid

Family: Northumbrians · Role: king · First appears: Book I · Chap. XXXIV

Life events

• 603 · Ethelfrid conquered territories from the Britons, subduing inhabitants or driving them out.(Book I · Chap. XXXIV)
  • “For he conquered more territories from the Britons than any other chieftain or king, either subduing the inhabitants and making them tributary, or driving them out and planting the English in their places.”
• 603 · Ethelfrid defeated Aedan's invading army at Degsastan, forcing Aedan to flee.(Book I · Chap. XXXIV · 📍 Degsastan)
  • With: Aedan
  • “Aedan, king of the Scots that dwell in Britain, being alarmed by his success, came against him with a great and mighty army, but was defeated and fled with a few followers”
• 603 · Ethelfrid's war against Aedan's Scots ended, preventing further Scottish invasions of Britain.(Book I · Chap. XXXIV)
  • With: Aedan
  • “This war Ethelfrid brought to an end in the year of our Lord 603”
• c. 605 · Ethelfrid attacked the Britons and inflicted a great slaughter on them.(Book II · Chap. II · 📍 the city of Legions)
  • “having raised a mighty army, made a very great slaughter of that heretical nation, at the city of Legions”
• c. 605 · Ethelfrid ordered the praying priests attacked, while Brocmail abandoned those he was protecting.(Book II · Chap. II · 📍 the city of Legions)
  • With: Brocmail
  • “He, therefore, commanded them to be attacked first, and then destroyed the rest of the impious army”
• c. 624 · Edwin becomes an exile while Ethelfrid persecutes him.(Book II · Chap. XII)
  • With: Edwin
  • “When Ethelfrid, his predecessor, was persecuting him, he wandered for many years as an exile, hiding in divers places and kingdoms”
• c. 624 · Ethelfrid's bribes and threats induce Redwald to promise Edwin's betrayal.(Book II · Chap. XII)
  • With: Redwald Edwin
  • “Redwald, whether terrified by his threats, or won over by his gifts, complied with this request, and promised either to kill Edwin, or to deliver him up to the envoys.”
• c. 624 · Redwald refuses to surrender Edwin and helps him recover his kingdom.(Book II · Chap. XII)
  • With: Redwald Edwin
  • “In short, the king did as has been said, and not only refused to deliver up the banished man to his enemy’s messengers, but helped him to recover his kingdom.”
• c. 624 · Ethelfrid and Raegenheri are killed in Redwald's battle against Ethelfrid.(Book II · Chap. XII · 📍 Idle)
  • With: Redwald Raegenheri
  • “who, meeting him with much inferior forces, (for Redwald had not given him time to gather and unite all his power,) was slain on the borders of the kingdom of Mercia, on the east side of the river that is called Idle. In this battle, Redwald’s son, called Raegenheri, was killed.”
• c. 624 · Edwin succeeds Ethelfrid on the throne after Ethelfrid's death.(Book II · Chap. XII)
  • With: Edwin
  • “Thus Edwin, in accordance with the prophecy he had received, not only escaped the danger from his enemy, but, by his death, succeeded the king on the throne.”
• c. 633 · Eanfrid returned from exile and became king of the Bernicians.(Book III · Chap. I · 📍 Bernicians)
  • With: Eanfrid
  • “the aforesaid Eanfrid, as the eldest of them, became king of the Bernicians”

Book I · Chap. XXXIV

• enemies with Aedan “Hereupon, Aedan, king of the Scots that dwell in Britain, being alarmed by his success, came against him with a great and mighty army, but was defeated and fled with a few followers”
• siblings with Theodbald “In which battle also Theodbald, brother to Ethelfrid, was killed, with almost all the forces he commanded.”

Book II · Chap. II

• enemies with Brocmail (Ethelfrid ordered the attack on the group protected by Brocmail.) “Many of these, having observed a fast of three days, had come together along with others to pray at the aforesaid battle, having one Brocmail for their protector, to defend them, whilst they were intent upon their prayers, against the swords of the barbarians. King Ethelfrid being informed of the occasion of their coming, said, ‘If then they cry to their God against us, in truth, though they do not bear arms, yet they fight against us, because they assail us with their curses.’ He, therefore, commanded them to be attacked first”

Book II · Chap. XII

• enemies with Edwin (Ethelfrid persecuted Edwin.) “When Ethelfrid, his predecessor, was persecuting him, he wandered for many years as an exile, hiding in divers places and kingdoms, and at last came to Redwald, beseeching him to give him protection against the snares of his powerful persecutor.”
• enemies with Redwald (Ethelfrid threatened war against Redwald.) “He sent a second and a third time, offering a greater bribe each time, and, moreover, threatening to make war on him if his offer should be despised.”

Book III · Chap. I

• child: Eanfrid (Ethelfrid is Eanfrid's father.) “Eanfrid, the son of Ethelfrid”

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Extracted from the original text of Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England. Made with Rho MD.