Oswin

Also known as: King Oswin · Family: Northumbrians · Role: king · First appears: Book III · Chap. XIV

Oswin, son of Osric and of the race of King Edwin, was opposed by Oswy, who could not live at peace with him. In 644, after Hunwald betrayed him despite sheltering him as a trusted friend, Oswin withdrew with his one trusty thegn, Tondhere, and hid in Hunwald’s house. At Ingetlingum, Oswy ordered Ethilwin to kill them, and “foully slew him and the thegn aforesaid.”

Some short time after, Oswin had given Aidan a beautiful horse for crossing rivers or making urgent journeys. He also approached Aidan, ungirt his sword, gave it to a servant, and fell at the bishop’s feet to seek forgiveness. Aidan, who loved the king, died twelve days after Oswin’s death.

Later, Eanfled sought atonement for Oswin’s unjust death by asking Oswy to give Trumhere, Oswin’s kinsman, a place to build a monastery. There, continual prayers were offered for the eternal welfare of both Oswin and Oswy.

Relationship record

Life events

• 644 · Hunwald betrayed Oswin after sheltering him as a trusted friend.(Book III · Chap. XIV)
  • With: Hunwald
  • “But, alas! it was far otherwise; for Hunwald betrayed him”
• 644 · Oswy ordered Ethilwin to murder Oswin and his thegn Tondhere.(Book III · Chap. XIV · 📍 Ingetlingum)
  • With: Oswy Ethilwin Tondhere
  • “Oswy, by the hands of his reeve, Ethilwin, foully slew him and the thegn aforesaid.”
• 644 · Oswin gave Bishop Aidan a beautiful horse for urgent journeys.(Book III · Chap. XIV)
  • With: Aidan
  • “He had given a beautiful horse to Bishop Aidan, to use either in crossing rivers, or in performing a journey upon any urgent necessity”

Book III · Chap. XIV

• parent: Osric “called Oswin, of the race of King Edwin, and son to Osric of whom we have spoken above”
• enemies with Oswy “But Oswy, who governed all the other northern part of the nation beyond the Humber, that is, the province of the Bernicians, could not live at peace with him; and at last, when the causes of their disagreement increased, he murdered him most cruelly.”
• liege: Tondhere “He himself, with only one trusty thegn, whose name was Tondhere, withdrew and lay concealed”
• with Hunwald (interaction) “But, alas! it was far otherwise; for Hunwald betrayed him”
• with Aidan (interaction) “he ungirt his sword, and gave it to a servant, and hastened to the Bishop and fell down at his feet, beseeching him to forgive him”
• admirer: Aidan “But Bishop Aidan himself was also taken out of this world, not more than twelve days after the death of the king he loved”
• with Hunwald (Hunwald sheltered Oswin, whom Oswin believed to be his friend.) “He himself, with only one trusty thegn, whose name was Tondhere, withdrew and lay concealed in the house of Hunwald, a noble, whom he imagined to be his most assured friend.”
• with Aidan (Aidan loved Oswin.) “But Bishop Aidan himself was also taken out of this world, not more than twelve days after the death of the king he loved, on the 31st of August, to receive the eternal reward of his labours from the Lord.”

Book III · Chap. XXIV

• with Eanfled (interaction) “for Queen Eanfled, his kinswoman, in expiation of his unjust death, begged of King Oswy that he would give Trumhere, the aforesaid servant of God, a place there to build a monastery,”
• with Trumhere (interaction) “because he also was kinsman to the slaughtered king;”
• with Oswy (Oswy was the king who commanded Oswin's murder.) “in which monastery continual prayers should be offered up for the eternal welfare of the kings, both of him that was murdered, and of him that commanded the murder.”

⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →

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