List of monarchs of Northumbria
Northumbria, an kingdom of Angles in northern England, was initially divided into two kingdoms, Bernicia and Deira. The two were first united by Aethelfrith around the year 604, and except for occasional periods of division over the subsequent century, they remained so.The exceptions are during the brief period from 633 to 634, when Northumbria was plunged into chaos by the death of King Edwin in battle and the subsequent ruinous invasion of Cadwallon ap Cadfan of Gwynedd. The unity of the Northumbrian kingdoms was restored after Cadwallon's death in battle in 634.
Another exception is a period from about the year 644 to 664, when kings ruled individually over Deira; however, these were merely sub-kings and rarely exercised much independence. In 670, the brother of King Ecgfrith, Aelfwine, was made king of Deira, but by this point the title appears to have been little more than a formality, perhaps meant to designate Aelfwine as Ecgfrith's heir. Aelfwine was killed in battle against Mercia in 679, and there was not another separate king of Deira until the time of Norse rule.
The following is a list of the kings of Bernicia, Deira, and Northumbria. Note that many of their dates, particularly in the earlier period, are considered unreliable.
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2 Kings of Deira 3 Kings of Northumbria 4 Sub-Kings under Norse York Rule 5 Deira under Norse York Control from 878 |
Kings of Bernicia
Kings of Deira
Kings of Northumbria
Sub-Kings under Norse York Rule
Deira under Norse York Control from 878