Oswald Of Northumbria
Oswald of Northumbria (b. 604 , died 5 August 642 ) was king of Northumbria from 634 until his death at the Battle of Maserfield.
Son of thelfrith of Bernicia and Acha (member of the royal family of Deira ), he reigned after a period of exile. He appealed to St. Aidan of Lindisfarne to restore Christianity in Northumbria. After 8 years of reign, he died at the Battle of Maserfield. Bede , a century after his death, described him as a saint and a martyr.
St Oswald is celebrated on August 5.
Summary |
Oswald's father, thelfrith , was a brilliant leader of Bernicia who after some years of supremacy became King of Deira. He was the first to unite two kingdoms would later become the Northumbria (Bernicia to the north, south and Deira).
Oswald's mother, Asha, was a member of the royal line of Deira, thelfrith having apparently married to it at the time of the acquisition of Deira.
Oswald was born around 604 , since Bede wrote about him he died at the age of 38 in 642. It seems that the conquest of Deira by thelfrith took place around 604.
thelfrith victorious warrior for years, especially against the native British, was probably killed in 616 by Raedwald of East Anglia. This defeat brought an exiled member of the royal line of Deira, Edwin (brother of Acha), to become King of Northumbria. Oswald and his two brothers and his sister , Victory over Cadwallon After ap Cadwallon Cadfan , King of Gwynedd , allied with Penda of Mercia , killed Edwin of Deira in the Battle of Hadfield Chase in 633 (or 632 according to the interpretation of the early years of Bede ), Northumbria was split into its two kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira. Oswald's brother, became king of Bernicia Eanfrith, but was killed by Cadwallon in 634 (or 633)) after trying to negotiate peace. It follows, Oswald, head of a small army (and probably helped by his allies in the north) met Cadwallon at the Battle of Heavenfield , near Hexham. Before the battle Oswald brandishing a red wooden cross and charged. Once in good position he prayed and asked the army to join him. Oswald told the eve of the battle he had a vision of a dove who told her: Oswald told his vision to his council, who all agreed to be baptized after the battle, converted to Christianity. In the battle that followed, the British, though more numerous, were beaten, and Cadwallon was killed. Victorious Cadwallon ap Cadfan , Oswald brought together the Bernicia and Deira under the dominion of one sovereign. After the victory of Heavenfield , Oswald reunited Northumbria and restore the supremacy Bernicienne which was interrupted by Edwin. He reigned during and 8 (or 9) years. He even said he was "the emperor British appointed by God." Bede claimed he "made under his rule all nations and British provinces," but he contradicts himself later by saying that the brother of Oswald, Oswiu dominated the Scots and Picts. Irish annals tell of a coalition against the Anglo-Saxon Oswald early in his reign, which may indicate an unsuccessful attempt to end the supremacy of Oswald. The Mercians who participated in the defeat of Edwin in 633 seem to have been an obstacle for the authority Oswald in the southern territories, although it is generally accepted that dominated them a little bit after Heavenfield. Oswald apparently controlled Lindsey , Bede reported that his bones were brought to a monastery nearby. He also said that the monks initially refused the bones of a "foreign king" who would have dominated. It seems that Oswald was in good terms with the West Saxons: he married the daughter (Kineburga) their king of Wessex Cynegils. Kineburga agreed to convert then came the turn of Cynegils his brother. He had a son thelwald Deira , but it is unclear whether the fruit of union with the daughter of Cynegils or other previous relationship, since thelwald began directing Deira in 651. It was claimed that a son of this marriage was too young to be credible in this position, and therefore, to be older, thelwald is the product of a previous union, during his exile. Although Edwin was converted to 627 , is Oswald who had the biggest role in the development of Christianity in Northumbria. Soon after becoming king, he asked the arrival of a Bishop Irish to accelerate the conversion of his subjects, Aidan of Lindisfarne was the bishop. Initially, an austere bishop, Coorman had been sent and he had little success. Aidan had a more moderate approach. Oswald gave him the island of Lindisfarne. Bede says that Oswald was the translator during some sermons, puisqu'Aida spoke little English, and that Oswald had learned during his Irish exile. Bede gave importance to deal with Oswald as a "Holy King, despite his death during a battle that could have been impersonating a martyr. It is based on the actions of his life rather than death, does not dwell on his martyrdom. He has never used the death 'martyr' on Oswald. He said the generosity of Oswald for the poor and foreigners citing a story to highlight: Bede report after his death, arm and hand remained unaltered Oswald. There was a conflict with the pagan Mercian Penda. Oswald was killed in 642 during the Battle of Maserfield which took place at a place generally identified as the Oswestry (several locations have been suggested). His body was dismembered. Bede says that Oswald ended his life in prayer, "for the souls of his soldiers" saw his end was near. Her head and limbs were placed on pikes. The traditional identification of the place of the Battle of the Maserfield Owestry, territory of Powys at this time suggests that Penda may have had help from the British in this battle. Element as suggested by former Welsh poems evoking the participation of people of Powys in the battle. It was also discussed that if the place is well Oswestry, while Oswald was in offensive mode, in the territory of his enemies. That would defeat the incense made by Bede on the "sanctity" of Oswald since offensive war can hardly be justified to be a just war. This may explain why Bede is silent on the reason for this war, it simply notes that Oswald fought for the "land of his ancestors." Oswald may have found the brother of Penda, Eowa an ally, who was also killed in the Battle of Maserfield. It could be either beaten with qu'Eowa Oswald cons Penda. Oswald was quickly regarded as a saint. Bede told that miracles arrived near the scene of his death and that people came to earth on the site which leads to digging a hole reaching the height of a man. Some aspects of this legend seem to have a pagan influence. The name of the place Oswestry 'or (Oswald's Tree) could come from the death of Oswald and legends that accompanied them. Bede says that Oswiu , brother of Oswald found the remains of his brother the following year. His ashes were left to Lindsey in what is now Viking Northumbria. The ashes were brought back to Gloucester after an attack by the Mercians in 909. Oswald's head is placed in the Cathedral Dhuram with the remains of St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne. Oswald Cuthbert and associated posthumously but have not known since Cuthbert was bishop of Lindisfarne nearly 40 years after the death of Oswald. Four locations in continental Europe at least claim to have the head of Oswald. One arm is supposed to have finished in the Abbey of Peterborough in the Middle Ages. Oswald is the patron saint of the parish of Lantic in the Cotes d'Armor. A statue in the chancel of the parish church to the left of the altar, carrying the scepter is the symbol of royalty. Domination
Christianity
The fall
After his death
Notes
References
External link
Kings of Bernicia
(Until 634) Esa EOPP Ida Glappa Adda thelric Thodric Frithuwald Hussa thelfrith Edwin Eanfrith Oswald Oswiu 
Kings of Deira
(Until 679) lle thelric thelfrith Edwin Osric Oswald Oswiu Oswine Aethelwold Oswiu Alhfrith lfwine Kings of Northumbria Oswiu Ecgfrith Aldfrith Eadwulf Osred I. Coenred Osric Ceolwulf Eadberht Oswulf thelwald Moll Alhred thelred I. I. lfwald Osred II thelred I. (restored) Osbald Eardwulf lfwald II Eardwulf (restored) Eanred thelred II Rdwulf thelred II (restored) Osberht lle Ecgberht I. Ricsige Ecgberht II Bold: Kings of Bernicia and Deira. See also the Viking kings of York and the earls of Bernicia and Northumbria. lle Sussex Ceawlin of Wessex thelberht Kent Rdwald of East Anglia Edwin of Deira Oswald of Bernicia Oswiu Northumbria Egbert of Wessex
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