HERITAGE OF YORKSHIRE
The history that makes Yorkshire ‘a nation’!
"To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child; for what is
the worth of human life, unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records." Cicero.
Phases of Yorkshire History:
The Founding of Yorkshire (Deira)
– British Kingdoms, Roman Occupation and Angle Conquest
Kingdom of Deira (Yorkshire)
– Expansion, Christianity, War with Mercia and the Birth of Northumbria
The Province of Deira (Yorkshire) within the Kingdom of Northumbria (Angle era)
– Defeat of Mercia, Conquest north and south, Unrest with Bernicia and Arrival of
Danes
Jórvíkskyr (Yorkshire) within the Kingdom of Northumbria (Danish era)
Coming Soon:
The Kingdom of Jórvík (Yorkshire)
The Founding of Yorkshire (Deira)
- British Kingdoms, Roman Occupation and Angle Conquest
Kingdoms Having Territory Within the Historic County of Yorkshire
Brythonic Kingdoms 71AD
Brythonic Kingdoms 6th/7th century
Angle Kingdom 626AD
At the point of Roman occupation the land now identified as Yorkshire consisted of the British
Kingdom of the Parisii, roughly equating to the East Riding, and territory of the powerful
Kingdom of the Brigantes, a federation of former independent British tribes. Roman occupation
of the region lasted from 71AD to 407AD.
After the departure of the Romans, the Ceasariensis (Province) became the Kingdom of Northern
Britain. This kingdom was short lived due to internal conflict that soon resulted in its subdivision
into smaller British kingdoms, amongst which was the kingdom of Ebrauc. By this time the
former Kingdom of the Parisii formed part of Ebrauc and was known as ‘Deywr’, the brythonic
word for ‘waters’ from where the river and area of ‘Derwent’ has derived.
Many Angles had settled in Deywr since around 420AD after being hired as mercenaries to help
protect the area against attack from the north. They anglicised its name to ‘Deira’ and by 559
took control of the area under their leader Ælla who pronounced himself King. Ælla continued to
advance into Ebrauc and in 580 completed its absorption into his Kingdom of Deira, by then
roughly equating to the East and North Ridings.
After Ælla’s death in 588, King Æthelric ruled until 604 when Æthelfrith, King of neighbouring
Bernicia to the north, deposed him and usurped Prince Ēadwine (Prince Edwin) in the process.
The Bernicians had taken much land from the Britons including Dunoting in the north Pennines
in 595. By 616, Prince Edwin, who had been in exile in East Anglia, was able to gain the support
of his host, King Raedwald, and assemble an army to challenge Æthelfrith for the Deiran throne.
In slaying Æthelfrith in battle, Edwin not only restored the Deiran dynasty to Deira but the lands
of Bernicia also came under its realm. Within a year of taking the crown Edwin had crushed
opposition in North Rheged to the north-west and much of it was absorbed by Bernicia whilst
Dunoting was ceded to Deira. He then expelled King Ceredig ap Gwallog to annex Elmet and in
626 took the petty kingdom of Meicen, near modern day Doncaster. This completed the creation
of a Kingdom of Deira whose land comprised the entire land within all three Ridings of
Yorkshire and whose borders would instantly be recognised as ‘Yorkshire’ to this day. Yorkshire
was thereby founded by King Edwin in 626AD. Any references to post 626 Angle ‘Deira’ should
therefore be read as references to the history of Yorkshire.
The Kingdom of Deira (Yorkshire)
–
Expansion, Christianity, War with Mercia and The Birth of Northumbria
Kingdom of Deira & periodic domimions
A-Bernicia 616-633; B-North Rheged 616-633; C- Ynis Manau 616-633; D-South Rheged since 620; E-Ynis Môn
626-633; F-Lindisware since 626.
King Edwin led Deira to many victories in battle, his conquests expanding his dominions to
include all but one of Yorkshire’s neighbouring kingdoms, Mercia. Feeling both threatened by
and jealous of Edwin’s success, the Mercian King, Penda, formed an alliance with King
Cadwallon of Gwynedd ready to do battle with Deira.
On 12th October 633, the alliance killed Edwin at the battle of Hatfield Chase. Edwin had two
sons, one was killed in battle with him whereas the other was taken by his mother to France in
fear for his life due to the rampaging armies of Penda and Cadwallon, An heir to the Deiran
throne was found in Edwin’s cousin, Osric.
Edwin had converted from paganism when he was baptised by Bishop Paulinus on Easter Day
627. In doing so he became the first Christian, Angle king. He commissioned the building of a
church that was eventually to become York Minster and after his death in battle, he was
venerated ‘Saint Ēadwine’ (St Edwin).
Interpretation of Edwin’s standard used here to represent the Kingdom of Deira.
Said by the Venerable Bede to be in the form of a Roman standard, this would likely be based on the purple and gold
standard of Constantine, who was crowned Emperor at York three centuries earlier, but modernized with the
influence of Bishop Paulinus who baptized and converted Edwin to Christianity. The latin cross replaces
Constantine’s labarum on the staff whilst on the vexillum (banner) three gold stripes representing the Holy Trinity
replace Constantine’s three gold circles representing the Emperor’s family.
Kings of Yorkshire in the Kingdom of Deira era
Reign
626 to 633
Incumbent
Ēadwine
633 to 634 Osric
634 to 642 Oswald
642 to 644 Oswiu
644 to 651 Oswine
651 to 654 Æthelwold
654 to 656 Oswiu
656 to 664 Alchfrith
664 to 670 Ecgfrith
670 to 679 Ælfwine
Notes
King of Deira since 616 but Deira not comprising all
Ceremonial Yorkshire until 626 after a programme of
annexation. Killed in battle by Penda of Mercia and
Cadwallon of Gwynedd. Venerated ‘Saint Edwin’.
Cousin of Ēadwine. Killed by Cadwallon of Gwynedd.
Nephew of Ēadwine. Also King of Bernicia. Killed by
King Penda of Mercia and venerated as Saint Oswald.
Brother of Oswald. Also King of Bernicia. Denounced by
Deira.
Son of Osric. Oswiu continued as king of Bernicia after
people of Deira proclaimed Oswine’s accession.
Assassinated by Oswiu after refusing to battle against him.
Son of Oswald. Withdrew from battle against his uncle
Oswiu and beleived to have become a hermit in Kirkdale.
Second reign. Deira and Bernicia merged as sub kingdoms
of Northumbria in 656 from when Oswiu continued as
Overlord.
Sub king under his father, Oswiu of Northumbria. Seems to
have abdicated to go on pilgramage to Rome.
Son and sub king to Oswiu of Northumbria. Succeeded to
throne of Northumbria on death of Oswiu in 670.
Son of Oswiu. Sub king under Ecgfrith of Northumbria.
Killed in battle against Mercia.
The source of the Deiran royal family can be traced back to one man, Yffi, father of King Ælla
and Ælfric. Although Ælfric was never a king his blood-line produced King Osric (son) and King
Oswine (grandson) where it ended. King Ælla’s blood-line produced Kings Æthelric and Edwin
(sons) and through his daughter Acha, Kings Oswald and Oswiu (grandsons) and Kings
Æthelwold, Alchfrith, Ecgfrith and Ælfwine (great grandsons).
The marriage of Princess Acha of Deira to Æthelfrith of Bernicia united the two royal families
and in 656 the two kingdoms merged as Northumbria. Deira continued as a sub-kingdom until
the death of Ælfwine in 679, from which time Deira and Bernicia became provinces of the
Kingdom of Northumbria.
Province of Deira (Yorkshire) within the Kingdom of Northumbria
(Angle era)
– Defeat of Mercia, Conquest north and south, Unrest with Bernicia and Arrival of
Danes
Kingdom of Northumbria (Angle era) & periodic dominions.
By 656, when Northumbria was formally founded, Bernicia had already annexed central and southern North
Rheged to its west (616) and Gododdin to its north (638). In 654, just two years before Deira and Bernicia
formally became ‘Northumbria’, their combined forces defeated Mercia and annexed its northern territory (A &
G) which effectively became southern Deira, all-be-it short lived. A-Northern Mercia to 658; B-Southern South
Rheged to 658; C-Southern Mercia 656-658; D-Pengwern 656-658; E- Lindisware to 679; F-Central South
Rheged to 740; G-The Peak to 740; H-Northern North Rheged 685 – 756; I-Central and southern North Rheged
to 756; J-North-western Goddodin to 685.
Northumbria proved to be a powerful Kingdom from the mid 7th century to the mid 8th century.
During this time it finally gained revenge by defeating its great rival Mercia and occupied lands
as far south as the Wessex border and as far north as todays Edinburgh, named after King Edwin
(Edwin’s Burgh).
Despite the union of Deira and Bernicia, rivalry between the leaders of the two provinces
continued. In 862 King Osberht was deposed by the usurper Ælle and the following struggle for
power between the pair saw Northumbria deteriorate into a state of civil war.
The Danes, who had recently arrived in Britain under Ivar the Boneless, took advantage of the
disarray in Northumbria and on 1st November 866 launched an attack on Eoforwic (York) and
captured the city. Putting aside their differences, Osberht and Ælle joined forces to try to
recapture Eoforwic four months later but were defeated in the battle and both were slain. As a
consequence of their deaths the Danes became the new rulers of Northumbria. They instated an
Angle as a puppet king and renamed Eoforwic, ‘Jórvík’ and Deira, ‘Jórvíkskyr’. The literal
translation of ‘Eoforwic’ from old English and ‘Jórvík’ from old Norse is ‘place of the boars
(chieftans)’.
Although all Northumbria was at this point Danish territory, the Danes initially only settled in
Jórvík and gradually throughout Jórvíkskyr whilst Bernicia was effectively left to the Angles.
Interpretation of Oswald’s banner used here to represent the Kingdom of Northumbria.
Based on the account by the Venerable Bede of a banner of purple and gold hanging over the tomb of King Oswald,
Oswald’s banner is likely to have evolved from the standard of King Edwin that, according to another account by
Bede, took the form of a Roman standard, the vexilla of which are invariably purple/red and gold.
Kings of Yorkshire in the Kingdom of Northumbria (Angle) era
Reign
679 to 685
685 to 704
Ecgfrith
Aldfrith
Incumbent
704 to 705
Eadwulf
705 to 716
Osred
716 to 718
718 to 729
Coenred
Osric II
729 to 737
Ceolwulf
737 to 758 Eadberht
758 to 759 Oswulf
759 to 765 Æthelwald Moll
765 to 774 Ealchred
774 to 779 Æthelred
779 to 788 Ælfwald
788 to 790 Osred II
790 to 796 Æthelred
Apr-May 796 Osbald
796 to 806 Eardwulf
806 to 808 Ælfwald II
808 to 810 Eardwulf
810 to 841 Eanred
841 to 844 Æthelred II
844
Rædwulf
844 to 848 Æthelred II
848 to 862 Osberht
862 to 867 Ælle II
March 867 Osberht
Notes
Overlord since 670. Killed by the Picts in battle.
Son of Oswiu. Died of illness.
Usurped child heir Osred. Claim to throne thought to be distant family
connection. Exiled after civil war restored Osred to throne.
Son of Aldfrith. Believed to have been assassinated by Coenred or
killed in battle by Picts.
Believed to be distant relative of Ida of Bernicia. Died.
Believed to be cousin or brother to Osred. Died.
Adopted as heir by distant cousin Osric. Abdicated to become a monk
and venerated ‘Saint Ceolwulf’.
Cousin of Ceolwulf. Abdicated to become a monk.
Son of Eadberht. Assassinated by his servants.
Seized throne as descendant of Oswine of Deira. Deposed.
Seized throne as distant cousin of Oswulf. Deposed and exiled.
11 year old son of Æthelwald Moll. Deposed and exiled..
Son of Oswulf. Assassinated.
Son of Ealchred. Deposed and exiled.
Restored after exiling Osred. Assassinated.
Deserted by his supporters and exiled after a reign of 27 days.
Instated by supporters after a failed rebellion in 790. Deposed.
Forcibly usurped and exiled Eardwulf. Deposed.
Restored after ousting the usurper Ælfwald II. Died.
Son of Eardwulf. Died.
Son of Eanred. Deposed.
Usurper. Killed by Danes.
Restored. Assassinated.
Unknown lineage. Deposed.
Usurper; Killed by the Danes with Osberht.
Killed by the Danes with the usurper Ælle II
Jórvíkskyr (Yorkshire) within the Kingdom of Northumbria
(Danish era)
Kingdom of Northumbria (Danish era) & periodic dominions.
A-Northern part of former South Rheged, conquered as part of Deira - since 867; Southern part of Cumbria, annexed from
Strathclyde – since 874.
The Danes organised Jórvíkskyr (Yorkshire) into three administrative divisions radiating from
Jórvík as its capital city. Each division was called a ‘thridjungr’ (a third part of) which through
time became anglicised to ‘thriding’ which, in turn, became ‘riding’ as we say today. The ‘th’
was probably dropped because it was mistaken to mean ‘the’ as in ‘th’riding’. The Danish
administrative organization of Yorkshire survived until 1974 as the East, North and West Ridings
of Yorkshire. The Ridings still exist to this day but in a non-administrative capacity within the
Traditional County of Yorkshire.
In 875 the Great Heathen Army split into two factions under Guthorm and Halfdan Ragnarsson.
Guthorm took The Great Summer Army to East Anglia, eventually securing under his control ‘the
Danelaw’, consisting of the lands south of Jórvíkskyr and roughly east of a line from Chester to
London. Halfdan, meanwhile, separated former Deira and Danish occupied Cumbria from
Northumbria to found the Kingdom of Jórvík as its first king whilst Bernicia became his
vassalage with Ricsige as an Angle sub-king.
The Danish Raven Banner.
Kings of Yorkshire in the Kingdom of Northumbria (Danish) era
Reign
867 to 872
Ecgberht
Name
872 to 875
Ricsige
Notes
Puppet king instated by the Danes. Died.
Instated by the Danes. Carried on ruling as a sub king in Bernicia after
the creation of the Kingdom of Jorvik in 875. He was succeeded by
Ecgberht II in 876 and Guthfrith Hardicnutson in 878 before the High
Reeves of Bamburgh took administrative responsibility for the country.
The Kingdom of Jórvík (Yorkshire)