Æthelric of Deira

Æthelric (also Aethelric, ÆÞelric, Ethelric; † around 593 or 604) was 588-593 or 599? to 604 King of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Deira.

Life

The source location to Æthelric is very uncertain; contemporary data are missing completely. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle mentions the 9th century that Æthelric as King followed in 588 Aelle and ruled five years. Furthermore, it is called a Æthelric there as the father of Æthelfrith and as the son of King Ida of Bernicia. Historians are divided on whether Ælles successors and Æthelric of Bernicia are to be regarded as the same person. Maybe Æthelric was a brother Ælles and thus son of Yffi. Other historians see Aelle as his possible father.

Æthelrics predecessor Aelle died around the year 588/590. After the Vita Oswaldi from the 12th century Æthelric should have killed him. Maybe Deira was during Æthelrics reign of the north bordering Kingdom Bernicia dependent, whose king Æthelfrith worked on an extension of his rule. Around the year 604 Æthelfrith invaded and defeated Deira Æthelric, who probably died in battle. Æthelfrith drove the 604 male members of the royal family into exile. To legitimize his rule over Deira further, he married Acha, daughter of the former king Aelle of Deira. Edwin, who as the son Ælles also had claims throne, fled the country to the Welsh king of Gwynedd. Æthelfrith began to fall every effort to turn it off.

Swell

Edwin of Northumbria Barbara Yorke
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