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EDWIN,
in Latin, Aeduinus (585?-633), Anglo-Saxon king of Northumbria
(616-33), a territory in northern England and southern Scotland.
Edwin was the son of Ella (d. 588), king of Deira in northern
England. On the death of Ella, Deira was invaded by Ethelfrith
(d. 616), king of Bernicia in southeastern Scotland, and the infant
Edwin was taken into North Wales, where he was brought up.
Later he lived as an exile under the protection of Redwald, king of East Anglia (d. 627), now Norfolk and Suffolk counties. Repeated attempts by Ethelfrith to have Edwin put to death led to a battle in 616 in which Ethelfrith was killed; Edwin then joined Deira and Bernicia to form the kingdom of Northumbria. He extended his power over a large part of England, his authority stretching as far west as the islands of Anglesey and Man, and as far north as the town of Edinburgh, which bears his name. In 625 Edwin married Ethelburh (d. 676?), the sister of Eadbald, king of Kent (r. 618-40). Ethelburh was a Christian, and in 627 Edwin was converted to Christianity. A champion of the old pagan religion, Penda (577?-655), ruler of the centrally located kingdom of Mercia, then formed an alliance with Caedwalla, king of North Wales (r. about 625-34), against Edwin. Their forces met at Hatfield in 633; Edwin's army was overwhelmingly defeated. This year King Edwin was slain by Cadwalla and Penda, on Hatfield moor, on the fourteenth of October. He reigned seventeen years. His son Osfrid was also slain with him. After this Cadwalla and Penda went and ravaged all the land of the Northumbrians; which when Paulinus saw, he took Ethelburga, the relict of Edwin, and went by ship to Kent. Eadbald and Honorius received him very honourably, and gave him the bishopric of Rochester, where he continued to his death. After his death the kingdom of Northumbria fell apart, and Christianity was for a time extinguished in northern England. |
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