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Northumbria now. History of the Kingdom of Northumbria

Ida had numerous offspring, who subsequently tried to increase the territory of the kingdom inherited from her father, but constantly encountered fierce resistance from the Britons, who did not want to cede their original lands to foreign invaders. In 586, the position of the Anglo-Saxons turned out to be completely critical, since the combined troops of the Britons led by Urien opposed Hussa, who first attacked Bernicia, and then besieged and captured Bamborough, pushing the Anglo-Saxons off the coast and almost completely destroying their power in the region. However, as a result of the betrayal of the ruler Gododin Morkant during the siege of Lindisfarne, a series of internecine wars broke out between the Britons, after which the Anglo-Saxons managed to recapture the lost territories within a short period of time.

Unlike Ida, Ella had only one daughter, Aha, and one son, Edwin, who was a three-year-old baby at the time of his father's death. Therefore, after the death of Ella, his younger brother Ethelric (Elfric) became his successor, who was constantly under the threat of overthrow and had only nominal power.

The first kings of the united kingdom

The final unification of Bernicia and Deira. Education of Northumbria

After the death of Edwin, the united kingdom began to feverish, which resulted in the proclamation of two kings - Enfrit, the eldest son of Ethelfrith, in Bernicia and Osric, the son of Ethelric, in Deira. Their reign, however, was short, since a year later they were killed by the same Cadwallon, after which both kingdoms were under his rule for a short time.

The murder of Oswald again heated up relations between the two provinces of Northumbria, because of which, at the end of 642, his brother Oswiu was elected king of Bernicia, and some time later, at the beginning of 644, the throne of Deira was taken by the son of Osric and great-grandson of Ella Oswin. However, he was too peaceful and devout, so when Oswiu planned to seize his kingdom, Oswin went to war with him only when absolutely necessary, and during one of the battles he left the battlefield altogether, not wanting to shed other people's blood, after which he left for Count Hunvold, whom he considered his friend. True, the latter behaved in a completely different way, betraying him to Oswiu, who on August 20, 651 ordered the death of Oswin. However, contrary to his expectations, Oswiu did not get what he wanted, because after the death of Oswin, Oswald's son Ethelwald was elevated to the throne of Deira, who in 655 made an alliance with Penda and Ethelher, king of East Anglia, in order to jointly attack Bernicia. However, before the decisive battle, rightly deciding that the victory of either side would not bring him benefits, Æthelwald decided to save his strength. Therefore, when on November 15 both troops converged on the battlefield on the banks of the river Vinved, the king of Deira hurried to leave the lists, as a result of which confusion began in the united army, which Oswiu did not fail to take advantage of, utterly defeating the allies and killing their leaders

(first)

- (952-954) Eirik Bloodaxe (last) K: Appeared in 655 K: Disappeared in 954

Kingdom of Northumbria(OE Norþhymbra rīce) - one of the seven kingdoms of the so-called Anglo-Saxon heptarchy, which arose in the north of Britain.

Northumbria is an Anglo-Saxon state formed by the union of Bernicia and Deira in 655. After the unification, it existed until 867, when it was captured by the Vikings.

Story

Etymology and territory

Background. Bernicia and Deira

Ida had numerous offspring, who later tried to increase the territory of the kingdom inherited from her father, but this opposition constantly ran into fierce resistance from the Britons, who did not want to cede their original lands to foreign invaders. In 586, the position of the Anglo-Saxons turned out to be completely critical, since the combined troops of the Britons led by Urien opposed Hussa, who first attacked Bernicia, and then besieged and captured Bamborough, pushing the Anglo-Saxons off the coast and almost completely destroying their power in the region. However, as a result of the betrayal of the ruler Gododin Morkant during the siege of Lindisfarne, a series of internecine wars broke out between the Britons, after which the Anglo-Saxons managed to recapture the lost territories within a short period of time.

Unlike Ida, Ella had only one daughter, Aha, and one son, Edwin, who was a three-year-old baby at the time of his father's death. Therefore, after the death of Ella, his younger brother Ethelric (Elfric) became his successor, who was constantly under the threat of overthrow and had only nominal power.

The first kings of the united kingdom

The final unification of Bernicia and Deira. Education of Northumbria

After the death of Edwin, the united kingdom began to feverish, which resulted in the proclamation of two kings - Enfrit, the eldest son of Ethelfrith, in Bernicia and Osric, the son of Ethelric, in Deira. Their reign, however, was short, since a year later they were killed by the same Cadwallon, after which both kingdoms were under his rule for a short time.

The murder of Oswald again heated up relations between the two provinces of Northumbria, because of which, at the end of 642, his brother Oswiu was elected king of Bernicia, and some time later, at the beginning of 644, the throne of Deira was taken by the son of Osric and great-grandson of Ella Oswin. However, he was too peaceful and devout, so when Oswiu planned to seize his kingdom, Oswin went to war with him only when absolutely necessary, and during one of the battles he left the battlefield altogether, not wanting to shed other people's blood, after which he left for Count Hunvold, whom he considered his friend. True, the latter behaved in a completely different way, betraying him to Oswiu, who on August 20, 651 ordered the death of Oswin. However, contrary to his expectations, Oswiu did not get what he wanted, because after the death of Oswin, Oswald's son Ethelwald was elevated to the throne of Deira, who in 655 made an alliance with Penda and Ethelher, king of East Anglia, in order to jointly attack Bernicia. However, before the decisive battle, rightly deciding that the victory of either side would not bring him benefits, Æthelwald decided to save his strength. Therefore, when on November 15 both troops converged on the battlefield on the banks of the river Vinved, the king of Deira hurried to leave the lists, as a result of which confusion began in the united army, which Oswiu did not fail to take advantage of, utterly defeating the allies and killing their leaders. However, Æthelwald did not long outlive his recent adherents, dying at the end of 655.

With a victory at Winved, Oswiu finally united Bernicia and Deira as part of Northumbria. Although it should also be noted here that in 656 Oswiu allowed his son Elfrith to rule in Deira as a vassal king, despite the fact that he fought against his father on the side of Penda. But in 664, probably after another attempt at a conspiracy against his father, Elfrith was removed from this position, and Eldfrith took his place. After the death of Oswiu in 670, the Deirans rebelled against him and transferred power to Eldfrith's half-brother Egfrith, and he, in turn, in the same year appointed his younger brother Elfwine, who at that time was still a child and had no real power, as the vassal king of Deira. . In 679, the brothers marched against King Æthelred I of Mercia. The battle between them took place on the River Trent, in which the Northumbrians were defeated, and Ælfwine was killed in it. After his death, the title of King of Deira completely disappeared, and since then only the rulers of Northumbria have been mentioned, which lasted until the middle of the 10th century, when it was finally conquered by Wessex.

The capital of Northumbria was Eoferwic (Roman Eborac and present-day York).

Kingdom of Northumbria

Sub-kings of Northumbria under the Scandinavian kingdom of Jorvik

Regarding the origin of Ida and his numerous sons, mentioned in various historical sources, disputes among historians do not subside, since their number in various sources is indicated differently, and their names are different. Scientists cannot come to a common opinion in any way, so they consider some of his sons to be collateral, and some are generally attributed to his grandchildren. In addition, individual sources were written much later than the reign of Ida, so many historians question the reliability of the information mentioned in them.

The mythical origin of Ida

Nennius in his History of the Britons (lat. Historia brittonum) traces the genealogy of the mythical ancestors of Ida to the supreme god of the Anglo-Saxons Odin:

  • Beldeg
    • Beornek
      • Gehbrond (Wegbrand)
        • Ingebrand
          • Aluzon
            • Yngwie (Angengit)
              • Edibrit (Ethelbert)
                • Esa
                  • Eoppa
  • Geata
  • Godolph
  • Fritowulf
  • Fritolaf
  • Woden
    • Baldai
      • Brand
        • bennock
          • Hechbrond
            • Alloc
              • Angenwit
                • Yngwie
                  • Esa
                    • Eoppa

historical dynasty

Family tree of the Yiding Dynasty, with monarchs in bold:

  • Adda King of Bernicia 560-568
  • Ethelric king of Bernicia in 568-572 (son or grandson of Ida)
    • Theodbald (killed in 603 at the Battle of Degsastan)
    • Æthelfrith king of Bernicia in 593-616 and of Deira in 604-616; 1st wife: Bebba; 2nd wife: Aha (Acha), daughter of King Ella of Deira
      • enfrith king of Bernicia in 633-634; mother: Bebba; wife: N, sister of Pictish King Nechthon II
      • Oswald Saint king of Northumbria in 634-642; mother: Aha; 1st wife: N (Irish?); 2nd wife: Cyneburga, daughter of King Cynegils of Wessex
        • Æthelwald king of Deira in 651-655; mother: N
      • Oswin
      • Oswiu king of Bernicia 642-655 and Northumbria 655-670; mother: Aha; 1st wife: Fina of Ireland, daughter of Colman Remeade; 2nd wife: Rimmelt of Reged, daughter of Royd; 3rd wife: Enfleda of Deira, daughter of Saint Edwin
      • Oswood
      • Oslaf
      • Ebba Abbess of Coldingham
  • Belrick
  • Theodric King of Bernicia 572-579
  • Theodher
  • Osmer
  • Ogga (Ogg) (illegitimate)
  • Elric (Alrik) (illegitimate)
  • Edric
  • Egga (illegitimate)
  • Oswald (illegitimate)
  • Sogor (illegitimate)
  • Saugeter (illegitimate)
  • Glappa king of Bernicia in 559-560 (unspecified, possibly son of Ida)
  • Frituwald king of Bernicia 579-585 (unspecified, possibly son of Ida)
  • Hussa king of Bernicia 585-593 (unspecified, possibly son of Ida)

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Notes

  1. (English) . Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  2. (English) . The Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  3. , p. 7.
  4. , p. 57.
  5. , p. 76-77.
  6. Bede The Hon. "Ecclesiastical history of the people of the Angles" II, XII
  7. , p. 113.
  8. , p. 115.
  9. , p. 80-82.
  10. , p. 163-164.
  11. Bede The Hon. "Ecclesiastical history of the people of the Angles" II, XX
  12. , p. 124.
  13. , p. 81.
  14. , p. 347-348.
  15. , p. 349.
  16. , p. 129.
  17. , p. 223-231.
  18. Nennius. "History of the Britons" 64
  19. , p. 240.
  20. , p. 130.
  21. Bede The Hon. "Ecclesiastical History of the Anglian People" V, XXIV
  22. , p. 6-7.
  23. Nennius. "History of the Britons" 57
  24. , p. 6.
  25. , p. 27.
  26. , p. 53.
  27. Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 603
  28. , p. 153.
  29. , p. 76.
  30. , p. 89.
  31. , p. 123.
  32. , p. eighteen.
  33. Nennius. "History of the Britons" 61
  34. Bede The Hon. "Ecclesiastical History of the Angles" IV, XXI
  35. , p. 185.
  36. Vita Wilfridi Episcopi Eboracensis Auctore Stephano 39, MGH, seria Rerum Merovingicarum, vol. 6, pp. 231-232
  37. Nennius. "History of the Britons" 63
  38. , p. 268.
  39. , p. 39.
  40. , p. 42.
  41. , p. 125.
  42. Simeon of Durham. Historia ecclesiae Dunelmensis XVIII
  43. , p. 44.
  44. Simeon of Durham. De Gestis Regum Anglorum 800
  45. . William Hunt. Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
  46. , p. 307.

Comments

Sources

  • / Translation by VV Erlikhman. - M .: Direct-Media, 2009. - 59 p.
  • / Translated by Whitley Stokes . - Llanerch Publishers reprint, 1993. - 466 p.
  • Bede The Hon./ Translation by V.V. Erlikhman. - St. Petersburg. : Aletheya, 2003. - 364 p. - (Pax Britannica). - 1500 copies. - ISBN 5893294297.
  • Nennius. History of the Britons // / Translated by A. S. Bobovich. - M .: Nauka, 1984. - S. 5-137. - 288 p. - (Literary monuments). - 100,000 copies.
  • John of Worcester. The chronicle of Florence of Worcester: With the Two Continuations / Translated by Thomas Forester. - London: Harvard University Press, 2005. - 512 p.

Literature

  • Glebov A. G. England in the early Middle Ages. - St. Petersburg. : Eurasia, 2007. - 288 p. - 1000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-8071-0166-9.
  • Alcock Leslie. Kings and Warriors, Craftsmen and Priests in Northern Britain AD 550–850. - Illustrated edition. - Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 2003. - 460 p. - ISBN 0903903245.
  • Beck Heinrich. , Geuenich Dieter. , Steuer Heiko. Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde. - Second revised edition. - Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2004. - 650 p. - ISBN 3110182076.
  • Bradbury Jim. The Routledge Companion to Medieval Warfare. - New edition. - London: Routledge, 2004. - 392 p. - ISBN 0415221269.
  • Fraser James. From Caledonia to Pictland: Scotland to 795 (New Edinburgh History of Scotland). - Illustrated edition. - Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2009. - 352 p. - ISBN 0748612327.
  • Higham Nick. The Convert Kings: Power and Religious Affiliation in Early Anglo-Saxon England. - Illustrated edition. - Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1997. - 293 p. - ISBN 0719048273.
  • Higham Nick. The Kingdom of Northumbria AD 350–1100. - First edition. - Stroud: Sutton Publishing Ltd, 1993. - 320 p. - ISBN 0862997305.
  • Hines John. The Anglo-Saxons from the Migration Period to the Eighth Century. An Ethnographic Perspective. - First edition. - Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 1997. - 488 p. - ISBN 0851154794.
  • Jackson Kenneth. Language and History in Early Britain. - Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1953. - 752 p. - ISBN 1851821406.
  • Jackson Kenneth. The Gododdin: The Oldest Scottish poem. - Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1969. - 178 p. - ISBN 0761806067.
  • Kirby D.P., Smyth A.P., Williams A. A Biographical Dictionary of Dark Age Britain. - First edition. - London: Routledge, 1991. - 253 p. - ISBN 1852640472.
  • Kirby D.P. The Earliest English Kings. - Revised edition. - London: Routledge, 2000. - 284 p. - ISBN 0415242118.
  • Koch John. The Gododdin of Aneurin: Text and context from Dark-Age North Britain. - Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1997. - 262 p. - ISBN 0708313744.
  • Lapidge Michael. The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Anglo-Saxon England. - Illustrated edition. - Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2000. - 560 p. - ISBN 0631224920.
  • Lowe Chris. The Making of Scotland: Angels, Fools and Tyrants: Britons and Angles in Southern Scotland. - Illustrated edition. - Edinburgh: Canongate Books, 1999. - 64 p. - ISBN 0862418755.
  • Rollason David. Northumbria, 500-1100: Creation and Destruction of a Kingdom. - Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. - 339 p. - ISBN 0521813352.
  • Stanton Frank. Anglo-Saxon England. - Third edition. - Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1971. - 812 p. - ISBN 0198217161.
  • Woolf Alex. From Pictland to Alba: 789 - 1070. - Illustrated edition. - Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2007. - 384 p. - ISBN 0748612343.
  • Yorke Barbara. Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England. - New edition. - London: Routledge, 1990. - 218 p. - ISBN 041516639X.

Links

An excerpt characterizing Northumbria

The count wanted to leave, but Helen begged not to spoil her impromptu ball. The Rostovs remained. Anatole invited Natasha to a waltz, and during the waltz, he, shaking her body and hand, told her that she was ravissante [charming] and that he loved her. During the ecossaise, which she again danced with Kuragin, when they were alone, Anatole did not say anything to her and only looked at her. Natasha was in doubt if she saw in a dream what he said to her during the waltz. At the end of the first figure, he again shook hands with her. Natasha looked up at him with frightened eyes, but such a self-confidently tender expression was in his affectionate look and smile that she could not, looking at him, say what she had to tell him. She lowered her eyes.
“Don't tell me such things, I'm engaged and in love with another,” she said quickly ... - She looked at him. Anatole was not embarrassed or upset by what she said.
- Don't tell me about it. What is my business? - he said. “I'm saying I'm madly, madly in love with you. Is it my fault that you are amazing? We start.
Natasha, animated and anxious, looked around her with wide, frightened eyes and seemed more cheerful than usual. She hardly remembered anything from what had happened that evening. Ecossaise and Gros Vater danced, her father invited her to leave, she asked to stay. Wherever she was, whoever she spoke to, she could feel his eyes on her. Then she remembered that she had asked her father for permission to go into the dressing room to straighten her dress, that Helen had gone after her, told her laughing about her brother's love, and that she had met Anatole again in the little sofa room, that Helen had disappeared somewhere, they were left alone and Anatole, Taking her by the hand, he said in a gentle voice:
“I can’t visit you, but will I never see you again?” I love you madly. Really never? ... - and he, blocking her way, brought his face closer to her face.
His brilliant, large, masculine eyes were so close to hers that she could see nothing but those eyes.
- Natalie? his voice whispered inquiringly, and someone squeezed her hands painfully.
- Natalie?
"I don't understand anything, I have nothing to say," her look said.
Hot lips pressed against hers, and at that very moment she felt free again, and the sound of steps and Helen's dress was heard in the room. Natasha looked back at Helen, then, red and trembling, looked at him in frightened questioning and went to the door.
- Un mot, un seul, au nom de Dieu, [One word, only one, for God's sake,] - said Anatole.
She stopped. She so needed him to say that word, which would explain to her what had happened and to which she would answer him.
“Nathalie, un mot, un seul,” he repeated everything, apparently not knowing what to say, and repeated it until Helen approached them.
Helen went out into the living room again with Natasha. Not staying for supper, the Rostovs left.
Returning home, Natasha did not sleep all night: she was tormented by the insoluble question of whom she loved, Anatole or Prince Andrei. She loved Prince Andrei—she remembered clearly how much she loved him. But she loved Anatole too, that was beyond doubt. “Otherwise, how could all this be?” she thought. “If after that I could, after saying goodbye to him, answer his smile with a smile, if I could allow it to happen, it means that I fell in love with him from the first minute. It means that he is kind, noble and beautiful, and it was impossible not to love him. What should I do when I love him and love another? she said to herself, finding no answers to these terrible questions.

The morning came with its worries and vanity. Everyone got up, moved, started talking, the milliners came again, again Marya Dmitrievna came out and called for tea. Natasha, with wide eyes, as if she wanted to catch every glance directed at her, looked around uneasily at everyone and tried to appear the same as she had always been.
After breakfast, Marya Dmitrievna (it was her best time), sitting down on her armchair, called Natasha and the old count to her.
“Well, my friends, now I have thought the whole thing over and here is my advice to you,” she began. - Yesterday, as you know, I was with Prince Nikolai; Well, I talked to him... He wanted to scream. Don't shout down on me! I drank everything to him!
– Yes, what is he? asked the Count.
- What is he? madman ... does not want to hear; Well, what can I say, and so we exhausted the poor girl, ”said Marya Dmitrievna. - And my advice to you is to finish things and go home to Otradnoye ... and wait there ...
- Oh, no! Natasha screamed.
“No, go,” said Marya Dmitrievna. - And wait there. - If the groom comes here now, he won’t do without a quarrel, but he’ll talk everything over with the old man one on one and then come to you.
Ilya Andreich approved this proposal, immediately realizing its full rationality. If the old man softens, then it will be all the better to come to him in Moscow or the Bald Mountains, after that; if not, then it will be possible to get married against his will only in Otradnoye.
“And the real truth,” he said. “I regret that I went to him and drove her,” said the old count.
- No, why be sorry? Being here, it was impossible not to do respect. Well, if he doesn’t want to, that’s his business,” said Marya Dmitrievna, looking for something in her reticule. - Yes, and the dowry is ready, what else can you expect; and what is not ready, I will send it to you. Although I feel sorry for you, but better go with God. - Having found in the reticule what she was looking for, she handed it to Natasha. It was a letter from Princess Marya. - He writes to you. How he suffers, poor thing! She's afraid you'll think she doesn't love you.
“Yes, she doesn’t love me,” said Natasha.
"Nonsense, don't talk," cried Marya Dmitrievna.
- I will not believe anyone; I know that she doesn’t love her,” Natasha said boldly, taking the letter, and her face expressed a dry and spiteful determination, which made Marya Dmitrievna look at her more closely and frown.
“You, mother, don’t answer like that,” she said. - What I say is true. Write an answer.
Natasha did not answer and went to her room to read Princess Marya's letter.
Princess Marya wrote that she was in despair over the misunderstanding that had taken place between them. Whatever her father's feelings, Princess Mary wrote, she asked Natasha to believe that she could not help but love her as the one chosen by her brother, for whose happiness she was ready to sacrifice everything.
“However, she wrote, do not think that my father was ill disposed towards you. He is a sick and old man who must be excused; but he is kind, generous, and will love the one who will make his son happy.” Princess Mary further requested that Natasha appoint a time when she could see her again.
After reading the letter, Natasha sat down at the writing table to write an answer: "Chere princesse," [Dear princess,] she wrote quickly, mechanically and stopped. “What else could she write after everything that happened yesterday? Yes, yes, it was all that, and now everything is different, ”she thought, sitting over the letter she had begun. "Should I refuse him? Is it really necessary? It’s terrible! ”... And in order not to think these terrible thoughts, she went to Sonya and together with her began to sort out the patterns.
After dinner, Natasha went to her room, and again took Princess Mary's letter. “Is it all over already? she thought. Did it all happen so soon and destroy everything that had gone before? She recalled her love for Prince Andrei with all her former strength, and at the same time she felt that she loved Kuragin. She vividly imagined herself the wife of Prince Andrei, imagined the picture of happiness with him repeated by her imagination so many times, and at the same time, flaring up with excitement, imagined all the details of her meeting with Anatole yesterday.
Why couldn't it be together? sometimes, in a perfect eclipse, she thought. Then only I would be completely happy, but now I have to choose, and without one of both I cannot be happy. One thing, she thought, to say what was to Prince Andrei or to hide is equally impossible. And nothing is wrong with that. But is it really possible to part forever with this happiness of love of Prince Andrei, which I lived for so long?
“Young lady,” the girl said in a whisper with a mysterious air, entering the room. “One person told me to deliver. The girl sent a letter. “Only for the sake of Christ,” the girl was still saying, when Natasha, without thinking, mechanically broke the seal and read Anatole’s love letter, from which, without understanding a word, she understood only one thing - that this letter was from him, from that person, whom she loves. “Yes, she loves, otherwise how could what happened happen? How could there be a love letter from him in her hand?
With trembling hands, Natasha held this passionate, love letter composed for Anatole by Dolokhov, and, reading it, found in it echoes of everything that she thought she herself felt.
“Since last night, my fate has been decided: to be loved by you or die. I have no other choice,” the letter began. Then he wrote that he knew that her relatives would not give her to him, Anatole, that there were secret reasons for this, which he alone could reveal to her, but that if she loved him, then she should say this word yes, and no human strength will not interfere with their bliss. Love conquers everything. He will kidnap her and take her to the ends of the earth.
"Yes, yes, I love him!" thought Natasha, rereading the letter for the twentieth time and looking for some special deep meaning in each of his words.
That evening Marya Dmitrievna went to the Arkharovs and invited the young ladies to go with her. Natasha, under the pretext of a headache, stayed at home.

Returning late in the evening, Sonya went into Natasha's room and, to her surprise, found her not undressed, sleeping on the sofa. Anatole's open letter lay on the table beside her. Sonya took the letter and began to read it.
She read and looked at the sleeping Natasha, looking on her face for an explanation of what she was reading, and did not find it. The face was quiet, meek and happy. Clutching her chest so as not to suffocate, Sonya, pale and trembling with fear and excitement, sat down on an armchair and burst into tears.
“How did I not see anything? How could it have gone so far? Has she fallen out of love with Prince Andrei? And how could she allow Kuragin to come to this? He is a liar and a villain, that's clear. What will happen to Nicolas, dear, noble Nicolas, when he finds out about this? So this is what her agitated, resolute and unnatural face meant on the third day, both yesterday and today, thought Sonya; but it cannot be that she loved him! Probably not knowing from whom, she opened this letter. She is probably offended. She can't do it!"
Sonya wiped away her tears and went up to Natasha, again peering into her face.
- Natasha! she said in a barely audible voice.
Natasha woke up and saw Sonya.
- Oh, you're back?
And with determination and tenderness, which happens in moments of awakening, she hugged her friend, but noticing the embarrassment on Sonya's face, Natasha's face expressed embarrassment and suspicion.
Sonya, did you read the letter? - she said.
“Yes,” Sonya said quietly.
Natasha smiled enthusiastically.
No, Sonya, I can't take it anymore! - she said. “I can't hide from you anymore. You know, we love each other!... Sonya, my dear, he writes... Sonya...
Sonya, as if not believing her ears, looked with all her eyes at Natasha.
- And Bolkonsky? - she said.
“Ah, Sonya, oh if only you could know how happy I am! Natasha said. You don't know what love is...
- But, Natasha, is it really all over?
Natasha looked at Sonya with large, open eyes, as if not understanding her question.
- Well, you refuse Prince Andrei? Sonya said.
“Ah, you don’t understand anything, don’t talk nonsense, you listen,” Natasha said with instant annoyance.
"No, I can't believe it," Sonya repeated. - I do not understand. How did you love one person for a whole year and suddenly ... After all, you only saw him three times. Natasha, I don't believe you, you're being naughty. In three days, forget everything and so ...
“Three days,” Natasha said. “I think I have loved him for a hundred years. I feel like I've never loved anyone before him. You cannot understand this. Sonya, wait, sit down here. Natasha hugged and kissed her.
“I was told that this happens and you heard it right, but now I have only experienced this love. It's not like before. As soon as I saw him, I felt that he was my master and I was his slave, and that I could not help but love him. Yes, slave! What he tells me, I will do. You don't understand this. What should I do? What should I do, Sonya? Natasha said with a happy and frightened face.
“But think about what you are doing,” Sonya said, “I can’t leave it like that. Those secret letters... How could you let him do that? she said with horror and disgust, which she could hardly conceal.
“I told you,” Natasha answered, “that I have no will, how can you not understand this: I love him!”
“So I won’t let it happen, I’ll tell you,” Sonya cried out with bursting tears.
- What are you, for God's sake ... If you tell me, you are my enemy, - Natasha spoke. - You want my misfortune, you want us to be separated ...
Seeing Natasha's fear, Sonya burst into tears of shame and pity for her friend.
"But what happened between you?" she asked. - What did he tell you? Why doesn't he go to the house?
Natasha did not answer her question.
“For God’s sake, Sonya, don’t tell anyone, don’t torture me,” Natasha begged. “Remember not to interfere in such matters. I opened to you...
But what are these secrets for? Why doesn't he go to the house? Sonya asked. “Why doesn’t he directly seek your hand?” After all, Prince Andrei gave you complete freedom, if so; but I don't believe it. Natasha, have you thought about the secret reasons?
Natasha looked at Sonya with surprised eyes. Apparently, this question was presented to her for the first time and she did not know how to answer it.
For what reason, I don't know. But then there are reasons!
Sonya sighed and shook her head in disbelief.
“If there were reasons…” she began. But Natasha, guessing her doubts, interrupted her in fright.
“Sonya, you can’t doubt him, you can’t, you can’t, do you understand? she shouted.
- Does he love you?
- Does he love? Natasha repeated with a smile of regret at her friend's dullness. “You read the letter, did you see it?”
“But what if he is an ignoble person?”
"He! ... an ignoble person?" If you knew! Natasha said.
- If he is a noble person, then he must either declare his intention, or stop seeing you; and if you do not want to do this, then I will do it, I will write to him, I will tell him dad, ”Sonya said decisively.
- Yes, I can not live without him! Natasha screamed.
Natasha, I don't understand you. And what are you talking about! Remember your father, Nicolas.
“I don’t need anyone, I don’t love anyone but him. How dare you say he's ignoble? Don't you know that I love him? Natasha screamed. “Sonya, go away, I don’t want to quarrel with you, go away, for God’s sake go away: you see how I suffer,” Natasha shouted angrily in a restrained, irritated and desperate voice. Sonya burst into tears and ran out of the room.
Natasha went up to the table and, without thinking for a minute, wrote that answer to Princess Mary, which she could not write all morning. In this letter, she briefly wrote to Princess Marya that all their misunderstandings were over, that, taking advantage of the generosity of Prince Andrei, who, when leaving, gave her freedom, she asks her to forget everything and forgive her if she is guilty before her, but that she cannot be his wife . All this seemed so easy, simple and clear to her at that moment.

On Friday, the Rostovs were supposed to go to the village, and on Wednesday the count went with the buyer to his suburban area.
On the day of the count's departure, Sonya and Natasha were invited to a big dinner at the Karagins, and Marya Dmitrievna took them. At this dinner, Natasha met Anatole again, and Sonya noticed that Natasha was talking to him, wanting not to be heard, and all the time of the dinner she was even more excited than before. When they returned home, Natasha was the first to start with Sonya the explanation that her friend was waiting for.
“Here you are, Sonya, talking all sorts of nonsense about him,” Natasha began in a meek voice, that voice that children speak when they want to be praised. “We talked to him today.
- Well, what, what? Well, what did he say? Natasha, how glad I am that you are not angry with me. Tell me everything, the whole truth. What did he say?
Natasha considered.
“Ah Sonya, if you knew him the way I do!” He said ... He asked me about how I promised Bolkonsky. He was glad that it was up to me to refuse him.
Sonya sighed sadly.
“But you didn’t refuse Bolkonsky,” she said.
“Maybe I didn’t!” Maybe it's all over with Bolkonsky. Why do you think so badly of me?
“I don’t think anything, I just don’t understand it ...
- Wait, Sonya, you will understand everything. See what kind of person he is. Don't think bad things about me or him.
“I don’t think bad things about anyone: I love everyone and feel sorry for everyone. But what am I to do?
Sonya did not give up on the gentle tone with which Natasha addressed her. The softer and more searching Natasha's expression was, the more serious and stern was Sonya's face.
“Natasha,” she said, “you asked me not to talk to you, I didn’t, now you yourself started. Natasha, I don't believe him. Why this secret?
- Again, again! Natasha interrupted.
- Natasha, I'm afraid for you.
- What to be afraid of?
“I am afraid that you will ruin yourself,” Sonya said decisively, herself frightened by what she said.
Natasha's face again expressed anger.
“And I will destroy, I will destroy, I will destroy myself as soon as possible. None of your business. Not to you, but to me it will be bad. Leave, leave me. I hate you.
- Natasha! Sonya called out in fear.
- I hate it, I hate it! And you are my enemy forever!
Natasha ran out of the room.
Natasha did not speak to Sonya anymore and avoided her. With the same expression of agitated surprise and criminality, she paced the rooms, taking up first this and then another occupation and immediately abandoning them.
No matter how hard it was for Sonya, she kept her eyes on her friend.
On the eve of the day on which the count was supposed to return, Sonya noticed that Natasha had been sitting all morning at the living room window, as if waiting for something and that she had made some kind of sign to the passing military man, whom Sonya mistook for Anatole.
Sonya began to observe her friend even more attentively and noticed that Natasha was in a strange and unnatural state all the time of lunch and evening (she answered inappropriately to questions put to her, began and did not finish phrases, laughed at everything).
After tea, Sonya saw a timid maid waiting for her at Natasha's door. She let it through, and, eavesdropping at the door, learned that the letter had again been handed over. And suddenly it became clear to Sonya that Natasha had some kind of terrible plan for this evening. Sonya knocked on her door. Natasha didn't let her in.
“She will run away with him! Sonya thought. She is capable of everything. To-day there was something particularly pathetic and resolute in her face. She burst into tears, saying goodbye to her uncle, Sonya recalled. Yes, that's right, she runs with him - but what should I do? thought Sonya, now recalling those signs that clearly proved why Natasha had some kind of terrible intention. "There is no count. What should I do, write to Kuragin, demanding an explanation from him? But who tells him to answer? Write to Pierre, as Prince Andrei asked in case of an accident? ... But maybe, in fact, she had already refused Bolkonsky (she sent a letter to Princess Mary yesterday). There are no uncles!” It seemed terrible to Sonya to tell Marya Dmitrievna, who believed so much in Natasha. But one way or another, Sonya thought, standing in a dark corridor: now or never the time has come to prove that I remember the good deeds of their family and love Nicolas. No, I won’t sleep for at least three nights, but I won’t leave this corridor and won’t let her in by force, and won’t let shame fall on their family, ”she thought.

Anatole recently moved to Dolokhov. The plan for the kidnapping of Rostova had already been thought out and prepared by Dolokhov for several days, and on the day when Sonya, having overheard Natasha at the door, decided to protect her, this plan was to be carried out. Natasha promised to go out to Kuragin on the back porch at ten o'clock in the evening. Kuragin was supposed to put her in a prepared troika and take her 60 miles from Moscow to the village of Kamenka, where a trimmed priest was prepared, who was supposed to marry them. In Kamenka, a set-up was ready, which was supposed to take them to the Varshavskaya road, and there they were supposed to ride abroad on postage.
Anatole had a passport, and a traveler's, and ten thousand money taken from his sister, and ten thousand borrowed through Dolokhov.
Two witnesses—Khvostikov, the former clerk whom Dolokhov and Makarin used to play, a retired hussar, a good-natured and weak man who had boundless love for Kuragin—were sitting in the first room at tea.
In Dolokhov's large office, decorated from wall to ceiling with Persian carpets, bearskins and weapons, Dolokhov sat in a traveling beshmet and boots in front of an open bureau, on which lay bills and wads of money. Anatole, in his unbuttoned uniform, walked from the room where the witnesses were sitting, through the office to the back room, where his French footman and others were packing the last things. Dolokhov counted money and wrote it down.
“Well,” he said, “Khvostikov should be given two thousand.
- Well, let me, - said Anatole.
- Makarka (that's what they called Makarina), this one disinterestedly for you through fire and into water. Well, the scores are over, - said Dolokhov, showing him a note. - So?
“Yes, of course, that’s how it is,” said Anatole, apparently not listening to Dolokhov and with a smile that did not leave his face, looking ahead of him.
Dolokhov slammed the bureau shut and turned to Anatole with a mocking smile.
- And you know what - drop it all: there is still time! - he said.
- Fool! Anatole said. - Stop talking nonsense. If you only knew... The devil knows what it is!
“Damn right,” said Dolokhov. - I'm talking to you. Is this a joke you're up to?
- Well, again, teasing again? Went to hell! Huh?... – Anatole said with a frown. “The right is not up to your stupid jokes. And he left the room.
Dolokhov smiled contemptuously and condescendingly when Anatole left.
“Wait a minute,” he said after Anatole, “I’m not joking, I’m talking business, come, come here.
Anatole again entered the room and, trying to concentrate his attention, looked at Dolokhov, obviously involuntarily submitting to him.
- You listen to me, I'm telling you the last time. What should I joke with you? Did I cross you? Who arranged everything for you, who found the priest, who took the passport, who got the money? All I.
- Well, thank you. Do you think I'm not grateful to you? Anatole sighed and hugged Dolokhov.
- I helped you, but still I have to tell you the truth: the matter is dangerous and, if you take it apart, stupid. Well, you'll take her away, okay. Will they leave it like that? It turns out that you are married. After all, you will be brought to criminal court ...
– Ah! stupidity, stupidity! - Anatole spoke again, grimacing. “Because I told you. A? - And Anatole, with that special predilection (which stupid people have) for the conclusion that they reach with their own mind, repeated the reasoning that he repeated a hundred times to Dolokhov. “After all, I explained to you, I decided: if this marriage is invalid,” he said, bending his finger, “then I do not answer; Well, if it's real, it doesn't matter: no one abroad will know this, right? And don't talk, don't talk, don't talk!
- Right, come on! You only bind yourself...
“Go to hell,” said Anatole, and, holding his hair, went out into another room and immediately returned and sat down with his feet on an armchair close to Dolokhov. “The devil knows what it is!” A? Look how it beats! - He took Dolokhov's hand and put it to his heart. - Ah! quel pied, mon cher, quel regard! Une deesse!! [O! What a leg, my friend, what a look! Goddess!!] Huh?
Dolokhov, smiling coldly and shining with his beautiful, insolent eyes, looked at him, apparently wanting to still have some fun with him.
- Well, the money will come out, then what?
- What then? A? - Anatole repeated with sincere bewilderment at the thought of the future. - What then? There I don’t know what… Well, what nonsense to say! He looked at his watch. - It's time!
Anatole went into the back room.
– Well, will you soon? Dig in here! he shouted at the servants.
Dolokhov took away the money and, shouting to a man to order food and drink for the road, entered the room where Khvostikov and Makarin were sitting.
Anatole was lying in the study, leaning on his arm, on the sofa, smiling thoughtfully and softly whispering something to himself with his beautiful mouth.
- Go eat something. Well, have a drink! Dolokhov shouted to him from another room.
- I do not want! - Anatole answered, still smiling.
- Go, Balaga has arrived.
Anatole got up and went into the dining room. Balaga was a well-known troika driver who had known Dolokhov and Anatole for six years and served them with his troikas. More than once, when Anatole's regiment was stationed in Tver, he took him away from Tver in the evening, delivered him to Moscow by dawn, and took him away the next day at night. More than once he took Dolokhov away from the chase, more than once he drove them around the city with gypsies and ladies, as Balaga called. More than once, with their work, he crushed the people and cabbies around Moscow, and his gentlemen, as he called them, always rescued him. He drove more than one horse under them. More than once he was beaten by them, more than once they made him drunk with champagne and Madeira, which he loved, and he knew more than one thing behind each of them, which Siberia would have long deserved for an ordinary person. In their carousing, they often called Balaga, forced him to drink and dance with the gypsies, and more than one thousand of their money passed through his hands. In their service, he risked both his life and his skin twenty times a year, and in their work he overworked more horses than they overpaid him. But he loved them, he loved this crazy ride, eighteen miles an hour, he loved to overturn a cab and crush a pedestrian in Moscow, and fly at full speed through Moscow streets. He loved to hear this wild cry of drunken voices behind him: “Let's go! gone!” while it was already impossible to go any faster; he liked to stretch painfully up the neck of the peasant, who, in any case, was neither dead nor alive, shunned him. "Real gentlemen!" he thought.

“The territory of the British Isles from the end of the 4th century. AD began to be attacked by the tribes of the Angles, Jutes and Saxons, who founded the first states here. The process began at the end of the 5th century, when England was divided into three large barbarian kingdoms - the kingdom of the Angles, the kingdom of the Jutes and the kingdom of the Saxons, each of which was founded by leaders who initially led the first settlers of the respective tribes. Later, the kingdoms of the Angles and Saxons broke up into several smaller monarchies, eventually forming the seven main Anglo-Saxon kingdoms or the so-called Heptarchy, which chronologically corresponded to the 6th - mid-9th centuries. AD The term "heptarchy" in relation to the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms began to be used only in the 12th century, when chronicles and annals about the history of England and its peoples began to appear. The authorship is attributed to Henry of Huntingdon, a famous historian of the Middle Ages.

The heptarchy included Mercia (West Angles), Northumbria (Northern Angles), East Anglia (East Angles), Wessex (West Saxons), Sussex (South Saxons), Kent (Jute tribes), Essex (East Saxons). In the middle of the ninth century the rise of Wessex takes place, as a result of which the heptarchy ceased to exist, and all the kingdoms were united into one - the kingdom of England.

Province of Northumberland

The territory of the current Northumbria(sparsely populated area in the north of modern Scotland) was inhabited in ancient times. archaeological finds made it possible to establish that the first people began to appear here about seven and a half thousand years ago (the Bronze Age). Development of culture and civilization here began in the Iron Age, when the Celtic tribes reached the islands. They got here thanks to the migration processes that swept in the 1st century BC. BC. European continent.

The Celts were replaced by the Romans, who for quite a long time remained the only rulers of this territory. It was part of the Roman Empire as a separate province called Britannia. At the same time, numerous tribes lived next to the Romans, which were gradually conquered by the empire and included in its composition. Active development of the province Northumberland began under the rule of the governor Gneus Julius Agricola, who seized vast lands in Scotland. As a result, in the late 70's - early 80's. In the first century AD, mass construction of communications, settlements and fortifications began to develop in the province. As a result, roads appeared in Northumberland (the ruins of the two largest Stangate and Dere Street are still visible in Scotland), as well as a system of defensive structures - Andrianov and Antonin shafts.

Considering the attacks of the barbarians to which the Roman state was subjected, the emperor withdrew the garrison from Britain. The departure of the Romans began in the 5th century, after which a period of constant wars and political chaos began here. Wars took place between various tribes of the Britons, who divided Northumberland into two regions - Bryneich and Deifir.

Anglo-Saxon conquest

Some stability in Britain came with the invasion of the Anglo-Saxon tribes. The territory of Northumberland was captured by the Angles, who created their first kingdoms here. They were called Bernicia(in another transliteration the name Bernica is found) and Deira. Both kingdoms developed independently, but thanks to dynastic marriages and various alliances, they were practically a single state. Because of this, the kingdoms alternately united and then separated again, which makes it difficult for historians to study Bernicia and Deira separately.

Northumbria before unification

The Angles created their first settlement in the former Roman province. Northumberland. Here was the kingdom Bernicia(formerly Bryneich), which occupied the territory in the north of the islands, right up to the Firth of Forth Bay. The first ruler since 547 was Ida. Another kingdom was created nearby - Deira(now Yorkshire). This territory once bore the British name of Deifir, but the representative of the nobility of the Angles, Ella, renamed it.

The two kingdoms were forced to create military-political and trade alliances, since from the north they were constantly attacked by tribes of warlike Britons. The wars led to the fact that already in the late 80s. 6th century the power of the Angles in the kingdom was in danger of being overthrown. The situation was aggravated by the fact that the descendants of Ida constantly tried to expand their lands at the expense of the British territories. The situation was saved, but only because one of the leaders of the Britons betrayed his fellow tribesmen. Wars broke out between them, which they took advantage of Anglo-Saxons. They reclaimed their territories and created a new kingdom Northumbria. His appearance was caused not only by a foreign political threat, but also by the fact that the rulers of Deira had nominal power.

The legitimate ruler of this state - Prince Edwin (Ella's son) - was only three months old, and his uncle and sister could not effectively rule the country. The initiator of the union was the king BerniciaÆthelfrith, who took advantage of Deira's weakness.

Development of Northumbria

The history of the united kingdom began in 655 and continued for more than two hundred years - until 867, when it was conquered by the Vikings. The name of the new state meant that it was located on the territory lying north of the Humber River. Historians believe that the peak of development Northumbria fell on the 7th-8th centuries, when the borders of the kingdom reached two seas - the Irish and the North.

These centuries have been marked by success in the political arena. First, three kings were recognized as the most prominent rulers - Edwin, Oswald and Oswy. With them Northumbria recognized as equal to other English kingdoms located in the south.

Secondly, an active period of development of culture and education began. This was achieved through the construction of two monasteries. Their buildings and structures were erected in parallel according to the same plan, which is why the temple complex began to be called the twin monasteries of Wearmouth and Jarrow. Quite quickly they turned into major European centers of education. In one of the monasteries lived Bede The Hon. who was responsible for the collection of the library. The first ruler of the kingdom was Æthelfrith, but in 616 he was killed by representatives of the clan Ella.

By the time of his death, the king managed to conquer the neighboring tribes Britons, which increased the territory to the borders with Mercia. The next king was Edwin from the Deirin family, forcing the son of the previous ruler to flee to the Gauls. The new monarch was converted to Christianity by the first bishop of the kingdom, who was a monk paulin. After this, the mass Christianization of the entire state begins, although the local population did not particularly support the new religion. Evin pursued an active foreign policy based on constant conquest. The consequence of this was: the expansion of the western borders to the coast; transformation Northumbria into a powerful political force in the British Isles.

The king's policy was opposed by his opponents, as a result of which Evin died. This happened in 633, and caused the collapse of the united kingdom into two former parts - Bernicia and deira. Another negative point was that Christianization was temporarily stopped. Literally a year later, the king Oswald managed to create a new state union. In honor of this event, as a sign of the unity of the country, he founded the first diocese in the city Hexame. The first English church was built here. Oswald also conducted many campaigns, the main purpose of which was to break the Celtic resistance and defeat the tribes picts. Wars were fought with varying success, in one of the campaigns the king was killed, and Northumbria lost its former influence. For many years, wars broke out in the kingdom between representatives of families from Bernicia and Deira. Only the king managed to overcome internecine strife Oswi. Only then did Northumbria become truly united. Oswi was recognized as a single ruler, although nominally Deira for some time it continued to be ruled by representatives of its royal family. Strong royal power in the state was preserved under the son of Oswi - Egfriede. But he no longer insisted that his country should dominate the north of England. He had enough peace and stability in the kingdom. After his death Northumbria for one hundred and fifty years became a place of constant internecine wars. As a result, there was not a single strong ruler who would rule on the throne for a long time in the kingdom.

Loss of independence

They took advantage of the difficult internal political situation of the country Danish vikings. They became the last factor in the destruction of the apparent unity of the state of Northumbria in 867. Their invasion interrupted the political, cultural and economic development of the kingdom. The most significant achievement danov, as well as Norwegians was the capture of the capital - the city York, and the southern part of the kingdom of Northumbria (the former kingdom of Deira), which allowed the Scandinavians to settle in the occupied territories for some time, forming York kingdom. It is interesting that in such a difficult foreign policy situation, as well as in the virtual absence of internal unity, the Angles did not stop trying to restore their rule. Only the northern regions of Northumbria (the former kingdom of Bernicia) succeeded under the leadership of rangers Bamburga. They held the post of jarl, but at the same time they were ethnically from the Angles. It was they who were considered the first contenders for the royal throne, since they achieved this right from the Vikings, as well as the title of High Wardens of Bamburg.

Already at the beginning of the X century. the Danes strengthened their presence in the islands of Britain, starting their capture from the Irish coast. They put their king on the throne and began to manage the "shortened" version of the state. But they were not allowed to gain a foothold here. Scots, who began to push back the Danes in the north. Because of this, both the northern and western regions came under the control of the Scottish kingdom.

In the 10th century, power in Northumbria changed hands between Norwegian and English kings. In 954, after the death of his last independent monarch, King Erika I Bloodaxe, kingdom Northumbria was eventually included England(as a separate county) by the English king Edred, who came from the Wessex dynasty. Simultaneously with these processes, the territory of the kingdom was subjected to systematic attacks by the Vikings. The offensive of other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms did not stop the claims of the Northumbrian rulers. Formally, they were vassals of England, but retained the right to independence of action.

During the second wave of Scandinavian invasions, at the beginning of the 11th century, Northumbria came under the rule of the Anglo-Danish monarchy. Canute the Great, which divided England into several large provinces, ruled by their associates. In 1016 at the head of the province Northumbria the Danish Viking Eric Chlatir stood up. In 1042, with the death of Hardeknut, the era of Danish kings in England ends. Hardeknud's reign was unpopular in England, marked by massive tax increases and popular discontent. A strong public opinion is forming in England in favor of the restoration of the old Anglo-Saxon dynasty, and, only a few days after the death of Hardaknut, the people of London proclaim Edward, later nicknamed the Confessor, as the new king of England. Almost immediately, Edward is recognized by the whole country, including the Earls and the Anglo-Danish nobility.

Edward the Confessor was the last representative of the Wessex dynasty on the English throne, whose rule significantly weakened the state. his successor- Harold II Godwinson I had to urgently restore the defense capability of the state, but the time for this

was no longer enough. On January 5, 1066, he becomes king of England, and already in September, a huge Norwegian fleet approached the northeastern coast of the country. In the hardest battle of Stamford Bridge, England managed to defeat the Norwegians, and the king of Norway Harald the Harsh died in battle. The Norwegian invasion was prevented, from that moment the era of Viking raids came to an end, ending the 200-year history of confrontation between England and the Scandinavian world.

However, just 3 days later, the army of the Duke of Normandy landed on the south coast of England Wilhelm, later nicknamed the Conqueror. Not having time to recover qualitatively, battered and supplemented by a poorly armed peasant militia, the Anglo-Saxon army takes a decisive battle with the Normans at Hastings, in which it suffers a complete defeat. Harold II Godwinson dies in battle, becoming the last Anglo-Saxon king in the history of England, and on December 25, 1066 Wilgelm the conqueror ascends to the English throne; The country is conquered by the Normans. After a series of revolts against the Normans, the earldom of Northumbria was finally abolished in 1095.

In our time, this territory has become more often carried out archaeological excavations, constantly pleasing historians with a wealth of discoveries and finds.

Northumbria (UK)

The Kingdom of Northumbria (OE Nor?hymbra rice) is one of the seven kingdoms of the so-called Anglo-Saxon heptarchy, which arose in the north of Britain.

Northumbria is an Anglo-Saxon state that was formed as a result of the union in 655 of Bernicia and Deira. After the unification, it lasted until 867, when it was captured by the Vikings.

Etymology and territory

Northumbria (eng. Northumbria) from obsolete English. Northumber is a designation for a person living north of the Humber.

Kingdoms of Bernicia (OE Bernice) and Deira (OE Derenrice). The first of these occupied the county of Northumberland and at times extended as far as the Firth of Forth. The Kingdom of Deira was located in the county of Yorkshire.

Background. Bernicia and Deira

On the territory where the kingdom of Northumbria arose in 655, there used to be two Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Bernicia and Deira, which were formed as a result of the Anglo-Saxon conquest of the British regions of Bryneich and Deifir. Bryneich in 547 captured Ida and renamed it Bernicia, and Deifir in 559 subjugated Ella, naming it Deira. The newly minted kingdoms were constantly at war with the neighboring British states, trying to seize a dominant position in the territory of the Ancient North.

Ida had numerous offspring, who later tried to increase the territory of the kingdom inherited from her father, but this opposition constantly ran into fierce resistance from the Britons, who did not want to cede their original lands to foreign invaders. In 586, the position of the Anglo-Saxons turned out to be completely critical, since the combined troops of the Britons led by Urien opposed Hussa, who first attacked Bernicia, and then besieged and captured Bamborough, ousting the Anglo-Saxons from the coast and almost completely destroying their power in the region. However, as a result of the betrayal of the ruler Gododin Morkant during the siege of Lindisfarne, a series of internecine wars broke out between the Britons, after which the Anglo-Saxons managed to recapture the lost territories within a short period of time.

Unlike Ida, Ella had only one daughter, Aha, and one son, Edwin, who was a three-year-old baby at the time of his father's death. Therefore, after the death of Ella, his younger brother Ethelric (Elfric), who was constantly under the threat of overthrow and had only nominal power, became his successor.

The first kings of the united kingdom

After the death of Hussa in 593, the throne of Bernicia was inherited by his nephew, Ethelric's son Ethelfrith, whose first wife was Bebba, after whom the capital of Bernicia was renamed Bebbanburg. Ethelfrith was a very active and enterprising ruler, under whom Bernicia constantly got involved in all sorts of armed conflicts, and besides, she did not always emerge victorious from them. However, this tactic led him to eventually capture Deira when he overthrew Ella's brother Ethelric in 604. In order to legitimize his power over Deira, he married Ella's daughter Ache. Having captured a neighboring state, Ethelfrith became the first ruler of the united kingdom, which later became known as Northumbria, thereby he acquired the title of the most powerful king of Northern England, however, with all this, both provinces of the new formation at that time were constantly at war with each other, showing by this their unwillingness to merge . The legitimate heir of Deira, Edwin the Holy, son of Ella, was at that time in exile, where he had been sent while still with his uncle Ethelric. In order to eliminate his rival, Æthelfrith made great efforts, constantly taking an active part in the hostilities directed against those kingdoms where Edwin was hiding.

Finally, in 616, Æthelfrith was defeated at the Battle of the Idla River by King Redwald of East Anglia, with whom Ella's son found his last refuge. This victory allowed Edwin to become the ruler of the united kingdom of Bernicia and Deira, since Redwald did not lay claim to either of them. Having received the throne of Northumbria, Edwin eventually subjugated most of modern Northern England to his power, and after the death of Redwald he became the most powerful Anglo-Saxon monarch and was recognized as the bretwalda of all Anglo-Saxon Britain. However, his power did not have a solid foundation, as it relied only on Edwin's personal connections with the kings of the southern Anglo-Saxon states, and immediately fell apart after his death. In 633 he was opposed by the British king Gwynedd Cadwallon, who tried to regain the lands lost during the reign of Æthelfrith. In alliance with King Penda of Mercia, Cadwallon attacked the kingdom of Edwin, after which on October 12 of the same year the opponents met in the Battle of Hatfield Chase, during which Edwin was killed along with his eldest son Osfrith. His youngest son Eadfrith was taken hostage by Penda and some time later was killed by him.

The final unification of Bernicia and Deira. Education of Northumbria

After the death of Edwin, the united kingdom began to feverish, which resulted in the proclamation of two kings - Enfrith, the eldest son of Æthelfrith, in Bernicia and Osric, the son of Æthelric, in Deira. Their reign, however, was short, since a year later they were killed by the same Cadwallon, after which both kingdoms were under his rule for a short time.

At the end of 634, Enfrith's half-brother Oswald the Holy gathered a well-trained army and destroyed the superior forces of Cadwallon at the Battle of Havenfelt, after which the united kingdom again fell under the rule of one monarch. In addition, through his mother, Oswald was the grandson of St. Edwin, so he was connected by blood ties with both royal dynasties. Through his efforts, both provinces of Northumbria, Bernicia and Deira, which used to be constantly at war with each other, finally became one, forgetting old grievances and disagreements. Almost immediately after coming to power, Oswald made sure that his subordinates adopted the Christian faith, for which he gained such love among his subjects that after his death they began to revere him as a saint. However, in a dramatic coincidence, Oswald, like his predecessor Edwin, was killed by King Penda of Mercia on August 5, 642 near Oswestry at the Battle of Motherfelt.

The murder of Oswald again heated up relations between the two provinces of Northumbria, because of which, at the end of 642, his own brother Oswiu was elected king of Bernicia, and some time later, at the beginning of 644, the throne of Deira was taken by the son of Osric and great-grandson of Ella Oswin. However, he was too peaceful and devout, so when Oswiu planned to seize his kingdom, Oswin went to war with him only when absolutely necessary, and during one of the battles he left the battlefield altogether, not wanting to shed other people's blood, after which he left for Count Hunvold, whom he considered his friend. True, the latter behaved in a completely different way, betraying him to Oswiu, who on August 20, 651 ordered the death of Oswin. However, contrary to his expectations, Oswiu did not get what he wanted, because after the death of Oswin, Oswald's son Æthelwald was elevated to the throne of Deira, who in 655 made an alliance with Penda and Æthelher, king of East Anglia, in order to jointly attack Bernicia. However, before the decisive battle, rightly deciding that the victory of either side would not bring him benefits, Æthelwald decided to save his strength. Therefore, when on November 15 both troops converged on the battlefield on the banks of the Vinved River, the king of Deira hurried to leave the lists, as a result of which confusion began in the united army, which Oswiu did not fail to take advantage of, utterly defeating the allies and killing their leaders. However, Æthelwald did not long outlive his recent adherents, dying at the end of 655.

Oswiu finally united Bernicia and Deira in Northumbria with the victory at Winved. Although it should also be noted here that in 656 Oswiu allowed his son Elfrith to rule in Deira as a vassal king, despite the fact that he fought against his father on the side of Penda. But in 664, probably after another attempt at a conspiracy against his father, Elfrit was removed from this position, and Eldfrith took his place. After the death of Oswiu in 670, the Deirans rebelled against him and transferred power to Eldfrith's half-brother Egfrith, who, in turn, in the same year appointed his younger brother Elfwine, who at that time was still a child and had no real power, as the vassal king of Deira. . In 679, the brothers opposed King Ethelred I of Mercia. The battle between them took place on the River Trent, in which the Northumbrians were defeated, and Elfwine was killed in it. After his death, the title of King of Deira completely disappeared, and since then only the rulers of Northumbria have been mentioned, which lasted until the middle of the 10th century, when it was finally conquered by Wessex.

The capital of Northumbria was Eoferwic (Roman Eborac and present-day York).

NORTHUMBRIA, Nor-tamb-ria (eng. Nor-thumbria, from OE Norþanhymbra - “(land) to the north of the Humber River”) - historical ob- power and ang-lo-sak-son-ko-ro-left-st-vo in the se-ve-re of Ang-lie (in the period of the greatest cha-lo also Southern Scotland).

The name "Northumbria" has been known since the beginning of the 8th century (for the first time we met at Be-dy Dos-to-poch-ten-no-go). The king-ro-left-st-in of Northumbria was formed in the 7th century in rezul-ta-te of the ob-e-di-non-niya of the An-lo-Sak-Son-sky kingdoms of Day -ra (see Yorkshire) and Ber-ni-tion (on the territory of the modern English counties of Durham and North Tambourland and the Scottish counties of Berick-shire and East -Lo-ti-an), which arose in the 5th-6th centuries in the ho-de ang-lo-sak-son-sko-go for-how-va-niya. Etelf-rit from the great dynastia of Ber-ni-tion (about 592-616 years) was the first to gain power over both-and-mi ko-ro-left-st -wa-mi (about 605). He won a number of major victories over cattle-ta-mi and Briton-ta-mi (battle at Ches-te-re around 616, etc.), but in 616 he was beaten on the river Idle ko-ro-lem of East Anglia Red-val-dom, someone gave the throne of Northumbria to the pre-sta-vi-te-lu di-na-stii of Dei-ra Ed -vi-nu (616-633 years). Ed-win accepted hri-sti-an-st-vo (627), concluded a union with ko-ro-la-mi Ken-ta. Thanks-go-da-rya active aggressive in-li-ti-ke, he managed to expand his power in the north to Ad-ria-no- the howling of the wall and west to the Irish m. (including capturing the islands of Man and Ang-l-si). Gi-bel Ed-vi-na in the battle on Hat-fil-de (633) against co-ro-la Mercia Pen-da and pra-vi-te-la Briton-ko-go -ro-lev-st-va Gwi-ne-da Kad-val-lo-na pri-ve-la to the de-le-niyu of Dei-ra and Ber-ni-tion, but already in 634 Os- Wald, son of Æthelf-ri-ta, united all of Northumbria under his rule. He managed to turn Northumbria into a do-mi-ni-ru-sche-po-lytic force in Bri-ta-nia and co-st-in-shaft further -stia-ni-for-tion of the country. After gi-be-li Os-val-da (vpo-next-st-wii ka-no-ni-zi-ro-van like mu-che-nick) in the battle with Pen-da on Ma- ser-fel-de (642) Dei-ra again did not-for-vi-si-mo-sti, but in 651 Os-vi, brother of Os-val-da (ruler in Ber -ni-tion since 642), window-cha-tel-but ob-e-di-nil both parts of Nor-tum-briya.

During the reign of Os-vi (651-670) and his son Eg-fri-da (670-685), the flowering of Northumbria comes. In 655, Os-vi in ​​the battle on the river. Vin-ved won a decisive trouble over Pen-da and us-ta-no-vil control over Mer-si-she (window-cha-tel-naya gra-ni-tsa between Northumbria and Mer-si-she would-la us-ta-nov-le-na in 679 along the river Humber). His supreme power is recognized by other ang-lo-sak-son-ko-ro-lev-st-va, as well as the right-vi-te-li pic-tov, livestock and northern Britons. Eg-fried in 684 was the first of the ang-lo-sak-son-sky ko-ro-lei from the right-fork military ex-pe-di-tion to Ir-land-dia. His death during the time of the ho-da against the pic-tov came-la to the os-lab-le-ny of Northumbria, some-paradise in the VIII - the first half of the IX century entered-pi- la in the peri-od of internal non-sta-bil-no-sti (out of 14 co-ro-lei, right-wing between 705 and 806, 4 would have been killed, 6 - overthrew-well-you, 2 - dob-ro-free-but renounced from pre-hundred-la).

At the same time, in Northumbria, the flowering of cultural and in-tel-lek-tu-al-noy continued, -men-but with christia-ni-for-qi-her re-gio-on. First-at-the-initial-but the leading role in this process was played by irl. mo-na-hi-mis-sio-ne-ry from mon. Io-na (see Ai-o-na), one-on-one after co-bo-ra in Whit-by (664), completed the dispute about time no celebrating Easter, influence re-re-went to the party, ori-en-ti-ro-vav-shey-sya on close con-so-you with Ri- mom and Ken-ter-be-ri. In the monasteries of Lin-dis-farn, Wear-mut-and-Yar-row, Re-pon, Whit-by, as well as in the cathedrals of Yor -ka and Hek-se-ma voz-nick-whether bo-ga-tey-shie bib-lio-te-ki, active-but dey-st-vo-va-whether creak-to-rii and shko- ly. Works of Be-dy Do-a-hundred-poch-ten-no-go, Al-kui-na and other nor-tum-briy-skih av-to-ditch de-mon-st-ri-ru-yut them shi-ro-kuyu era-di-tion, beautiful knowledge of la-you-ni, co-chi-not-niy an-tych-nyh and early-not-christ-sti-an-av -that-ditch. You-walkers from Northumbria played an important role in the initial stage of "Ka-ro-ling-sko-go voz-ro-zh-de-nya".

From the end of the 8th century, on-be-gi vi-king-gov in co-che-ta-nii with not-pre-beautiful-shchav-shi-mi-sya uso-bi-tsa-mi with-ve-whether to the deep -bo-ko-mu kri-zi-su in Northumbria. In 866, scan-di-na-you for-hwa-ti-li to the hundred-li-tsu of Northumbria - York. In re-zul-ta-te on the ter-ri-to-rii of modern Yorkshire, the vi-king-ko-ro-left-st-vo (part of Den-lo), lands to se-ve-ru from the river. Yew (modern count-st-vo Nor-tam-ber-land) so-stored-no-whether ang-lo-sak-son-great-vi-te-li, recognizing-vav-shie top-hov th power of scan-di-na-vov. In the middle of the 10th century, Northumbria became part of the united-nyon-no-go-ko-ro-lev-st-va of Anglia, but until the 12th century, it kept the knowledge - a literal political auto-no-mission, a legal and cultural one of its own.