616AD. Edwin son of Aelle seized the kingdom of Northumbria at the death of Æthelfrith. Oswald, Æthelfrith’s son, fled to the monastery on Iona, an island off the west coast of what is now Scotland.
617AD. Edwin Conquered much of north Rheged and Ynys Manau (The Isle of Man). He also attacked the British kingdom of Elmet and killed its king Ceretic. The battle took place near Bawtry and at the demise of Ceretic, Edwin annexed the kingdom, to Northumbria.
620AD. Edwin retook South Rheged and expelled King Lywarch Hen who fled to Powys. Edwin’s army then marched north into Strathclyde and Gododdin.
626AD. He followed this by taking the petty British kingdom of Meicen (Hatfield near Doncaster) and the Anglian Kingdom of Lindsey (Lincolnshire).
In the same year, an assassination attempt was made on Edwin’s life at the Pagan festival of Easter. The assassin, Eumer, sent by the Prince of Wessex, Cwichelm, craved audience with the king on an important matter. The audience was granted but when Eumer reached the King he produced a poisoned dagger. One of Edwin’s men, Lillam threw himself between them, the blade however, was thrust with such force that it pierced Lillam’s body, came out the other side and wounded the king. As the fight continued another of Edwin’s men a thane called Forthere was killed, but Eumer was eventually overpowered and executed.
After recovering from his wound Edwin marched on Wessex. Prince Cwichelm and his father King Cynegils of Wessex marched north to meet him. The two armies met at the battle of Win Hill and Lose Hill in Derbyshire. Despite having superiority in numbers the army of Wessex was severely beaten and retreated in disarray back to Wessex.
627AD. Edwin became a Christian. He was baptised by the missionary Paulinus in the wooden church of St Peter at York. Coifi, Edwin’s Pagan high priest followed the king example and also converted to Christianity, he even went as far as having the great heathen temple of Goodmanham near to the Derwent destroyed.
629AD.Edwin invaded the Isle of Man, then moved on King Cadwallon of Gwynedd in Anglesey. Cadwallon lost the battle became besieged on Puffin Island, as small island off Eastern Anglesey. He fled from there to Ireland and then made his way to Brittany.
630AD. Cadwallon returned from exile in Brittany, negotiated an alliance with King Penda of Mercia and a combined force of Britons and Saxon moved north to retake Gwynedd. The joint force came into battle and defeated the Northumbrians at Cefn Digoll (Long mountain near Welshpool) and followed them back into Northumbria where in a frenzy of killing, raping, burning and sacking of cities, they terrorising the north. Edwin set about gathering his scattered army and in due time was again ready for battle
633AD.Edwin came into battle with Penda and Cadwallon at Heath field (Hatfield Chase, near Doncaster} Edwin and Ostrihc a possible successor were slain and Edwin's son Edfrith surrendered. The Britons and Mercians continued to ravage the north and the kingdom was spit again into Bernicia and Deira.
Eanfrith the exiled son of Aethelfrith returned to take the throne of Bernicia and Osric Cousin of Edwin took the throne of Deira
