Dida of Eynsham (also called Didan or Didanius) was a 7th-century sub-king of the

Mercia la, Merciorum regnum , conventional_long_name=Kingdom of Mercia , common_name=Mercia , status=Kingdom , status_text=Independent kingdom (527–879)Client state of Wessex () , life_span=527–918 , era=Heptarchy , event_start= , date_start= , ye ...

n territory around

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, near the Chilterns. Little is known of his life, although he is mentioned briefly in the various

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...

chronicles, and he has been purported, since ancient times, to be the father of

St Frideswide Frithuswith, commonly Frideswide (c. 65019 October 727; ang, Friðuswīþ), was an English princess and abbess. She is credited as the foundress of a monastery later incorporated into Christ Church, Oxford. She was the daughter of a sub-ki ...

, patron saint of Oxford.

Biography

The date of Dida's birth is not known. He appears to have acted as a sub-king of the Chilterns around 670–675. Anglo-Saxon chronicles describe him as controlling areas of

n territory around Oxford and the Chilterns. He appears to have been in constant dispute with the

West Saxons la, Regnum Occidentalium Saxonum , conventional_long_name = Kingdom of the West Saxons , common_name = Wessex , image_map = Southern British Isles 9th century.svg , map_caption = S ...

over land boundaries. It is speculated that he was a Mercian nobleman who was raised to the status of sub-king by

Wulfhere of Mercia Wulfhere or Wulfar (died 675) was King of Mercia from 658 until 675 AD. He was the first Christian king of all of Mercia, though it is not known when or how he converted from Anglo-Saxon paganism. His accession marked the end of Oswiu of North ...

; although it is not known for certain how long he held this position, or even if he lost his authority only upon his death. Because of his connection to St. Frideswide, it is also assumed that he was related to the sub-king of

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

Frithuwold of Chertsey Frithuwald was a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon ruler in Surrey, and perhaps also in modern Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, who is known from two surviving charters. He was a sub-king ruling under King Wulfhere of Mercia. According to late hagiogr ...

. The chronicles do not record the date of Dida's death.

Legends

In a ''Vita'' (or ''Life'') of St Frideswide, William of Malmsbury mentioned Dida, and describes him as "a catholic and upright man", who was married to a "worthy wife" named Safrida. Their only child was

Frideswide Frithuswith, commonly Frideswide (c. 65019 October 727; ang, Friðuswīþ), was an English princess and abbess. She is credited as the foundress of a monastery later incorporated into Christ Church, Oxford. She was the daughter of a sub-kin ...

, whom he ordered to be baptised. When Safrida died, Dida built a church at the behest of his daughter, dedicating it to the

Holy Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

, the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...

and all the saints. There he allowed Frideswide to become its first abbess. After the death of Dida, a certain Algar of Leicestershire (apparently

Æthelbald of Mercia Æthelbald (also spelled Ethelbald or Aethelbald; died 757) was the King of Mercia, in what is now the English Midlands from 716 until he was killed in 757. Æthelbald was the son of Alweo and thus a grandson of King Eowa. Æthelbald came to t ...

) succeeded him and wooed Frideswide; but she, rejecting his advances, escaped from him until the providence of God caused him to fall from his horse and break his neck. Frideswide continued as the abbess of the monastery at Oxford until her death. She was later to become patron saint of Oxford and of the

university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

there.

References

External links

* {{PASE, 19511, Anonymous 10087 Mercian monarchs Anglo-Saxon royalty People from Oxford 7th-century English monarchs

Biography

Legends

See also

References

External links