Œthelwald was a

King of Deira Northumbria, a kingdom of Angles, in what is now northern England and south-east Scotland, was initially divided into two kingdoms: Bernicia and Deira. The two were first united by king Æthelfrith around the year 604, and except for occasional ...

(651–c. 655). He was the son of King Oswald of Northumbria, who was killed at the

Battle of Maserfield The Battle of Maserfield () was fought on 5 August 641 or 642 (642 according to Ward) between the Anglo-Saxon kings Oswald of Northumbria and Penda of Mercia, ending in Oswald's defeat, death, and dismemberment. The location was also known as ...

in 642. After

Oswine of Deira Oswine, Oswin or Osuine (died 20 August 651) was a King of Deira in northern England. Life Oswine succeeded King Oswald of Northumbria, probably around the year 644, after Oswald's death at the Battle of Maserfield. Oswine was the son of Osric ...

was killed by Oswiu of Bernicia in 651, Œthelwald became king; it is uncertain whether Oswiu (who was Œthelwald's uncle) installed him as king or whether Œthelwald took the kingship in opposition to Oswiu. He subsequently allied himself with Oswiu's enemy,

Penda of Mercia Penda (died 15 November 655)Manuscript A of the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' gives the year as 655. Bede also gives the year as 655 and specifies a date, 15 November. R. L. Poole (''Studies in Chronology and History'', 1934) put forward the theor ...

, and assisted Penda during his invasion of Northumbria in 655. However, when the armies of Oswiu and Penda met on 15 November at the

Battle of the Winwaed The Battle of the Winwaed (Welsh: ''Maes Gai''; lat-med, Strages Gai Campi) was fought on 15 November 655 between King Penda of Mercia and Oswiu of Bernicia, ending in the Mercians' defeat and Penda's death. According to Bede, the battl ...

, Œthelwald withdrew his forces. Penda was defeated and killed, perhaps in part because of this desertion, and afterward Œthelwald seems to have lost Deira to Alchfrith, who was installed there by the victorious Oswiu. Œthelwald's fate is unknown, as nothing is formally recorded of him after the battle.Kirby, page 81. Local tradition, however, held that he became a hermit in Kirkdale,

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...

. Although he allied himself with the

pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...

Penda, Œthelwald was a pious

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

and was remembered for his generosity towards St. Cedd, to whom he granted land for a monastery.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Oethelwald of Deira Characters in works by Geoffrey of Monmouth Anglo-Saxon warriors Deiran monarchs 7th-century English monarchs 620s births 7th-century deaths Year of birth uncertain Place of birth unknown Year of death unknown Place of death unknown Burials at Lastingham Priory