Northumbria

Long ago, a land called Northumbria grew.

It started as two small lands. One was in the north. One was in the south.

Two kings fought for a long time. Then, one king joined them. Now, the two lands were one.

Later, new people came from far away. These people were called Vikings. They attacked a place called Lindisfarne.

The Vikings took some of the land. They made a new kingdom in York. This changed how the land was ruled.

Many years passed. The old kingdom changed into new parts. It is fun to learn about old lands!

Northumbria was a kingdom in early England.

It existed from the year 654 to 1066. The name means the people north of the Humber. This is a river in the south.

At first, Northumbria was two separate lands. One was called Bernicia in the north. The other was Deira in the south. They often fought each other. In 651, the kings joined the lands together. One king ruled them as one.

Later, new people came to the area. These were the Vikings. They began raiding in the year 793. They attacked a place called Lindisfarne.

In 866, a large group called the Great Heathen Army arrived. They took control of York. This split the land again. The Vikings made the Kingdom of York. They ruled the southern parts. In the north, English leaders still held some power.

Eventually, the old kingdom changed. It became parts of Scotland and England. It is amazing to see how lands change over time.

Northumbria was a powerful kingdom in early medieval England. It lasted from the year 654 until 1066. The name means the people living north of the Humber River.

This kingdom covered much of Northern England and Southern Scotland. At its largest, it reached from the Humber all the way to the Firth of Forth. It was a land of many different people and stories. Understanding Northumbria helps us see how England began to take shape.

In the beginning, Northumbria was actually two separate kingdoms. One was named Bernicia in the north. The other was called Deira in the south. They were often at war with one another. The two lands finally joined together in 651. This happened after the last king of Deira was killed. From then on, kings from Bernicia ruled the whole unified land.

History tells us about the people who lived there first. It is possible that native British people lived in these areas. We know this because some place names sound British. For example, a hill fort called Yeavering Bell shows signs of very old settlements.

This site had timber buildings long before the Anglo-Saxons arrived. Later, a famous king named Edwin had a royal palace there. The historian Bede wrote much about these early days.

New groups of people arrived and changed the kingdom forever. In 793, Viking raiders attacked the holy island of Lindisfarne.

Later, in 865, a group called the Great Heathen Army arrived. They fought for control of the city of York. By 866, the Vikings had taken much of the southern part of Northumbria. They created their own area called the Kingdom of York.

This split the old kingdom into two different parts.

Over many years, the borders of Northumbria kept shifting. The land north of the River Tweed became part of Scotland. The land south of the river became part of England. It became the counties of Northumberland and Durham.

Even though the kingdom disappeared, its history remains. We can still see its influence in the names of towns and old buildings. The story of Northumbria is a story of how many small pieces became one nation.

Northumbria was a significant Anglo-Saxon kingdom in early medieval England. It existed from 654 AD until 1066 AD. The name comes from Old English words meaning "the people north of the Humber."

This kingdom covered a vast area of modern-day Northern England and Southern Scotland. At its peak, it stretched from the Humber and the River Mersey in the south to the Firth of Forth in the north. It was a land formed by different cultures and shifting political powers.

Before it was one kingdom, the region consisted of two separate states. These were Bernicia in the north and Deira in the south. The River Tees served as a rough boundary between them. Bernicia's power centers included areas like Bamburgh, Lindisfarne, and Carlisle. Deira's political heartland was located in the East Riding of Yorkshire, including the important city of York.

These two states often fought for control over the region.

Archaeological evidence suggests the land had deep roots before the Anglo-Saxons arrived. It is possible that native Celtic British kingdoms existed in these areas first. We see clues of this in many regional place names. For example, the name Yeavering likely comes from the British word "gefrin."

The hill fort at Yeavering Bell provides physical evidence of this history. It contains timber buildings that date back to the Iron Age, long before Germanic settlers arrived. Even after the Anglo-Saxons settled, Yeavering remained a vital political center where King Edwin held a royal palace.

The unification of the two kingdoms was a long and often violent process. In the mid-seventh century, the two states were frequently in conflict. A king named Æthelfrith was the first to rule both Bernicia and Deira. Later, King Edwin ruled both kingdoms from 616 to 633 AD.

Edwin was a major figure who even incorporated parts of Wales and the Isle of Man into his rule. However, the two lines of kings continued to struggle for supremacy. The unification became permanent in 651 AD after the last king of Deira was killed. From that point on, the Bernician royal line ruled the unified Northumbria.

In the late eighth century, the kingdom faced a new and massive challenge from Viking invaders. In 793 AD, a band of raiders attacked the holy island of Lindisfarne. This event marked the beginning of significant Viking activity in the region.

By 865 AD, a group known as the Great Heathen Army landed in England. They began a sustained campaign of conquest that reached Northumbria in 866 and 867 AD. The Vikings attacked the city of York twice in less than one year. During these raids, they killed Kings Ælle and Osberht.

The Viking invasions eventually split the old kingdom into two distinct parts. The Norse established the Kingdom of York in the southern provinces. This kingdom covered the area between the River Tees and the Humber. It lasted until 954 AD, when the last Scandinavian king, Eric, was driven out.

Meanwhile, the northern part of the region remained under different control. The Community of St. Cuthbert acted as a buffer between the Norse and the English. This religious community moved for many years before finding stability near the Tyne.

As the era of independent Northumbrian kings ended, the land was divided by new borders. The territory north of the River Tweed was eventually absorbed into the Kingdom of Scotland. The area south of the Tweed became part of the Kingdom of England. This southern portion was organized into the county of Northumberland and the County Palatine of Durham.

Although the kingdom itself ceased to exist, its history shaped the geography of the British Isles. The transition from many small kingdoms to larger nations was a central part of this long history.