Northumbria

Kingdom of Northumbria
*Norþanhymbra rīċe* (Old English)
*Regnum Northanhymbrorum* (Latin)
Kingdom of Northumbria Norþanhymbra rīċe (Old English); Regnum Northanhymbrorum (Latin)
654–1066
	Northumbria at its greatest extent around 700
Status	Unified:; Anglian kingdom (until 867; 872–876; 877–883; c. 910–c. 918); Earldom of England (954–1066); North:; Puppet state of the Danes (867–872); Independent Anglian kingdom (883–910); Autonomous territory of England (927–954); South (Scandinavian York):; Danish kingdom (867–872; 876–877; 883–c. 910; 918–927; 939–944; 947–954); Autonomous territory of England (927–939; 944–947)
Common languages	Northumbrian Old English; Old Norse; Cumbric
Religion	Paganism (before 7th century); Christianity (after 7th century)
Demonym(s)	Northumbrian
Government	Monarchy
King of Northumbria
History
• Union of the crowns of Bernicia and Deira	654
• Deira is conquered by Vikings	867
• Bernicia accepts the rule of King Æthelstan	927
• Last Viking king expelled by King Eadred	954
• Norman Conquest	1066
Currency	Sceat, penny
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Bernicia
	Deira
Kingdom of England
Kingdom of Scotland
Today part of	United Kingdom England; Scotland; ;

Northumbria (/nɔːrˈθʌmbriə/; Old English: Norþanhymbra rīċe [ˈnorˠðɑnˌhymbrɑ ˈriːt͡ʃe]; Latin: Regnum Northanhymbrorum)^[6] was an early medieval kingdom in what is now Northern England and South Scotland.

The name derives from the Old English Norþanhymbre meaning "the people or province north of the Humber",^[7] as opposed to the people south of the Humber Estuary. What was to become Northumbria started as two kingdoms, Deira in the south and Bernicia in the north. Conflict in the first half of the seventh century ended with the murder of the last king of Deira in 651, and Northumbria was thereafter unified under Bernician kings.

At its height, the kingdom extended from the Humber, Peak District and the River Mersey on the south to the Firth of Forth on the north. Northumbria ceased to be an independent kingdom in the mid-tenth century when Deira was conquered by the Danes and formed into the Kingdom of York. The rump Earldom of Bamburgh maintained control of Bernicia for a period of time; however, the area north of the Tweed was eventually absorbed into the medieval Kingdom of Scotland while the portion south of the Tweed was absorbed into the Kingdom of England as the county of Northumberland and County Palatine of Durham.

^ The historical works of Simeon of Durham, tr., with preface and notes, by J. Stevenson. Oxford: Oxford University (published 1855). 22 March 2025. p. 489.
^ Downham, Clare (2007), Viking Kings of Britain and Ireland: The Dynasty of Ívarr to A.D. 1014, Edinburgh: Dunedin
^ Williams, "Ealdred"; Woolf, From Pictland to Alba, p. 158
^ esmeraldamac (16 February 2012). "The Treaty of Eamont Bridge in 927CE". Esmeralda's Cumbrian History & Folklore. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Holdsworth 2014, p. 341.
^ Bede 1898 Book I, chapter 34
^ Bosworth 1898, p. 725

[1] The historical works of Simeon of Durham, tr., with preface and notes, by J. Stevenson. Oxford: Oxford University (published 1855). 22 March 2025. p. 489.

[Downham-2] Downham, Clare (2007), Viking Kings of Britain and Ireland: The Dynasty of Ívarr to A.D. 1014, Edinburgh: Dunedin

[3] Williams, "Ealdred"; Woolf, From Pictland to Alba, p. 158

[4] smeraldamac (16 February 2012). "The Treaty of Eamont Bridge in 927CE". Esmeralda's Cumbrian History & Folklore. Retrieved 27 February 2024.

[FOOTNOTEHoldsworth2014341-5] Holdsworth 2014, p. 341.

[6] Bede 1898 Book I, chapter 34

[7] Bosworth 1898, p. 725

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