Bamburgh (bam-bra) Castle as it is today. The town was one of the seats of the Kings of Northumbria in the 7th century, as the capital of the constituent kingdom of Bernicia. Edwin, as King of both Bernicia and Deira from 616, settled his capital at York, chief city of Deira, where his father Ella had been King.
Introduction
Northumbria was a kingdom in northeast England, from the seventh century to the ninth. More than any other of the seven kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England, Northumbria shaped the political, social and religious identity of a united Kingdom of the English in the 10th century.
THE kingdoms of Bernicia to the north of the River Tees, with its capital at Bamburgh, and Deira to the south, seated in York, were first brought into an uneasy union by King Ethelfrith of Bernicia, son-in-law of Ella of Deira, in 604.
Ella’s son Edwin, Northumbria’s first Christian king, followed in 616, governing a realm that now stretched to the Isle of Man and west Wales.
His defeat at the hands of pagan King Penda of Mercia at Hatfield Chase in 633 was overturned the following year at the Battle of Heavenfield, by Ethelfrith’s son Oswald.
The new King formed a close bond with Aidan, a monk from Iona, who founded a monastery at Lindisfarne that became the beating heart of Oswald’s realm.
Penda slew Oswald in battle in 642, but seven years later Oswald was avenged by his brother Oswy at the Battle of the Winwæd, near Leeds, and Christian Northumbria suddenly found itself preeminent among the seven kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England.
Précis
The Kingdom of Northumbria was forged from two northeastern kingdoms of the late 6th century, Bernicia and Deira. Under the Christian kings Edwin, Oswald and Oswy, it became one of the most powerful realms of Anglo-Saxon England, reaching across to the Isle of Man and west Wales, and for a time eclipsed even the mighty Mercia. (56 / 60 words)
The Kingdom of Northumbria was forged from two northeastern kingdoms of the late 6th century, Bernicia and Deira. Under the Christian kings Edwin, Oswald and Oswy, it became one of the most powerful realms of Anglo-Saxon England, reaching across to the Isle of Man and west Wales, and for a time eclipsed even the mighty Mercia.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, because, just, not, otherwise, since, unless, whereas.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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