Historic%20Yorkshire

2
ALFRED, KING OF NORTHUMBRIA.
northern county subjected to his arms. The Picts were
driven back to their mountain fastnesses, and his success
was complete. A few years after, however, a kinsman of
the victorious Ida, seeing his goodfortune, sailed up the
Humber, and seized from him a portion of his territory
from the Tees to the Humber, called Deira. The
remainder of Ida's district was named Bernicia, and
the wholecountry, when united (for in the timeof their
descendants it was alternately governed as one kingdom
or two, accordingto the descent and power of the kings)
was known as Northumbria. It was extended from the
north side of the Mersey to the Eden on the west coast,
and from the Tweed to the Humber on the east coast;
though in the time of Eadwine (the son of Ella, the
kinsman of Ida) who became King of Northumbria, it
stretched as far north as the Forth, where a fort was
built, round which a town sprang up — Eadwinsburg —
now Edinburgh.
Such is the descriptionof the founding of the kingdom
of Northumbria. Ida died, and was succeeded by his
son Ethelfrith,who was killed inbattle. After an interval
of sovereignty by the Deiran kings, Oswy, of Bernicia,
a natural son of Ethelfrith, became the King of
Northumbria by the murder of Oswine. He reigned for
28 years, leaving by his queen one son, Ecgfrid, and
another, and elder, Elfrid, illegitimately born. This
latter is the subject of our present notes. Oswine was
the King of Deira,and on his murderby Oswy, the latter
elevated Alchfrid, Ealfride, Elfrid, or Alfred, as he is
variouslycalled,to the Deiran throne as his Viceroy. Alfred
was a young man of an ambitious, bold, and energetic
character, and by his importunity, mingled with threats
of revolt, etc., persuaded Oswy to this step. He even
aspired to be independent ofhis father's kingly authority,
and to be absolute Sovereign of Deira; but Oswy refused
this, probably by the advice or remonstrances of his
nobles, to whom the illegitimacy of Alfred was an
insurmountable obstacle. Accordingly, at the death of