Beornhæth was an Anglo-Saxon nobleman in Northumbria in the reign of King Ecgfrith (ruled 671–685). He was the first of his family to come to notice.

Eddius 's Life of Saint Wilfrid , recounting Ecgfrith's campaign against the Picts in 671 or 672, states that he was accompanied by the "sub-king" Beornhæth. It is presumed that Beornhæth ruled a part of northern Bernicia , perhaps in modern Lothian where there was a major Northumbrian fortress at Dunbar . ^[1] In 8th century Northumbria, a large number of noble families claimed descent from the legendary King Ida , or from the Deiran royal house, but it is not known whether Beornhæth claimed descent from Ida. ^[2]

Beornhæth's son Berhtred (died c. 698), also called Berht , commanded King Ecgfrith's punitive expedition to kingdom of Brega , in Ireland , in 684. Beorhtred's paternity is known from the notice of his death in the Irish annals , where he is called the son of Beornhæth. ^[3]

Historians presume that Berhtfrith , "a nobleman second in rank only to [King Osred ]", ^[4] was a son of Berhtred. ^[5] Berhtfrith was largely responsible for the defeat of the would-be King Eadwulf , and the installation of Aldfrith 's son Osred on the throne as child-king in 705. Berhtfrith appears to have achieved this by making peace between Osred's supporters, and those of Bishop Wilfrid . ^[6]

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References [ edit ]

• ( VW ) Eddius Stephanus , The Life of Saint Wilfrid in Webb & Farmer (eds), The Age of Bede . London: Penguin, 1983. ISBN   0-14-044727-X
• Anderson, Alan Orr , Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500?1286, volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Stamford: Paul Watkins, 1990. ISBN   1-871615-03-8
• Kirby, D.P., The Earliest English Kings. London: Unwin Hyman, 1991. ISBN   0-04-445691-3
• Yorke, Barbara , Kings and Kingdoms in Early Anglo-Saxon England. London: Seaby, 1990. ISBN   1-85264-027-8