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Oswald, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Oswald, Saint, d. 641, king of Northumbria (633–41), son of Æthelfrith. In exile during the reign of Edwin, Oswald and his brother Oswy became Christians. After Edwin's death Oswald defeated (633) ...

Kenneth II

(Encyclopedia)Kenneth II, d. 995, Scottish king (971–995). The son of Malcolm I (reigned 943–54), he became king of the united Picts and Scots in 971 and immediately led a savage raid on the British in Northumb...

Brunel, Isambard Kingdom

(Encyclopedia)Brunel, Isambard Kingdom: see under Brunel, Sir Marc Isambard. ...

Egbert

(Encyclopedia)Egbert, d. 839, king of Wessex (802–39). His name also appears as Ecgberht. He was descended from Cerdic and was apparently an unsuccessful aspirant for the crown of Wessex against Beohtric (reigned...

East Anglia

(Encyclopedia)East Anglia ăngˈglēə [key], kingdom of Anglo-Saxon England, comprising the modern counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. It was settled in the late 5th cent. by so-called Angles from northern Germany an...

Essex, Anglo-Saxon kingdom

(Encyclopedia)Essex, one of the early kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England. It was settled probably in the early 6th cent. by Saxons who traced their royal line back to a continental Saxon god instead of to Woden, as di...

Siward

(Encyclopedia)Siward syo͞oˈərd [key], d. 1055, earl of Northumbria. A Danish warrior, he probably came to England with King Canute. At the behest of King Harthacanute in 1041 he ravaged Worcestershire and perhap...

Macbeth

(Encyclopedia)Macbeth măkbĕthˈ [key], d. 1057, king of Scotland (1040–57). He succeeded his father as governor of the province of Moray c.1031 and was a military commander for Duncan I. In 1040 he killed Dunca...

Penda

(Encyclopedia)Penda, d. 654, king of Mercia (c.632–654). A noble of the Mercian royal house, he fought (629) the king of Wessex for lands along the Severn River. He then allied himself with Cadwallon of Wales, de...

Durham, county, England

(Encyclopedia)Durham, officially County Durham, county, 1,015 sq mi (2,629 sq km), NE England, on the North Sea between the Tees and Tyne rivers; administratively...