ᛉ 590 – 634 ᛦ
Situated around modern Durham and Northumberland, the kingdom of Bernaccia was founded during the 5th century. In 547, a group of Angles took it over and pronounced the existing name Bernicia.
Eanfrith was the son of King Æthelfrith of Bernicia and Acha of Deira. Until the reign of Eanfrith’s father, Bernicia was little more than a coastal territory. In the Battle of Catreath though, King Æthelfrith decimated the British warrior class and secured Bernicia against the British.
In 616, the king was killed, while patrolling his lands bordering Elmet, by the army of King Rædwald of the East Engle. After King Æthelfrith’s death, Edwin regained his throne in Deira as well as Bernicia, and the sons of Æthelfrith were banished to the North.
While in exile with the Picts, Eanfrith married a Pictish princess and began aggression against King Edwin. At the Battle of Hatfield, King Edwin was killed by a coalition behind Cadwallon, King of Gwynedd and High King of the Britons, leaving Eanfrith to claim his father’s throne. As king of Bernicia, Eanfrith “renounced and lost” his faith, as the historian Bede states, returning to Ásatrú.
Eanfrith most likely had a loose alliance with Cadwallon during his attacks on King Edwin. But Cadwallon had King Eanfrith killed when he only brought 12 soldiers with him to negotiate peace.
Eanfrith’s brother, Oswald of Bernicia, would go on to defeat Cadwallon and unite Bernicia and Deira under his rule. His son, Talocran, would become king of the Picts.
We honor King Eanfrith of Bernicia for his Fidelity to the Æsir!
We honor King Eanfrith of Bernicia for his perseverance while in exile!
We honor King Eanfrith of Bernicia for his courage to fight for his rightful inheritance and restore the honor of his father!
Hail King Eanfrith!