Eadberht of Northumbria

Eadberht (sometimes spelled as Eadbert or Edbert) (died 768), also known as Eadberht Eating, was the king of Northumbria from 737 to 758, when he abdicated in favour of his son Oswulf and became a monk at York. Eadberht was the brother of Ecgbert, Archbishop of York.

Eadberht succeeded his first cousin Ceolwulf, who abdicated in his favour and entered the monastery at Lindisfarne.

In 740 King Aethelbald of Mercia took advantage of the absence of Eadberht from Northumbria on campaign against the Picts to ravage southern Northumbria. It may have been during these campaigns that York was burnt, in April 741.

In 750 Eadberht took Kyle from Dumnagual of Strathclyde; and by 756 was in alliance with Óengus mac Fergusa against Dumnagual; an ultimately unsuccessful compaign. According to the Historia Regum Anglorum of Symeon of Durham

In the year from the Lord's incarnation 756, king Eadberht, in the eighteenth year of his reign, and Unust, king of the Picts, led an army to the town of Alc[lu]ith (Dumbarton). And hence the Britons accepted terms there, on the first day of the month of August. But on the tenth day of the same month perished almost the entire army which he led from Ouania (Govan), to Niwanbirig (Newbrough, near Hexham), that is, to the New City.

Eadberht's son Oswulf succeeded him, and was murdered within the year, and a second son, Oswine, was killed in battle in 761. However, his son-in-law Alhred did become king, and Eadberht's kin continued to contest for the Northumbrian throne until the end of the century, if not later. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports his death in 768.

Of Eadberht, Sir Frank Stenton wrote that he was the "last Northumbrian king to lead expeditions beyond the northern border". Going further, it may be fair to say that Eadberht was the last Northumbrian king to have been a significant figure in Britain.

Eadberht of Northumbria

Further reading