Chapter Titles From a History of the Anglish People
7
By Bede of Jarway
CHAPTER XVIII:OSWINE DEFEATS THE PICTS OF THE NEW NORTHUMBRIAN TERRITORIES AT THE BATTLE OF TWO RIVERS (671AD) (1)
CHAPTER XIX: AT THE SYNOD OF EORFORWIC IT IS DECIDED, IN LINE WITH THE WISHES OF KING OSWINE THE HUMBLE AND SUPPORTED BY THE PRAISE FROM THE POPE THAT LINDISFARNE IS SUPERIOR OVER ALL OTHER ANGLISH BISHOPHORICS AND THAT IT SHALL BE AN ARCHBISHOPHORIC (672AD) (2)
CHAPTER XX: MONKWEARTHMOUTH ABBEY IS FOUNDED BY BENEDICT BISCOP (673 AD) (3)
CHAPTER XXI: NORTHUMBRIAN MISSIONARIES SET UP THE PRIORY AT HEREFORD TO THE PROTESTATIONS OF THE KING OF MERCIA. (674AD)
CHAPTER XXII: WILFRID BECOMES ARCHBISHOP OF LINDISFARNE
Royals: Series Recap
Season Three Episodes Eleven and Twelve
As read in Kinophone Monthly Magazine
Here we reach the season finale. We’ve seen Wulfric of Mercia face and barely defeat Cenwalh of Wessex before sacking the city of Glecaster and crucifying the Bishop there (4) while Oswine has continued his march north and captured the Pictish city of Eidinburh. Episode eleven begins with the marriage of Ealdryth, the sister of Oswine to Eadric, King of Kent.
Two minor characters have been developed throughout the season (shown by the changing of their actors from their portrayal as infants in season two). These being Ecgfrith, son of Oswine and his illegitimate half brother Aedwine. The latter of whom, Oswine took under his wing despite his origins (See Season one episode 8 where the normally pure Oswine is seduced by “a lady of the night” and episode eleven where the baby was delivered to Oswine). Its quite clear the show is setting these characters up as central to the plot (again a bit of historical research would guide you ahead of the show) as the wedding is mostly shown from their perspective.
Ecgfrith is a quite boy, he has inherited his father’s love of scripture and art and is seen enthusiastically joining in with the wedding ceremony but shying away from any nobles he has to meet. Aedwine is quite the opposite, while as intelligent as his brother he’s louder, more dominant and has quickly become a bit of a manipulative bully. Its heavily suggested by the show throughout these episodes that Aedwine is slightly bitter about Ecgfrith being the noble son and heir of Northumbria despite Aedwine being the older child by several years. This is shown through some heavy handed editing and matching dialogue between him and the increasingly bitter and power hungry king Wulfhere of Mercia. Who is briefly shown in this episode further alienating some of his less loyal noblemen.
A year passes as we go into 675 CE. We start with the foundation of the priory of Hereford. This had been discussed by King Oswine in the previous episode as having a presence within Mercia without provoking Wulfhere. One of the senior monks sent to establish the priory has been shown to be in the pay of Oswine. It should be noted that this is shown to be the idea of Aedwine, who, being considered old enough to be a man, has begun attending Oswine’s councils and has been given some responsibility by his father. Upon their arrival in Hereford, the monks are met by Mercian soldiers, who threaten them and the monks are only saved by their brethren within the Mercian church who see the Northumbrians as the senior authority, perhaps showing things to come within the church (again, you can always look into the actual history, or for our viewers in Angland, visit an actual church)
It’s somewhat anticlimactic when Oswine “The Humble” dies, simply of illness with no hint of poison or any other assassination. It is however, historically accurate. With his father’s death Ecgfrith, designated as his father’s heir, becomes king of Northumbria. However he is seen as too young to rule properly. It is at this point that Aedwine steps in, echoing his fathers more calm and sinister moments, being of the kings blood, he offers to serve as regent for the next few years, until Ecgfrith can come of age. Aedwine has his argument xarefuloy laid out in a way that its hinted he might be responsible for his father’s death.
So the season ends with quiet Ecgfrith assuming the throne at Bamburh castle with a rather epic crown on his small head and the ending shot being on a triumphant Aedwine with a much simpler circlet in his head being named Breguweard, roughly “Prince” or “mayor of the Palace”. And the more triumphant version of the end credits plays
- More or less as OTL except its Oswine as king of the Unified Northumbria, not Ecgfrith as king of Deira THEN Northumbria
- A parallel to the Synod of Hereford that decided that Canterbury was the senior church
- Pretty much as OTL, conveniently
- Please note: this is a fictionalisation of history)