Excerpt from History of Angland for Schools by Aedelbert Steiner
Published by Sovereign Books, 1935
Chapter 9:
In 677 Wulfhere once again tried to expand Mercian territory and marched east into what is now Easex and sacked the city of Rochester (1), as he had done in Glecaster Wulfhere cruelly put the church to the torch and pillaged the town. In doing so Wulfhere had essentially declared war on Eadric, king of Kent who in turn was the brother in law of King Ecgfrith the Quiet. Wulfhere’s campaign of expansion into Sussex had made him several enemies in Angland. Ever a cowardly oppurtunist, Wulfhere had commited a fatal mistake. He had mistook the reserved nature of king Ecgfrith for cowardice but he had underestimated the king and more importantly Prince Aedwine, the regent of Northumbria.
Aedwine was quick to bring the battle to Wulfhere, seeking personal glory and a victory for Northumrbia. After all, Aedwine, who was sometimes called "the Half Blood Prince" (2) was only the kings half brother and sought to cement his one place in history. Wise and quick, Aedwine called Wulfhere's bluff and immediately marched south.
The sacking of Rochester in 677 saw quick retaliation from both Kent and Northumbria. Kent would attempt to recapture Rochester in the autumn of 677 unsuccessfully and would fall back to the Kentish capital of Canterbury. Seeing he was outnumbered Wulfhere would use this victory to break out of Colchester and cross the Thames north to Mercia. An early winter and the time taken defeating the Kentish armies at Colchester would delay Wulfhere’s march north and west. Aedwine would take his armies quickly south (acting on behalf of the young king Ecgfrith). The two armies would meet along the snow covered banks of the Trent in southern Deira, which was once the Kingdom of Lindsey. The Venerable Bede comments on the battle
“Being full of the righteous spirit of god, the armies of Prince Aedwine marched south at great speed and in doing so cought the dishonourable Wulfhere unawares, camped as he was on the north bank of the Trent river. Aedwine faced Wulfhere, forcing his enemy to have his back to the water,”
Wulfhere was caught in a trap with his back to the Trent(2) Although Aedwine’s troops were more experienced than Wulfhere’s, they were tired from days of hard marching. Meanwhile Wulfhere’s troops were rested but many were recruited fairly fresh, Wulfhere having lost much of his experienced soldiery fighting against Wessex several years before. Foolishly Wulfhere thought his right flank was fairly well protected by tributary of the Trent and an area of marshy ground but during the battle, if folklore is to be believed, some of Aedwine’s men were lead by a figure across a strip of pasable land and forded the tributary before attacking Wulfhere’s flank. This figure has variously been labelled as the spirit of St Aidan, King Oswald or even St Paul. To this day no one knows who the figure was. None the less a large portion of Aedwine's forces flanked Wulfhere and sorrounded him on two sides and the Trent on the third.
With only one direction to flee the Mercian army tried to head west. In this retreat Aedwine charged with his royal guard into battle and faced Wulfhere in combat. Though Wulfhere was mighty and vicious as his brother and father had been before him. Aedwine clearly had god on his side and slew the bloodthirsty Mercian king by removing his head from his shoulders with his sword. From there the Northumbrian army would pursuit the Mercians across the country. Into Mercian territory, defeating the Mercians as the desperately put up a rearguard action. By Christmas 677 the Northumbrian army had reached the Mercian capital of Tamworig and seized it. Soon Wulfgar, the young son of Wulfhere was on the throne, put there quite clearly by Northumbrian swords.
The Lichfield decree, written 678,
As kept in the museum of Anglish history, Laudenwic.
“From Aedwine, Prince of Northumbria and regent to Ecgfrith, blessed by god, King of Northumbria.
And Wulfgar, King of Mercia
In accordance with laws of succession, I Wulfgar, son of Wulfhere hereby take the throne of Mercia. In my power as such I decree that having proven themselves on the field of battle, do accept the supremacy of Northumbria in their rule over the Anglish. I shall, until I come of age, accept Wiglaf or Eorforwic as regent of Mercia.
In accordance with the wishes of Aedwine, Regent of Northumbria to build a monastery at Lichfield, to be headed by Chad of Lindisfarne, hereafter Bishop of Lichfield and for Lichfield itself to become the new capital of Mercia as a symbol of the new Mercia.
It is also decreed that Cynedryth, princess of Mercia shall, when of age, marry the heir of Ecgfrith of Northumbria, to show the unification of the nations of Angland in brotherhood under Christ.
- This is an OTL event, its just that Northumbria are and Kent are in a strong position to respond. Unfortunately it makes Wulfhere’s actions less explainable in TTL.
- I'm not even sorry!
- Fictonal, because butterflies