The Northumbrians win the Battle of Dunnichen in 685

At the Battle of Dunnichen or Nechtansmere in eastern Scotland on 20 May 685, the Pictish army under their king Bridei III overwhelmingly defeated the Northumbrian army of King Ecgfrith. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dunnichen .

An alternative scenario is that the Northumbrians decisively win that battle, with King Bridei being killed, and conquer the whole of OTL Scotland (perhaps excluding the Northern and Western Isles: The Orkneys Isles, the Shetlands and the Outer Hebrides) by the year 700.

This kingdom of Northumbria successfully resists the power of Mercia in the 8th century and attempted Danish/Norse/Wessex conquest in the 9th and 10th centuries. Though it might lose some peripheral territory to the Danes/Norse.

By the 11th century the kingdom of Northumbria with its capital in Edinburgh includes all or most of OTL Scotland and extends as far south as the Humber and the Mersey. It is prosperous, and militarily an equal match for the kingdom or kingdoms to its south.

In the following centuries it is able to resist attempts at conquest from the south. It conquers or reconquers the Northern and Western Isles from the Norse. The Gaelic speaking clans of the Highlands and Islands are subdued and brought under the control of the government in Edinburgh.

There would most likely be marriages between the royal houses of Northumbria and England (assuming that a kingdom of England develops), though not necessarily a union of the crowns as there was between England and Scotland in OTL.

This Northumbria would be wealthier than OTL Scotland so it would want to maintain its independence from England. It would include the coalfields and manufacturing industries of OTL northern England. It would probably want to establish an empire outside Europe.

In the present day it is still independent, though a member of the European Union (or similar organization).
 
I can't say I'm an expert on this, but I can't see the Northumbrians taking over all of Scotland, especially not in one campaign. I find it far more likely that they would imitate the Romans - overrun the lowlands, and send an expedition up the eastern coast maybe as far as Aberdeen, garrisoning key settlements. Maybe they could hold this eastern strip of land, but I'm not sure - it's frightfully exposed to counter-attack and pretty easy to cut off the Northumbrians' land supply route. But to me, the highlands are too hard for the Northumbrians to conquer in anything other than an exhaustive series of campaigns stretching over the reigns of a number of Kings. And even then the highlands would probably be restive and hard to control.

Also, again not an expert but to me, Dark Ages York outstrips Edinburgh in numerous factors - size, wealth, strategic positioning, etc. I think they'd stay based in York.
 
In this scenario with the Pictish army destroyed, and their king killed at the battle of Dunnichen, the Northumbrians conquer the lowlands of Scotland by the beginning of the 8th century in more than one campaign. I envisage them advancing into the foothills of the highlands up to OTL Dunblane, Perth and Stirling. I would expect them to advance up the east and north-east coast of Scotland at least as far north as OTL Inverness.

Originally posted by Falastur
Dark Ages York outstrips Edinburgh in numerous factors - size, wealth, stategic positioning etc. I think [the Northumbrians] would stay based in York.

Bamburgh Castle stands on the site of the capital of Northumbria. It was not a city in the 7th century, but in subsequent centuries with the expansion of Northumbria, Bamburgh as its capital would become a large and wealthy city. Instead of the Edinburgh Festival there would be the Bamburgh Festival as a major annual international arts festival.

In OTL King Ecgfrith of Northumbria dies childless. In 678 he married his second wife Eormenburg. In my alternative scenario he could have lived for up to another 20 years or more after Dunnichen and fathered one or more legitimate children. He was born in 645. In OTL he is succeeded by his illegitimate half brother, Aldfrith, who reigns until his death in 704 or 705. If Ecgfrith dies before Aldfrith, I expect Aldfrith would succeed him as king. If Ecgfrith survives Aldfrith the succession would depend on whether he (Ecgfrith) has any surviving legitimate male heirs. A struggle for the crown is possible.

However this power struggle does not significantly weaken the
kingdom of Northumbria which is able to consolidate and maintain its control of OTL northern England and the lowland Scotland in the 8th century.
 
At the Battle of Dunnichen or Nechtansmere in eastern Scotland on 20 May 685, the Pictish army under their king Bridei III overwhelmingly defeated the Northumbrian army of King Ecgfrith. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dunnichen .
Note that beating the PICTS is (relatively) easy. Taking over the SCOTS would be a lot harder. (Since they were the ones who OTL beat and assimilated the Picts).

I could easily see 'Northumbria' extending way north, that would be fairly easy, so a long skinny kingdom on the east coast, sure.

Beating and absorbing the Scots and Strathclyde would be possible, but harder, I'd think...

So... Anglish Northeast, Gaelic Northwest, British (=brythonic) Strathclyde, British Wales, Saxon south, British Cornwall ???? Hmm...
 
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