BattlefieldsBattle of Chester
Early Medieval

Battle of Chester

616
Cheshire, England
Also known as: Battle of Caer Legion · Massacre of the Monks of Bangor-Is-Coed
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Cheshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Powys / Gwynedd (Selyf ap Cynan)
Forces
c. 2,000–3,500 Welsh + monks; major defeat for Powys/Gwynedd.
VS
Victor
Northumbria (Aethelfrith)
Forces
c. 2,000–4,000 Northumbrians
Outcome
Northumbrian victory; Welsh kingdoms driven apart; monks massacred
The Battle

History & Significance

Aethelfrith crushed a combined Welsh force and slaughtered up to 1,200 monks of Bangor who had come to pray for victory. Bede recorded this massacre with approval as punishment for the Welsh church's refusal to cooperate with the Roman mission. The battle drove a permanent wedge between the Welsh of Wales and the "Welsh" (Britons) of the north — the Cumbrians and Strathclyde Welsh.

Casualties & Losses

Selyf ap Cynan killed; c.1,200 monks massacred

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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