BattlefieldsNorthumbrian Nobles Kill King Æthelred I Second Time 796
Early Medieval

Northumbrian Nobles Kill King Æthelred I Second Time 796

796
England
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Æthelred I of Northumbria
Forces
King Æthelred I of Northumbria
VS
Victor
Northumbrian noble conspirators
Forces
Northumbrian noble conspirators
Outcome
Æthelred I murdered at Corbridge; Northumbrian instability reaches new depths
The Battle

History & Significance

Æthelred I of Northumbria had been restored to the throne after his earlier deposition but was killed by his own nobles at Corbridge in 796, the same year Offa of Mercia died. Alcuin was devastated by the news and wrote that the Northumbrian people were destroying themselves with their murders of kings. The killing created another succession crisis.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around this battlefield

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near this battlefield