BattlefieldsBattle of the River Humber (Aethelbald)
Early Medieval

Battle of the River Humber (Aethelbald)

741
East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Northumbrians
Forces
Northumbrians: c. 1,500–3,500 per side; Mercian hegemony raid.
VS
Victor
Aethelbald of Mercia
Forces
Aethelbald
Outcome
Mercian forces ravaged Northumbria during civil war
The Battle

History & Significance

Aethelbald of Mercia, at the height of Mercian supremacy, exploited Northumbrian internal conflict to raid across the Humber. Bede criticised Aethelbald's moral failings, and the raids into Northumbria exemplify the predatory inter-kingdom warfare of the period. Mercia under Aethelbald and later Offa dominated most of England south of the Humber.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around East Riding of Yorkshire

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 East Riding of Yorkshire