BattlefieldsBattle of Winwaed
Early Medieval

Battle of Winwaed

655
West Yorkshire, England
Also known as: Battle of the River Winwaed
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
West Yorkshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Mercia (Penda)
Forces
Penda's Mercian-allied host.
VS
Victor
Northumbria (Oswiu)
Forces
c. 6,000–15,000 per side; Oswiu's Northumbrians
Outcome
Northumbrian victory; Penda killed; Mercian hegemony ended; Christianity spread south
The Battle

History & Significance

The death of Penda, the last great pagan Anglo-Saxon king, at the River Winwaed near Leeds changed the religious landscape of England. With Penda dead, the Mercian kingdoms quickly converted to Christianity. Bede describes the river as flooded and many drowning in flight. The battle is as significant for religious history as for political history.

Casualties & Losses

Penda killed; many Mercian sub-kings killed

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around West 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 West Yorkshire