Oswulf was slain by his household at a place called Mechil Wongtun in 759. Moll Aethelwald, who may have been a brother of Eadberht, succeeded, and after a victory over a certain Oswine, who fell in the battle, abdicated and became a monk probably under compulsion in 765. His successor Alchred sent an embassy to Charlemagne in 768 and was deposed in 774, whereupon he fled to Bamburgh and afterwards to the Picts. His deposition has been ascribed to a formal act of the Witan, but this seems an antedating of constitutional methods and the circumstances point to a palace revolution. The successor of Alchred was Aethelred son of Moll Aethelwald. In 778 three high-reeves were slain at the instigation of the king. Aethelred was expelled during the next year, perhaps in consequence of this event, and Aelfwald son of Oswulf became king. Aelfwald was murdered by Sicga in 789, whereupon Osred his nephew the son of Alchred succeeded. In 790 the banished Aethelred returned to the throne and drove out Osred, whom he put to death in 792. Aethelred, who had married Aelflaed the daughter of Offa, also killed Aelf and Aelfwine, the sons of Aelfwald and was murdered himself at Corbridge in 796. Oswald, who is called patricius by Simeon of Durham, succeeded, but reigned only twenty-seven days, when he was expelled and eventually became a monk. Eardwulf dux, who had apparently fled abroad to escape the wrath of Aethelred, was now recalled and held the crown until 807 or 8o8. Aelfwald then became king but Eardwulf was restored in 8o8 or 809 after appealing to the emperor and the pope. Eanred, son of Eardwulf, probably came to the throne in 809 and reigned until 841. It was during his reign in 827 that Northumbria acknowledged the supremacy of Ecg berht, king of Wessex. Eanred was succeeded by his son Aethel red, who was slain in 85o, when Osberht came to the throne and reigned until 863. On the expulsion of Osberht, Ella or Aelle, succeeded. The chroniclers emphasize the fact that this king was not of royal descent. He is said to have slain Ragnarr Lobbrok.
In the year 866 Lotbrok's sons Ingwaere (Ivarr, q.v.), Healfdene, Ubba and others brought a vast army to England to avenge the death of their father. In the following year they obtained pos session of York. Ella seems now to have made peace with the exiled king Osberht, and their united forces succeeded in recover ing the city. In the great battle which ensued the Northumbrian army was annihilated and both kings were slain (the death of Ella, according to Irish tradition, being due to the treachery of one of his followers). The southern part of Northumbria now passed entirely into the hands of the invaders, but they allowed a certain Ecgberht to reign over the portion of the kingdom north of the Tyne. Ecgberht was expelled in 872 and died in the course of the following year. His successor Ricsig died in 876 and was followed by Ecgberht II., who reigned until 878. He was the last English king who reigned in Northumbria. After him the chief power north of the Tyne came into the hands of a certain Eadulf of Bamburgh, who did not take the kingly title, but accepted the overlordship of Alfred the Great perhaps in 886. In the winter of 874-73 Healfdene returned to Northumbria, which he par titioned next year among his followers. After an interregnum of
a few years a certain Guthred became king in 883. He is said to have been a slave and to have been appointed king at the com mand of St. Cuthbert who appeared to Eadred the abbot of Car lisle in a dream. There is some reason for the conjecture that he belonged to the family of Lobbrok. He died in 894, after which date little is known of Northumbrian history for some years.
About 919 the country was invaded by vikings from Ireland under Ragnall, grandson of Ivarr, who seized York and occupied the lands of St. Cuthbert. Aldred, the son of Eadulf, who now ruled north of the Tyne, appealed to Constantine II., king of the Scots, for help, but the Scottish and Northumbrian armies were defeated at Corbridge. Shortly after this, however, all the northern princes submitted to Edward the Elder. Ragnall was succeeded by Sihtric, who married Aethelstan's sister. He died in 926, and his brother and successor Guthfrith was soon afterwards expelled by Aethelstan and fled to Eugenius, king of Strathclyde. The Welsh and Scottish kings, however, both submitted to Aethel stan, and Guthfrith was again driven into exile. He died in 934. leaving a son Anlaf (Olaf r) Godfredsson or Godfreyson. In 934 Aethelstan invaded Scotland as far as the Tay. In 937 a great fleet and army were brought together by Constantine and Anlaf Godfreyson from Ireland. Aethelstan, however, won a complete victory over them at a place called Brunanburh. Anlaf Godfrey son escaped to Ireland but returned to England after Aethelstan's death, occupied York and compelled Edmund to cede to him all Danish Mercia north of Wattling street. He died in 941, and a series of obscure Scandinavian kings of York followed him until 954 when Northumbria was conquered by Edred king of Wessex. Eadred placed Northumbria in the hands of a certain Osulf, who is called high-reeve at Bamburgh. In the reign of Edgar, Oslac was appointed earl of southern Northumbria, but he was ban ished at the beginning of the following reign. The next earl was Waltheof and after him Uhtred, who defeated Malcolm II., king of the Scots, in 1006. Twelve years later, however, the North umbrians were completely defeated at Carhan, and Lothian was annexed by the Scots (see LOTHIAN). Uhtred was slain by the orders of Canute, who gave the province to Eric (Eirikr) earl of Lade. Shortly afterwards, however, part of it at least came into the hands first of Eadulf and then of Aldred and another Eadulf, the brother and sons respectively of Uhtred. The younger Eadulf was slain by Siward, probably in the reign of Harltacuut. Siward held the earldom till his death in 1055, when it was given to Tostig, son of earl Godwine, and after his banishment to Mork ere, son of Aelfgar, earl of Mercia. Tostig's banishment led to the invasion of Harold Hardrada, king of Norway, and the battle of Stamford Bridge, in which both perished.