EDWIN, an English Saxon prince, was the son of Ella, king of Northumbria, who died about 589. He succeeded to the throne at the age of three years, but a neighbor ing potentate, Ethelfrith, invaded and conquered his territories, whereupon the infant E. was carried into North Wales, and was there educated. When he grew up to man's estate, Ethelfrith, fearing that his power would not be secure so long as E. lived, forced him from his asylum, and for many years he wandered about a disguised fugitive. Reaching East Anglia, lie claimed the protection of king Redwald, which was readily granted. While residing there, Ethelfrith sent messengers to Redwald, requiring him to deliver E. into his hands, and threatening war in the event of a refusal. Redwald promised to accede to the request. A friend made known the resolve to the prince, and counseled flight; to this E. would not consent, but sat down without the palace, brood ing over his misfortunes. While sitting there, Bede states that an unknown person approached him, and promised release from all his sufferings, if he would listen to what should be afterwards taught him. The apparition then placed its hand upon his head, and bidding him remember the interview and the sign, disappeared.
Redwald's queen pleaded the cause of E., and he finally determined to protect him. Raising an army, Redwald surprised Ethelfrith on the Idel, in Nottinghamshire, and defeated and slew him in 617. When E. regained his kingdom, he wooed Edelber!m, daughter of Ethelbert of Kent. Her brother, who was a Christian, objected to her alliance with an idolater; hut E. promised that he would not interfere with her relig ious belief. The princess became his wife; and Paulinus, who had been sent by Greg ory to assist Augustine in his mission, accompanied her as her bishop.
About this time, E.'s life was attempted by tin assassin, sent by the king of Wessex. He escaped with a slight wound, and on the same night the queen was delivered of a daughter. The king thanked his idols for the birth, but Paulinus directed his thank fulness to the Christian Saviour. The king promised to accept the new faith, if Heaven would grant him victory over the king of His child and 11 of his household then received the rite of baptism. Raising an army, he defeated his foe, but delayed to fulfill his promise. Paulinus, having heard of the apparition which-appeared to him while residing at the court of Redwald, one day entered the apartment in which E. sat, and placing his hand upon his head, asked him if he remembered the sign. The king was visibly affected, and at once assembled his witenagem5te to deliberate on the matter of the new religion. Coifi, the high-priest, spoke first, and intimated his willingness to desert the idols, and embrace the Christian faith. A thane next rose and pronounced the beautiful speech which has been versified by so many poets, but which is most effective in the simple serious Saxon of the chroniclers. Coifi then headed the people in destroying the idol temple.
E. and the nobility of his kingdom were baptized in the eleventh year of his reign. Thereafter, he became the most powerful prince in England. He subdued a part of Wales, and his power extended northward to the Lothians. In 634, he fell in battle at Hatfield Chase, in Yorkshire; and in that disastrous fight, one of his children, and the greater portion of his army, perished. The history of this prince has been made the subject of a beautiful poem (Edwin' of Deira, 1861) by Alexander Smith.