What is Battle of the Winwaed?
The '''Battle of the Winwaed''' ({{lang-cy|Cai}}) was fought on 15 November 655 between the [[Military|forces]] of [[King]]s [[Penda of Mercia]] and [[Oswiu of Northumbria|Oswiu of Bernicia]]. The outcome of the battle was a major victory for Oswiu and a restoration of [[Northumbria]]n dominance of [[Anglo-Saxon]] [[England#History|England]]. == Background == Several events led to the [[:wikt:battle|battle]] of the Winwaed. King [[Oswald of Northumbria]] was considered the [[:en:wikt:bretwalda|bretwalda]] or [[:wikt:overlord|overlord]] over the other [[Anglo-Saxon]] [[kingdom]]s in England.<ref>Bede, ''Ecclesiastical History of the English People'', trans. Leo Sherley Price, revsd. R. E. Latham (London; New York: Penguin, 1990), p. 144</ref> [[Penda of Mercia]] defeated and killed [[Oswald of Northumbria]] in 642 at the [[battle of Maserfield]].<ref name=Stenton82>Frank Stenton, ''Anglo-Saxon England'' (Oxford University Press, 1971), p. 82</ref> This left Penda the most powerful king in England.<ref name=Stenton83>Frank Stenton, ''Anglo-Saxon England'' (Oxford University Press, 1971), p. 83</ref> Penda did not claim to be the overlord, however.{{efn|Penda was not a conqueror. He was content to [[:wikt:raid|raid]] and [[:en:wikt:plunder|plunder]] other kingdoms.<ref>John Marsden, ''Northanhymbre Saga; the History of the Anglo-Saxon Kings of Northumbria'' (London: Kyle Cathie Limited, 1992), p. 143</ref>}}<ref name=Stenton83/> When his brother Oswald was killed, [[Oswiu of Northumbria]] claimed the throne of [[Bernicia]] but was not able to rule [[Deira]].<ref name=Ashley281>Mike Ashley, ''The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens'' (New York: Carroll & Graf, 1999), p. 281</ref> It was a year before Oswiu felt it was safe enough to recover his brother's body from the battlefield where he was killed.<ref name=Ashley281/> To appease Penda Oswiu gave his daughter in marriage to Penda's son [[Peada of Mercia|Peada]]. Also Oswiu agreed to the marriage of his son Alfrith and Penda's daughter Cyneburh.<ref name=Mars