in 660, shortly after the death of his father, ecgfrith became king of northumbria. ecgfrith asked bishop wilfrid to convince the queen the kingdom needed an heir. he paid the bishop in gold and a great many hides of land to convince her but etheldreda would not change her mind. the marriage was dissolved before the end of 672. ethelreda was allowed to become a nun. she retired to coldingham priory and a year later she became the abbess of ely, which she had built herself. ecgfrith married as his second wife eormenburg. she and bishop wilfrid became bitter enemies.