when his brother oswald was killed in 642, the overlordship died with him. oswald had been king of a combined bernicia, deira and lindsey (kingdom). but northumbria was divided back into its earlier weaker sub-kingdoms. penda, now the most powerful king in england took lindsey. oswiu became king of bernicia. oswine claimed deira, preventing oswiu from keeping it with bernicia. a year after it happened oswiu recovered parts of his brother's body from the battlefield where he died. oswiu had oswald's arm enshrined in his royal centre at bamburgh and his head was taken to lindisfarne.