Battle of Heavenfield

The Battle of Heavenfield took place in 634 near Hadrian's Wall near Hexham . A Welsh force under Cadwallon ap Cadfan , King of Gwynedd , faced a Northumbrian army.

Cadwallon had taken advantage of the political division of the country after the Battle of Hatfield Chase and had invaded Northumbria again. Eanfrith , King of Bernicia , was killed in the course of peace negotiations, and Osric , King of Deira , was also killed in action. Thereupon Oswald , Eanfrith's brother, returned from exile and faced the enemy together with the allied forces of King Domnal von Dalriada . Oswald, who converted to Christianity in the monastery of Iona , is said to have gone into battle with a cross and asked God for a victory, hence the name Heavenfield for the site of the battle. Cadwallon was killed in the battle. According to other sources, he went into exile.

After the battle, Oswald became king of the reunited Northumbria and finally Christianized his people with the help of Aidan of Lindisfarne .