Cumbrian Kingdom

Map of Cumbria (and the Norse kingdoms it partitioned to after its fall)

Coat of Arms of the Rheged Dynasty

Ofydd (623)

Moren (second reign) (624-628)

Amhar The Great (635-664)

Cadfael (664-673)

Baeddan (673-691)

Hopcyn (691-701)

Meredudd (701-722)

Caswallan (722-748)

Ynryset (748-766)

Gwion (766-768)

Rhys (768-795)

Heinid (795-804)

Moredys (804-830)

Garanhon (830-864)

Eudav (864-869)

Note: Please do not include ALL of the rulers here

The **Cumbrian Kingdom** was a Brythonic Kingdom that existed from the late 6th century towards the fall of Cair Ligualid in 869 to Viking Raiders.

## History

### Founding and first rulers.

Recorded history begins in 595, when Kentigern (a saint in Scotland) inherited the kingdom of Rheged from his father, Owain mab Urien. This however is still considered unreliable by modern historians, as Kentigern would have been almost 90 when he inherited the kingdom, meaning Owain was over 100 years old.

Kentigern would abdicate the throne in 603 in order to pursue his life as a saint in Scotland, leaving the throne to a noble called Prydern, which was related to the Rheged dynasty. His reign was largely unevently aswell, and the throne would pass on to his son, Moren.

### Moren's Reign

Moren would introduce an early form of feudalism to the mostly tribal holdings of Cumbria, and would bring the local church in accordance to that in Rome. He would also begin fortifying Cumbria's borders, presumably for protection from the Anglo-Saxon Northumbrians. However, he'd pass a set of laws in 620 which would lead to a large noble uprising against him, known as the Revolt of the Feudal Chiefs. He would lose the capital, Cair Ligualid, to a revolting noble known as Ofydd. However, he'd manage to retake the throne in 624 with the assistance of Manx mercenaries, and would imprison/execute those that rebelled against him. As a token of thankfullness, the Manx mercenaries would be allowed to settle in the city of Alauna, modern Maryport. The Manx would function as foederati of sorts, where they would assist the Cumbrian monarchs whenever they campaigned. The mercenaries would receive a proper name under Moren, as he called them the 'Manaw Guard'.

Moren would rule for another 4 years, in which he'd expand the border slightly more south after winning a skirmish against the Northumbrians that controlled the area. He'd pass away in 628, Leaving the throne to his son Ergyhrad.

### Ergyhrad

Although Ergyhrad had a relatively short reign, it was an important one. He would establish an alliance with the Mercian king Penda, after persuading him to convert to Christianity. Along with this, he'd establish positive relations with the nobles of Gwynedd. These alliances would benefit the kingdom greatly later. Ergyhrad would die in January 635 to flu, and the throne would be passed down to his son Amhar.

### Amhar "The Great"

Amhar would receive a Manx noble in his court at the start of his reign in 636. The Manx noble called Diwg had notified the King that Edwin of Northumbria had taken over the Isle of Mann after invading from the Wirral Penninsula. Amhar, seeking a chance to curb Northumbrian influence, would raise an army of 6,000 men. His army would land at the hamlet of Ballure, where it is said that a detachment of the Manaw Guard skirmished with a small band of Glashtyns, which are legendary creatures in Manx folklore. Amhar's army would advance south, until finally confronting a Northumbrian Army at the site of Cashtal yn Ard. (Battle of Cashtal yn Ard)

Amhar's army would defeat the Northumbrians, and he would continue to harrass the fleeing army until defeating them entirely at Baldrine. After this, Diwg would arrive to Balley Chashtal (modern Castletown), where he would be proclaimed king, and he would swear fealty to Amhar. Amhar's army would return to Cumbria in late 637 after suppressing smaller bands of Northumbrian resistance on the island.

As Amhar returned to his capital, he heard news of a war breaking out between Northumbria's new king Oswald and Mercia's Eowa. Honoring the generation-old alliance with Mercia, Amhar raised his armies again and would march south towards the city of Chester, looting the countryside in the process. Eowa and Amhar would meet up at the Battle of Chester, encircling the Northumbrian army and completely destroying it, killing Oswald in the process. (Battle of Chester)

Shortly after, the new king of Northumbria, Oswiu, would bid for peace. In it, he would grant borderlands to Mercia and would give the lands up to the Rivvle Ribble to Cumbria. Amhar would return home in 639, finally disbanding his exhausted troops after two years of near constant campaign.

Amhar would then wait another 7 years until his troops re-organized to its pre-war numbers, after which he would hear cries for help from the Mersey River in his court, where he would raise his troops again and would march south again, using a noble fleeing from the Northumbrians as his claimant to the area. However, Amhar would meet a numerically superior army in Ormskirk, which would route him almost immediately. Amhar would go a different route from his fleeing army, specifically towards Snaefell in order to seek guidance from god, as the battle was a severe mistake that Amhar wished to learn from.