NORTHUMBRIA Ælla

- 0867

• Name	NORTHUMBRIA Ælla
  Birth	England
  Gender	Male
  Death	0867	England
  Notes	Ælla of Northumbria Said to be the brother of Osberht of Northumbria [1] Osbert, King of Northumbria, was deposed 862, in favour of Ælla. When Ragnar Lothbrok was shipwrecked off the Northumbrian coast. King Ælla immediately marched, defeated the Viking army and took Ragnar prisoner. In 865, a great army led by Ivar Ragnarsson and Halfdan Ragnarsson invaded the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Mercia, Northumbria, Sussex and Wessex; the campaign traditionally organised by the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok in revenge for the death of their father Ragnar at the hands of "Ælla of Northumbria". Whereas in previous years, Vikings from Scandinavia had simply appeared in short-term expeditions to raid coastal settlements in Scotland, England and Ireland, this great invasion of 865 by a combined force of Scandinavians was intent on conquest and settlement. [2] Aelle of Deira and Osbert of Bernicia unite against the Danes. In 866, the Battle of Eoforwic (York) in which York is sacked by the Danes under Ivar, Halfdene and Hubba and York becomes Danish Jórvík. Osbert was killed in the attack. [3] Aelle is captured attempting to retake York from the Danes; Osbert of Bernicia is killed during the battle. [4] In the Annals of Clonmacnoise, we read that 'there was a battle fought at York in England between the Saxons and Danes, where Allie (Aelle) king of the north Saxons was slaine.' [5] Aelle is said to have been subjected to the ritual execution of the Blood Eagle in revenge for his murder of Ragnor Lothbrok. [6] Sources ↑ Kirby, D.P. The Earliest English Kings page: 197 pub: London: Unwin, 1991 ↑ Fornaldarsögur Norðurlanda : Ragnars Saga Loðbrókar ok sona Hans The Tale of Ragnar’s Sons trans, by Peter Tunstall ↑ Eangland's North-East timeline : Jorvik and the Danish Conquest 866-900 ↑ Medlands: England : Danish Kings ↑ Internet Archive - dated year 866 in The Annals of Clonmacnoise page: 142 - Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland; Murphy, Denis, Rev; pub: 1896 ↑ Cogadh Gaedhel Re Gallaibh: The War of the Gaedhil with the Gaill: or The Invasions of Ireland by the Danes and Other Norsemen - "The battle of York in which fell Alli King of the Northern Saxons" appendix D p:269 - by James Henthorn Todd pub: Cambridge University Press 2012 Wikipedia : Ælla of Northumbria Totally Timelines : King Aelle of Northumbria Wikipedia : Kingdom of Northumbria Wikipedia : Osberht of Northumbria
  Person ID	I58745	Freeman-Smith
  Last Modified	27 Jan 2026

  
  

  Father	EADWULF Eardwulf,   b. Abt 0758, Northumbria, England d. 0830, Bernicia, England (Age 72 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Family ID	F347257	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family
  Children	1. ELLASDATTER Unknown,   b. Warwick Castle, Warwickshire, England d. Jutland, Danmark  [Father: natural]
  Family ID	F347256	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Jan 2026