august king death saint particular cult middle ages son came rule spending period exile defeating british ruler brought kingdoms single ruler promoted spread christianity given strongly positive assessment historian writing little century death regarded king main source present day historical knowledge years rule powerful ruler britain killed background youth exile father successful ruler years power king rule kingdoms come considered constituent kingdoms refer people identity early stage clearly distinct peoples mother member royal line apparently married acquisition consolidation power apparently born year says killed age acquisition believed occurred years successful war leader especially native british eventually killed battle defeat meant exiled member royal line brother king brothers fled north spent remainder youth scottish kingdom northern britain converted christianity fought ireland period exile considered saxon princes mentioned irish poem named work victory king alliance pagan killed battle depending years considered begun split constituent kingdoms brother king killed attempting negotiate peace subsequently head small army possibly aid allies north scots met battle near battle wooden cross erected holding cross position earth thrown hole stand firm prayed asked army join life saint offers longer account heard says vision night battle told strong act thee coming night camp battle lord granted time foes shall flight enemy shall delivered hands shall return victorious battle reign happily described vision council agreed baptised accept christianity battle battle followed british routed despite superior numbers killed following victory reunited established supremacy interrupted says held years rule reign actually considered years ninth year accounted assigning year preceding rule account practised ruled year powerful king britain 9th century referred describes ordained god emperor britain widely recognized overlord extent authority uncertain makes claim brought dominion nations provinces britain notes divided language english scots undermine claim mentions point history brother tributary scots irish source records banded early reign indicate attempt end south presumably failed participated defeat presented obstacle authority south generally thought dominated degree captured son rival killed possible motives killing apparently controlled given evidence story told moving bones monastery says monks rejected bones initially ruled foreign king north conquered irish annals record siege edinburgh thought royal stronghold mark end kingdom siege undertaken suggested apparent control area brother good terms west stood sponsor baptism king married daughter reported source durham 12th century says known son uncertain son marriage daughter earlier relationship began ruling argued son marriage young time trusted position older product relationship exile christianity previously converted christianity spread religion shortly king asked irish send bishop facilitate conversion people sent purpose initially irish sent bishop unsuccessful mission proposed approach subsequently sent instead gave island episcopal achieved great success spreading christian faith mentions acted interpreter preaching know english learned irish exile puts clear emphasis king interpreted martyr subsequent death battle portrays deeds life focus primary noted uses word martyr reference respect king regarded life ruling contrast king gives favour religious life manner death portrayal stands unusual recounts poor strangers tells story highlighting characteristic occasion easter sitting dinner silver dish servant appointed relieve poor came told crowd poor streets begging king according immediately food given poor dish broken distributed greatly impressed seized right hand stating hand accordingly reports hand arm remained death downfall conflict pagan proved killed battle place generally identified candidates location battle suggested body mentions story ended life prayer prayed souls soldiers saw die head limbs placed stakes traditional identification battle site probably territory time suggests british allies battle suggested surviving welsh poetry thought indicate participation men battle considered traditional identification site correct offensive territory enemies conflict portrayal aggressive war hardly qualify war explaining silent cause war says died fighting failure mention offensive warfare presumed engaged ally brother killed battle according source mentions killed fought speculated subject fighting alongside battle opposition death soon came regarded saint says spot died came associated people took dirt site led hole dug deep man height durham recounts miracle saying right arm taken bird raven ash tree gave tree bird dropped arm ground spring emerged ground tree spring according subsequently associated healing aspects legend considered pagan overtones influences represent fusion status traditional warrior king christianity site tree generally thought derived death legends surrounding feast day august cult surrounding gained prominence parts continental europe mentions brother succeeded retrieved remains year death writing miracle associated gives indication regarded conquered lands years later niece moved bones inmates initially refused accept knew holy man originally province reigned foreign king retained ancient death bones focus awe inspiring miracle night pillar light appeared wagon bones carried sky accepted monastery morning refused day began pray holy relics beloved god deposited early 10th century viking territory following combined raid led daughter alfred great relics translated new gloucester renamed honour husband buried nephew king major patron cult head interred remains saint posthumously associated associated life bishop years death quickly coffin generally believed remain claimed heads continental europe arms said ended later middle ages story small group monks way arm kept stole cover darkness returned time chapel created arm chapel minus arm seen day south cathedral creating chapel monks thought acquired built chapel narrow tower big monk climb internal stand guard arm hours day day year monk stand tower large sit sitting sleep knew happen watching catholic_church lies north situated centre sites preached bank river grave located cemetery english place names record reign example claimed meaning linked saint likely owner land named believed body taken death local church ascribed scotland commemorates stands location wooden cross left night battle rebuilt site visible military road
Oswald of Northumbria