In the North-East of England, Aethelfrith, the grandson of Ida the Flamebearer, became the new King of Bernicia in 593. His power seemed assured, even in the Celtic regions. Aethelfrith's men heavily defeated the native Britons in a great battle at Catterick in 598 . It was here that the ancient British kingdom called Catraeth was situated, on the rivers Tees and Swale. After assembling at Edinburgh, a huge army of Britons, included the people of Gododdin, Rheged and Northern Wales. marched to Catterick. It was as if the Britons were engaging in a last stand against the Anglo-Saxons. But they were heavily defeated by Aethelfrith. The kingdom of Catraeth was seized.
Aethelfrith's power was now beyond dispute and the Celts were forced to accept his rule. That did not mean however, that large areas of the north became Anglo-Saxon overnight. The settlements of Anglo-Saxons were extensive, but Celts were still dominant in Cumbria, the Pennines, and in the Celtic Kingdoms of Elmet and Meicen (in Hatfield, the marshy country near Doncaster) as well as Loidis (Leeds) .
Aethelfrith turned his attention to the Celts of the far north in 603 , going into battle with Aidan MacGabrain, King of the Dalriada Scots. The Dalriada Scots lived in western Caledonia but had originated from Ireland (Hibernia). During the battle, the Scots were assisted by a large force of Ulstermen, but were defeated in battle at Degastan, though the precise location is unknown, it is thought to be possibly in Liddesdale. Aethelfrith's victory resulted in the Kingdoms of Strathclyde in the west, Rheged in Cumbria and Gododdin in the Lothians being forced to recognise Bernician superiority again. His power and prestige assured, Aethelfrith seized the crown of Deira in Yorkshire. This resulted in him becoming King of both Deira and Bernicia, this united all the Angle territory north of the River Humber into one kingdom called Northumbria. Bernicia and Deira were reduced to mere sub kingdoms.
Many in Deira disliked Bernician rule, so Aethelfrith encouraged Deiran support by marrying Acha, a member of the Deiran royal family. The marriage did not stop Acha's brother Edwin from claiming the kingdom of Deira but it was too dangerous for Edwin to stay in Northumbria so he sought protection at the court of King Cearl of Mercia (an Angle kingdom based in the Midlands). Edwin's presence in Mercia was a constant threat to Aethelfrith.
In 615, the Bernician capital Din Guyardi, was renamed Bebbanburgh in honour of Bebba, Aethelfrith's new wife. The name meant the fort of Bebba, but it would gradually come to be pronounced Bamburgh. This was perhaps one of many Celtic place names that were replaced by Anglo-Saxon names in this period and may reflect the gradual replacement of Celtic with Anglo-Saxon speech. It seemed that the native Celts were no longer the major threat to the expansion of the Angles and Aethelfrith for one was now preoccupied with defeating his Anglian rival.
Later in 615 AD, Aethelfrith ousted King Cearl from the Kingdom of Mercia and took control of the midland kingdom, he did however, employ a Mercian to look after Northumbrian interests here. Aethefrith's major Northumbria rival, Edwin, fled from Mercia and took refuge with the King of East Anglia. Though Edwin was still a threat to Aethelfrith, he probably seemed a more distant one. It seemed there would be no end to Aethelfrith's expansion. Aethelfrith defeated the Welsh in 615, in battle at Chester and again seized Cumbria, bringing it firmly under Northumbria rule. The event was significant as it isolated the Britons of North Wales from those of Strathclyde and the Lothians, although that is not to say that the Britons were exterminated in the District of the Lakes.
Aethelfrith's expansion would not remain unchecked forever. He finally met his end in 616, in battle, against Raedwald King of East Anglia at Bawtry on the River Idle. The site lies close to the present borders of Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. In Aethelfrith's time this area lay on the southern reaches of Northumbria. It was a dangerous marshy region close to the border with Lindsey and easily accessible from the East Anglian kingdom.
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