# Oswald becomes king of Northumbria (634)

URL: https://english-history.com/timeline/634-oswald-becomes-king-of-northumbria
Categories: ruler-change

Oswald reunited Northumbria after defeating Cadwallon and invited monks from Iona to evangelize his kingdom. Within the broader Post-Roman Britain period, Roman institutions gave way to competing Brittonic and Anglo-Saxon kingdoms while Christianity was rebuilt through continental and Irish missions. This event is placed at AD 634 in the chronology so it can be read alongside the political, military, social and cultural changes around it. His reign linked Northumbrian power to the Irish Christian tradition.

## Why it matters
His reign linked Northumbrian power to the Irish Christian tradition.

Ruler at the time: [Post-Roman and Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms](https://english-history.com/rulers/post-roman-and-anglo-saxon-kingdoms)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Oswald becomes king of Northumbria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Oswald+becomes+king+of+Northumbria&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Oswald becomes king of Northumbria](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Oswald+becomes+king+of+Northumbria)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of British history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_British_history_%28before_1000%29)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica — Anglo-Saxon England topic search](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Anglo-Saxon%20England)