 Although rival claimants of royal descent must have existed , there is no recorded resistance to Aldfrith 's accession . It has also been suggested that Aldfrith 's ascent was eased by support from Dál Riata , the Uí Néill , and the Picts , all of whom might have preferred the mature , known quantity of Aldfrith to an unknown and more warlike monarch , such as Ecgfrith or Oswiu had been . The historian Herman Moisl , for example , wrote that " Aldfrith was in Iona in the year preceding the battle [ of Nechtansmere ] ; immediately afterwards , he was king of Northumbria . It is quite obvious that he must have been installed by the Pictish @-@ Dál Riatan alliance " . Subsequently a battle between the Northumbrians and the Picts in which Berht was killed is recorded by Bede and the Irish annals in 697 or 698 . Overall , Aldfrith appears to have abandoned his predecessors ' attempts to dominate Northumbria 's neighbours . 
