Saint King Oswald of Northumbria: Overlord or Imperator? A Very Peculiar Ancestor
Giovanni Collamati
In the documentation produced by English monarchy during tenth century Latin title imperator surprisingly appears, but it is not first time that this has been associated with an insular king. Adomnán of Iona's Vita sancti Columbae (c.700), St. Oswald king Northumbria appears as totius Britanniae imperator. Oswald, one seven kings—successively called bretwaldas in Anglo-Saxon Chronicle—who would have enjoyed a certain overlordship above other kingdoms island, could be missing link connecting use eighth and centuries. Nevertheless, closer view on figure points out how he was remembered worshipped more saint-overlord than emperor. Indeed, we can distinguish two different types representation Northumbrian king’s authority: proposed (emperor Britain) second Bede (saintoverlord). article I show Bedian model had greater diffusion England following centuries, thanks to cult saint. This suggests there no direct between tenth-century charters; they were manifestations “imperiality.”
Royal studies journal