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After his father was defeated and killed by Raedwald of East Anglia, Oswald fled to Dalriada, where he was converted to Christianity by the monks of Iona. He fought under Connadd CerrConnad Cerr (d. 629) was a King of Dalriada ( 629). In about the year 627, Connad won a victory in Ireland over Fichna mac Deman at the battle of Ard Corann. He became king upon the death of King Eochaid of Dalriada in 629, but remained in Ireland, where in the Battle of Fid Eoin in IrelandThe island of Ireland ire in Irish, Airlann in Ulster Scots) is the third-largest island in Europe. It lies on the west side of the Irish Sea, close to the island of Great Britain. It is composed of the Republic of Ireland in the south and Northern Irelan.

After the king of GwyneddThis article is about the medieval kingdom of Gwynedd. For the modern administrative county of Wales, see Gwynedd. Gwynedd was one of the kingdoms or principalities of medieval Wales. Covering an area in the north-west of the country around Snowdonia and, Cadwallon ap CadfanCadwallon ap Cadfan (c. 591 633/ 34) was the King of Gwynedd from around 625 until his death in battle in 633 or 634. The son and successor of Cadfan ap Iago, he is best remembered for devastating Northumbria and defeating and killing its king, Edwin. (in alliance with Penda of MerciaPenda (died November 15, 654/ 655) was the King of Mercia from about 626 until his death. A pagan at a time when Christianity was taking hold in the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Penda was the most powerful ruler in what is now England for much of his reign), killed King EdwinEdwin (alternately Eadwine or duini c. 584 October 12, 632/ 633) was the King of Northumbria from about 616 until his death. He converted to Christianity and was baptised in 627; after he fell at the Battle of Hatfield Chase, he was regarded as a saint an in battle at Hatfield ChaseThe Battle of Hatfield Chase was fought in Anglo-Saxon England between the Northumbrians under Edwin and the allied Welsh of Gwynedd under Cadwallon ap Cadfan and Mercians under Penda. It took place on October 12 1, 632 (or 633) and was a decisive victory in 632Events Abu Bakr becomes first caliph or Successor of the Prophet, leader of Islam Abu Bakr defeats Mosailima in the Battle of Akraba. Southern Ireland celebrates Easter on the Roman date. Births Deaths June 8 Muhammad, prophet of Islam October 12 Edwin of (or 633), Northumbria was split between its sub-kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira. Oswald's half-brother Eanfrith became king of Bernicia, but he was killed by Cadwallon in 633 (or 634) after attempting to negotiate peace. Oswald then returned from exile with an army and marched against Cadwallon; his ranks were bolstered by Scots sent by the king of Dalriada, Domnal Brecc. The day before the two sides met in battle at Heavenfield, Oswald made his soldiers construct a wooden cross. He knelt down, holding the cross in position until enough earth had been thrown in the hole to make it stand firm. He then prayed and asked his army to join in. In the battle that followed, the Welsh were routed despite their superior numbers and pursued for miles by the Northumbrians; Cadwallon himself was killed.

Following this victory, Oswald reunited Northumbria. He is considered to have been Bretwalda for the eight years of his rule (both Bede and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle say that Oswald's reign was actually considered to be nine years, the ninth year being accounted for by assigning to Oswald the year preceding his rule, "on account of the heathenism practised by those who had ruled that one year between him and Edwin"), although his authority over the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms seems to have been limited. He did, however, form an alliance with Wessex under Cynegils: Cynegils converted to Christianity and accepted baptism, and Oswald married Cyneburh, the daughter of Cynegils. With her he had a son, Æthelwald.

Although Edwin had previously converted to Christianity in 627, it was Oswald who did the most to spread the religion in Northumbria. It was he who gave the island of Lindisfarne to the bishop Aidan, who established a monastery there.

Oswald won some successes against the British to the north, but the primary concern of his reign was Northumbria's conflict with the rising power of Mercia under Penda. He was killed by the Mercians at the Battle of Maserfield in 641 or 642, and his body was dismembered by the pagan Penda. (Bede says that Oswald died in the thirty-eighth year of his age.) Oswald's head and limbs were placed on stakes, but according to legend, one of his arms was taken by his pet raven and dropped on a tree. The people quickly came to regard Oswald as a martyr and saint: a holy well of healing was said to have sprung up at the spot where the arm had landed, and the site soon became known as Oswestry, or "Oswald's Tree". His feast day is August 5.