Page "Battle of Degsastan" Paragraph 1

According to Bede's account in his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum ( Book I, chapter 34 ), Æthelfrith had won many victories against the Britons and was expanding his power and territory, and this concerned Áedán, who led " an immense and mighty army " against Æthelfrith.

Although Æthelfrith had the smaller army, Bede reports that almost all of Áedán's army was slain, and Áedán himself fled.

After this defeat, according to Bede, the Irish kings in Britain would not make war against the English again, right up to Bede's own time ( 130 years later ).