His dates are sometimes given in genealogies as birth in 570, the beginning of his reign in 593, and death in either 606 or 615, but with no apparent evidence; the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle just mentions him as father of Penda, with no further detail.
Pybba, who is said by the Historia Brittonum to have had 12 sons, is also said to have been succeeded by Cearl, of unknown relationship. His son Penda eventually became king; the Chronicle gives the date of this as 626, although Bede suggests it was not until after the battle of Hatfield Chase in 633. Besides Penda and Eowa (who the author of the Historia Brittonum said were the sons of Pybba who were the best known to him), Pybba also apparently had a son named Coenwalh. Every king from Penda until Ceolwulf, who was deposed in 823, was said to be a descendant of Pybba, either through Penda, Eowa, or Coenwalh (perhaps excluding the short-lived Beornrad, whose background is unknown).
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