Ealdred, Earl of Bernicia

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alt Birth: (1000)

Notes:

Ealdred was Earl of Bernicia from 1020/25 until his murder in 1038. He was the son of Uhtred, Earl of Northumbria, who was murdered by Thurbrand the Hold in 1016 with the connivance of Cnut. Ealdred's mother was Ecgfrida, daughter of Aldhun, bishop of Durham.

Ealdred succeeded his uncle Eadwulf Cudel as Earl of Bernicia in 1020/25, and some time probably in the mid 1020s he killed Thurbrand in revenge for his father's death. In 1038 Ealdred was murdered by Thurbrand's son, Carl. He was succeeded as Earl of Bernicia by his brother, another Eadwulf. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle asserts that in 1041 Eadwulf was "betrayed" by King Harthacnut.[1] The "betrayal" seems to have been carried out by Siward, Earl of Northumbria; since when the Libellus de Exordio and other sources write about the same event, they say that Siward attacked and killed Eadulf.[2] It was thus that Siward became earl of all Northumbria, perhaps the first person to do so since Uhtred the Bold.

Ealdred's daughter Ealdgyth was married to Ligulf, who was murdered in 1080.[3] Ealdred's daughter, Aelfflaed, was the first wife of Siward and her son (Ealdred's grandson) was Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria.
References

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle manuscripts C, D, s.a. 1041
Rollason (ed.), Libellus de Exordio, pp. 170–71

Aird, William M. (2004). "Ligulf (d. 1080)" ((subscription or UK public library membership required)). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/16791. Retrieved 20 January 2016.

Sources

Fletcher, Richard. Bloodfeud: Murder and Revenge in Anglo-Saxon England. Allen Lane 2002.

end of biography

Family/Spouse: unnamed spouse. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Aelfflaed was born in ~1010 in (Northumbria, England); died in 1060 in Northumbria, England.

Notes:

Uchtred or Uhtred, called the Bold, (d. 1016) was the ealdorman of all Northumbria from 1006 to 1016, when he was assassinated. He was the son of Waltheof I, ealdorman of Bamburgh, whose ancient family had ruled from the castle of Bamburgh on the Northumbrian coast.

Career

In 995, according to Symeon of Durham, when the remains of St Cuthbert were transferred from Chester-le-Street to Durham, Uhtred went to Durham with his monks to clear the site of the new cathedral. The new cathedral was founded by Bishop Aldhun, and Uhtred married Aldhun's daughter, Ecgfrida, probably at about this time. From his marriage he received several estates that had belonged to the church. [1]

In 1006 Malcolm II of Scotland invaded Northumbria and besieged the newly founded episcopal city of Durham. At that time the Danes were raiding southern England and King Ethelred was unable to send help to the Northumbrians. Ealdorman Waltheof was too old to fight and remained in his castle at Bamburgh. Ealdorman ¥lfhelm of York also took no action. Uhtred, acting for his father, called together an army from Bernicia and Yorkshire and led it against the Scots. The result was a decisive victory for Uhtred. Local women washed the severed heads of the Scots, receiving a payment of a cow for each, and the heads were fixed on stakes to Durham's walls. Uhtred was rewarded by King Ethelred II with the ealdormanry of Bamburgh even though his father was still alive. In the meantime, Ethelred had Ealdorman ¥lfhelm of York murdered, and he allowed Uhtred to succeed ¥lfhelm as ealdorman of York, thus uniting northern and southern Northumbria under the house of Bamburgh. It seems likely that Ethelred did not trust the Scandinavian population of southern Northumbria and wanted an Anglo-Saxon in power there. [2]

After receiving these honours Uhtred dismissed his wife, Ecgfrida, and married Sige, daughter of Styr, son of Ulf. Styr was a rich citizen of York. It appears that Uhtred was trying to make political allies amongst the Danes in Deira. Through Sige, Uhtred had two children, Eadulf, later Eadulf III, and Gospatric. This Gospatric's grandson was the infamous Eadwulf Rus who murdered Bishop Walcher.[2]

In 1013 King Sweyn of Denmark invaded England, sailing up the Humber and Trent to the town of Gainsborough. Uhtred submitted to him there, as did all of the Danes in the north. In the winter of 1013 Ethelred was forced into exile in Normandy. After London had finally submitted to him, Sweyn was accepted as king by Christmas 1013. However he only reigned for five weeks, for he died at, or near, Gainsborough on 2 February 1014. At Sweyn’s death, Ethelred was able to return from exile and resume his reign. Uhtred, along with many others, transferred his allegiance back to Ethelred, on his return. Uhtred also married Ethelred’s daughter ¥lfgifu about this time. [2]

In 1016 Uhtred campaigned with Ethelred's son Edmund Ironside in Cheshire and the surrounding shires. While Uhtred was away from his lands, Sweyn's son, Cnut, invaded Yorkshire. Cnut's forces were too strong for Uhtred to fight, and so Uhtred did homage to him as King of England. Uhtred was summoned to a meeting with Cnut, and on the way there, he and forty of his men were murdered by Thurbrand the Hold, with assistance from Uhtred's own servant, Wighill and with the connivance of Cnut. Uhtred was succeeded in Bernicia by his brother Eadwulf Cudel. Cnut made the Norwegian, Eric of Hlathir, ealdorman ("earl" in Scandinavian terms) in southern Northumbria. [1]
Descendants

The killing of Uhtred by Thurbrand the Hold started a blood feud that lasted for many years. Uhtred's son Ealdred subsequently avenged his father by killing Thurbrand, but Ealdred in turn was killed by Thurbrand's son, Carl. Ealdred's vengeance had to wait until the 1070s, when Waltheof, Ealdred’s grandson had his soldiers kill most of Carl's sons and grandsons. This is an example of the notorious Northumbrian blood feuds that were common at this time. [3]

Uhtred's dynasty continued to reign in Bernicia through Ealdred, Earl of Bamburgh (killed 1038) his son from his marriage to Ecgfrida, and Eadulf (killed 1041) his son from his marriage to Sige, and briefly Eadulf's son Osulf held the earldom of northern Northumbria 1067 until he too was killed. Eadulf's brother Cospatric began the Swinton Family dynasty, his son Eadulf Rus famously murdering William Walcher, Bishop of Durham which led to William the Conqueror sending an army northwards to harry the region again. Uhtred’s marriage to ¥lfgifu produced a daughter, Ealdgyth, who married Maldred, brother of Duncan I of Scotland and who gave birth to a son, Gospatric, who was Earl of Northumbria from 1068 to 1072. [4]

end of biography

Untred married Ecgfrida of Durham. Ecgfrida was born in 973 in Northumberland, England; died in 0Dec 1067 in Durham, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Ecgfrida of Durham formerly Durham aka of Northumbria
Born 0973 in Northumberland, England
Daughter of Ealdhun Durham and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Wife of Uhtred (Northumbria) of Northumbria — married about 0995 (to 1006) [location unknown]
Wife of Kilvert (UNKNOWN) FitzLigulf — married after 1006 [location unknown]
DESCENDANTS descendants
Mother of Ealdred (Northumbria) of Bamburgh and Sigrida FitzKilvert (Yorkshire) of Yorkshire
Died Dec 1067 in Durham, England

Profile managers: Maryann Hurt Find Relationship private message [send private message] and Bob Hall Find Relationship private message [send private message]
Durham-500 created 6 Jun 2012 | Last modified 29 Apr 2019
This page has been accessed 4,717 times.
[categories]
Contents
[hide]
1 Biography
2 Vitals
3 Parents
4 Marriage
5 Sources
Biography

Ecgfrida (Durham) of Durham was a member of aristocracy in England.
According to Simeon of Durham, Ecgfrida seems to have been left by both of her husbands. After her marriage with Kilvert fell apart, her father made her return to Durham ... where she became a nun, and was supposedly buried in the yard of the church.

Vitals
Ecgfrida[1]
bur. Durham[1]
Parents
Aldun, Bishop of Durham[2] and Unknown.
Marriage
m.1 Ughtred the Bold, Earl of Northumbria. Repudiated.[3] Issue:
Ealdred of Bamburgh[4]

m.2 Kilvert[5] Issue:
Sigrida m. Arkil[6][1][7]
Sources
? 1.0 1.1 1.2 Simeon of Durham
? Wikipedia: Aldhun; Medieval Lands
? Wikipedia: Uhtred the Bold
? Wikipedia: Ealdred of Bamburgh
? father: Ligulf
? son of Ecgfrid
? Issue: Cospatric m. dau. of Dolfin, son of Tolfin
Cawley, C. (2006). "England, AngloSaxon nobility: Northumbria." Medieval Lands v.3. fmg.ac
Stevenson, J., ed. (1855). "Simeon's account of the Siege of Durham." The historical works of Simeon of Durham ... (Vol.3, Part 2, pp765). Google eBook.

end of this biography