Bondi the staller facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bondi the Staller
Death of Harold at Hastings, October 1066
Staller
In office 1058 (assumed) – 1066
Monarch	Edward the Confessor; Harold Godwinson; William the Conqueror
High Sheriff of Bedfordshire
In office Unknown–1066
Staller
In office 1060–1066
Personal details
Born	circa 1024-1030 Unknown
Died	After 1068 Unknown
Nationality	English
Occupation	Royal retainer, landowner

Bondi the Staller was an important and rich landowner in England a long time ago. He was also known as 'Boding'. Bondi was a 'thegn', which was a type of noble or lord in Anglo-Saxon England. He worked closely with King Edward the Confessor.

Bondi's family came from Denmark, but they lived in England. They owned a lot of land in places like Wessex, Perivale, and Northolt in London. In 1058, King Edward made him a 'staller'. This was a special job for senior officials who worked directly for the king.

After King Edward died in 1066, Bondi continued to serve the new kings. He worked for Harold Godwinson and then for William the Conqueror. However, he slowly lost his important jobs and his lands. Bondi is not mentioned in historical records after 1068.

Who Was Bondi the Staller?

Bondi's family is believed to have come from a region called Mercia. Like many nobles of that time, his name shows he had Danish roots. This was common in England after the Viking Age.

Records from the Domesday Book tell us about Bondi's wealth. The Domesday Book was a huge survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror. It listed who owned what land. Bondi owned estates in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and across East Anglia. This made him one of the richest landowners in all of England.

Bondi's Important Roles

We don't know many small details about Bondi's daily life. But we do know about his important job as a 'staller'. A staller was a high-ranking official in the king's household. The exact meaning of the title is still debated by historians.

What Did a Staller Do?

The job of a staller could change depending on the king's needs. For example, in a document from 1062, Bondi is called palatius. This means he was a palace official. In another record from 1065, he is called a procurator, which means he managed things for the king.

In the Domesday Book, Bondi is even called forestarius. This title is like a Master of the Hunt. It shows he might have been in charge of the king's forests and hunting activities.

Bondi's Influence and Connections

Bondi's lands in Berkshire made him part of a powerful group of nobles. These nobles were close to King Edward. Other important stallers, like Eadnoth and Ansgar, were also in this group. Bondi might have even been the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire for a while. A sheriff was a royal official in charge of a shire (a county).

Bondi also attended 'shire courts' as the king's representative. These were local courts where legal matters were handled. Most of what we know about him comes from his signature on legal documents from these courts.

Changes After the Norman Conquest

After King Edward died in January 1066, things changed quickly in England. Harold Godwinson became king, but he died at the Battle of Hastings in October. Then, William the Conqueror became king in December.

Bondi was one of the officials from Edward's time who William kept on. This suggests Bondi quickly accepted William as the new king. William needed experienced people to help him rule his new kingdom.

However, William slowly started to give land to his own Norman followers. Around 1068, Bondi's lands at Earls Barton were given to Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria. Waltheof was married to Judith of Lens, who was William's niece. Bondi's other lands seem to have been given to Henry de Ferrers. After this, Bondi disappears from historical records.

Images for kids

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  Death of Harold at Hastings, October 1066