Eadric the Wild facts for kids

Eadric the Wild (also known as Wild Edric or Eadric Cild) was a powerful Anglo-Saxon leader from the areas of Shropshire and Herefordshire. He is remembered for leading English people in their fight against the Norman Conquest of England, which happened around 1068–1070.

Who Was Eadric the Wild?

Historians from the early 1100s say that Eadric the Wild was the son of a man named Ælfric. This Ælfric might have been a nephew of Eadric Streona, who was a very important official (called an ealdorman) in Mercia under King Æthelred the Unready.

Eadric was a common name back then, so it's hard to be absolutely sure which lands he owned. However, it seems he held a lot of land in Shropshire and also about 12 hides (a measure of land) in Herefordshire. He was likely the Eadric who held two estates from Much Wenlock Priory in Shropshire. Eadric and his cousin Siward were among the wealthiest local leaders (called thegns) in Shropshire.

Fighting Against Norman Rule

After William the Conqueror took over England, Eadric refused to accept the new Norman rulers. Because of this, Norman forces based at Hereford Castle, led by Richard fitz Scrob, attacked him.

Eadric started a rebellion. He teamed up with Welsh princes, Bleddyn ap Cynfyn and his brother Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn, who ruled Gwynedd and Powys. Together, they attacked Hereford Castle in 1067, but they couldn't capture it. They then went back to Wales to plan more attacks.

During a big wave of English rebellions in 1069–1070, Eadric burned the town of Shrewsbury. He also tried to capture Shrewsbury Castle. Again, he had help from his Welsh allies and other English rebels from Cheshire.

It was probably this combined force that King William defeated in a major battle at Stafford in late 1069. Eadric seems to have given up and joined King William in 1070. He even took part in William's invasion of Scotland in 1072. Another story says he was captured by Ranulph de Mortimer after a long struggle and put in prison for life.

Eadric also fought for King William in Maine in 1072. One account suggests he defended Wigmore Castle against Ranulph de Mortimer during a rebellion in 1075.

After the Rebellion

The Domesday Book, a famous record of England made by William the Conqueror, mentions an 'Edric salvage' as someone who used to own six estates (called manors) in Shropshire and one in Herefordshire. He might have owned more, but there were many people named Eadric, making it hard to know for sure.

Eadric's cousin, Ealdraed, inherited his land at Acton Scott. This land was later held by William Leyngleys, whose family, the Actons, still own the property today.

Why Was He Called "the Wild"?

In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Eadric is sometimes called Cild, which might have been a title of importance. He was also known as "the Wild," or salvage in French, and silvaticus in Latin.

Historians believe "the Wild" wasn't just a simple nickname. It likely meant Eadric was part of a group of people known as silvatici. The historian Orderic Vitalis wrote that many English rebels around 1068–1069 lived in tents and avoided houses so they wouldn't become "soft." The Normans called some of these rebels silvatici, meaning "men of the woods."

Other old writings also show that English resistance was widespread. Rebels often hid in woods and marshes, attacking those who came their way. They made their bases in wild areas, much like the French maquis (resistance fighters) in World War II, who were also named after their hiding places.

This idea helps explain why stories about outlaws like Robin Hood became so popular. Before Robin Hood, many famous "outlaws of the greenwood" were likely English nobles who had lost their power and taken to the woods to fight back.

Legacy and Stories

In later folk tales, Eadric is sometimes linked to the Wild Hunt, a mythical group of hunters. He also appears in the story of Wild Eadric.

Some branches of the Weld family in England, and also in the United States, traditionally claim they are descended from Eadric.

Eadric was played by actor Robert O'Mahoney in the TV drama Blood Royal: William the Conqueror (1990).

See also

• Wild Edric's Way, a long distance footpath in Shropshire