Eanbald (died 796) facts for kids

Eanbald I (died 10 August 796) was an important church leader in the 700s. He served as the Archbishop of York, a very high position in the church in England during that time.

Early Life and Learning

Eanbald grew up in York and studied there alongside a famous scholar named Alcuin. Their teacher was Æthelbert, who was the Archbishop of York before Eanbald. Alcuin described Eanbald as a "brother and most faithful friend," showing how close they were.

Ethelbert trusted both Alcuin and Eanbald with a big job: helping to rebuild York Minster. This was a huge church building project. Ethelbert was too busy with his duties as archbishop, so he relied on them to manage the details.

Becoming Archbishop

Eanbald was chosen to be the Archbishop of York in the year 780. To officially become archbishop, he needed a special woolen scarf called a pallium. This scarf was a symbol of his authority from the Pope. King Ælfwald I of Northumbria sent Alcuin all the way to Rome to get Eanbald's pallium from Pope Adrian I.

Church Meetings and Rules

In 786, Eanbald led an important church meeting, called a synod, in Northumbria. Two special representatives from Pope Adrian I and the king were also there. At this meeting, they made several rules for the church and the people. For example, they decided that priests should dress properly when leading church services. They also said that everyone should give a small part of their income, called a tithe, to the Church.

Eanbald likely led other church meetings in 782, 787, and 788. Just before he died, he performed a special ceremony to make Eardwulf of Northumbria the new king.

Challenging Times

Eanbald's time as archbishop was a period of big changes and problems in the kingdom of Northumbria. There was a lot of political trouble, and kings were often overthrown or killed. The church meeting in 786 even spoke out against killing kings because it was happening so much.

His time as archbishop also saw the first attacks by the Danes, who were Viking raiders. They caused a lot of damage in Northumbria. Because of this danger, Alcuin, Eanbald's friend and a scholar from York, left the city in 790 to go to the court of Charlemagne, a powerful king in Europe.

Later Life and Death

On May 26, 796, Eanbald officially made Eardwulf of Northumbria the new king at York. Eanbald passed away on August 10, 796, at a monastery called Etlete or Edete. The exact location of this monastery is not known today. He was buried in York Minster, the grand church he helped rebuild.