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Earl of Northumbria facts for kids

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The Earl of Northumbria or Ealdorman of Northumbria was an important title in England a long time ago. This was during the late Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Scandinavian, and early Anglo-Norman times. Think of an Ealdorman or Earl as a powerful leader or governor of a large area.

This title came after the Norse Kingdom of York. Long ago, in the 600s, two Anglo-Saxon kingdoms called Bernicia and Deira joined together. They formed the kingdom of Northumbria. But in 867, Viking invaders destroyed this kingdom.

The southern part of Northumbria, which was Deira, became the Viking Kingdom of York. Meanwhile, leaders in Bamburgh controlled the northern part, roughly Bernicia.

In 1006, a powerful leader named Uhtred the Bold from Bamburgh was given a special job by King Æthelred the Unready. Uhtred became the Ealdorman in the south. This temporarily brought much of Northumbria back under one ruler.

However, Uhtred was killed in 1016. After this, King Cnut appointed Eric of Hlathir as Ealdorman in York. But Uhtred's family still held power in Bamburgh.

After the Norman Conquest in 1066, the region was split into many smaller areas. One of these was the earldom of Northumberland. Other areas included the earldoms of York and special independent regions like the County Palatine of Durham and Liberty of Tynedale.

Who Were the Early Ealdormen?

Before the Norman Conquest in 1066, several important leaders held the title of Ealdorman in Northumbria. These were powerful figures who helped rule the region during a time when England was changing a lot. They often had to deal with both Anglo-Saxon kings and Danish (Viking) influence.

Some of these early Ealdormen included:

Leaders After the Norman Conquest

After William the Conqueror and his Norman army took over England in 1066, the role of Ealdorman changed. New leaders, often Normans, were appointed to control Northumbria. This was a time of big changes and sometimes conflict in the region.

Some of the leaders after 1066 included:

Scottish Claims to the Title

Later on, during the Anglo-Norman period, some Scottish princes and kings also held the title of Earl of Northumbria for short times. This happened when they had influence or control over parts of the region.

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