Osferth facts for kids
Osferth was an important person in Anglo-Saxon England, living around the late 800s and early 900s. He was described by Alfred the Great, a famous king, as a "kinsman," meaning a relative. Osferth held high positions and was a trusted helper to three different kings: Alfred the Great, his son Edward the Elder, and his grandson Æthelstan. Historians are still not completely sure about his exact family connection to King Alfred, but he was clearly a very influential figure in the kingdom.
Osferth's Important Life
Osferth first appears in the will of Alfred the Great, who was the King of the Anglo-Saxons. This will was likely written in the mid-880s. In his will, King Alfred gave Osferth several estates (large areas of land) in Sussex. These included places like Beckley, Rotherfield, Ditchling, Sutton, Lyminster, Angmering, and Felpham. Some of these, like Ditchling and Lyminster, were very important royal lands.
Alfred's gift to Osferth was quite generous. It was even more generous than what he left to Æthelwold, who was the younger son of Alfred's older brother, Æthelred. This shows how much Alfred valued Osferth.
Osferth's Role in the Kingdom
Osferth was a witness to many important royal documents called charters. These charters were official papers signed by kings and important people.
- In 898, Osferth was listed as one of the king's ministri, which meant he was a royal thegn (a nobleman who served the king).
- After King Alfred died in 899, Osferth continued to be important under King Edward the Elder. In 901 and 903, he witnessed charters right after the king or the king's brother, Æthelweard.
- In 904, a charter even called him "Osferd frater regis" (king's brother). This might have meant he was a close relative or a very trusted friend.
- Later, from 926 to 934, Osferth was listed as an ealdorman. An ealdorman was a very high-ranking official, like a powerful governor, who ruled a large area for the king.
Historian Janet Nelson has pointed out that Osferth held an "exceptionally prominent position" at the courts of three kings: Alfred, Edward, and Æthelstan. It's interesting that even though he was so important, old stories and histories from that time don't mention him much.
Osferth's Family Connections
The exact relationship between Osferth and King Alfred has been a topic of discussion among historians.
Some historians, like Simon Keynes and Michael Lapidge, have suggested that Osferth might have been related to Alfred's mother, Osburh. Another idea they had was that he could have been the son of someone named Oswald, who might have been a son of Alfred's older brother, King Æthelred.
However, Janet Nelson has a different idea. She believes it's possible that Osferth was an illegitimate (born outside of marriage) son of King Alfred. She points out that Osferth received a very good share in Alfred's will and held a very high position in the courts of the next two kings. If he was Alfred's son, it would explain why Alfred cared so much about him.
Another historian, Richard Abels, noted that the name "Os-" was common in Alfred's mother's family. He suggested Osferth might have been from that side of the family, but he also thought Nelson's idea of Osferth being Alfred's illegitimate son was worth considering.
