Oswulf II of Bamburgh facts for kids

Osulf or Oswulf (died 1067) was an important leader in Northumbria, a region in northern England. He was the son of Eadwulf IV, who was the Earl of Bamburgh. His grandfather was Uhtred the Bold, another powerful ruler in the area. Osulf's family had been in charge of Bamburgh from 954 until 1041. After 1041, their power might have been less strong when Siward the Stout took control of the north.

A Time of Big Changes

In 1065, a new leader named Morcar became the ealdorman of Northumbria. An ealdorman was a high-ranking official, like a governor. Morcar was technically Osulf's boss, ruling the land north of the River Tyne.

However, a huge event happened in 1066: the Norman conquest of England. William the Conqueror invaded England. Morcar fought against William, but he was defeated and put in prison. William then chose a new leader for Northumbria: Copsi. Copsi had worked for Tostig, the previous ealdorman.

The Fight for Control

In February 1067, Copsi traveled north to take control. He forced Osulf to hide in the hills. But Osulf didn't give up. He started gathering an army. Many people in Northumbria didn't like Copsi because they saw him as an invader and someone who collected taxes for William. Because of this, Osulf found it easy to get people to join his side.

On March 12, Osulf and his men surprised Copsi and his followers at a big dinner in Newburn-upon-Tyne. Copsi tried to escape by running into a nearby church. But Osulf's men set the church on fire, forcing Copsi to come out. Osulf then had Copsi killed.

Osulf's Short Rule

After Copsi's death, Osulf seemed to take full control of the earldom of Bamburgh. No one tried to remove him from power. He continued to act as the earl, carrying out his duties.

However, in the autumn of 1067, Osulf met an outlaw. An outlaw was someone who had broken the law and was living outside of society. During this encounter, the outlaw attacked Osulf with a spear, and Osulf was killed.

After Osulf's death, his cousin, Gospatric, became the new earl. It is said that Gospatric paid King William to recognize him as the new leader of the earldom.

Sources

• Aird, William M., "Osulf , earl of Bamburgh (d. 1067)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 , accessed 30 Dec 2008
• Kapelle, William E., The Norman Conquest of the North, University of North Carolina Press, 1979.
• Stenton, Sir Frank M. Anglo-Saxon England Third Edition. Oxford University Press, 1971.