Uhtred of Bamburgh facts for kids
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Uhtred of Bamburgh (also known as Uhtred the Bold) was an important leader in England around the year 1000. He was the ruler of Bamburgh and later became an earl (a powerful regional leader) from 1006 to 1016. His family, the Eadwulfings, had ruled the area around Bamburgh for more than 100 years. Uhtred's death was a big event that started a long-lasting family conflict, known as a blood feud.
Contents
Uhtred's Rise to Power
In 995, Uhtred helped move the remains of St Cuthbert to a new church site in Durham. He worked with monks to clear the land for the new cathedral. The new cathedral was started by Bishop Aldhun. Uhtred married Bishop Aldhun's daughter, Ecgfrida, around this time. Through this marriage, he gained control of some lands that belonged to the church.
A few years later, in 1006, King Malcolm II of Scotland attacked Northumbria. He surrounded the city of Durham. At this time, the Vikings (Danes) were attacking southern England. Because of this, the English King Ethelred could not send help to Northumbria. Uhtred's father, Waltheof, was too old to fight. Another powerful leader, Ælfhelm of York, also did nothing.
Uhtred, acting for his father, gathered an army from his region and Yorkshire. He led them against the Scots and won a big victory.
Becoming an Earl
King Ethelred was very pleased with Uhtred's victory. He rewarded Uhtred by making him the earl of Bamburgh. This was special because Uhtred's father was still alive. King Ethelred also had Ælfhelm of York killed. He then allowed Uhtred to become the earl of York too. This meant Uhtred now controlled both northern and southern Northumbria. It seems King Ethelred wanted an Anglo-Saxon leader like Uhtred in charge, especially in the south where many people of Scandinavian background lived.
After gaining this power, Uhtred ended his marriage to Ecgfrida. He then married Sige, whose father, Styr, was a wealthy man from York. Uhtred likely did this to make political friends among the Danes in the area. Uhtred and Sige had two children: Eadulf and Gospatric.
In 1013, Sweyn Forkbeard, the King of Denmark, invaded England. He sailed his ships far inland. Uhtred and other northern leaders agreed to accept Sweyn as their king. King Ethelred was forced to leave England and go to Normandy. Sweyn became king, but he died only five weeks later in 1014. After Sweyn's death, King Ethelred returned to England. Uhtred quickly switched his loyalty back to Ethelred. Around this time, Uhtred also married King Ethelred's daughter, Ælfgifu.
Uhtred's Death
In 1016, Uhtred was fighting alongside King Ethelred's son, Edmund Ironside, in other parts of England. While Uhtred was away, Sweyn's son, Cnut, invaded Yorkshire. Cnut's army was too strong for Uhtred to fight. So, Uhtred went to Cnut and showed his loyalty to him as the new King of England.
Uhtred was called to a peace meeting with Cnut. On his way to the meeting, Uhtred and 40 of his men were killed by a man named Thurbrand the Hold. Many people believed Cnut was involved in this murder. After Uhtred's death, his brother, Eadwulf Cudel, took over as ruler in Bernicia. Cnut then made a Norwegian leader, Eric of Hlathir, the earl in southern Northumbria.
Uhtred's Family and Marriages
Uhtred married three times, and each marriage resulted in children.
First Marriage
Around 995, Uhtred married Ecgfrida, the daughter of Bishop Aldhun of Durham. He ended this marriage before 1006. They had one son:
- Ealdred, who later became an Earl of Northumbria. He died in 1038.
Second Marriage
Around 1004, Uhtred married Sige, the daughter of Styr Ulfsson of York. They had two children before they separated around 1006:
- Eadulf, who became Earl of Northumbria after his brother Ealdred. He died in 1041.
- Gospatric.
Third Marriage
Uhtred's last marriage was to Ælfgifu, the daughter of King Æthelred the Unready. They had one daughter:
- Ealdgyth, who became an ancestor of the Earls of Dunbar in Scotland.
The Blood Feud
The killing of Uhtred by Thurbrand the Hold started a long-lasting family conflict, known as a blood feud. This type of feud was common in Northumbria at the time. Uhtred's son, Ealdred, later got revenge for his father by killing Thurbrand. But then, Ealdred himself was killed by Thurbrand's son, Carl.
The revenge continued for many years. In the 1070s, Waltheof II, who was Ealdred's grandson, had his soldiers kill most of Carl's sons and grandsons. This shows how serious and long-lasting these blood feuds could be.
Uhtred's family continued to rule in Bernicia for some time. His son Ealdred ruled first, followed by another son, Eadulf. Even after the Normans conquered England, Uhtred's descendants continued to hold important positions. For example, his grandson Gospatric was Earl of Northumbria from 1068 to 1072. Later, Uhtred's descendant Eadulf Rus murdered a bishop, which led to more conflict in the region. In Scotland, Earl Gospatric's family held the Earldom of Dunbar for many centuries.
Sources
- Stenton, Sir Frank M. Anglo-Saxon England Third Edition. Oxford University Press, 1971.
- Fletcher, Richard. Bloodfeud: Murder and Revenge in Anglo-Saxon England. Allen Lane 2002.
- ‘Uhtred, earl of Bamburgh (d. 1016)’, William M. Aird, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 8 April 2015
- Ælfgifu (1002–1042), on geni.com.
