Waltheof, Earl of Dunbar facts for kids

Waltheof (died 1182) was an important noble in the 12th century. He was an Earl, which was a powerful leader in a region. Waltheof was known as the Earl of Lothian or "Dunbar" and also ruled the area of Beanley. He came from a family that had both English and Scottish roots. Waltheof was the oldest son of Gospatric III, Earl of Lothian and his Scottish wife, Deirdre.

Becoming an Earl

Waltheof's grandfather, Gospatric II, was also an Earl. He passed away in 1138 during a big battle called the Battle of the Standard. After his grandfather's death, Waltheof's father, Gospatric III, became the Earl.

In 1139, when Waltheof was young, he might have been sent as a hostage to King Stephen of England. A hostage was someone held by another ruler to make sure a peace agreement was kept. We don't know for sure if it was Waltheof, but many historians think it was him. We also don't know how long he stayed as a hostage.

Waltheof's father, Gospatric III, likely stopped being Earl around 1165. He may have retired to Durham to become a monk before he actually died in 1166. This meant that Waltheof became Earl around 1165, even before his father passed away.

Waltheof's Time as Earl

As an Earl, Waltheof had important duties. One time, he tried to convince King William of Scotland not to invade England. However, King William decided to invade anyway in 1174.

Waltheof also helped settle disagreements. For example, he helped solve a problem between the Abbot of Melrose, who was a leader in a monastery, and a powerful person named Richard de Morville.

Family Life and Legacy

Waltheof married a woman named Alina. She might have been Scottish. Together, they had three children:

• Patrick, who became Earl after him
• Causantín (also known as Constantine)
• Helen

Waltheof died in 1182. The Chronicle of Melrose, an old historical record, called him "Earl of Dunbar." He was the first person to be officially known by this title instead of "Earl of Lothian." This change in title showed the growing importance of the area around Dunbar.