Waltheof of Allerdale facts for kids
Waltheof of Allerdale was an important Anglo-Saxon noble who lived a long time ago, in the 11th and 12th centuries. He was the ruler, or "lord," of a place called Allerdale in what is now Cumbria, England. Waltheof was the son of Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria, and he had two brothers named Dolfin of Carlisle and Gospatric of Dunbar.
Waltheof and his brother Gospatric were present when Earl David made important decisions for the area between 1113 and 1124. Waltheof also signed some of David's official papers later when David became the king of the Scots. Old church records from Cumbria, like those from St Bees and Wetheral, tell us that Waltheof gave land in Allerdale to his three sisters: Octreda, Gunhilda, and Maud.
Waltheof's Family Life
Waltheof had a partner named Sigrid or Sigarith. Together, they had two sons and several daughters.
- Alan: He was active around 1139 and later took over as the ruler of Allerdale.
- Gospatric: Another son.
- Ethelreda: She first married Ranulf de Lindesay and then William de Esseville.
- Gunhilda: She married Uhtred of Galloway.
Waltheof's Sister and Her Royal Connection
Waltheof's sister, Octreda (also known as Ethelreda), married Donnchad mac Maíl Coluim. For a short time, she was the Queen of Scotland. She was also the mother of William fitz Duncan, who was a powerful leader in Moray, Scotland.
After King Donnchad was killed in November 1094, it's likely that Ethelreda and her young son William went to Allerdale. They probably found safety with Waltheof's family. It seems that William fitz Duncan later inherited the Allerdale lands from his mother.
Waltheof and Crowland Abbey
It is thought that Waltheof might have become the abbot of Crowland later in his life. An abbot is the head of a monastery. However, there is some uncertainty, and this Waltheof might have been a different person.
The abbot of Crowland in question was a monk at Crowland Abbey before he became abbot in 1125. This Abbot Waltheof was later removed from his position by an important church leader named Alberic of Ostia at a big meeting called the Council of Westminster.
