Uctred of Bamburgh, Earl of Northumbria
was the grandfather of MALDRED OF WINLATON, who was hisself an ancestor of William Medecalfe the Dent, forefather of David Walker's grandmother, Jane Metcalfe.
According to Bede (672/73-735) those, who came over [to Britain], were of the three most powerful nations of Germany – the Saxons, Angles, and Jutes. "From the Angles ... are descended ... all the race of the Northumbrians, that is, of those nations that dwell on the north side of the river Humber”. (Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum I, 15).
Earl Uctred (Uhtred) of Bamburgh, Earl of Northumbria, called the Bold, was the ealdorman of all Northumbria from 1006 to 1016, when he was assassinated. He was the son of Waltheof I, ealdorman of Bamburgh, whose ancient family had ruled from the castle of Bamburgh on the Northumbrian coast.
In 995, according to Symeon of Durham, when the relics of Saint Cuthbert of Lindisfarne were transferred from Chester-le-Street to Durham, Uhtred helped the monks to clear the square for the new cathedral planned by Bishop Aldhun of Durham. Probably at that time, Uhtred married Aldhun's daughter Ecgfrida, who brought some lands from church property as a dowry to the marriage.
From his first marriage (∞ around 995) with Ecgfrida, he had a son,
According to Bede (672/73-735) those, who came over [to Britain], were of the three most powerful nations of Germany – the Saxons, Angles, and Jutes. "From the Angles ... are descended ... all the race of the Northumbrians, that is, of those nations that dwell on the north side of the river Humber”. (Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum I, 15).
Earl Uctred (Uhtred) of Bamburgh, Earl of Northumbria, called the Bold, was the ealdorman of all Northumbria from 1006 to 1016, when he was assassinated. He was the son of Waltheof I, ealdorman of Bamburgh, whose ancient family had ruled from the castle of Bamburgh on the Northumbrian coast.In 995, according to Symeon of Durham, when the relics of Saint Cuthbert of Lindisfarne were transferred from Chester-le-Street to Durham, Uhtred helped the monks to clear the square for the new cathedral planned by Bishop Aldhun of Durham. Probably at that time, Uhtred married Aldhun's daughter Ecgfrida, who brought some lands from church property as a dowry to the marriage.
From his first marriage (∞ around 995) with Ecgfrida, he had a son,
- Ealdred (Ealdorman of Bamburgh, fl. 1019-1038). Ealdred's daughter, Aelfflaed, was the first wife of Siward, Earl of Northumbria (fl. 1041-1055) being the parents of Waltheof, Earl of the Honour of Huntingdon and Northampton (fl. 1050–1076) and Northumbria (fl. 1072-1076)
The English chronicler Symeon of Durham, wrote that the original Earls of Lennox descended from an Anglo-Saxon – Arkil, son of Egfrith. He was said to have fled to Scotland from the devastation caused by the Harrying of the North by William the Conqueror, and later received control of the Lennox district from Malcolm III of Scotland.
In 1006 Malcolm II of Scotland invaded Northumbria and besieged the newly founded episcopal city of Durham. At that time the Danes were raiding southern England and King Ethelred was unable to send help to the Northumbrians. Ealdorman Waltheof was too old to fight and remained in his castle at Bamburgh. Ealdorman Ælfhelm of York also took no action. Uhtred, acting for his father, called together an army from Bernicia and Yorkshire and led it against the Scots. The result was a decisive victory for Uhtred. Local women washed the severed heads of the Scots, receiving a payment of a cow for each, and the heads were fixed on stakes to Durham's walls. Uhtred was rewarded by King Ethelred II with the ealdormanry of Bamburgh even though his father was still alive. In the mean time, Ethelred had Ealdorman Ælfhelm of York murdered, and he allowed Uhtred to succeed Ælfhelm as ealdorman of York, thus uniting northern and southern Northumbria under the house of Bamburgh. It seems likely that Ethelred did not trust the Scandinavian population of southern Northumbria and wanted an Anglo-Saxon in power there.
After receiving these honours Uhtred dismissed his wife, Ecgfrida, and married Sige, daughter of Styr, son of Ulf. Styr was a rich citizen of York. It appears that Uhtred was trying to make political allies amongst the Danes in Deira.
From his second marriage (∞ around 1006) with Ecgfrida, he had two sons,
From his second marriage (∞ around 1006) with Ecgfrida, he had two sons,
- Eadulf of Bamburgh, later Eadulf III, Earl of Bernica (fl. 1030-1041)
- Gospatric of Bamburgh; 1063/64, he was killed by Tostig Godwinson, Earl of Northumbria (fl. 1055-1065) at court, when he and his fellows visited him under safe conduct; his grandson was the infamous Eadwulf Rus who murdered Bishop Walcher in 1080.
1013, King Sweyn of Denmark invaded England, sailing up the Humber and Trent to the town of Gainsborough. Uhtred submitted to him there, as did all of the Danes in the north. In the winter of 1013 Earl Uhtred of Northumbria, had to submit to the Danes and King Æhelred II. was forced into exile in Normandy. After London had finally submitted to him, Swein was accepted as king by Christmas 1013. However he only reigned for five weeks, for he died at, or near, Gainsborough on 2 February 1014. At Sweyn’s death, Æhelred was able to return from exile and resume his reign. Uhtred, along with many others, transferred his allegiance back to Ethelred, on his return.
Uhtred also married (∞ around 1014) King Æthelred’s daughter ÆLFGIFU, PRINCESS OF WESSEX. From his third marriage, he had a daughter,
Uhtred also married (∞ around 1014) King Æthelred’s daughter ÆLFGIFU, PRINCESS OF WESSEX. From his third marriage, he had a daughter,
- ÆTHELREDA OF BAMBURGH; she was married to MALDRED OF ALLERDALE, regent of Strathglyde and had children:
(a) GOSPATRIC OF ALLERDALE, EARL OF NORTHUMBRIA (fl. 1068-1072) and Dunbar; he was the father of:
(ii) Waltheof, Lord of Allerdale and Abbot of Crowland
(iii) Gospatric II, Earl of Dunbar
(iv) Uctreda married to Duncan II of Scotland
(v) Maud (or Mathilda) married to Dolfin fitzAylward of Dolphenby
(vi) Gunilda married to Orm (son of Ketel) out of the House DE TAILLEBOIS
(b) MALDRED OF WINLATON; to distinguish him from his father he is referred to as of Winlaton; he was the father of:
(i) UCTRED fitzMALDRED
(ii) Robert, prior of Hexham
(iii) Ulkil (Ulfkil) fitzMaldred
In 1016 Uhtred campaigned with King Æthelred's son Edmund Ironside in Cheshire and the surrounding shires. While Uhtred was away from his lands, King Sweyn's son, Cnut, invaded Yorkshire. Cnut's forces were too strong for Uhtred to fight, and so Uhtred did homage to him as King of England. Uhtred was summoned to a meeting with Cnut, and on the way there, he and forty of his men were murdered by Thurbrand the Hold, with assistance from Uhtred's own servant, Wighill and with the connivance of Cnut. Uhtred was succeeded in Bernicia by his brother Eadwulf Cudel. Cnut made the Norwegian, Eric of Hlathir, ealdorman ("earl" in Scandinavian terms) in southern Northumbria.The killing of Uhtred by Thurbrand the Hold started a blood feud that lasted for many years. Uhtred's son Ealdred subsequently avenged his father by
killing Thurbrand, but Ealdred in turn was killed by Thurbrand's son, Carl. (King's Hall of Bamburgh Castle)
Ealdred's vengeance had to wait until the 1070s, when Waltheof, Ealdred’s grandson had his soldiers
kill most of Carl's sons and grandsons. This is an example of the notorious Northumbrian blood feuds that were common at this time.
Ealdred's vengeance had to wait until the 1070s, when Waltheof, Ealdred’s grandson had his soldiers
kill most of Carl's sons and grandsons. This is an example of the notorious Northumbrian blood feuds that were common at this time.