Uchtred the Bold

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Uchtred (or Uhtred), called the Bold, was the earl of Northumbria from 1006 to 1016, when he was assassinated. He was the son of Waltheof I, earl of Bernicia, whose ancient family had ruled from the castle of Bamburgh on the Northumbrian coast since the late ninth century.

In 995, according to Symeon of Durham, when the remains of St Cuthbert were transferred from Chester-le-Street to Durham, Uchtred helped the monks clear the site of the new cathedral. The new cathedral was founded by Bishop Aldhun, and Uchtred married Aldhun's daughter, Ecgfrida, probably at about this time. From his marriage he received several estates that had belonged to the church. [1]

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. Earl Waltheof was too old to fight and remained in his castle at Bamburgh. Earl Ælfhelm of York also took no action. Uchtred, 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 Uchtred. 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. Uchtred was rewarded by King Ethelred II with the earldom of Bernicia even though his father was still alive. In the mean time, Ethelred had had Earl Ælfhelm of York murdered, and he allowed Uchtred to succeed Ælfhelm as earl of York, thus uniting the two ancient kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira under the house of Bamburgh. It seems likely that Ethelred did not trust the Danes of Deira and wanted an Anglo-Saxon in power there. [2]

After receiving these honours Uchtred dismissed his wife, Ecgfrida, and married Sige, daughter of Styr, son of Ulf. Styr was a rich citizen of York. It appears that Uchtred was trying to make political allies amongst the Danes in Deira. [2]

In 1013 King Sweyn of Denmark invaded England, sailing up the Humber and Trent to the town of Gainsborough. Uchtred submitted to him there, as did all of the Danes in the north. In July 1013 Ethelred 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, Ethelred was able to return from exile and resume his reign. Uchtred, along with many others, transferred his allegiance back to Ethelred, on his return. Uchtred also married Ethelred’s daughter Ælfgifu about this time. [2]

In 1016 Uhtred campaigned with Ethelred's son Edmund Ironside in Cheshire and the surrounding shires. While Uchtred was away from his lands, Sweyn's son, Cnut, invaded Yorkshire. Cnut’s forces were too strong for Uchtred to fight, and so Uhtred did homage to him as King of England. Uchtred 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 the connivance of Cnut. Uhtred was succeeded in Bernicia by his brother Eadwulf Cudel. Cnut made the Norwegian, Eric of Hlathir, Earl of Yorkshire. [3]

The killing of Uchtred 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. Eadred’s vengeance had to wait until the 1070s, when Waltheof, Eadred’s grandson had his soldiers kill most of Carls’ sons and grandsons. This is an example of the notorious Northumbrian blood feuds that were common at this time. [4]

Uhtred's dynasty continued to reign in Bernicia through Ealdred (killed 1038) his son from his marriage to Ecgfrida, and Eadulf (killed 1041) his son from his marriage to Sige, and briefly Eadulf’s son Osulf held the earldom of Northumbria 1067 until he too was killed. Uchtred’s marriage to Ælfgifu produced a daughter, Ealdgyth, who married Maldred, brother of Duncan I of Scotland and who gave birth to a son, Gospatric, who was Earl of Northumbria from 1068 to 1072. [5]

[edit] Fiction

In Bernard Cornwell's series The Saxon Stories the protagonist is Earl Uhtred of Bebbanburg, also from Northumbria. The story of the the siege of Durham and the severed heads on poles is told about the historical Uhtred (see Battles of the Dark Ages, Peter Marren), though it is perhaps possible to assume that the fictional Earl Uhtred of Bebbanburg is an ancestor of this Uhtred.

[edit] Sources

  1. ^ Oxford DNB login
  2. ^ a b c Kapelle, William E, “The Norman Conquest of the North”, 1979, University of North Carolina Press, ISBN 0709900406, (pages 15-16)
  3. ^ Oxford DNB login
  4. ^ Kapelle, William E, “The Norman Conquest of the North”, 1979, University of North Carolina Press, ISBN 0709900406, (pages 17-19)
  5. ^ Kapelle, William E, “The Norman Conquest of the North”, 1979, University of North Carolina Press, ISBN 0709900406, (table 2, page 18)
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Waltheof I		 Earl of Northumbria
1006–1016		 Succeeded by
Eric of Hlathir