Eadwulf Evil-child

Eadwulf Evil-child
Latin: Eadulphus cognomento Yvelcildus
Born 10th-century
Title Earl of Bamburgh

Eadulf, Eadwulf, or occasionally Adulf, surnamed Evil-child (Old English: Yvelcild), (fl. AD 973) was Earl of Bamburgh in the late tenth century.[1] Although Eadwulf is sometimes described as the Earl of Northumbria, he ruled only the northern portion of Northumbria from the River Tees to possibly as far north as the Firth of Forth.

The details of Eadwulf's early life are not known except that his surname evil-child may indicate that he was a wild youth. Additionally, given his name, he may have been related to Eadwulf II who died in 913.[2]

De primo Saxonum adventu, an 11th- or 12th-century compilation from earlier sources, notes that after the death of Osulf (no later than 963), Northumbria was divided into two parts: Eadulf Evil-child receiving the lands between the Myreford (arguably the Firth of Forth) and the River Tees and Oslac receiving the lands between the Humber Estuary and the Tees.[3] Assuming that Myreford was the Saxon name for the Firth of Forth (which some dispute, suggesting it might be the River Tweed[4]), Eadwulf's control over the northern part of Northumbria was not to last. In AD 972 Eadwulf's son was captured by Kenneth King of Scots during a raid.[5] The following year, after Eadwulf, Oslac and Bishop Ælfsige escorted Kenneth to King Edgar, and after Kenneth had reportedly done homage, Edgar rewarded Kenneth by granting him Lothian.[6]

The details of later part of Eadwulf's life are not known. It may be that he fell from office as late as 975 in the violence which attended the succession crisis after the death of King Edgar.[7] In any case the Earldom of Bamburgh was held by Waltheof from 975 onwards.[1]

Sources

C T Onions states that the De primo Saxonum adventu is the only known source for details about Eadwulf's life as other extant authorities are based upon it.[8] There are however some 10th century charters which briefly mention him.[9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rollason, David W. (2003). Northumbria, 500 - 1100: Creation and Destruction of a Kingdom. Cambridge University Press. p. 267. ISBN 0521813352.
  2. ↑ Fletcher, Richard A. (2004). Bloodfeud: Murder and Revenge in Anglo-Saxon England. Oxford University Press. p. 44. ISBN 978-0195179446.
  3. ↑ Whitelock, "Dealings of the Kings", p. 77; Woolf, Pictland to Alba, p. 211; Arnold (ed.), Symeonis Monachi Opera Omnia, vol. ii, p. 382; Anderson, Scottish Annals, p. 77
  4. ↑ Barrow, Geoffrey (2003). The Kingdom of the Scots: Government, Church and Society from the Eleventh to the Fourteenth Century. Edinburgh University Press. p. 122. ISBN 978-0748618033.
  5. ↑ http://www.oxforddnb.com/templates/article.jsp?articleid=8463&back=
  6. ↑ Rollason, David W. (2003). Northumbria, 500 - 1100: Creation and Destruction of a Kingdom. Cambridge University Press. p. 275. ISBN 0521813352.
  7. ↑ Fletcher, Richard A. (2004). Bloodfeud: Murder and Revenge in Anglo-Saxon England. Oxford University Press. p. 45. ISBN 978-0195179446.
  8. ↑ Onions, Charles Talbut (1940). Medium Ævum 9–10. Society for the Study of Mediæval Languages and Literature. p. 110.
  9. ↑ Robertson, A J, ed. (1939). Anglo-Saxon charters. CUP Archive. p. 341.
Preceded by
Osulf I		 Ruler of Bamburgh
floruit 963–973 		Succeeded by
Waltheof I