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Waltheof, Earl of Huntingdon and Northumbria

Male - 1076


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  • Name Waltheof  
    Suffix Earl of Huntingdon and Northumbria 
    Gender Male 
    Died 31 May 1076  St. Giles’s Hill, Winchester, Englan d Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Crowland Abbey, Crowland, Lincolnshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • Last of the Anglo-Saxon earls and the only English Aristocrat to be executed during the reign of William I.

      “WALTHEOF, son of SIWARD Earl of Northumbria & his wife Ælfled of Northumbria (-executed St Giles's Hill, Winchester 31 May 1076, bur Crowland Abbey[397]). His parentage is recorded by Roger of Hoveden. Matthew of Paris specifies that he was the son of Siward, of Danish origin. Snorre names “Earl Valthiof”, although stating that he was the son of “Earl Gudin Ulfnadson” and “Earl Ulf´s sister Gyda”. He was installed as Earl of Huntingdon and Northamptonshire after Tostig Godwinson was banished in Oct 1065. Snorre recounts that “Earl Morukare and…Earl Valthiof” failed to prevent Harald III King of Norway after landing on the river Humber in 1066 in a battle “upon the Wednesday next Mathias´ day”, adding that “Earl Valthiof…fled up to the castle of York”. Snorre also recounts that “Earl Valthiof” took part in the battle of Hastings and “escaped by flight”, seriously condensing his account of Waltheof´s subsequent career when he adds that King William “sent a message to Earl Valthiof that they should be reconciled” but that he was captured “at a heath north of Kastala-bryggia…put…in fetters and afterwards he was beheaded”. Snorre´s narrative includes two fragments of a poem in praise of Waltheof, presumably written contemporarily with Waltheof´s life. Jonathan Allen suggests that Waltheof himself may have patronised an Icelandic skald (court poet) whose work was eventually passed through to Snorre, providing interesting evidence of the persistence of Scandinavian culture in England in the second half of the 11th century. Florence of Worcester records that "Waltheofum Siwardi ducis filius" went with King William to Normandy 21 Feb [1067]. Orderic Vitalis records that, in 1069, Waltheof assisted the Danes in their attack on the Norman garrison at York, but that he was pardoned by the king who arranged Waltheof's marriage and restored him to his pre-conquest earldom. Simeon of Durham records that "Waltheu the son of earl Siward…by Elfleda daughter of Earl Aldred" was installed as Earl of Northumberland after the earldom was confiscated from Gospatrick [in 1072]. Earl Waltheof joined the conspiracy of the Earls of Norfolk and Hereford against King William in 107575, repented and asked for the king's pardon, but was tried at Westminster at Christmas 1075, imprisoned at Winchester and, after the trial resumed there, beheaded. Florence of Worcester records that "comitumque Waltheofum" joined the conspiracy of William Earl of Hereford and Ralph Earl of Norfolk in [1074] but was tried and beheaded at Winchester the following year.
      m (1070) JUDITH de Lens, daughter of LAMBERT de Boulogne Comte de Lens & his wife Adelais de Normandie (1054-after 1086). Her marriage is recorded by Orderic Vitalis who calls her the king's "consobrina". A manuscript records that “Juditha comitissa…uxor Waldevi comitis Huntingdon, et neptis Gulielmi Conquestoris” founded Elstow priory. Her parentage is further clarified by the foundation charter of Saint-Martin d´Auchy narrates the church´s foundation by “Guerinfrido qui condidit castellum…Albamarla” and names “Engueranni consulis qui filius fuit Berte supradicti Guerinfridi filie et Adelidis comitisse uxoris sue sororis…Willelmi Regis Anglorum” and “Addelidis comitissa supradicti Engueranni et supradicte Adelidis filia…Judita comitissa domine supradicte filia”. The Vita et Passio Waldevi Comitis records that “Waldevus” married “rex Willelmus…neptem suam Juettam filiam comitis Lamberti de Lens, sororem…Stephani comitis de Albemarlia”. Orderic Vitalis says Waltltheof's marriage with Judith was arranged by King William "to strengthen the bonds of friendship" with her future husband. She deposed against her husband when he was accused of involvement in the conspiracy of the Earls of Norfolk and Hereford in 1075.
      Earl Waltheof & his wife had two children:
      1. MATILDA [Maud] of Huntingdon ([1071/74]-[23 Apr 1130/22 Apr 1131], bur Scone Abbey, Perthshire). Ingulph's Chronicle of the Abbey of Croyland records the marriage of Matilda eldest daughter of Judith and "Earl Simon. Guillaume de Jumièges rrecords that the eldest of the three daughters of Waltheof & his wife married "Simon de Senlis" and later "David frère de la seconde Mathilde reine des Anglais". Her parents are named by Orderic Vitalis. Robert of Torigny records that the wife of "David [rex Scotiæ] frater [Alexandri]" was "filiam Gallevi comitis et Judith consobrini regis", naming "Symon Silvanectensis comes" as her first husband. "Matilde comitisse, Henrico filio comitis…" witnessed the charter dated to [1120] under which "David comes filius Malcolmi Regis Scottorum" founded the abbey of Selkirk. "Matildis comitissa…" witnessed inquisitions by "David…Cumbrensis regionis princeps", dated 1124, concerning land owned by the church of Glasgow. m firstly ([1090]) SIMON de Senlis [St Lis], son of [RANULF "the Rich" & his wife --- (-Priory of La Charité-sur-Loire 1111). Earl of Huntingdon and Northampton de iure uxoris. m secondly (1113) DAVID of Scotland Prince of Cumbria, son of MALCOLM III "Caennmor/Bighead" King of Scotland & his wife Margaret of England ([1080]-Carlisle 24 May 1153, bur Dunfermline Abbey, Fife). Earl of Northampton and Huntingdon de iure uxoris. He succeeded his brother in 1124 as DAVID I King of Scotland.
      2. ADELISA of Huntingdon ([1073/76]-after [1126]). Her parentage is recorded by Orderic Vitalis, who also records her marriage and names her two sons and indicates she had "several daughters" without naming them. Guillaume de Jumièges records that Judith daughter of Waltheof and his wife married "Raoul de Ternois". Ingulph's Chronicle of the Abbey of Croyland records the marriage of Alice younger daughter of Judith and "Rodolph de Tournay", her dowry being "the lordship of Wilchamstowe". She inherited Walthamstow, Essex. m (1103) RAOUL de Tosny Seigneur de Tosny et de Conques, son of ROGER de Tosny & his wife Isabelle de Montfort (-(-[1126], bur Conques Saint-Pierre).”
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      From Wikipedia (6 May 2023)
      Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria
      “Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria (Middle English: Wallef, Old Norse: Valþjóf) (died 31 May 1076) was the last of the Anglo-Saxon earls and the only English aristocrat to be executed during the reign of William I.

      Early life
      Waltheof was the second son of Siward, Earl of Northumbria. His mother was Aelfflaed, daughter of Ealdred, Earl of Bernicia, son of Uhtred, Earl of Northumbria. In 1054, Waltheof's brother, Osbeorn, who was much older than he, was killed in battle, making Waltheof his father's heir. Siward himself died in 1055, and Waltheof being far too young to succeed as Earl of Northumbria, King Edward appointed Tostig Godwinson to the earldom.

      Waltheof was said to be devout and charitable and was probably educated for a monastic life. Around 1065, however, he became an earl, governing Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire. Following the Battle of Hastings he submitted to William and was allowed to keep his pre-Conquest title and possessions. He remained at William's court until 1068.

      First revolt
      When Sweyn II invaded Northern England in 1069, Waltheof and Edgar Aetheling joined the Danes and took part in the attack on York. He would again make a fresh submission to William after the departure of the invaders in 1070. He was restored to his earldom, and went on to marry William's niece, Judith of Lens. In 1071, he was appointed Earl of Northampton.

      The Domesday Book mentions Waltheof ("Walleff"): "'In Hallam ("Halun"), one manor with its sixteen hamlets, there are twenty-nine carucates [~14 km²] to be taxed. There Earl Waltheof had an "Aula" [hall or court]. There may have been about twenty ploughs. This land Roger de Busli holds of the Countess Judith." (Hallam, or Hallamshire, is now part of the city of Sheffield)

      In 1072, William expelled Gospatric from the earldom of Northumbria. Gospatric was Waltheof's cousin and had taken part in the attack on York with him, but like Waltheof, had been pardoned by William. Gospatric fled into exile and William appointed Waltheof as the new earl. Construction of Durham Castle began under Waltheof in 1072 after receiving orders to commence this project from William. The castle would be significantly expanded by Bishop Walcher and his successors in later years.

      Waltheof had many enemies in the north. Amongst them were members of a family who had killed Waltheof's maternal great-grandfather, Uhtred the Bold, and his grandfather Ealdred. This was part of a long-running blood feud. In 1074, Waltheof moved against the family by sending his retainers to ambush them, succeeding in killing the two eldest of four brothers.

      Second revolt and execution
      In 1075 Waltheof was said to have joined the Revolt of the Earls against William. His motives for taking part in the revolt are unclear, as is the depth of his involvement. Some sources say that he told his wife - The Countess Judith - about the plot and that she then informed Archbishop Lanfranc who then told her uncle William, who was at the time in Normandy. Other sources say that it was Waltheof who told the bishop of the plot. On William's return from Normandy, Waltheof was arrested, brought twice before the king's court and sentenced to death.

      He spent almost a year in confinement before being beheaded on 31 May 1076 at St. Giles's Hill, near Winchester. He was said to have spent the months of his captivity in prayer and fasting. Many people believed in his innocence and were surprised when the execution was carried out. His body was initially thrown into a ditch, but was later retrieved and buried in the chapter house of Crowland Abbey in Lincolnshire.

      An otherwise unknown Norse poet, Þorkell Skallason, composed a memorial poem for Waltheof - Valþjófsflokkr. Two stanzas of this poem are preserved in Heimskringla, Hulda-Hrokkinskinna and, partially, Fagrskinna. The first of the two stanzas says that Waltheof made a hundred retainers of William burn in hot fire - "a scorching evening for the men" - and wolves ate the corpses of the Normans. The second says that William betrayed Waltheof and had him killed.

      Cult of martyrdom
      In 1092, after a fire in the chapter house, the abbot had Waltheof's body moved to a prominent place in the abbey church. When the coffin was opened, it is reported that the corpse was found to be intact with the severed head re-joined to the trunk. This was regarded as a miracle, and the abbey, which had a financial interest in the matter began to publicise it. As a result, pilgrims began to visit Waltheof's tomb. He was commemorated on 31 August.

      After a few years, healing miracles were reputed to occur in the vicinity of Waltheof's tomb, often involving the restoration of the pilgrim's lost sight. They are described in the Miracula Sancti Waldevi. Waltheof's life thus became the subject of popular media, heroic but inaccurate accounts being preserved in the Vita et Passio Waldevi comitis, a Middle English Waltheof saga, since lost, and the Anglo-Norman Waldef.

      Family and children
      In 1070 Waltheof married Countess Judith de Lens, daughter of Lambert II, Count of Lens and Adelaide of Normandy, Countess of Aumale. Countess Judith was the niece of William the Conqueror. Waltheof and Judith had three children, the eldest of whom, Maud, brought the earldom of Huntingdon to her second husband, David I of Scotland, and another, Adelise (Alice of Northumbria) married the Anglo-Norman noble Raoul III of Tosny.

      One of Waltheof's grandsons was Waltheof (died 1159), abbot of Melrose.”
    Person ID I14526  Lowell&Block
    Last Modified 27 May 2023 

    Father Siward, Earl of Northumbria 
    Mother Ælfflaed 
    Family ID F20525  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Judith, de Lens [Boulogne], Countess of Huntingdon 
    Married 1070 
    Children 
     1. Maud or Matilda, Countess of Huntingdon, Queen of Scotland,   b. Abt 1074,   d. 1130 or 1131  (Age ~ 57 years)
     2. Alicia or Adeliza, Lady of Walthamstow, Essex,   b. Abt 1085, Clifford Castle, Herefordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1126, Flamstead, Hertfordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 42 years)
    Last Modified 3 Apr 2023 
    Family ID F4995  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart