Leofwine, Earl of Mercia
Encyclopedia
Leofwine was an ealdorman
of the Hwicce
in Mercia
. He is mentioned as Wicciarum Prouinciarum dux Ealdorman of Hwicce in 997.
Leofwine may have been related by marriage to the family of Ælfgifu of Northampton. The chronicles mention four children of Leofwine, their order of birth is unknown:
Ealdorman
An ealdorman is the term used for a high-ranking royal official and prior magistrate of an Anglo-Saxon shire or group of shires from about the ninth century to the time of King Cnut...
of the Hwicce
Hwicce
The Hwicce were one of the peoples of Anglo-Saxon England. The exact boundaries of their kingdom are uncertain, though it is likely that they coincided with those of the old Diocese of Worcester, founded in 679–80, the early bishops of which bore the title Episcopus Hwicciorum...
in Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
. He is mentioned as Wicciarum Prouinciarum dux Ealdorman of Hwicce in 997.
Leofwine may have been related by marriage to the family of Ælfgifu of Northampton. The chronicles mention four children of Leofwine, their order of birth is unknown:
- NorthmanNorthman, son of LeofwineNorthman was a Mercian chieftain of the early 11th century. A member of a powerful Mercian kindred, he is known primarily for receiving Twywell in Northamptonshire from King Æthelred II in 1013 and his death at the hands of King Cnut the Great in 1017...
, killed in 1017. - Eadwine, killed in battle in 1039.
- Godwine, died some time before 1056.
- Leofric, Earl of MerciaLeofric, Earl of MerciaLeofric was the Earl of Mercia and founded monasteries at Coventry and Much Wenlock. Leofric is remembered as the husband of Lady Godiva.-Life and political influence:...
.