Æthelmær the Stout
Encyclopedia
Æthelmær the Stout or Æthelmær Cild (died 1015) was ealdorman
of the western provinces (or south-western England) from c. 1005 to 1015. He was the son of Æthelweard the historian, and descended from King Æthelred I.
Together with his father, he was a patron of the homilist, Ælfric of Eynsham
. In 987 Æthelmær founded or re-founded Cerne Abbey
, and in 1005 founded Eynsham Abbey
and made Ælfric its first abbot. Ælfric dedicated his Lives of the Saints to Æthelmær.
In a charter of 993 in which King Æthelred II laments his past misrule, which had resulted “partly on account of the ignorance of my youth, and partly on account of the abhorrent greed of certain of those men who ought to administer to my interest”, Æthelmaer is acknowledged, along with King’s uncle, Ordulf of Tavistiock, as a loyal counsellor, and from the mid 990s he generally appears first among the ministers witnessing charters, followed by Ordulf, Wulfheah and Wulfgeat.
Upon the death of his father Æthelweard in 998, no ealdorman was appointed to the Western Provinces, though both Æthelmær and Ordulf, whose father Ordgar had preceded Æthelweard, would have been obvious candidates.
Æthelmaer founded monastic houses at Cerne in Dorset in 987, and at Eynsham in Oxfordshire in 1005, appointing Aelfric the first abbot.
From 1006 the notorious Eadric Streona
leapfrogs Æthelmaer, Ordulf, Wulfgeat and Wulfheah, to the head of the list of ministers. Wulfheah is known to have been blinded after Eadric murdered his father ealdorman Ælfhelm of Mercia, while Wulfgeat was deprived of all his lands; it may be significant that, if correctly identified with the 'Ælmaer' in the will of Æthelstan Ætheling
, Æthelmaer's estate at Hambledon also appears to have fallen into royal hands. Ordulf is another who ceases to witness after 1006, and it is possible that the Æthelmaer who continues to attest charters after this date is another prominent thegn, Æthelmaer son of Æthelwold. Another Æthelmaer who occasionally attests charters at this time in a lower position is possibly one of the brothers of Eadric Streona.[5].
By 1013 Æthelmaer had evidently regained any lost favour as he had assumed his father's old ealdormanry of the Western Provinces. In this year he and his followers surrendered to the Danish invader Swein Forkbeard, who was encamped at Bath. He died in 1015.
One of his sons Æthelnorth, became Archbishop of Canterbury
. Another, Æthelweard, was killed by Cnut in 1017, while a son-in-law also called Æthelweard was exiled in 1020.
Æthelmær has also been tentatively identified as the father Wulfnoth Cild
, who was the father of Godwin, Earl of Wessex
, and grandfather of King Harold II
. His identification is based on the will of King Æthelred II's son, Æthelstan Ætheling, in which having asked his royal father to return to Ælmaer (recte Æthelmaer) an estate at Hamelandene (possibly Hambledon
in Hants which in Domesday is recorded as being in the possession of earl Godwin), he next bequeathes to Godwin the estate at Compton
that had formerly belonged to his father Wulfnoth. Further support comes from the possession by Godwin's sons King Harold II and earl Gyrth of the estates of Ogburn in Wiltshire and Washington
in Sussex, bequeathed to Æthelmaer's putative grandfather, ealdorman Eadric by his brother ealdorman Æthelwold, and from Godwin's own possession of Washington's dependencies in Easewrith hundred. However, this theory of the ancestry of the Godwins
is not accepted by most historians.
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 western provinces (or south-western England) from c. 1005 to 1015. He was the son of Æthelweard the historian, and descended from King Æthelred I.
Together with his father, he was a patron of the homilist, Ælfric of Eynsham
Ælfric of Eynsham
Ælfric of Eynsham was an English abbot, as well as a consummate, prolific writer in Old English of hagiography, homilies, biblical commentaries, and other genres. He is also known variously as Ælfric the Grammarian , Ælfric of Cerne, and Ælfric the Homilist...
. In 987 Æthelmær founded or re-founded Cerne Abbey
Cerne Abbey
Cerne Abbey was a Benedictine monastery founded in 987 AD in the town now called Cerne Abbas by Æthelmær the Stout. Ælfric of Eynsham, the most prolific writer in Old English was known to have spent time at the abbey as a priest and teacher....
, and in 1005 founded Eynsham Abbey
Eynsham Abbey
Eynsham Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Eynsham, Oxfordshire, in England between 1005 and 1538. King Æthelred allowed Æthelmær the Stout to found the abbey in 1005. There is some evidence that the abbey was built on the site of an earlier minster, probably founded in the 7th or 8th...
and made Ælfric its first abbot. Ælfric dedicated his Lives of the Saints to Æthelmær.
In a charter of 993 in which King Æthelred II laments his past misrule, which had resulted “partly on account of the ignorance of my youth, and partly on account of the abhorrent greed of certain of those men who ought to administer to my interest”, Æthelmaer is acknowledged, along with King’s uncle, Ordulf of Tavistiock, as a loyal counsellor, and from the mid 990s he generally appears first among the ministers witnessing charters, followed by Ordulf, Wulfheah and Wulfgeat.
Upon the death of his father Æthelweard in 998, no ealdorman was appointed to the Western Provinces, though both Æthelmær and Ordulf, whose father Ordgar had preceded Æthelweard, would have been obvious candidates.
Æthelmaer founded monastic houses at Cerne in Dorset in 987, and at Eynsham in Oxfordshire in 1005, appointing Aelfric the first abbot.
From 1006 the notorious Eadric Streona
Eadric Streona
Eadric Streona was an ealdorman of the English Mercians. His name a loose translation of the Anglo-Saxon "the Grasper." Streona is historically regarded as the greatest traitor of the Anglo-Saxon period in English history....
leapfrogs Æthelmaer, Ordulf, Wulfgeat and Wulfheah, to the head of the list of ministers. Wulfheah is known to have been blinded after Eadric murdered his father ealdorman Ælfhelm of Mercia, while Wulfgeat was deprived of all his lands; it may be significant that, if correctly identified with the 'Ælmaer' in the will of Æthelstan Ætheling
Æthelstan Ætheling
Æthelstan Ætheling , early or mid 980s to 25 June 1014, was the eldest son of King Æthelred the Unready by his first wife Ælfgifu and the heir apparent to the kingdom until his death. He made his first appearance as a witness to a charter of his father in 993...
, Æthelmaer's estate at Hambledon also appears to have fallen into royal hands. Ordulf is another who ceases to witness after 1006, and it is possible that the Æthelmaer who continues to attest charters after this date is another prominent thegn, Æthelmaer son of Æthelwold. Another Æthelmaer who occasionally attests charters at this time in a lower position is possibly one of the brothers of Eadric Streona.[5].
By 1013 Æthelmaer had evidently regained any lost favour as he had assumed his father's old ealdormanry of the Western Provinces. In this year he and his followers surrendered to the Danish invader Swein Forkbeard, who was encamped at Bath. He died in 1015.
One of his sons Æthelnorth, became Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
. Another, Æthelweard, was killed by Cnut in 1017, while a son-in-law also called Æthelweard was exiled in 1020.
Æthelmær has also been tentatively identified as the father Wulfnoth Cild
Wulfnoth Cild
Wulfnoth Cild was a South Saxon thegn who is regarded by historians as the probable father of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and thus the grandfather of King Harold Godwinson...
, who was the father of Godwin, Earl of Wessex
Godwin, Earl of Wessex
Godwin of Wessex , was one of the most powerful lords in England under the Danish king Cnut the Great and his successors. Cnut made him the first Earl of Wessex...
, and grandfather of King Harold II
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
. His identification is based on the will of King Æthelred II's son, Æthelstan Ætheling, in which having asked his royal father to return to Ælmaer (recte Æthelmaer) an estate at Hamelandene (possibly Hambledon
Hambledon, Hampshire
Hambledon is a small village and civil parish in the county of Hampshire in England, situated about north of Portsmouth.Hambledon is best known as the 'Cradle of Cricket'. It is thought that Hambledon Club, one of the oldest cricket clubs known, was formed about 1750...
in Hants which in Domesday is recorded as being in the possession of earl Godwin), he next bequeathes to Godwin the estate at Compton
Compton
-Canada:* Compton, Quebec* Compton County, Quebec* Compton , a former Quebec provincial electoral district now part of Mégantic-Compton* Compton , a former Quebec federal electoral district-England:...
that had formerly belonged to his father Wulfnoth. Further support comes from the possession by Godwin's sons King Harold II and earl Gyrth of the estates of Ogburn in Wiltshire and Washington
Washington, West Sussex
Washington is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located five miles west of Steyning and three miles east of Storrington on the A24 between Horsham and Worthing. The parish covers an area of 1,276 hectares...
in Sussex, bequeathed to Æthelmaer's putative grandfather, ealdorman Eadric by his brother ealdorman Æthelwold, and from Godwin's own possession of Washington's dependencies in Easewrith hundred. However, this theory of the ancestry of the Godwins
Ancestry of the Godwins
Very little is known for certain of the Ancestry of the Godwins. Even the Life of Edward the Confessor, commissioned by his wife Edith, who was Godwin's daughter, is surprisingly silent on the subject. In a section designed to eulogise her family, Godwin is described as "blessed in his ancestral...
is not accepted by most historians.