Ethelwin
Encyclopedia
Æthelwine was the last Anglo-Saxon
bishop of Durham, the last who was not also a secular ruler, and the only English bishop at the time of the Norman Conquest who did not remain loyal to King William the Conqueror.
in 1056. He was installed as bishop by Tostig, the Earl of Northumbria
and was the choice of King Edward the Confessor
. Æthelwine was the brother of the previous bishop, Æthelric, who had been forced to resign after a financial scandal. In 1059, Æthelwine, along with Tostig and Cynesige
, the Archbishop of York
, accompanied King Malcolm III of Scotland
to King Edward's court, where Malcom may have acknowledged Edward as Malcom's overlord. Æthelwine oversaw the translation
of the relics of the saint Oswine of Deira
to Durham in 1065. Æthelwine, like his brother, was unpopular with the clergy of his cathedral, mainly because he was an outsider and had been installed in office without any input from the cathedral chapter. In 1065, the monks of Æthelwine's cathedral chapter were leaders in the revolt against Tostig, which was successful, although Æthelwine remained as bishop.
Æthelwine was initially loyal to King William after the Norman Conquest, and in the summer of 1068 he submitted to William at York
. The submission followed on the heels of William building the first castle at York and receiving the submission of most of the northern thegns. Æthelwine also brought word from King Malcolm that the Scottish king wished to live in peace with the new English king. King William sent Æthelwine back to Malcolm's court with William's terms, which were accepted. In 1069, when the new earl of Northumbria Robert de Comines came north to begin governing, it was Æthelwine who warned the new earl about an English army loose in the area. Unfortunately, the new earl did not pay heed to the warning, and was surprised and burned to death in the bishop's house on 29 January 1069. When King William marched north in retaliation on the scorched earth campaign generally known as the Harrying of the North
, Æthelwine tried to flee with many Northumbrian treasures (including the body of Saint Cuthbert) to Lindisfarne
, but he was caught, outlawed, imprisoned, and later died in confinement in the winter of 1071–1072; his see
being temporarily left vacant until William appointed the native of Lorraine William Walcher
, the first prince-bishop.
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
bishop of Durham, the last who was not also a secular ruler, and the only English bishop at the time of the Norman Conquest who did not remain loyal to King William the Conqueror.
Life
Æthelwine was consecrated bishopBishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
in 1056. He was installed as bishop by Tostig, the Earl of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria was a title in the Anglo-Danish, late Anglo-Saxon, and early Anglo-Norman period in England. The earldom of Northumbria was the successor of the ealdormanry of Bamburgh, itself the successor of an independent Bernicia. Under the Norse kingdom of York, there were earls of...
and was the choice of King Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
. Æthelwine was the brother of the previous bishop, Æthelric, who had been forced to resign after a financial scandal. In 1059, Æthelwine, along with Tostig and Cynesige
Cynesige
Cynesige was a medieval Archbishop of York for nine years between 1051 and 1060.- Life :Cynesige perhaps came from Rutland, as he owned the manor of Tinwell there later in life...
, the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, accompanied King Malcolm III of Scotland
Malcolm III of Scotland
Máel Coluim mac Donnchada , was King of Scots...
to King Edward's court, where Malcom may have acknowledged Edward as Malcom's overlord. Æthelwine oversaw the translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
of the relics of the saint Oswine of Deira
Oswine of Deira
Oswine was a King of Deira in northern England. He succeeded King Oswald of Northumbria, probably around the year 644, after Oswald's death at the Battle of Maserfield. Oswine was the son of Osric....
to Durham in 1065. Æthelwine, like his brother, was unpopular with the clergy of his cathedral, mainly because he was an outsider and had been installed in office without any input from the cathedral chapter. In 1065, the monks of Æthelwine's cathedral chapter were leaders in the revolt against Tostig, which was successful, although Æthelwine remained as bishop.
Æthelwine was initially loyal to King William after the Norman Conquest, and in the summer of 1068 he submitted to William at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. The submission followed on the heels of William building the first castle at York and receiving the submission of most of the northern thegns. Æthelwine also brought word from King Malcolm that the Scottish king wished to live in peace with the new English king. King William sent Æthelwine back to Malcolm's court with William's terms, which were accepted. In 1069, when the new earl of Northumbria Robert de Comines came north to begin governing, it was Æthelwine who warned the new earl about an English army loose in the area. Unfortunately, the new earl did not pay heed to the warning, and was surprised and burned to death in the bishop's house on 29 January 1069. When King William marched north in retaliation on the scorched earth campaign generally known as the Harrying of the North
Harrying of the North
The Harrying of the North was a series of campaigns waged by William the Conqueror in the winter of 1069–1070 to subjugate Northern England, and is part of the Norman conquest of England...
, Æthelwine tried to flee with many Northumbrian treasures (including the body of Saint Cuthbert) to Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
, but he was caught, outlawed, imprisoned, and later died in confinement in the winter of 1071–1072; his see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
being temporarily left vacant until William appointed the native of Lorraine William Walcher
William Walcher
William Walcher was the bishop of Durham from 1071, a Lotharingian, the first non-Englishman to hold that see and an appointee of William the Conqueror....
, the first prince-bishop.