Many have read Bernard Cornwall’s exciting stories of Uhtred and the warring Danes in his Saxon Stories. Some may not be aware that there was a real person of that name living in those turbulent times.

Uhtred was born in times of great turmoil when Britain was emerging from the chaos of 200 years of attacks and invasions from the norsemen and beginning to unite under the Wessex king, Ethelred. He was the son of Waltheof, Ealdorman of Northumbria and grandson of Osulf who had first been given the title for his help in the murder of Eric Bloodaxe, the last independent Viking King of Northumbria.

His life was every bit as exciting and colourful as his fictional counterpart and in 995AD, Symeon of Durham relates that the remains of St Cuthbert were transferred from Chester le Street to Durham. and Uhtred is mentioned as having helped the monks clear a site for the new cathedral which was founded by Bishop Aldhun. Uhtred married Aldhun’s daughter and through the marriage, received several estates that belonged to the Church.

In 1006, King Malcolm 11 of Scotland invaded Northumbria and besieged the city of Durham. The south of the country was suffering heavy raids from the Danes and King Ethelred was unable to send help. Waltheof was too old to fight and Uhtred gathered an army on his father’s behalf from Bernicia and Yorkshire and led his force against the Scots. Uhtred achieved a decisive victory and, as a warning against further Scottish raids, had the surviving invaders decapitated. It is said that the local Durham women washed and combed the hair of the severed heads before they were placed on spikes around the city walls and were paid with a cow for every head.

Uhtred was rewarded by Ethelred with the Earl of York, making him the effective ruler of Northumbria even though his father still lived.. The move was seen as an effort by Ethelred to strengthen his rule in an area dominated by Danish warlords.

After receiving these honours, Uhtred dismissed his wife and married Sige, daughter of a rich Dane called Styr in a move to get closer to the Danes in Deira, a clever move in a time when Ethelred’s hold on the north was by no means complete and could easily revert to Danish rule. The 12th century Durham tract “De Obsessione Dunelmi” states that Uhtred married Styr’s daughter on the condition that he killed a certain Thurbrand the Hold (the name referring to a rank somewhere between a thegne and an eolderman), a supporter of Danish rule. If true, this makes Uhtred an early contract killer, although he failed to carry out the deed and suffered for it later.

In 1013, Sweyn Forkbeard invaded with a large army, sailing up the Humber and Trent to Gainsborough. Uhtred submitted to him and handing over hostages as did all the northern Danes, bringing all the area north of Watling Street under Sweyn’s rule. In July of that year Ethelred was forced into exile in Normandy and Sweyn was accepted as king by December. His reign was however a short one and he died in February 1014. Ethelred returned and resumed his reign and Uhtred, along with many other nobles, submitted to him. With ever his eye on the main chance, Uhtred then married Ethelred’s daughter Elfgifu, probably arranged to maintain Uhtred’s loyalty to Ethelred. It should be remembered that the term marriage could be taken in two forms. The traditional sense, blessed by the Church and binding, or the Danish “handwife” a simpler service not recognised by the Church and easily discarded.

In 1016, Uhtred was away campaigning in Cheshire with Ethelred’s son Edmond Ironside and Sweyn’s son Cnut chose this moment to invade Yorkshire. Uhtred again turned his coat and submitted to Cnut as King of England. De Obsessione records that, Cnut realised that he could not trust Uhtred and summoned him to a meeting at Thurbrand’s hall and promising safe conduct, but once there the earl was ambushed by Thurbrand’s men who hid behind a tapestry and burst out once Uhtred and his men had disarmed. Uhtred and forty of his men were slaughtered on Cnut’s orders. Cnut was known for his habit of arranging the deaths of those whom he mistrusted, having disposed in similar manner, the Earls Ulf and Eadric earlier.

The killing started a blood feud that lasted many years. Uhtred’s son Ealdred avenged his father by killing Thurbrand, but was, in turn, killed by Thurbrand’s son Carl. Final revenge had to wait until1070 before Eadred’s grandson Waltheof had his troops kill most of Carl’s sons and grandsons.

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