Eadric the Wild
Encyclopedia
Eadric the Wild also known as Eadric Cild, was an Anglo-Saxon magnate of the West Midlands
who led English resistance to the Norman Conquest, active in 1068-70.
writes that Eadric the Wild was a son of one Ælfric, whom he identifies as a brother of Eadric Streona
, ealdorman of Mercia under King Æthelred the Unready. While five of Eadric Streona's brothers appear to attest witness-lists of King Æthelred's charters, no Ælfric makes a plausible candidate for identification with a brother of the ealdorman. It is possible that Ælfric was not a brother but a nephew of the ealdorman. If so, Eadric (the Wild) would belong to the same generation as his cousin Siward son of Æthelgar, who was himself a grandson of Eadric Streona.
Because Eadric's name is a common one in pre-Conquest England, identification with any of the landholders of this name listed in Domesday Book
remains a ticklish affair. Nevertheless, it would seem that he held extensively in Shropshire and also held roughly 12 hides in Herefordshire. He is probably the Eadric son of Ælfric who held two estates from Much Wenlock
Priory (Shropshire). Eadric and his cousin Siward ranked as the wealthiest thegns in Shropshire TRE.
, John of Worcester
's Chronicle and Orderic Vitalis
.
After the Conquest of England by William of Normandy, Eadric refused to submit and therefore came under attack from Norman
forces based at Hereford Castle
, under Richard fitz Scrob.
He raised a rebellion and allying himself to the Welsh prince of Gwynedd (and Powys), Bleddyn ap Cynfyn
, and his brother Riwallon, he unsuccessfully attacked the Norman castle at Hereford
in 1067. They did not take the county, and retreated to Wales to plan further raiding.
During the widespread wave of English rebellions in 1069-70, he burned the town of Shrewsbury
and unsuccessfully besieged Shrewsbury Castle
, again helped by his Welsh allies from Gwynedd, as well as other English rebels from Cheshire
.
It was probably this combination of forces which was decisively defeated by William in a battle at Stafford
in late 1069. Eadric apparently submitted to King William in 1070 and later participated in William's invasion of Scotland in 1072. Another account states that he was captured by Ranulph de Mortimer
after long struggles and handed over to the king for life imprisonment, some of his lands afterwards descending to the abbey of Wigmore
.
mentions 'Edric salvage' as the former tenent of six manors
in Shropshire
and one in Herefordshire
. He may have held others but there is a profusion of Eadrics in Domesday, rendering closer identification difficult if not impossible. R. W. Eyton commented that 'a genealogical enthusiast would have little hesitation in assuming as a conclusion 'the possibility that William le Savage, who held Eudon Savage, Neen Savage and Walton Savage of Ranulph de Mortimer
in the twelfth century, could have been a descendant of Eadric'.
Eadric's cousin Ealdraed inherited his land at Acton Scott, which was later held by William Leyngleys ('the Englishman' died 1203), likely to have been Ealdraed's descendant. The property is still in the hands of Leyngleys' descendants, the Actons, having passed down through the generations without ever being sold.
Reynolds further notes that:
, and in the tale of Wild Eadric.
Eadric was portrayed by Robert O'Mahoney in the TV drama Blood Royal: William the Conqueror (1990).
of England and the Weld family
of the United States.
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
who led English resistance to the Norman Conquest, active in 1068-70.
Background
The early 12th-century historian John of WorcesterJohn of Worcester
John of Worcester was an English monk and chronicler. He is usually held to be the author of the Chronicon ex chronicis.-Chronicon ex chronicis:...
writes that Eadric the Wild was a son of one Ælfric, whom he identifies as a brother of 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....
, ealdorman of Mercia under King Æthelred the Unready. While five of Eadric Streona's brothers appear to attest witness-lists of King Æthelred's charters, no Ælfric makes a plausible candidate for identification with a brother of the ealdorman. It is possible that Ælfric was not a brother but a nephew of the ealdorman. If so, Eadric (the Wild) would belong to the same generation as his cousin Siward son of Æthelgar, who was himself a grandson of Eadric Streona.
Because Eadric's name is a common one in pre-Conquest England, identification with any of the landholders of this name listed in Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
remains a ticklish affair. Nevertheless, it would seem that he held extensively in Shropshire and also held roughly 12 hides in Herefordshire. He is probably the Eadric son of Ælfric who held two estates from Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock, earlier known as Wenlock, is a small town in central Shropshire, England. It is situated on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, and the new town of Telford...
Priory (Shropshire). Eadric and his cousin Siward ranked as the wealthiest thegns in Shropshire TRE.
Resistance to Norman rule
Accounts of Eadric's act of rebellion in Herefordshire in 1067 are included in Manuscript D the Anglo-Saxon ChronicleAnglo-Saxon Chronicle
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the Chronicle was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alfred the Great...
, John of Worcester
John of Worcester
John of Worcester was an English monk and chronicler. He is usually held to be the author of the Chronicon ex chronicis.-Chronicon ex chronicis:...
's Chronicle and Orderic Vitalis
Orderic Vitalis
Orderic Vitalis was an English chronicler of Norman ancestry who wrote one of the great contemporary chronicles of 11th and 12th century Normandy and Anglo-Norman England. The modern biographer of Henry I of England, C...
.
After the Conquest of England by William of Normandy, Eadric refused to submit and therefore came under attack from Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
forces based at Hereford Castle
Hereford Castle
Hereford Castle was a castle in the cathedral city of Hereford in Herefordshire, England.- Pre Norman Castle :It stood on a site to the south and east of the modern city overlooking the River Wye...
, under Richard fitz Scrob.
He raised a rebellion and allying himself to the Welsh prince of Gwynedd (and Powys), Bleddyn ap Cynfyn
Bleddyn ap Cynfyn
Bleddyn ap Cynfyn was a Prince of the Welsh Kingdoms of Gwynedd and of Powys.- Lineage :Bleddyn was the son of Princess Angharad ferch Maredudd with her second husband Cynfyn ap Gwerstan, a Powys Lord, about whom little is now known...
, and his brother Riwallon, he unsuccessfully attacked the Norman castle at Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
in 1067. They did not take the county, and retreated to Wales to plan further raiding.
During the widespread wave of English rebellions in 1069-70, he burned the town of Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
and unsuccessfully besieged Shrewsbury Castle
Shrewsbury Castle
Shrewsbury Castle is a red sandstone castle in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. It stands on a hill in the neck of the meander of the River Severn on which the town originally developed. The castle is situated directly above Shrewsbury railway station....
, again helped by his Welsh allies from Gwynedd, as well as other English rebels from Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
.
It was probably this combination of forces which was decisively defeated by William in a battle at Stafford
Stafford
Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies approximately north of Wolverhampton and south of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to the M6 motorway Junction 13 to Junction 14...
in late 1069. Eadric apparently submitted to King William in 1070 and later participated in William's invasion of Scotland in 1072. Another account states that he was captured by Ranulph de Mortimer
Ranulph de Mortimer
Ranulph I de Mortimer of Mortemer-sur-Eaulne, was a Marcher Lord from the Montgomery lands in the Welsh Marches. In England, he was Lord of Wigmore in Herefordshire. In Normandy, he was the Seigneur of St. Victor-en-Caux. Ranulph was the founder of the English House of Mortimer of Wigmore...
after long struggles and handed over to the king for life imprisonment, some of his lands afterwards descending to the abbey of Wigmore
Wigmore Abbey
Wigmore Abbey was an Augustinian abbey with a grange, from 1179 to 1530, situated about a mile north of the village of Wigmore, Herefordshire, England.Only ruins of the abbey now remain.-History of the abbey:...
.
Post-rebellion
Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
mentions 'Edric salvage' as the former tenent of six manors
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
and one in Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
. He may have held others but there is a profusion of Eadrics in Domesday, rendering closer identification difficult if not impossible. R. W. Eyton commented that 'a genealogical enthusiast would have little hesitation in assuming as a conclusion 'the possibility that William le Savage, who held Eudon Savage, Neen Savage and Walton Savage of Ranulph de Mortimer
Ranulph de Mortimer
Ranulph I de Mortimer of Mortemer-sur-Eaulne, was a Marcher Lord from the Montgomery lands in the Welsh Marches. In England, he was Lord of Wigmore in Herefordshire. In Normandy, he was the Seigneur of St. Victor-en-Caux. Ranulph was the founder of the English House of Mortimer of Wigmore...
in the twelfth century, could have been a descendant of Eadric'.
Eadric's cousin Ealdraed inherited his land at Acton Scott, which was later held by William Leyngleys ('the Englishman' died 1203), likely to have been Ealdraed's descendant. The property is still in the hands of Leyngleys' descendants, the Actons, having passed down through the generations without ever being sold.
Eadric's byname
In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (MS D), Eadric is nicknamed Cild (literally "child"), which may signify a title of rank. He was also known as "the Wild", as witnessed by such bynames as se wild, salvage and in Latin, silvaticus. According to Susan Reynolds:- "Historians have generally treated Eadric's surnameSurnameA surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
as a nicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
.. A ... likely explanation is that Eadric was one of a group of people well known in their own day as 'silvatici'. Orderic Vitalis says in his description of the English risings of c.1068-9 that many of the rebels lived in tents, distaining to sleep in houses lest they should become soft, so that certain of them were call silvatici by the Normans. ... he is not the only chronicler to make it clear that the English resistance was very widespread or to describe the rebels as taking to the woods and marshes. The AbingdonAbingdon, OxfordshireAbingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with...
chronicle says that many plots were hatched by the English and that some hid in woods and some in islands, plundering and attacking those who came in their way, while others called in the Danes, and that men of different ranks took part in these attempts ... That they should have made their bases in wild country and, like the twentieth-century maquis, have been named for it, is perfectly credible."
Reynolds further notes that:
- "If it is true, however, that the silvatici were for some years a widespread and well-known phenomenon, that might help to explain aspects of later outlaw stories that have puzzled historians. Few outlaws in other countries have apparently left so powerful a legend as Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
. ...The most famous outlaws of the greenwoodGreenwood- Canada :* Greenwood, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood* Greenwood, British Columbia, a city* Greenwood, Nova Scotia, a village* Greenwood, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, a community in the Halifax Regional Municipality...
before him were probably the Old English nobility on their way down and out."
Traditions
Eadric is mentioned in connection with the Wild HuntWild Hunt
The Wild Hunt is an ancient folk myth prevalent across Northern, Western and Central Europe. The fundamental premise in all instances is the same: a phantasmal, spectral group of huntsmen with the accoutrements of hunting, horses, hounds, etc., in mad pursuit across the skies or along the ground,...
, and in the tale of Wild Eadric.
Eadric was portrayed by Robert O'Mahoney in the TV drama Blood Royal: William the Conqueror (1990).
Legacy
Among the families that claim descent from Eadric are the Weld-Blundell familyWeld-Blundell family
The Weld family, which became in its main branch the Weld-Blundell family, is an old English family that claims descent from Eadric the Wild and has branches in several parts of England and America. The main branch are descended from Humphrey Weld, Lord Mayor of London, whose grandson of the same...
of England and the Weld family
Weld family
The Weld family is an extended family of Boston Brahmins most remembered for the philanthropy of its members. The Welds have many connections to Harvard University, the Golden Age of Sail, the Far East , the history of Massachusetts, and American history in general.William Weld, former Governor of...
of the United States.
External links
- Boxell, Geoff: Edric the Wild. Cites a passage from Susan Reynolds, "Eadric Silvaticus and the English Resistance", Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research 54.129 (1981): 102-5.