St Ceolwulf of Northumbria | |
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King of Northumbria | |
Reign | 729 – 737 |
Predecessor | Oscric |
Successor | Eadberht |
Born | 7th Century |
Died | 765 |
Burial | Lindisfarne Monastery |
Father | Cuthwine |
Template:Infobox Monarch Saint Saint Ceolwulf was king of Northumbria from 729 until 737, except for a short period in 731 or 732 when he was deposed, and quickly restored to power. Ceolwulf finally abdicated and entered the monastery at Lindisfarne. He was the "most glorious king" to whom Bede dedicated his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum.
His ancestry is thus given by the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle": "Ceolwulf was the son of Cutha, Cutha of Cuthwin, Cuthwin of Leoldwald, Leoldwald of Egwald, Egwald of Aldhelm, Aldhelm of Ocga, Ocga of Ida, Ida of Eoppa."[1] Ceolwulf was brother of Coenred and was the second of the Leodwaldings to rule Northumbria. He was adopted as heir by his predecessor, and distant cousin, Osric in 729.[1] With the extinction of the main line of the Eoppingas at the death of Osric (or, if Osric was not in fact of the direct line, even earlier, in 716, at the death of Osred son of Aldfrith), the kingdom of Northumbria entered into a long period of dynastic conflict and instability, which was only ended by the destruction of the kingdom by the Vikings in 867.
As with Aldfrith, the Irish annals give Ceolwulf an Irish name, "Eóchaid son of Cuidin", and if Cuidin is a calque of Cuthwine, Eóchaid is no more obviously related to Ceolwulf than Flann is to Aldfrith. For this reason, it has been suggested that Ceolwulf had spent time in Ireland, perhaps studying to enter into religion. Be that as it may, his reign appears to have met with the approval of clerics such as Bede and William of Malmesbury. Bede dedicated his "Ecclesiastical History" "to the most glorious King Ceolwulph".[1]
As said, Ceolwulf was deposed for a short period in the autumn of 731 or 732, but quickly restored. The details of the attempted coup are unclear. Bishop Acca of Hexham is said to have been driven from his seat, and Alric and Esc killed.
Ceolwulf was succeeded by his first cousin Eadberht. His death is recorded in the winter of 764–765. He was later canonized, and his feast day is January 15.[2]