He was gallantly opposed by Brihtnoth, Ealdorman of Essex; but, after a hard struggle, the day went against the English, Brihtnoth himself being slain.
First a band landed in Devon, but was set upon by Ealdorman Ceorl and completely defeated.
Next year another squadron came into the Wash, defeated and slew Herebert, Ealdorman of Lindsey, wasted his territory, and then ravaged the coasts of East Anglia and Kent.
Three days after their arrival two of the jarls were attacked by the Berkshire fyrd, under Ealdorman Aethelwulf, at Englefield Green, in Windsor Forest, and defeated; one of them was slain.
Next year the Vikings pillaged in Dorset, Hampshire, and Sussex, without resistance from the cowardly ealdorman Aelfric, the betrayer of 992.
The raiders next landed on Portland, defeated and slew Aethelhelm, Ealdorman of Dorset, and sailed away with much booty.
In 840 a Viking fleet appeared on the south coast, and its land force fought an indecisive action with Wulfheard, Ealdorman of Hampshire, near Southampton.
The result of these successes was that not only the Mercians under Ealdorman Aethelred, but also the princes of Wales, formally paid homage to Alfred.
He landed in the following year in East Anglia, and sacked Norwich and Thetford, though gallantly opposed by the local fyrd underEaldorman Ulfkytel, evidently an Anglo-Dane.
The ealdorman and the king were both surrounded by a number of followers called thegnas or thanes, who were bound by close ties to their superior.
A large fleet came ashore in Essex, and, after a hard fight with the ealdorman Brihtnoth at Maldon, slew him and began to ravage the district north of the Thames.
They were now taken inside the realm and governed by the ealdorman AEthelred, the king's son-in-law.
And on this ilk year forth-fared Æthelred (he was ealdorman on Devon) four weeks ere Ælfred king.
After a time Sigeberht murdered an ealdorman of his suite named Cymbra; whereupon Cynewulf deprived him of his remaining territory and drove him forth into the forest of the Weald.
The ealdorman Hereberht was slain by heathen men, and many with him among the marsh-men.
His son, Peada, the Christian ealdorman of the Middle English, succeeded him, and the Mercians became Christians of the Pictish or Irish type.
In 871, a host under Bagsecg and Halfdene came to Reading, which belonged to the latter territory, when the local ealdorman engaged them and won a slight victory.
The ealdorman Wulfheard gathered together the levy of fighting men, attacked the host, and put it to flight with great slaughter.
The local authority, the ealdorman or the under-king, hastily gathered together the local levy in arms, and fell upon the pirates tumultuously with the men of the shire as best he might.
They could only be attacked on land, and some time would pass before the Ealdorman who ruled the district could gather together not only his own war-band, but the fyrd, or levy of all men of fighting age.
In =985= he drove out Ælfric, the Ealdorman of the Mercians.
In =991= Brihtnoth, Ealdorman of the East Saxons, was defeated and slain by them at Maldon.
His authority was greater than the Ealdorman's, and his warriors were more numerous than those which the Ealdorman had led.
Alfred then handed it over to Ethelred, the ealdorman of Mercia.
I am theEaldorman Edmund himself," the young man replied quietly.
The ealdorman attired himself in a white tunic with a broad purple band round the lower edge, with a short cloak of green cloth.
I am Edmund," the young man said steadily, "an ealdorman of King Alfred of the West Saxons.
They were accompanied by an officer of the royal household, who was to inform the freemen and serfs of the estate that by the king's pleasure Edmund had been appointed ealdorman of the lands.
If ye are indeed the Ealdorman of Sherborne, of whose bravery I have heard much, I will right willingly lead you to Athelney if you will, but no king will you find there.
It is so," Edmund replied; "it is my vessel, and I am an ealdorman of King Alfred.
Elswitha was well acquainted with the Ealdorman Eldred, as his lands lay on the very border of her native Mercia, and she received the lad and his kinsman with great kindness.
For very many years after that event the prow of the Dragon was kept in the great hall of Sherborne as a memorial of the valiant deeds performed against the Danes by Ealdorman Edmund.
Here the ealdorman Adda had constructed a castle similar to that which Edmund had built.
I am Ealdorman Edmund of Sherborne, and have good news for the king.
The word ealdorman itself was used by the Danes to denote a class--gentle indeed, but very inferior to the princely officers who had previously borne that title.
He is describing the battle of Maldon in 991, which was fought by the East-Saxons under their Ealdorman Brihtnoth against the invading Northmen.
But it is plain that the King was the representative of a closer national unity, while the Ealdorman represented the tendency on the part of each tribe or district to claim independence for itself.
If we remember the distinction drawn by Tacitus as to the respective qualifications for the two offices, we may even believe that the rule of the Ealdorman may have been the more effective.
The government of the Ealdorman may not have been less effective than that of the King.
For the hall of the Anglo-Saxon ealdorman or thane, even when enclosed in an earthwork or stockade, was a very different thing from the castle of a Norman noble.
And then the ships from East Anglia and from London met the army, and there they made great slaughter of them; and took the ship, all armed and equipped, in which the ealdorman was.
If any man fight before the king’s ealdorman in the gemot, he shall pay his value and his fine as the law ordains for any assault that he may have committed, and in addition shall pay a fine of 120 shillings to the ealdorman.
Then Ethelwulf theealdorman met them at Englefield, and there fought against them, and got the victory: and there one of them, whose name was Sidroc, was slain.
And then Cynewulf drove him into Andred, and he abode there until a swineherd stabbed him at Privets-flood, and avenged the ealdorman Cumbra.
Then during this, Leofsy the ealdorman slew Eafy the king’s high steward; and the king then banished him the land.
This year was Ipswich ravaged; and after that, very shortly, was Brihtnoth the ealdorman slain at Maldon.
If a man from one hall-register wish to seek a lord in another hall-register, let him do it with the knowledge of the ealdorman whom he before followed in his shire.
And let no ealdorman nor any of our subjects after this seek to turn aside any of these our dooms.
And the same year Ethelhelm the ealdorman fought against the Danish army at Portland isle, with the men of Dorset, and for a good while he put the enemy to flight; but the Danish men had possession of the field, and slew the ealdorman.
And Ethelwulf the ealdorman was slain, and the Danish men had possession of the place of carnage.
The Ealdormanthen rising up, While Jack before him knelt, In Arthur’s name he dubb’d him knight, And girt him with a belt.
The Ealdorman is all astound, And scarce his eyes believes; For ’twas long syne that he did dine Upon his own fat beeves.
It chanced that morn the Ealdorman Sat there in civic state; On matters high of polity For to deliberate.
The title of ealdormancame in time to eorl, or erl, and that of high reeve to high sheriff.
The division that was in use with the Teutons was by counties, and every county had either its ealdorman or high reeve.
After lying here about a fortnight, and collecting all the hides the place afforded, we set sail again for San Pedro.
Besides exercising jurisdiction in his own franchise, the bishop sat with the ealdorman and sheriff in the local courts, declaring the ecclesiastical law and taking cognizance of the breach of it.
It is recorded in the Saxon Chronicle for 825 that he was sent with Eahlstan, bishop of Sherborne, and the ealdorman Wulfheard to drive out Baldred, king of Kent, which was successfully accomplished.
In 868 Alfred married Ealhswith, daughter of AEthelred Mucill, who is called ealdorman of the Gaini, an unidentified district.
In 991 the Danes burned Ipswich, and defeated and slew the East Saxon ealdorman Brihtnoth at Maldon.
Anglo-Saxon historian, was the great-grandson of AEthelred, the brother of Alfred and ealdorman or earl of the western provinces (i.
But the new constitution introduced by Canute reduced the ealdorman to a subordinate position.
Edric saw him, and exchanged glances, after which the ealdorman looked uneasy.
The king Ethelred has appointed Edric Streorn ealdorman of Mercia; we are in his district, and fear it may bode evil to us all.
We are told Edric Streorn is in high favour in the Pagan court; and still is ealdorman of Mercia.
Only I would bid you remember that the ealdorman Edric sought in like manner reconciliation with Elfhelm of Shrewsbury, and all men know what followed.
Ealdorman and thane came flocking into Oxenford from all the neighbouring districts of Wessex and Mercia.
Edric had conceived a hatred against the Ealdorman Elfhelm, which he carefully concealed.
He even created him Ealdorman of Mercia, and made him the second person in the land.
His chief helper was the great ealdorman Aethelred of western or English Mercia, his brother-in-law.
Ealdorman Alfred's son, not being recognized as legitimate, has to claim folkland not by direct succession or devise, but by the consent of the king.
In ealdorman Alfred's will the testator disposes freely of his bookland estates in favour of his sons and his daughter, but to a son who is not considered as rightful offspring five hides of folkland are left, provided the king consents.
When Canute invaded England in 1015, Edmund sought to resist him, but, paralysed by the treachery and desertion of the ealdorman Edric, he could do nothing, and Wessex submitted to the Danish king.
In 1007 he became ealdorman of the Mercians, and subsequently married Aethelred's daughter Eadgyth.
Then Osmund must needs tell him of what Kolgrim and I had done; and the ealdormanlaughed at me, though one might see that the affair pleased him.
While they were making it ready, the ealdorman came to me on board the ship, and welcomed me in most friendly wise.
Therefore, my cousin, I would ask you to come with ourealdorman tomorrow and hear all I would say.
Then know I that Odda theealdorman has been playing the land lubber again, and wonder what is wrong.
However, Odda the ealdormanand I have met before, as I am certain.
The ealdorman called us together then, and pointed to the Danes who were massed beyond the river.
Then I was amazed, for the ealdorman went on one knee before him, and said: "Good my lord, I knew not that you were here among the crowd.
Odda the ealdorman of Devon, and one Godred, have spoken to me of yourself--one telling of help given freely and without question of reward or bargain made, and the other of certain plain words spoken this morning.
I was for putting my arms aside, but the ealdorman said it was better not to do so, by reason of the moor folk, who were wild enough to fall on a small party at times.
And I was starting up, but the ealdorman held me back.
To the most noble and valiant Ealdorman Oswald, greeting.
But the castle of the youthful Ealdorman Oswald could not be taken without siege operations.
Then there was a silence for a space, until the ealdorman rose and spoke loudly, for all the great ring to hear.
Now it is strange that of Eanulf, the mighty ealdorman who had pronounced my doom, I thought little at all, but as of one who was by the bishop.
But Wulfhere told them that they needs must now wait a second raising, and that I was even now on my way to Eanulf the Ealdorman to tell him of the need.
Just then came the ealdorman into the hall where we were, and laughing, asked me if I meant to take all that following to Salisbury.
Now am I with two hundred men on Brent, and wait either for the Danes to depart, or for orders from yourself or the Ealdorman Eanulf, to whom I pray you let this letter be sent in haste after that you have read it.
Take this ring of mine and show it to him, and then ride with it to Eanulf the Ealdorman and tell him of our straits.
And many said that Osric should be the man, for he was an Ealdorman of Dorset.
And Borric the Ealdorman went back to his stronghold, and he said to Wulnoth-- "Ye are going back to the King, O Wanderer.
And at that the Ealdorman stared harder, and said grimly-- "That word needs explaining, my friend.
Ina laughed, and even Owen smiled at the ready Norseman, but Herewald the ealdorman and I wondered at him, for he spoke as to equals, with no sort of fear of the king on him, which was not altogether the way of men who stood before Ina.
Then, as soon as I had a chance I asked the ealdorman for a few moments of private speech, and we went into his own chamber that opened on the high place of the hall where we had been sitting.
It was plain that the ealdorman took it for granted that I had no feeling now in that direction, and so others would do the same, which was comforting.
You will be the first ealdorman of Devon, Oswald, when the Witan meets," he said; for it needed the word of the council of the thanes to give me the rank that was fitting.
As for me, I was with Herewald the ealdorman on the new boundary line with the levies and the king's own following, guarding against any new attack, and trying to win the Welsh to friendship.
The ealdorman and I went to the courtyard and left them, feeling that we need say no more.
As for the vow you made, the ealdorman says that it could not have been better done.
He had but two men with him, and they were Saxons he had asked for from Herewald the ealdorman as he passed through Glastonbury in haste.
Then, as soon as Ina came back with us all, the ealdorman set to work to prepare afresh the wedding that was so strangely and suddenly broken in upon, and it was likely to be little less joyous that it had been so.
I did not like this at all, but the ealdorman laughed at her and then at me, the more that he saw that I was put out.
I knew well enough, and it was plain when I minded the ealdorman that my vow was well known, and told, moreover, by Thorgils in Mara's hearing.
Now the ealdorman could not bring Elfrida round, and he thought it best to take her hence.
He has taken somewhat that has poisoned him," the ealdorman answered.
Every ealdorman and great thane probably had a learned clerk in his house, not only as a chaplain, but as an adviser in general affairs.
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "ealdorman" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
