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Birth:          ABT  915 
Death:          ABT  965 

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osulf_I_of_Bamburgh
Osulf (fl. 946—54) was high-reeve of Bamburgh and ruler of Northumbria. Sometimes 
called "earl", he is more surely the first recorded high-reeve of Bamburgh and the man 
who, after assisting in the death of its last independent ruler Erik Bloodaxe, 
administered the York-based Kingdom of Northumbria when it was taken over by the 
Wessex-based King Eadred of England in 954.
Origins[edit]

Osulf appears at least 5 times in witness lists for charters, some of which may be 
genuine, in the years 946, 949, and 950. In 946 and 949 he witnessed charters as 
"high reeve" [1] In 949 he witnessed an Evesham grant as well as a grant by King 
Eadred to Canterbury Cathedral as dux.[2] And in 950 an Osulf Bebbanburg is alleged 
to have witnessed as Eorl.[3]

He is the first man specifically designated "high-reeve" of Bamburgh. High-reeve is 
Old English heah-gerefa, which Alfred Smyth thought was influenced by the Scottish 
word mormaer, which possibly has the same meaning ("High Steward").[4] Judging by 
the North People's Law, a high-reeve was not the same as an ealdorman (dux), having 
only half an ealdorman's wergild.[5]

Osulf's origins are unclear. A genealogy in the text De Northumbria post Britannos, 
recording the ancestry of Waltheof Earl of Northampton (and, briefly, Northumbria), 
suggests that Osulf was the son of Eadulf of Bamburgh, the 'King of the Northern 
English' who died in 913.[6] Richard Fletcher and David Rollason thought he might be 
the Osulf Dux who had witnessed charters further south in the 930s, which if true 
would extend Osulf's floruit back to 934.[7]

Erik Bloodaxe and domination of all Northumbria[edit]

Though Eadulf and Ealdred appear to have ruled Northumbria, in the years running up 
to 954 the kingdom was controlled by the Scandinavians Amlaíb Cuarán and Eric 
Bloodaxe.[8] According to Roger of Wendover's Flores historiarum (early 13th 
century), Osulf was responsible for a conspiracy with a certain Maccus that led to the 
betrayal and death of Eric Bloodaxe, King of Northumbria, "in a certain lonely place 
called Stainmore".[9]

Following this, Osulf is said to have taken control of all Northumbria.[10] Although this 
part of the Flores historiarum was compiled centuries later and contains some obvious 
anachronisms, Roger of Wendover appears to have used certain earlier sources, no 
longer extant, which would add credibility to the story.[11] The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 
names King Eadred as the new ruler of Northumbria following the expulsion of Erik:


Her Norðhymbre fordrifon Yric, 7 Eadred feng to Norðhymbra rice
 In this year the Northumbrians drove out Eric and Eadred succeeded to the 
kingdom".[12]

This is why Richard Fletcher thinks Osulf was working at Eadred's instigation, and that 
a grateful Eadred promoted Osulf ruler of the entire Northumbrian sub-kingdom.[13] 
However he got there, it was with Eadred's consent and overlordship, at least 
according to our sources. De primo Saxonum adventu summarises his status as 
follows:


Primus comitum post Eiricum, quem ultimum regem habuerunt Northymbrenses, Osulf 
provincias omnes Northanhymbrorum sub Edrido rege procuravit.
 First of the earls after Erik, the last king whom the Northumbrians had, Osulf 
administered under King Eadred all the provinces of the Northumbrians.[14]

Similar sentiments were expressed in the related Historia Regum: "Here the kings of 
Northumbrians came to an end and henceforth the provinces was administered by 
earls".[15] Eadred's takeover and Osulf's rule thus represent the beginning of 
permanent West Saxon control of the North. Historian Alex Woolf argued that this 
take-over was a personal union of crowns rather like that between Scotland and 
England in 1603.[16]

Death and legacy[edit]

Little else is known about Osulf's period in power. The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba 
says that in the time of Indulf (King of Scots from 954 to 962), Edinburgh was 
abandoned to the Scots, though nothing is said about the involvement of 
Northumbrians or Osulf.[17]

The date of Osulf's death is not known. He was probably dead before 963, as that is 
the date Oslac appears for the first time as ealdorman in York.[18] It is unclear 
whether Oslac was related to Osulf.[19] According to the De primo Saxonum adventu, 
Northumbria was divided into two parts after Osulf's death.[20] De Northumbria post 
Britannos says that Osulf had a son named Ealdred, father of Waltheof of Bamburgh 
(fl. 994), father of Uhtred of Northumbria.[21]


Parents
____ Ealdred (ABT  880 - AFT  926)
----- ----- ()

Siblings
OF BAMBURGH Oswulf (Uswulf) (ABT  915 - ABT  965)

Marriage To ----- ----- ()
    m.  

Notes


Children by ----- ----- 
OF BAMBURGH Walthoef I (Siward) (ABT  940 - AFT  994)

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