- Beadwulf
Infobox bishopbiog
name = Beadwulf
caption =
religion = Roman Catholic
See = Candida Casa
Title = Bishop of Candida Casa
Period = 791 – after 803
Predecessor = Æthelberht
Successor = none
ordination =
bishops =
post = unknown
date of birth = unknown
place of birth = unknown
date of death = after 803
place of death = unknownBeadwulf was the last Bishop of Candida Casa to be consecrated by the
Northumbria nArchbishop of York . He appears in four years of the chronicles and nowhere else. Nothing else is known of him, and his sole historical significance is that he was a bishop of the short-lived Northumbrian See ofCandida Casa atWhithorn .Beadwulf (alternately spelled Baldwulf, Badulf, Badwulf, or Baldulf) enters the historical record at his consecration as the Bishop of Candida Casa by Archbishop
Eanbald I on 17 July 791, after his predecessor at Candida Casa, Æthelberht, was made theBishop of Hexham . On 26 May 795 he attended the consecration of KingEardwulf of Northumbria atYork , and then on 14 August 796 he attended the consecration ofEanbald II atSockburn as the new Archbishop of York. On 11 June 803 Baldwulf attended the consecration of Egbert atBywell as the newBishop of Lindisfarne . No further record exists, either of him or of the See of Candida Casa.Historical context
The latter part of the eighth century was a tumultuous era in Northumbrian history. During Beadwulf's tenure at Candida Casa, the nation was weakened by dynastic strife within its leadership, with kings regularly murdered, deposed, or exiled.
Vikings were beginning their increasingly destructive raids on Northumberland, sackingLindisfarne in 793 andJarrow in 794. The bishoprics were also in decline and if there is any foundation forAlcuin 's 796 letter to the clergy of York regardingsimony , [Harvcolnb|Haddan|1868|p=500 "Councils and Ecclesiastical Documents", [http://books.google.com/books?id=433WzKuRMqcC&pg=PA500 Letter of Alcuin to the Clergy of York, 796] ] ecclesiastical offices were available for purchase. The kingdom was in its final throes, and in 827 when the appearance ofEgbert of Wessex and his army atDore was sufficient to obtain Northumbrian submission, [Harvcolnb|Ingram|1823|p=88 "The Saxon Chronicle", [http://books.google.com/books?id=-z0LAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA88 Entry for AD 827] ] the once-dominant Kingdom of Northumbria disappeared into history.William of Malmesbury says that the bishopric at Candida Casa was depopulated and destroyed by the incursions ofPicts and Scots. [Harvcolnb|William of Malmesbury|1130|p=257 "De Gestis Pontificum Anglorum", [http://books.google.com/books?id=wCm5fHj74xcC&pg=PA257 Liber III, §118 Candida Casa] ] There is no evidence to suggest any large-scale predations inGalloway at this time, but whether or not that was the case, it is certainly likely that the bishopric simply withered and died along with the other Northumbrian bishoprics.Historical evidence
The various chronicles that mention Beadwulf contain occasional minor differences in the dating of events. These variations are noted below. No one date is more authoritative than another.
791 – His consecration as Bishop of Candida Casa
The "Saxon Chronicle" says that Beadwulf was consecrated bishop of Candida Casa by Archbishop
Eanbald I and Bishop Æthelberht of Hexham on 17 July 791. [Harvcolnb|Ingram|1823|p=79 "The Saxon Chronicle", [http://books.google.com/books?id=-z0LAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA79 Entry for AD 791] ]Symeon of Durham , writing c. 1108, says that the consecration occurred in a place called "Hearrahaleh". [Harvcolnb|Symeon of Durham|1104 - 1108|p=455 "Symeon of Durham", [http://books.google.com/books?id=VSADAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA455 Entry for AD 791] ]Henry of Huntingdon , writing c. 1155, says that the consecration was by Eanbald I. [Harvcolnb|Henry of Huntingdon|1155|p=139 "Henry of Huntingdon", [http://books.google.com/books?id=-yELAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA139 Entry of 789 – 792] ]795 – At the consecration of King Eardwulf
The "Saxon Chronicle" says that Eardwulf succeeded to the Northumbrian kingdom on 14 May 795, and was consecrated on 26 May 795 at
York by Archbishop Eanbald I and bishops Æthelberht of Hexham,Higbald of Lindisfarne , and Beadwulf. [Harvcolnb|Ingram|1823|p=81 "The Saxon Chronicle", [http://books.google.com/books?id=-z0LAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA81 Entry for AD 795] ]796 – At the consecration of Archbishop Eanbald IIThe "Saxon Chronicle" says that Archbishop Eanbald I died on 10 August 796 and was succeeded by
Eanbald II , who was consecrated on 14 August 796. There is no mention of who attended, or the place. [Harvcolnb|Ingram|1823|p=82 "The Saxon Chronicle", [http://books.google.com/books?id=-z0LAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA82 Entry for AD 796] ] Symeon of Durham says that the consecration occurred atSockburn , with bishops Æthelberht, Higbald, and Beadwulf attending. [Harvcolnb|Symeon of Durham|1104 - 1108|p=455 "Symeon of Durham", [http://books.google.com/books?id=VSADAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA459 Entry for AD 796] ] The "Melrose Chronicle" agrees that the three bishops attended the consecration, but makes no mention of its location. [Harvcolnb|Stevenson|c. 1270|p=12 "Chronica de Mailros", [http://books.google.com/books?id=gvQHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA12 Entry for AD 796] ]803 – At the consecration of Bishop Egbert of Lindisfarne
The "Saxon Chronicle" for 803 says that Bishop Higbald of Lindisfarne died on 24 June 803, and was succeeded by Egbert on 13 June 804. There is no mention of who attended, or the place. [Harvcolnb|Ingram|1823|p=82 "The Saxon Chronicle", [http://books.google.com/books?id=-z0LAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA84 Entry for AD 803] ] Symeon of Durham says that Higbald died on 25 May 803, and that Egbert's consecration was on 11 June 803 at
Bywell , with Archbishop Eanbald II and bishops Eanbert of Hexham and Beadwulf in attendance. [Harvcolnb|Symeon of Durham|1104 - 1108|p=652 "Symeon of Durham", [http://books.google.com/books?id=VSADAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA652 Chapter XX, entry for AD 803] ]John of Worcester , writing in 1140, says that Higbald died in 802 and that his successor Egbert was consecrated by Archbishop Eanbald II on 2 June 802. [Harvcolnb|John of Worcester|1140|p=48 "Florence of Worcester", [http://books.google.com/books?id=gpR0iz5GjYgC&pg=RA1-PA48 Entry for AD 802] ]References
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