WALTHEOF, son of SIWARD Earl of Northumbria & his wife Ælfled of Northumbria (-executed St Giles's Hill, Winchester 31 May 1076, bur Crowland Abbey[559]). His parentage is recorded by Roger of Hoveden[560]. Matthew Paris specifies that he was the son of Siward, of Danish origin[561]. Snorre names "Earl Valthiof", although stating that he was the son of "Earl Gudin Ulfnadson" and "Earl Ulf´s sister Gyda"[562]. He was installed as Earl of Huntingdon and Northamptonshire after Tostig Godwinson was banished in Oct 1065. Snorre recounts that "Earl Morukare and…Earl Valthiof" failed to prevent Harald III King of Norway after landing on the river Humber in 1066 in a battle "upon the Wednesday next Mathias´ day", adding that "Earl Valthiof…fled up to the castle of York"[563]. Snorre also recounts that "Earl Valthiof" took part in the battle of Hastings and "escaped by flight", seriously condensing his account of Waltheof´s subsequent career when he adds that King William "sent a message to Earl Valthiof that they should be reconciled" but that he was captured "at a heath north of Kastala-bryggia…put…in fetters and afterwards he was beheaded"[564]. Snorre´s narrative includes two fragments of a poem in praise of Waltheof, presumably written contemporarily with Waltheof´s life. Jonathan Allen suggests that Waltheof himself may have patronised an Icelandic skald (court poet) whose work was eventually passed through to Snorre, providing interesting evidence of the persistence of Scandinavian culture in England in the second half of the 11th century[565]. Florence of Worcester records that "Waltheofum Siwardi ducis filius" went with King William to Normandy 21 Feb [1067][566]. Orderic Vitalis records that, in 1069, Waltheof assisted the Danes in their attack on the Norman garrison at York, but that he was pardoned by the king who arranged Waltheof's marriage and restored him to his pre-conquest earldom[567]. Simeon of Durham records that "Waltheu the son of earl Siward…by Elfleda daughter of Earl Aldred" was installed as Earl of Northumberland after the earldom was confiscated from Gospatrick [in 1072][568]. Earl Waltheof joined the conspiracy of the Earls of Norfolk and Hereford against King William in 1075, repented and asked for the king's pardon, but was tried at Westminster at Christmas 1075, imprisoned at Winchester and, after the trial resumed there, beheaded[569]. Florence of Worcester records that "comitumque Waltheofum" joined the conspiracy of William Earl of Hereford and Ralph Earl of Norfolk in [1074] but was tried and beheaded at Winchester the following year[570].
m (1070) JUDITH de Lens, daughter of LAMBERT de Boulogne Comte de Lens & his wife Adelais de Normandie (1054-after 1086). Her marriage is recorded by Orderic Vitalis who calls her the king's "consobrina"[571]. A manuscript records that "Juditha comitissa…uxor Waldevi comitis Huntingdon, et neptis Gulielmi Conquestoris" founded Elstow priory[572]. Her parentage is further clarified by the foundation charter of Saint-Martin d´Auchy narrates the church´s foundation by "Guerinfrido qui condidit castellum…Albamarla" and names "Engueranni consulis qui filius fuit Berte supradicti Guerinfridi filie et Adelidis comitisse uxoris sue sororis…Willelmi Regis Anglorum" and "Addelidis comitissa supradicti Engueranni et supradicte Adelidis filia…Judita comitissa domine supradicte filia"[573]. The Vita et Passio Waldevi Comitis records that "Waldevus" married "rex Willelmus…neptem suam Juettam filiam comitis Lamberti de Lens, sororem…Stephani comitis de Albemarlia"[574]. Orderic Vitalis says Waltheof's marriage with Judith was arranged by King William "to strengthen the bonds of friendship" with her future husband[575]. She deposed against her husband when he was accused of involvement in the conspiracy of the Earls of Norfolk and Hereford in 1075[576].
Earl Waltheof & his wife had two children