Scandinavian-Britain

128 SCANDINAVIAN BRITAINof Irish Viking rulers who were not finally expelleduntil 954.Bernicia, equivalent to the modern county of Northumberlandwith the Lothians, a purely English territoryfrom the Tyne to the Forth, was then under the ruleof Ealdred and his brother Uhtred, sons of Eadulf,lord of Bamborough and ealdorman of Bernicia, KingAlfred's friend, who died in 912. He was the son ofEcgberht, who had been the tributary king of Northumbriaunder Halfdan, and in 875 had apparentlybeen deputed to govern the northern part of the realmin which Halfdan's Danes never settled. The brothersEaldred and Uhtred, Eadulf's sons, kept up theirfriendly relations with Eadward of Wessex, and appearamong those who chose him for father and lord in 921,though in this sudden invasion of the Irish vikings thefriendship of Wessex was of no avail.There are two curious stories given side by side inthe tenth-century History of St. Cuthbert, which, takentogether with the Ulster Annals and the PictishChronicle, throw some little light on the times. Thefirst story is that Elfred, son of Birihtulfing (of thefamily of Brihtwulf), fleeing from pirates,came over thewestern hills (i.e. from Cumberland, now being settledby the Norse) and bishop Cutheard gave him certainvills, which can be recognised as the eastern part ofcounty Durham. At last Ragnvald came to the land ofAldred Eadulfs son, who got help from Constantine ofScotland, and fought Ragnvald at Corbridge, but wasdefeated. Elfred was slain, but Aldred and his brotherUhtred escaped. The other story is that Edred, son