Page "Ealdred (bishop)" Paragraph 25

Ealdred crowned William king on Christmas Day 1066.

An innovation in William's coronation ceremony was that before the actual crowning, Ealdred asked the assembled crowd, in English, if it was their wish that William be crowned king.

The Bishop of Coutances then did the same, but in Norman French.

In March 1067, William took Ealdred with him when William returned to Normandy, along with the other English leaders Earl Edwin of Mercia, Earl Morcar, Edgar the Ætheling, and Archbishop Stigand.

Ealdred at Whitsun 1068 performed the coronation of Matilda, William's wife.

The Laudes Regiae, or song commending a ruler, that was performed at Matilda's coronation may have been composed by Ealdred himself for the occasion.

In 1069, when the northern thegns rebelled against William and attempted to install Edgar the Ætheling as king, Ealdred continued to support William.

He was the only northern leader to support William, however.

Ealdred was back at York by 1069 ; he died there on 11 September 1069, and was buried in his episcopal cathedral.

He may have taken an active part in trying to calm the rebellions in the north in 1068 and 1069.

The medieval chronicler William of Malmesbury records a story that when the new sheriff of Worcester, Urse d ' Abetot, encroached on the cemetery of the cathedral chapter for Worcester Cathedral, Ealdred pronounced a rhyming curse on him, saying " Thou are called Urse.

May you have God's curse.