
History ETDs
Publication Date
Summer 7-12-2019
Abstract
Saint Wilfrid of York was a Northumbrian bishop, abbot, and missionary. He was born in 634 and died in 709/710. His life was characterized by his landholdings that spanned territories and kingdoms, his enduring persistence to remain bishop, his monastic empire, his hostile relationships with kings, his powerful friends and supporters, and his resistance in the face of adversity. Wilfrid’s achievements were remarkable for a seventh-century bishop – a bishop deserving of recognition for his lasting impact on England. By closely examining the sources, this thesis analyzes Wilfrid’s tumultuous life and career in the form of his landholdings, his trips to the Continent, and his role in the developing secular and ecclesiastical tensions of the day to suggest that the growth and development of Christianity across the landscape of England would not have been so successful without him, despite his controversial nature.
Level of Degree
Masters
Degree Name
History
Department Name
History
First Committee Member (Chair)
Timothy Graham
Second Committee Member
Jonathan Davis-Secord
Third Committee Member
Sarah Davis-Secord
Language
English
Keywords
Wilfrid, England, York, Bede, Stephen, Ripon, Hexham, Merovingian, Gaul
Document Type
Thesis
Recommended Citation
Gannon, Olivia E.. "Clever Cleric: Saint Wilfrid of York and the Complexities of Power and Authority in Seventh-Century England." (2019). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/hist_etds/264