Beorn Biórnsson Bearsson

Beorn Bearsson or Biórnsson might have had Norse origin. He was the uncle of Suthen Sibylla who married Donnchad of Scotland.

1. BJORN Bearsson .

The Vita et Passio Waldevi Comitis records “Ursus” as father of “Spratlingus” who was father of “Ulsius”, father of “Beorn cognomento Beresune…filius ursi…Dacus natione”[373].

m ---. The name of Bjorn's wife is not known.

Bjorn & his wife had [two] children:

a) SIWARD (-York 26 Mar 1055, bur Galmanho Monastery [=York St Mary's][374]). The Vita et Passio Waldevi Comitis names “Siuuardus” as son of “Beorn cognomento Beresune…filius ursi…Dacus natione”[375]. A Dane, he may have come to England with the invasion of Knud of Denmark in 1015. He was recognised as Earl of Northumbria after the murder of his wife's uncle in 1041[376]. The Annales Dunelmenses record that "comes Siward" invaded Scotland with a large army in 1046 and briefly expelled "rege Macbeod", the king recovering his realm when Siward withdrew[377]. He actively supported Edward "the Confessor" King of England against Earl Godwin and his sons in 1051. The Annales Dunelmenses record that "Siwardus" put "Macbeth" to flight in 1054 and installed "Malcolmum rege" in the following year[378].

m ÆLFLED, daughter of EALDRED Earl of Northumbria & his [first/second] wife ---. Simeon of Durham names "Elfleda daughter of Earl Aldred" as wife of Siward and mother of Waltheof[379]. Siward & his wife had two children:

i) OSBEORN (-killed in battle 27 Jul 1054). The primary source which confirms his parentage has not yet been identified. He was killed fighting King Macbeth of Scotland with his father.

ii) WALTHEOF (-executed St Giles's Hill, Winchester 31 May 1076, bur Crowland Abbey383). Florence of Worcester records that "Waltheofum Siwardi ducis filius" went with King William to Normandy 21 Feb [1067][380]. 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][381]. His parentage is recorded by Roger of Hoveden[382]. Matthew of Paris specifies that he was the son of Siward, of Danish origin[383]. Earl of Huntingdonshire and Northamptonshire [1065].

see EARLS of HUNTINGDON.

2. [sibling of Bjørn Bearsson]

[--- . m ---.] One child:

a) [SIBYLLA] .

The Chronicle of John of Fordun records that the mother of Malcolm and Donald Bane, Duncan´s sons, was "the cousin of Earl Siward"[384]. In one earlier king list, King Malcolm III's mother is named "Suthen"[385].

m ([1030]%29 DUNCAN King of Strathclyde, son of CRINAN "the Thane" Mormaer of Atholl & his wife Bethoc of the Scots ([1001]-killed in battle either Bothganowan/Pitgaveny, near Elgin, or Burghead 14 Aug 1040, bur Isle of Iona). He succeeded in 1034 as DUNCAN I King of Scotland.]

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLAND,%20AngloSaxon%20nobility.ht...

See "My Lines"

( http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cousin/html/p76.htm#i9958 )

from Compiler: R. B. Stewart, Evans, GA

( http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cousin/html/index.htm )

981 Bjorn is in the sagas as Bjorn Bearsson, the tradition being that he was the issue resulting from his mother being raped by a bear & hence the patronymic (or 'animalnymic' if you will), "Bearsson". In this era in Scandinavia it is difficult to sift the mythical from the historical in the various sagas & chronicles. Maybe his old man, Ulf (Wolf), was just really big, hairy & especially mean/ornery until he had his morning coffee ;>) (Quote from Curt Hofemann on Jim Weber's pages). 

Birth before 1000 Bjorn "Bearsson" was born before 1000 in Denmark.2

1046 On the banishment of Godwine's eldest son, Swegen, in 1046, his lordships were divided between his cousin Beorn (Bjorn) and his brother Harold. In 1049 Swegen came back to England, left his ships, some seven or eight in number, in harbour at Bosham, went to the king, who was then at Sandwich with the fleet, and asked his pardon. Harold and Beorn went with him, though he seems to have made a special appeal to his cousin; for they were not willing to restore him the lands which the king had given them, and Swegen went back to Bosham disappointed. 

It happened that a report was raised at Sandwich that the Danes were harrying the west coast. Earl Godwine (Swein's father) accordingly set sail with the ships of the country people and with two of the king's ships, one of them being under the command of Harold, who, however, gave up the command to Beorn. This fleet was weather-bound at Pevensey; and while Godwine and Beorn were there Swegen came and asked his cousin to go with him to the king and help him to make his peace. Beorn agreed, and, trusting his kinship with Swegen, rode off with him, taking only three companions. So secure did he feel that he assented to his cousin's request that he would turn out of their way and go with him to his ships; for Swegen declared that he feared that his crews would desert him unless he could say that he had gained his cousin over to his cause. When they came to Bosham, Swegen invited Beorn to go on board. He vehemently refused, but the sailors seized him, bound him, and rowed him to one of the ships. They then set sail for Dartmouth, and there slew him by Swegen's orders. He was buried in the church. When Harold and Beorn's friends and seamen, who were in London, heard of his murder, they went to Dartmouth, took up his body, carried it to Winchester, and buried it in the old minster by the side of King Cnut, (Canute), his uncle. (Anglo-Sax. Chron; Freeman's Norman Conquest, ii. 10-104 passim] W. H.* [Ref: Leslie Stephen and Sidney Lee, Editors, _Dictionary of National Biography_, Macmillan Co., New York & Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1908, v. ii, pp. 320-1] )
Note: At this point in time the king of England was Edward the Confessor. After Harthacanute, there was a brief Saxon Restoration between 1042 and 1066.

Death circa 1049 Bjorn "Bearsson" died circa 1049 at Bosham, Sussex, England.2,4

Family unknown Children 1. Ælflaed Sybil of Northumbria+ b. c 1014, d. 1040

 2. Siward Biornsson Earl of Northumbria+ b. c 1020, d. c 10552,5 

Citations 1. Download, Dr. Suzanne Doig Rootsweb. 2. [S10141] BigKings Pedigree, online Church Yard Genealogies. 3.[S9180] "Email, no hard copy" , John Ravilious <e-mail address Dec 1999. 4.[S1308] Download, http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jweber&id.... 5. Download, Dr. Suzanne Doig Rootsweb

It happened that a report was raised at Sandwich that the Danes were harrying the west coast. Earl Godwine (Swein's father) accordingly set sail with the ships of the country people and with two of the king's ships, one of them being under the command of Harold, who, however, gave up the command to Beorn. This fleet was weather-bound at Pevensey; and while Godwine and Beorn were there Swegen came and asked his cousin to go with him to the king and help him to make his peace. Beorn agreed, and, trusting his kinship with Swegen, rode off with him, taking only three companions. So secure did he feel that he assented to his cousin's request that he would turn out of their way and go with him to his ships; for Swegen declared that he feared that his crews would desert him unless he could say that he had gained his cousin over to his cause. When they came to Bosham, Swegen invited Beorn to go on board. He vehemently refused, but the sailors seized him, bound him, and rowed him to one of the ships. They then set sail for Dartmouth, and there slew him by Swegen's orders. He was buried in the church. When Harold and Beorn's friends and seamen, who were in London, heard of his murder, they went to Dartmouth, took up his body, carried it to Winchester, and buried it in the old minster by the side of King Cnut, (Canute), his uncle. (Anglo-Sax. Chron; Freeman's Norman Conquest, ii. 10-104 passim] W. H.* [Ref: Leslie Stephen and Sidney Lee, Editors, _Dictionary of National Biography_, Macmillan Co., New York & Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1908, v. ii, pp. 320-1] )