# Ælfheah of Canterbury By [Nathaniel Smedley](https://paragraph.com/@01561) · 2022-07-03 --- **Ælfheah**[\[a\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-7)[\[b\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-10) (c. 953 – 19 April 1012), more commonly known today as **Alphege**, was an [Anglo-Saxon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Saxons) [Bishop of Winchester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_of_Winchester), later [Archbishop of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Canterbury). He became an [anchorite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchorite) before being elected abbot of [Bath Abbey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_Abbey). His reputation for piety and sanctity led to his promotion to the [episcopate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop) and, eventually, to his becoming archbishop. Ælfheah furthered the cult of [Dunstan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunstan) and also encouraged learning. He was captured by [Viking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking) raiders in 1011 during the [siege of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Canterbury) and killed by them the following year after refusing to allow himself to be ransomed. Ælfheah was [canonised](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonization) as a [saint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint) in 1078. [Thomas Becket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Becket), a later Archbishop of Canterbury, prayed to him just before his own murder in [Canterbury Cathedral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_Cathedral) in 1170. Ælfheah was born around 953,[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Rumble165-9) supposedly in [Weston](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weston,_Bath) on the outskirts of [Bath](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath,_Somerset),[\[9\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-11) and became a monk early in life.[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Knowles-12) He first entered the monastery of [Deerhurst](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deerhurst), but then moved to Bath, where he became an [anchorite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchorite).[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-DNB-13) He was noted for his piety and austerity and rose to become [abbot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbot) of [Bath Abbey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_Abbey).[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Knowles-12) The 12th century chronicler, [William of Malmesbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_of_Malmesbury) recorded that Ælfheah was a monk and prior at [Glastonbury Abbey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glastonbury_Abbey),[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Rumble166-14) but this is not accepted by all historians.[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Knowles-12) Indications are that Ælfheah became abbot at Bath by 982, perhaps as early as around 977. He perhaps shared authority with his predecessor Æscwig after 968.[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Rumble166-14) Probably due to the influence of Dunstan, the Archbishop of Canterbury (959–988), Ælfheah was elected Bishop of Winchester in 984,[\[13\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Handbook223-15)[\[14\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-1000Church109-16) and was consecrated on 19 October that year.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-DNB-13) While bishop he was largely responsible for the construction of a large [organ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipe_organ) in the [cathedral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Minster,_Winchester), audible from over a mile (1600 m) away and said to require more than 24 men to operate. He also built and enlarged the city's churches,[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Hindley304-17) and promoted the cult of [Swithun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swithun) and his own predecessor, [Æthelwold of Winchester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelwold_of_Winchester).[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-DNB-13) One act promoting Æthelwold's cult was the [translation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Translation_\(relic\)) of Æthelwold's body to a new tomb in the cathedral at Winchester, which Ælfheah presided over on 10 September 996.[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Rumble167-18) Following a Viking raid in 994, a peace treaty was agreed with one of the raiders, [Olaf Tryggvason](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaf_Tryggvason). Besides receiving [danegeld](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danegeld), Olaf converted to Christianity[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-ASE378-19) and undertook never to raid or fight the English again.[\[18\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Williams47-20) Ælfheah may have played a part in the treaty negotiations, and it is certain that he confirmed Olaf in his new faith.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-DNB-13) In 1006, Ælfheah succeeded [Ælfric](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfric_of_Abingdon) as Archbishop of Canterbury,[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Saints-21)[\[20\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Handbook214-22) taking Swithun's head with him as a [relic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relic) for the new location.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-DNB-13) He went to Rome in 1007 to receive his [pallium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallium)—symbol of his status as an archbishop—from Pope [John XVIII](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_XVIII), but was robbed during his journey.[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-1000Church299-23) While at Canterbury, he promoted the cult of Dunstan,[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-DNB-13) ordering the writing of the second _Life of Dunstan_, which [Adelard of Ghent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelard_of_Ghent) composed between 1006 and 1011.[\[22\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-1000Church62-24) He also introduced new practices into the liturgy, and was instrumental in the [Witenagemot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witenagemot)'s recognition of [Wulfsige of Sherborne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wulfsige_III) as a saint in about 1012.[\[23\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-1000Church223-25) Ælfheah sent [Ælfric of Eynsham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfric_of_Eynsham) to [Cerne Abbey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerne_Abbey) to take charge of its monastic school.[\[24\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-ASE458-26) He was present at the council of May 1008 at which [Wulfstan II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wulfstan_II), Archbishop of York, preached his [_Sermo Lupi ad Anglos_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sermo_Lupi_ad_Anglos) (_The Sermon of the Wolf to the English_), castigating the English for their moral failings and blaming the latter for the tribulations afflicting the country.[\[25\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Fletcher94-27) In 1011, the [Danes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking) again raided England, and from 8–29 September they laid siege to Canterbury. Aided by the treachery of Ælfmaer, whose life Ælfheah had once saved, the raiders succeeded in sacking the city.[\[26\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Williams106-28)[\[c\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-29) Ælfheah was taken prisoner and held captive for seven months.[\[27\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Hindley301-30) [Godwine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwine_I) ([Bishop of Rochester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_of_Rochester)), [Leofrun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leofrun) (abbess of St Mildrith's), and the king's [reeve](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reeve_\(England\)), Ælfweard were captured also, but the abbot of [St Augustine's Abbey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Augustine%27s_Abbey), [Ælfmær](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfm%C3%A6r_\(Bishop_of_Sherborne\)), managed to escape.[\[26\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-Williams106-28) Canterbury Cathedral was plundered and burned by the Danes following Ælfheah's capture.[\[28\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury#cite_note-1000Church209-31) --- *Originally published on [Nathaniel Smedley](https://paragraph.com/@01561/lfheah-of-canterbury)*