(A.D. 800.)
[Anglican Martyrologies. Authorities:--Florence of Worcester, William
of Malmesbury, Simeon of Durham, and Thurgot of Durham.]
A great discrepancy exists in the accounts given of this saint.
Malmesbury is certainly not to be trusted in his relation, and we must
follow the account of Simeon of Durham. Ceolwulf, king of Northumbria,
abdicated in 737, and was succeeded by Egbert, who was succeeded in
758 by his brother Osulf, who was killed in 759, leaving a son, named
Ethelwald. He was succeeded, not by his son Ethelwald, but by another
Ethelwald, surnamed Moll, who was banished in 765, when Alcred, son of
Eanwin, a descendant of Ida, came to the throne. He was banished in
774, and the crown rested on the head of Ethelred, son of Ethelwald
Moll, who was banished in 779, and succeeded by Ethelwald, son of
Osulf. But this Ethelwald was killed in 788, whereupon Osred, son of
Alcred, came to the throne. Osred's younger brother was S. Alkmund, the
subject of this memoir. But Osred was deposed, in 790, by Ethelred,
son of Ethelwald Moll, who had been exiled in 779, and this king put
Osred to death in 792; and Alkmund, in 800, was murdered by order of
king Eardulf, who came to the throne in 797, after the assassination of
Ethelred in 796.
Alkmund had spent some years in banishment among the Picts, and was
loved and revered for his spotless innocence and gentleness in a period
of crime and violence. Harpsfield, following Radulph Diceto, says
Alkmund fell in battle against the West Saxons, which is certainly
wrong. He also makes Alkmund the son of Ethelred, which is also a
mistake; and Malmesbury calls his father Alfred. The name probably was
Alcfred.
S. Alkmund was buried at Lilleshut, in Shropshire, but his body was
afterwards translated to Derby, and he is honoured as the patron of
that town.
March 20.
S. JOACHIM, _Father of the B. Virgin Mary_.
SS. PHOTINA, JOSEPH, VICTOR, AND COMPANIONS, _MM., 1st cent._
S. ARCHIPPUS, _Companion of S. Paul, 1st cent._
SS. PAUL, CYRIL, AND COMPANIONS, _MM. in Syria_.
SS. ALEXANDRA, CLAUDIA, AND OTHERS, _MM. at Amisa, 4th cent._
S. URBICIUS, _B. of Metz, circ._ A.D. 420.
S. MARTIN, _Archb. of Braga, in Portugal_, A.D. 580.
S. CUTHBERT, _B. of Lindisfarne_, A.D. 687.
S. HERBERT, _P.H. in an island of Derwentwater_, A.D. 687.
S. WULFRAM, _B. of Sens_, A.D. 741.
SS. JOHN, SERGIUS, COSMAS, AND COMPANIONS, _Monks MM. in the Laura of
S. Sabas, near Jerusalem_, A.D. 797.
S. NICETAS, _B.M. at Apollonia, 8th cent._
B. AMBROSE, _O.P. at Sienna_, A.D. 1287.
B. HIPPOLYTUS GALANTINI, _Founder of the Institute of Christian
Brothers, at Florence_, A.D. 1619.