Learnings: The Ealdormen
In time, ealdormen came to be seen as representatives of royal power. They were members of the Witan, a royal council. In some cases, the title may have been inherited. A thegn, or a noble man of good renown, could also become an ealdorman via appointment.
Each ealdorman ruled a region of variable size, in which, according to the king's will, he could levy a tax or assemble and lead the fyrd, a sort of militia. Those powers, among others, could sometimes lead an ealdorman to exercise a bit more power than he should. A weak king sometimes had to deal with more independent ealdormen before they became a threat to his crown.
It's likely that ealdormen were among the wealthiest members of society. They could have possessed objects of great value, like this glided belt mount.