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Berta KentskayaWife of the Kentish king Ethelbert.
Country:
 France |
Content:
- Biography of Bertha of Kent
- Early Life and Marriage
- Introduction of Christianity
- Spread of Christianity
- Death and Legacy
Biography of Bertha of Kent
Bertha of Kent, also known as Saint Bertha, was the wife of King Æthelberht of Kent. She was born around 539 in France and died in 612 in Canterbury. Bertha is believed to have been canonized after her death for her ability to convince Æthelberht to be the first of the heptarchy kings to accept Christianity.
Early Life and Marriage
Bertha was the daughter of King Charibert I of Paris, belonging to the Merovingian dynasty, and his wife Ingoberga. According to legends, her first husband was Aethelbert of Metz, with whom she had a son named Arnold, who later became the father of Arnulf of Metz and the ancestor of the Carolingian dynasty. Her second husband was King Æthelberht of Kent.
Introduction of Christianity
King Æthelberht of Kent had long been in conflict with Sæberht of Essex over the overlordship of the heptarchy kingdoms, but was unsuccessful. However, with the support of the powerful Merovingian clan, Æthelberht managed to establish his authority, known as the Bretwalda, in 591.
Bertha arrived at her husband's court with her chaplain, Liudhard. She did not renounce her own religion. In 597, Saint Augustine arrived at Æthelberht's court, invited by Liudhard through a letter to Pope Gregory I. Æthelberht greeted Augustine under an ancient oak tree, a custom of the Anglo-Saxons to ward off any magic that the Christian might try to cast upon him. The king welcomed Augustine with a speech, which can be read in Old English here.
According to tradition, Æthelberht was baptized by Augustine on the second day of his arrival in Britain. However, Bertha's letters to Pope Gregory I suggest that this event occurred no earlier than 601.
Spread of Christianity
At Æthelberht's order, new Christian churches were established and old Roman period churches were restored. The king's conversion also influenced the inhabitants of the kingdom. Baptism ceremonies took place throughout Kent, involving both the nobility and the common people.
Death and Legacy
In 612, Bertha passed away and was buried in the Church of St. Martin in Canterbury. The church, which had been built during Roman rule, was in ruins until Æthelberht allowed Bertha to hold services there.
Bertha is believed to have been declared a saint after her death, although there is no definitive answer to this question. While the Anglican Church reveres her, her feast day is not celebrated.
