edwardslovelyelizabeth: Bertha of Kent or Saint Aldeberge (539–c.612), queen of Kent
edwardslovelyelizabeth:Bertha of Kent or Saint Aldeberge (539–c.612), queen of Kent. Perhaps the most well known of all the pre-Conquest queens, Bertha played a crucial role in the establishment of Christianity in England. She was the daughter of the Christian king, Charibert I of Paris, who insisted that she be free to practise her own religion when she married the pagan king, Æthelbert of Kent.Bertha crossed the Channel with her chaplain, Bishop Liuthard, and the pair converted an old Roman building into a chapel. She discussed her beliefs with her husband, ensuring that he welcomed the pope’s missionary, St Augustine, when he arrived in 597. She also corresponded directly with the pope, with the pontiff flattering her with comparisons to Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine. She was canonized for her in establishment christianity during this period in Engliash history.Anglo-Saxon records indicate that Saint Bertha had two children: Eadbald of Kent, and Æthelburg of Kent. Bertha and Æthelbert were buried together inside a Christian church in England’s first Christian kingdom.(x, x) -- source link
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