Liudhard
Encyclopedia
Liudhard was a Frankish
bishop – of where is unclear – and the chaplain of Queen Bertha of Kent
, whom she brought with her from the continent upon her marriage to King Æthelberht of Kent. He helped found the first Christian Saxon
church in England
in Canterbury
, which was originally dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours
.
He is believed to have died in the late 590s, soon after the arrival of Saint Augustine
with the Gregorian mission
, but Bede
fails to mention him in any detail. He was originally buried in St Martin's Church
, but Archbishop Laurence of Canterbury had his remains removed and buried in the Abbey Church of St Peter and St Paul
in the early 7th century. He was regarded locally as a saint, and Goscelin
recounts the story of a miracle he performed to help the eleventh-century artist and abbot Spearhafoc
, who in thanks adorned his tomb, with "statues of enormous size and beauty" of the saint and Bertha.
According to Goscelin, while Spearhafoc was working on metal figures at St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury, he lost a valuable ring given him by Edward's queen, and Godwin's daughter, Edith of Wessex
, presumably as materials to use in his project. In his distress, he prayed to Liudhard, after which the ring was found. In gratitude, he adorned Liudhard's tomb with the statues. From other mentions it would seem such a description would mean the statues were at least approaching life-size. Also according to Goscelin and William of Malmesbury
, Liudhard "was especially good at speedily responding to appeals for rain", for which purpose his remains would be carried in procession to the fields.
A coin or "medalet", known as the Liudhard medalet
, bearing his name was found in the 19th century in a grave in Canterbury, and is the earliest Anglo-Saxon coin, though it may not have been used as money in the normal way. The design is clearly based on contemporary Continental coins, but has unusual features.
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
bishop – of where is unclear – and the chaplain of Queen Bertha of Kent
Bertha of Kent
Saint Bertha was the Queen of Kent whose influence led to the introduction of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England. She was canonized as a saint for her role in its establishment during that period of English history.Bertha was the daughter of Charibert I, Merovingian King of Paris...
, whom she brought with her from the continent upon her marriage to King Æthelberht of Kent. He helped found the first Christian Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
church in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, which was originally dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
.
He is believed to have died in the late 590s, soon after the arrival of Saint Augustine
Augustine of Canterbury
Augustine of Canterbury was a Benedictine monk who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597...
with the Gregorian mission
Gregorian mission
The Gregorian mission, sometimes known as the Augustinian mission, was the missionary endeavour sent by Pope Gregory the Great to the Anglo-Saxons in 596 AD. Headed by Augustine of Canterbury, its goal was to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. By the death of the last missionary in 653, they...
, but Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
fails to mention him in any detail. He was originally buried in St Martin's Church
St Martin's Church, Canterbury
The Church of St Martin in Canterbury, England, situated slightly beyond the city centre, is England's oldest parish church in continuous use. Since 1668 St Martin's has been part of the benefice of St Martin & St Paul Canterbury. Both St Martin's and nearby St Paul's churches are used for weekly...
, but Archbishop Laurence of Canterbury had his remains removed and buried in the Abbey Church of St Peter and St Paul
St Augustine's Abbey
St Augustine's Abbey was a Benedictine abbey in Canterbury, Kent, England.-Early history:In 597 Saint Augustine arrived in England, having been sent by Pope Gregory I, on what might nowadays be called a revival mission. The King of Kent at this time was Æthelberht, who happened to be married to a...
in the early 7th century. He was regarded locally as a saint, and Goscelin
Goscelin
Goscelin of Saint-Bertin was a Benedictine hagiographical writer, born between 1020–1035 and who died shortly after 1107...
recounts the story of a miracle he performed to help the eleventh-century artist and abbot Spearhafoc
Spearhafoc
Spearhafoc, a name meaning "sparrowhawk" in Old English , was an eleventh century Anglo-Saxon artist and Benedictine monk, whose artistic talent was apparently the cause of his rapid elevation to Abbot of Abingdon in 1047–48 and Bishop-Elect of London in 1051...
, who in thanks adorned his tomb, with "statues of enormous size and beauty" of the saint and Bertha.
According to Goscelin, while Spearhafoc was working on metal figures at St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury, he lost a valuable ring given him by Edward's queen, and Godwin's daughter, Edith of Wessex
Edith of Wessex
Edith of Wessex married King Edward the Confessor of England on 23 January 1045. Unlike most wives of kings of England in the tenth and eleventh centuries, she was crowned queen, but the marriage produced no children...
, presumably as materials to use in his project. In his distress, he prayed to Liudhard, after which the ring was found. In gratitude, he adorned Liudhard's tomb with the statues. From other mentions it would seem such a description would mean the statues were at least approaching life-size. Also according to Goscelin and William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. C. Warren Hollister so ranks him among the most talented generation of writers of history since Bede, "a gifted historical scholar and an omnivorous reader, impressively well versed in the literature of classical,...
, Liudhard "was especially good at speedily responding to appeals for rain", for which purpose his remains would be carried in procession to the fields.
A coin or "medalet", known as the Liudhard medalet
Liudhard medalet
The Liudhard medalet is a gold Anglo-Saxon coin or small medal found some time before 1844 near St Martin's Church in Canterbury, England. It was part of the Canterbury-St Martin's hoard of six items. The coin, along with other items found with it, now resides in the World Museum Liverpool...
, bearing his name was found in the 19th century in a grave in Canterbury, and is the earliest Anglo-Saxon coin, though it may not have been used as money in the normal way. The design is clearly based on contemporary Continental coins, but has unusual features.
Sources
- Dodwell, C. R. (1982) Anglo-Saxon Art, A New Perspective, Manchester UP, ISBN 071900926X. Miracle, p. 213
- Wernher, Martin (1992) "The Liudhard Medalet", in Anglo-Saxon England, Volume 20, eds. Michael LapidgeMichael LapidgeMichael Lapidge D.Litt. is a Canadian historical linguist, fellow of Clare College, Cambridge and Fellow of the British Academy A lecturer in Anglo-Saxon studies at Cambridge from 1974 onwards, Lapidge was Elrington and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon from 1991 to 1998...
, et al. Cambridge University Press ISBN 052141380X, 9780521413800, google books