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Biography of Bertha Merovingian Queen Consort Kent 565-605

On 29 Nov 561 [her grandfather] Clothar "The Old" I King Paris Merovingian King Franks (age 64) died. His son [her father] Charibert King Paris Merovingian (age 44) succeeded King Paris Merovingian.

Around 565 Bertha Merovingian Queen Consort Kent was born to Charibert King Paris Merovingian (age 48) and Ingoberga Unknown Queen Consort Paris (age 45).

In Dec 567 [her father] Charibert King Paris Merovingian (age 50) died.

In 580 King Æthelberht of Kent (age 30) and Bertha Merovingian Queen Consort Kent (age 15) were married. She the daughter of Charibert King Paris Merovingian and Ingoberga Unknown Queen Consort Paris (age 60). He the son of Eormenric King of Kent.

580. St Martin's was the private chapel of Queen Bertha of Kent (age 15). Her pagan husband, [her husband] King Æthelberht of Kent (age 30), facilitated her in continuing to practise her religion by renovating a Romano-British building around 580.

In 589 [her mother] Ingoberga Unknown Queen Consort Paris (age 69) died at Tours.

In 589 [her husband] King Æthelberht of Kent (age 39) succeeded King of Kent. Bertha Merovingian Queen Consort Kent (age 24) by marriage Queen Consort Kent.

Bede. AUGUSTINE, COMING INTO BRITAIN, FIRST PREACHED IN THE ISLE OF THANET [Map] TO [her husband] KING ETHELBERT (age 47), AND HAVING OBTAINED LICENCE, ENTERED THE KINGDOM OF KENT, IN ORDER TO PREACH THEREIN. [A.D. 597.]

Augustine (age 57), thus strengthened by the confirmation of the blessed Father Gregory (age 57), returned to the work of the word of God, with the servants of Christ, and arrived in Britain. The powerful Ethelbert was at that time king of Kent; he had extended his dominions as far as the great river Humber, by which the Southern Saxons are divided from the Northern. On the east of Kent is the large Isle of Thanet [Map] containing according to the English way of reckoning, 600 families, divided from the other land by the river Wantsum, which is about three furlongs over, and fordable only in two places, for both ends of it run into the sea. In this island landed the servant of our Lord, Augustine, and his companions, being, as is reported, nearly forty men. They had, by order of the blessed Pope Gregory, taken interpreters of the nation of the Franks, and sending to Ethelbert, signified that they were come from Rome, and brought a joyful message, which most undoubtedly assured to all that took advantage of it everlasting joys in heaven and a kingdom that would never end with the living and true God. The king having heard this, ordered them to stay in that island [Map] where they had landed, and that they should be furnished with all necessaries, till he should consider what to do with them. For he had before heard of the Christian religion, having a Christian wife of the royal family of the Franks, called Bertha (age 32); whom he had received from her parents, upon condition that she should be permitted to practice her religion with the Bishop Luidhard, who was sent with her to preserve her faith. Some days after, the king came into the island, and sitting in the open air, ordered Augustine and his companions to be brought into his presence. For he had taken precaution that they should not come to him in any house, lest, according to an ancient superstition, if they practiced any magical arts, they might impose upon him, and so get the better of him. But they came furnished with Divine, not with magic virtue, bearing a silver cross for their banner, and the image of our Lord and Saviour painted on a board; and singing the litany, they offered up their prayers to the Lord for the eternal salvation both of themselves and of those to whom they were come. When he had sat down, pursuant to the king's commands, and preached to him and his attendants there present, the word of life, the king answered thus:—"Your words and promises are very fair, but as they are new to us, and of uncertain import, I cannot approve of them so far as to forsake that which I have so long followed with the whole English nation. But because you are come from far into my kingdom, and, as I conceive, are desirous to impart to us those things which you believe to be true, and most beneficial, we will not molest you, but give you favourable entertainment, and take care to supply you with your necessary sustenance; nor do we forbid you to preach and gain as many as you can to your religion." Accordingly he permitted them to reside in the city of Canterbury [Map], which was the metropolis of all his dominions, and, pursuant to his promise, besides allowing them sustenance, did not refuse them liberty to preach. It is reported that, as they drew near to the city, after their manner, with the holy cross, and the image of our sovereign Lord and King, Jesus Christ, they, in concert, sung this litany: "We beseech Thee, O Lord, in all Thy mercy, that thy anger and wrath be turned away from this city, and from the holy house, because we have sinned. Hallelujah."

Bede. ST. AUGUSTINE IN KENT FOLLOWED THE DOCTRINE AND MANNER OF LIVING OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH, AND SETTLED HIS EPISCOPAL SEE IN THE ROYAL CITY. [A.D. 597.]

As soon as they entered the dwelling-­place assigned them they began to imitate the course of life practiced in the primitive church; applying themselves to frequent prayer, watching and fasting; preaching the word of life to as many as they could; despising all worldly things, as not belonging to them; receiving only their necessary food from those they taught; living themselves in all respects conformably to what they prescribed to others, and being always disposed to suffer any adversity, and even to die for that truth which they preached. In short, several believed and were baptized, admiring the simplicity of their innocent life, and the sweetness of their heavenly doctrine. There was on the east side of the city a church dedicated to the honour of St. Martin, built whilst the Romans were still in the island, wherein the queen (age 32), who, as has been said before, was a Christian, used to pray. In this they first began to meet, to sing, to pray, to say mass, to preach, and to baptize, till the [her husband] king (age 47), being converted to the faith, allowed them to preach openly, and build or repair churches in all places.

When he, among the rest, induced by the unspotted life of these holy men, and their delightful promises, which, by many miracles, they proved to be most certain, believed and was baptized, greater numbers began daily to flock together to hear the word, and, forsaking their heathen rites, to associate themselves, by believing, to the unity of the church of Christ. Their conversion the king so far encouraged, as that he compelled none to embrace Christianity, but only showed more affection to the believers, as to his fellow-­citizens in the heavenly kingdom. For he had learned from his instructors and leaders to salvation, that the service of Christ ought to be voluntary, not by compulsion. Nor was it long before he gave his preachers a settled residence in his metropolis of Canterbury, with such possessions of different kinds as were necessary for their subsistence.

In 605 [her daughter] Æthelburh Oiscingas Queen Consort Northumbria was born to [her husband] King Æthelberht of Kent (age 55) and Bertha Merovingian Queen Consort Kent (age 40).

After 605 Bertha Merovingian Queen Consort Kent (age 40) died.

Death of Æthelberht King of Kent

On 24 Feb 616 [her former husband] King Æthelberht of Kent (age 66) died. His son [her son] King Eadbald of Kent succeeded King of Kent. Emma Austrasia Queen Consort Kent by marriage Queen Consort Kent.

[her son] King Eadbald of Kent was born to King Æthelberht of Kent and Bertha Merovingian Queen Consort Kent.

Royal Descendants of Bertha Merovingian Queen Consort Kent 565-605

King Eadbald of Kent

Æthelburh Oiscingas Queen Consort Northumbria

Ancestors of Bertha Merovingian Queen Consort Kent 565-605

GrandFather: Clothar "The Old" I King Paris Merovingian King Franks

Father: Charibert King Paris Merovingian

Bertha Merovingian Queen Consort Kent

Mother: Ingoberga Unknown Queen Consort Paris