Bertha of Kent (c. 565–c. 616)

Queen of Kent and religious founder. Born around 565 in Paris; died around 616 in Kent, England; daughter of Cherebert also known as Caribert or Charibert I, king of Paris (r. 561–567), and possiblyIngoberge (519–589); great-granddaughter ofClotilda (470–545); married St. Ethelbert (Aethelbert), king of Kent (r. c. 560–616), before 589; children: Aethelbald also known as Eadbald, king of Kent (r. 616–640); Ethelberga of Northumbria (d. 647), later queen of Northumbria; great-grandmother ofElflaed , abbess of Whitby (fl. 640–713).

Bertha was an influential queen of Kent, in southeastern England. Born into the royal Merovingian house of France, she was brought up as a Christian and married King Ethelbert of Kent before 589. As queen of Kent, she brought Merovingian Christian culture to southeast England. Her marriage treaty stipulated that she have free exercise in her religion, and she was active in promoting Christianity in her realm; her husband was the first English king to convert to the new faith, in large part due to her influence. In 597, Bertha also convinced him to receive Augustine, legate of Pope Gregory the Great, along with 40 monks, an event which led to the conversion of all of Kent. Together, Bertha and Ethelbert founded Canterbury Church, still one of England's most important religious establishments. Bertha had at least two children, Eadbald and Ethelberga of Northumbria . Eadbald, who succeeded Ethelbert as king of Kent, reverted to paganism after his parents' deaths, but by that time Christian beliefs were already too strongly founded in southeast England for the kingdom as a whole to revert. Bertha's daughter Ethelberga, who remained a Christian, married King Edwin of Northumbria. King Ethelbert died in 616 after a long reign; it is believed that Bertha died soon after.

Laura York , Anza, California