Judith (Carolingian) de France
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Judith (Carolingian) de France (abt. 844 - aft. 870)

Judith "of the Franks, Countess of Flanders" de France formerly Carolingian aka de Flandre
Born about in Francemap
Ancestors ancestors
Wife of — married 1 Oct 0856 in Verberie-Sur-Oise, Francemap
Wife of — married after 13 Jan 0858 in Wessexmap
Wife of — married 13 Dec 0862 in Auxerremap
Descendants descendants
Died after after about age 26 in Flandersmap
Profile last modified | Created 20 Aug 2011
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Medieval Project
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Biography

Judith was the daughter of Charles the Bald and his first wife Ermentrude of Orléans. Her birth date is uncertain but may have been about 844.[1][2]

In July 856, she was betrothed to Æthelwulf of Wessex, who was pausing in the kingdom of the Franks on his way back from a pilgrimage to Rome.[3] They married on 1 October 856[2][3] at Verberis near Senlis,[1] and Æthelwulf had her formally consecrated as queen, which was fairly unusual.[3]

After Æthelwulf's death in January 858, she was married to Æthelwulf's son Æthelbald. Asser condemns this marriage to her stepson in strong terms,[4] although there is no sign that the marriage was regarded as scandalous at the time.[5] According to Roger of Wendover, writing in the 13th century, Æthelbald subsequently repented of this marriage and repudiated Judith,[6] but this may well be inaccurate, and no contemporary source refers to any such repudiation.

When Æthelbald died in December 860, Judith returned to her father, having borne no children from either of her fist two marriages.[1][2][3] Her father put her "under episcopal guardianship, and with all the honour due to a queen."[3]

In 862 Judith eloped with Baldwin of Flanders. Her father subsequently initially sought to have her anathematised, but fairly quickly consented to their marriage.[7][2][3] The couple had sought the help of the Pope who intervened to help secure the reconciliation with her father.[7][3] Medlands and Wikipedia say the marriage took place in Auxerre on 13 December 862;[2][8] the Henry Project gives the year as 863.[1] Judith and Baldwin had the following children:

Some sources give further son to them:

  • Charles, born in about 864, who died young:[9] he is found only in a late source[7]

Medlands says that there may have been another daughter who was mother of Gautier,[9] but the Henry Project dismisses this.[7] There is currently a profile for an unnamed daughter: Flandre-26.

Both Medlands and the Henry Project state that Guinidilde was not a daughter of Judith and Baldwin, though she is sometimes referred to as one.[7][9]

Judith's death date is not known but was after 870.[1][2] Her third husband died in 879 and was buried in the Abbey of Saint-Bertin, near Saint-Omer.[7][9]

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The Henry Project, entry for Judith wife of (1) Æthelwulf of Wessex; (2) Æthelbald of Wessex; (3) Baldwin I of Flanders
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Charles Cawley. "Medieval Lands": A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families © by Charles Cawley, hosted by Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG). See also WikiTree's source page for MedLands.Entry for JUDITH of the Franks (c844-after 870)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, entry by Janet L Neslon for 'Æthelwulf', print and online 2004
  4. Asser. Life of King Alfred, translated by Albert S Cook, Ginn and Company, 1906, pp. 11-12, Internet Archive
  5. Frank Stenton. Anglo-Saxon England, 3rd edition, Oxford University Press, 1971, p. 245
  6. J A Giles (translator). Roger of Wendover's Flowers of History, Vol. I, Henry G Bohn, 1849, p. 187, Internet Archive
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 The Henry Project, entry for Baldwin I "Iron-arm"
  8. Wikipedia: Judith of Flanders
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Charles Cawley, Medlands, entry for BAUDOUIN (830/37-Arras 879)




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Comments: 3

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I hope to do some work soon on this profile on behalf of the Medieval Project
posted by Michael Cayley
I have now done the main work I currently intend on this profile. If anyone spots any typos etc, please correct them or message me. I have transferred some information to the profile of her third husband, to whom it relates.

I have not attempted to detach uncertain children. I will leave that to others. (I want to get back to the House of Wessex.)

posted by Michael Cayley
Janet L. Nelson, ‘Æthelwulf (d. 858)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 30 Sept 2017
posted by C. Mackinnon

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Categories: Descendants of Charlemagne | Carolingian Dynasty | 9th Century