Biography of Judith Carolingian Queen Consort Wessex 844-870

Paternal Family Tree: Carolingian

In or before 838 [her future husband] King Æthelwulf of Wessex and Osburgh Queen Consort Wessex were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Wessex. He the son of King Egbert of Wessex (age 64).

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. The same year, ere midwinter, died [her father] Charles, king of the Franks (age 16). He was slain by a boar; and one year before his [her uncle] brother (age 36) died, who had also the Western kingdom. They were both the sons of [her grandfather] Louis (age 62), who also had the Western kingdom, and died the same year that the sun was eclipsed. He was the son of that Charles whose daughter [her future husband] Ethelwulf, king of the West-Saxons, had to wife.

Around 844 Judith Carolingian was born to [her father] Charles "Bald" I King West Francia (age 20) and [her mother] Ermentrude Orléans Queen Consort West Francia.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 854. This year the heathen men³⁴ for the first time remained over winter in the Isle of Shepey [Map]. The same year [her future husband] King Ethelwulf registered a TENTH of his land over all his kingdom for the honour of God and for his own everlasting salvation. The same year also he went to Rome with great pomp, and was resident there a twelvemonth. Then he returned homeward; and [her father] Charles, king of the Franks (age 30), gave him his daughter, whose name was Judith (age 10), to be his queen. After this he came to his people, and they were fain to receive him; but about two years after his residence among the Franks he died; and his body lies at Winchester. He reigned eighteen years and a half. And Ethelwulf was the son of Egbert, Egbert of Ealhmund, Ealhmund of Eafa, Eafa of Eoppa, Eoppa of Ingild; Ingild was the brother of Ina, king of the West-Saxons, who held that kingdom thirty-seven winters, and afterwards went to St. Peter, where he died. And they were the sons of Cenred, Cenred of Ceolwald, Ceolwald of Cutha, Cutha of Cuthwin, Cuthwin of Ceawlin, Ceawlin of Cynric, Cynric of Creoda, Creoda of Cerdic, Cerdic of Elesa, Elesa of Esla, Esla of Gewis, Gewis of Wig, Wig of Freawine, Freawine of Frithugar, Frithugar of Brond, Brond of Balday, Balday of Woden, Woden of Frithuwald, Frithuwald of Freawine, Freawine of Frithuwualf, Frithuwulf of Finn, Finn of Godwulf, Godwulf of Great, Great of Taetwa, Taetwa of Beaw, Beaw of Sceldwa, Sceldwa of Heremod, Heremod of Itermon, Itermon of Hathra, Hathra of Hwala, Hwala of Bedwig, Bedwig of Sceaf; that is, the son of Noah, who was born in Noah's ark: Laznech, Methusalem, Enoh, Jared, Malalahel, Cainion, Enos, Seth, Adam the first man, and our Father, that is, Christ. Amen. Then two sons of Ethelwulf succeeded to the kingdom; [her future husband] Ethelbald to Wessex, and [her future brother-in-law] Ethelbert to Kent, Essex, Surrey, and Sussex. Ethelbald reigned five years. [her future step-son] Alfred (age 5), his third son, Ethelwulf had sent to Rome; and when the pope heard say that he was dead, he consecrated Alfred king, and held him under spiritual hands, as his father Ethelwulf had desired, and for which purpose he had sent him thither.

Note 34. i.e. the Danes; or, as they are sometimes called, Northmen, which is a general term including all those numerous tribes that issued at different times from the north of Europe, whether Danes, Norwegians, Sweons, Jutes, or Goths, etc.; who were all in a state of paganism at this time.

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Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 855. Collation. And on his return homewards he took to (wife) the daughter of [her father] Charles, king of the French (age 31), whose name was Judith (age 11), and he came home safe. And then in about two years he died, and his body lies at Winchester: and he reigned eighteen years and a half, and he was the son of Egbert. And then his two sons succeeded to the kingdom; [her future husband] Ethelbald to the kingdom of the West-Saxons, and [her future brother-in-law] Ethelbert to the kingdom of the Kentish-men, and of the East-Saxons, and of Surrey, and of the South-Saxons. And he reigned five years.

Assers Life of Alfred 855. 855. 11. Æthelwulf journeys to Rome.²⁷ In that same year the aforesaid worshipful [her future husband] King Æthelwulf freed the tenth part of all his kingdom from every royal service and tribute, and offered it up as an everlasting grant to God the One and Three, on the cross of Christ, for the redemption of his own soul and those of his predecessors. In the same year he went to Rome with much honor; and taking with him his son, the aforesaid King Alfred, a second time on the same journey, because he loved him more than his other sons, he remained there a whole year. After this he returned to his own country, bringing with him Judith (age 11), daughter of [her father] Charles (age 31), King of the Franks.²⁸

Note 27. Based upon the Chronicle.

Note 28. Charles the Bald.

In October 855 [her brother] Charles "Child" III King Aquitaine (age 8) succeeded III King Aquitaine.

In 856 King Æthelwulf of Wessex and Judith Carolingian (age 12) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Wessex. She the daughter of Charles "Bald" I King West Francia (age 32) and Ermentrude Orléans Queen Consort West Francia. He the son of King Egbert of Wessex.

Assers Life of Alfred 856. 856. 13. Judith's Position in Wessex.³¹ When [her husband] Æthelwulf, therefore, returned from Rome, the whole nation, as was fitting, so rejoiced³² in the arrival of the ruler that, if he had allowed them, they would have expelled his unruly son [her future husband] Æthelbald, with all his counselors, from the kingdom. But he, as I have said, acting with great clemency and prudent counsel, would not act in this way, lest the kingdom should be exposed to peril. He likewise bade Judith (age 12), daughter of [her father] King Charles (age 32), whom he had received from her father, take her seat by his own side on the royal throne, without any dispute or enmity from his nobles even to the end of his life, though contrary to the perverse custom of that nation.³³ For the nation of the West Saxons does not allow the queen to sit beside the king, nor to be called queen, but only the king's wife; which refusal, or rather reproach, the chief persons of that land say arose from a certain headstrong and malevolent queen of the nation, who did all things so contrary to her lord and to the whole people that not only did the hatred which she brought upon herself bring to pass her exclusion from the queenly throne, but also entailed the same corruption upon those who came after her, since, in consequence of the extreme malignity of that queen, all the inhabitants of the land banded themselves together by an oath never in their lives to let any king reign over them who should bid his queen take her seat on the royal throne by his side. And because, as I think, it is not known to many whence this perverse and detestable custom first arose in Wessex, contrary to the custom of all the Germanic peoples, it seems to me right to explain it a little more fully, as I have heard it from my lord Alfred the truth-teller, King of the Anglo-Saxons, who often told me about it, as he also had heard it from many men of truth who related the fact, or, I should rather say, expressly preserved the remembrance of it.

Note 31. Chiefly original.

Note 32. From the Chronicle.

Note 33. Prudentius of Troyes (in Annales Bertiniani, an. 856, ed. Waitz, p. 47), says of Bishop Hincmar: 'Eam ... reginæ nomine insignit, quod sibi suæque genti eatenus fuerat insuetum.'

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Memoires of Jacques du Clercq

This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.

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Around 858 King Æthelbald of Wessex and Judith Carolingian (age 14) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Wessex. She the daughter of Charles "Bald" I King West Francia (age 34) and Ermentrude Orléans Queen Consort West Francia. He the son of King Æthelwulf of Wessex and Osburgh Queen Consort Wessex.

Assers Life of Alfred 858. 858. 17. Æthelbald marries Judith.⁴⁴ But when [her husband] King Æthelwulf was dead [and buried at Winchester [Map]]⁴⁵, his son [her husband] Æthelbald, contrary to God's prohibition and the dignity of a Christian, contrary also to the custom of all the heathen⁴⁶, ascended his father's bed, and married Judith (age 14), daughter of [her father] Charles (age 34), King of the Franks, incurring much infamy from all who heard of it. During two years and a half of lawlessness he held after his father the government of the West Saxons.

Note 44. Original.

Note 45. From Florence of Worcester. The Annals of St. Neots have: 'and buried at Steyning' (Stemrugam).

Note 46. This last statement is incorrect.

Death of King Æthelwulf

On 13th January 858 [her husband] King Æthelwulf of Wessex died. His son [her husband] Æthelbald succeeded King Wessex.

Death of King Æthelbald

In 860 [her husband] King Æthelbald of Wessex died. His brother [her brother-in-law] Æthelberht succeeded King Wessex.

Before 863 [her brother] Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia (age 16) and [her sister-in-law] Ansgarde Burgundy Queen Consort Aquitaine Queen Consort West Francia were married in secret. She by marriage Queen Consort Aquitaine, Queen Consort West Francia. He the son of [her father] Charles "Bald" I King West Francia (age 39) and [her mother] Ermentrude Orléans Queen Consort West Francia.

In 866 [her brother] Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia (age 19) succeeded II King Aquitaine.

Around 866 [her son] Baldwin "Bald" II Margrave Flanders was born to Baldwin "Iron Arm" I Margrave Flanders (age 36) and Judith Carolingian (age 22). He married Aelfthryth Wessex Margrave Flanders, daughter of King Alfred "The Great" of Wessex and Æalhswith of Mercia Queen Consort of England, and had issue.

In 866 [her brother] Charles "Child" III King Aquitaine (age 19) died.

Around 870 Judith Carolingian (age 26) died.

Assers Life of Alfred 884. 884. 70. Charles, King of the Alemanni.¹⁵⁵ In that same year also, Charles (age 44), King of the Alemanni, received with universal consent the kingdom of the West Franks, and all the kingdoms which lie between the Tyrrhene Sea and that gulf¹⁵⁶ situated between the Old Saxons and the Gauls, with the exception of the kingdom of Armorica.¹⁵⁷ This Charles was the son of [her uncle] King Louis¹⁵⁸, who was brother of Charles, King of the Franks, father of Judith, the aforesaid queen; these two brothers were sons of [her grandfather] Louis¹⁵⁹, Louis being the son of Charlemagne, son of Pepin.

Note 155. Mainly from the Chronicle.

Note 156. The North Sea.

Note 157. Brittany.

Note 158. Louis the German.

Note 159. Louis the Pious.

[her father] Charles "Bald" I King West Francia and [her mother] Ermentrude Orléans Queen Consort West Francia were married. She by marriage Queen Consort West Francia. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Odi Orléans 1st Count Orléans. He the son of [her grandfather] Louis "Pious" King Aquitaine I King of the Franks and [her grandmother] Judith Welf Queen Consort Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks.

[her father] Charles "Bald" I King West Francia and Richildis Bivinids Queen Consort West Francia were married. She by marriage Queen Consort West Francia. The difference in their ages was 21 years. He the son of [her grandfather] Louis "Pious" King Aquitaine I King of the Franks and [her grandmother] Judith Welf Queen Consort Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks.

Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke

Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.

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Baldwin "Iron Arm" I Margrave Flanders and Judith Carolingian were married. She by marriage Margravine Flanders. She the daughter of Charles "Bald" I King West Francia and Ermentrude Orléans Queen Consort West Francia.

Biography of Judith Carolingian Queen Consort Wessex 844-870

Royal Ancestors of Judith Carolingian

Royal Descendants of Judith Carolingian
Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.

Ancestors of Judith Carolingian

Biography of Judith Carolingian Queen Consort Wessex 844-870

Royal Ancestors of Judith Carolingian

Royal Descendants of Judith Carolingian Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.

Ancestors of Judith Carolingian

Royal Descendants of Judith Carolingian
Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.