English Medieval Queens and Kings in Religious Partnership: Choices, Resources, and Connections

Abstract

ABSTRACT

During the early Middle Ages in Britain, people struggled to survive after the Romans left to try to save their own empire. People formed groups for survival, protection and procreation; some of the successful groups grew into tribes and quasi kingdoms. The Roman empire brought Christianity to Britain but, after its fall in 409, its presence declined greatly during the invasions of Picts and Irish and during the attacks and migration of several Germanic tribes, the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, among others (Bede, EH I.13-15). Eventually, however, what came to be one ruling monarchy and a strong Christian church grew to be two of the most essential institutions of England in the Middle Ages. Although movements and influences came from all parts of society, historical and literary records are most available for those leading kingdom and church. This study exams such records for evidence of how kings and queens are represented as working to some degree in partnership to benefit Christianity. Bede’s The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, The Bible, The Regularis Concordia, and coronation records provide the history of royals and church leaders working together. Records of land donations and a small illustration from a church register show some of the gifts that provided the church its economic start from kings and queens which helped grow the church. Another unique resource explored is the practice of intercession between kings and queens, often taking place in public to benefit themselves, their subjects, and the church. In addition to historical reports, Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Knight’s Tale” and “Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale,” as well as John Lydgate’s Siege of Thebes are examined to assess the successes, failures, and nuances of intercessions represented as significant. Relationships between England’s royal couples and those with the most influence in Christianity as its leaders are recorded in Bede, the Bible, letters, literary prayer poetry, and anonymous art depicting the Virgin Mary, and Christ crowning the Virgin Mary at her heavenly coronation. Although limited by scarce sources, three factors related to the unique and privileged positions of rulers emerged as being crucial to the potential for success in working together to support Christianity: their ability to exercise religious choice, to use deep resources for religious patronage, and to develop relational connections between themselves and others who held ruling religious positions in Europe, in the Christian Bible, and in heaven.