Judith of Flanders, Countess of Northumbria
Encyclopedia
Judith of Flanders, Countess of Northumbria, and later Duchess of Bavaria (1033 – 5 March 1094) was the wife firstly of Tostig Godwinson
, Earl of Northumbria
, and secondly of Welf I, Duke of Bavaria
. Her niece was Matilda of Flanders
, Queen consort of William the Conqueror, who was Judith's cousin.
She was the owner of many books and illuminated manuscripts, which she bequeathed to Weingarten Abbey
.
, the only child of Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders
by his second wife, Eleanor of Normandy, who was herself, the daughter of Richard II of Normandy and Judith of Brittany
. Judith had an older half-brother, Baldwin V, Count of Flanders
, who succeeded their father upon his death which had occurred when Judith was about two years old. Judith's niece was Matilda of Flanders who married William, the first Norman king of England, known to history as "William the Conqueror". King William was Judith's first cousin, being the son of her maternal uncle, Robert of Normandy.
, along with her husband and in-laws after Tostig joined his father's armed rebellion against King Edward the Confessor
; however, they returned home the following year.
He was created Earl of Northumbria in 1055, making Judith the Countess of Northumbria, from that date onwards. His distinguished marriage to Judith had helped Tostig secure the earldom.
Together they had children whose names and numbers are not recorded. They were described in the Vita Edwardi Regis as "unweaned" at the time of their father's death. Tostig had at least three illegitimate sons by unknown mistresses.
Judith was described as having been a "pious and inquisitive woman"; her piety was expressed in the many gifts and donations she made to the Church of St. Cuthbert in Durham
, which included landed estates and an ornate crucifix. The latter allegedly was a present to appease the saint after she challenged St. Cuthbert's ruling that forbade women to enter the cathedral which housed his relics. Judith, angered that women were not permitted to set foot inside the church and wishing to worship at his tomb, had decided to put Cuthbert's prohibition to the test by ordering her serving woman to go inside to see what repercussions would follow for breaking the holy decree (Judith had planned to go herself upon the latter's safe return); when the woman was about to enter the churchyard, she was stricken by a sudden, violent force of wind that left her infirm and eventually killed her. Judith, as a result of superstitious fear, had the crucifix especially made for St. Cuthbert's shrine. Throughout her life, she collected and commissioned many books and illuminated manuscripts, some of which are extant, including the Gospels of Countess Judith, which are currently housed in Pierpont Morgan Library in New York City
. These were written and illuminated by English scribes and artists to record for posterity, Judith's generosity to the Church.
In October 1065, Northumbria rose in rebellion against the rule of Tostig. After his brother Harold persuaded King Edward to accept the demands made by the rebels, there was an acrimonious confrontation between the two brothers, with Tostig accusing Harold of fomenting the rebellion. In November, Tostig was outlawed by King Edward, and Judith, along with Tostig and her children, was compelled to seek refuge with her half-brother in Flanders the following month. Count Baldwin appointed Tostig as castellan
of Saint-Omer. In May 1066 following the succession of Harold to the English throne in January, he returned to England with a fleet provided by Baldwin to seek revenge on his brother. He formed an alliance with King Harold III of Norway, but they were both killed on 25 September 1066 at the Battle of Stamford Bridge
by the forces of King Harold.
After her husband's death at Stamford Bridge, Judith moved to Denmark
. It is presumed that she brought her "unweaned" children with her to Denmark; however, nothing is known of their subsequent fates. Less than a month after Tostig's death, Judith's brother-in-law was killed at the Battle of Hastings
by the Norman army led by her cousin, William the Conqueror, who would thereafter reign as William I of England.
They made their principal home at the castle of Ravensburg
and together had two sons, and one daughter:
, the Benedictine
abbey which had been built by Duke Welf on the Martinsberg in Weingarten, and had received Judith's patronage. She also had bequeathed her magnificent library and a relic
of Christ's Blood to the abbey. The Chronicon of Bernold recorded the death "1094 1V Non Mar of Iuditha uxor ducis Welfonis Baioariae" and her subsequent burial. Her husband Duke Welf died in 1101 in Cyprus
while returning home from the First Crusade
.
Tostig Godwinson
Tostig Godwinson was an Anglo-Saxon Earl of Northumbria and brother of King Harold Godwinson, the last crowned english King of England.-Early life:...
, Earl of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria was a title in the Anglo-Danish, late Anglo-Saxon, and early Anglo-Norman period in England. The earldom of Northumbria was the successor of the ealdormanry of Bamburgh, itself the successor of an independent Bernicia. Under the Norse kingdom of York, there were earls of...
, and secondly of Welf I, Duke of Bavaria
Welf I, Duke of Bavaria
Welf I was duke of Bavaria from 1070 to 1077 and from 1096 to his death. He was the first member of the Welf branch of the House of Este. In the Welf genealogy he is counted as Welf IV.-Life and reign:...
. Her niece was Matilda of Flanders
Matilda of Flanders
Matilda of Flanders was the wife of William the Conqueror and, as such, Queen consort of the Kingdom of England. She bore William nine/ten children, including two kings, William II and Henry I.-Marriage:...
, Queen consort of William the Conqueror, who was Judith's cousin.
She was the owner of many books and illuminated manuscripts, which she bequeathed to Weingarten Abbey
Weingarten Abbey
Weingarten Abbey or St. Martin's Abbey is a Benedictine monastery on the Martinsberg in Weingarten near Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg .-First foundation:...
.
Family
Judith was born in 1033 in BrugesBruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, the only child of Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders
Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders
Baldwin IV of Flanders , known as the Bearded, was Count of Flanders from 988 until his death. He was the son of Arnulf II, Count of Flanders...
by his second wife, Eleanor of Normandy, who was herself, the daughter of Richard II of Normandy and Judith of Brittany
Judith of Brittany
Judith of Brittany was the daughter of Conan I, Duke of Brittany and Ermengarde of Anjou, and the mother of Robert the Magnificent.She was the first wife of Richard the Good, Duke of Normandy, whom she married in 996. They had six children:...
. Judith had an older half-brother, Baldwin V, Count of Flanders
Baldwin V, Count of Flanders
Baldwin V of Flanders was Count of Flanders from 1035 until his death.He was the son of Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders, who died in 1035.-History:...
, who succeeded their father upon his death which had occurred when Judith was about two years old. Judith's niece was Matilda of Flanders who married William, the first Norman king of England, known to history as "William the Conqueror". King William was Judith's first cousin, being the son of her maternal uncle, Robert of Normandy.
First Marriage
On an unknown date before September 1051, she married her first husband, Tostig Godwinson, brother of King Harold II of England. In September 1051, Judith was forced to flee England for BrugesBruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, along with her husband and in-laws after Tostig joined his father's armed rebellion against King Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
; however, they returned home the following year.
He was created Earl of Northumbria in 1055, making Judith the Countess of Northumbria, from that date onwards. His distinguished marriage to Judith had helped Tostig secure the earldom.
Together they had children whose names and numbers are not recorded. They were described in the Vita Edwardi Regis as "unweaned" at the time of their father's death. Tostig had at least three illegitimate sons by unknown mistresses.
Judith was described as having been a "pious and inquisitive woman"; her piety was expressed in the many gifts and donations she made to the Church of St. Cuthbert in Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, which included landed estates and an ornate crucifix. The latter allegedly was a present to appease the saint after she challenged St. Cuthbert's ruling that forbade women to enter the cathedral which housed his relics. Judith, angered that women were not permitted to set foot inside the church and wishing to worship at his tomb, had decided to put Cuthbert's prohibition to the test by ordering her serving woman to go inside to see what repercussions would follow for breaking the holy decree (Judith had planned to go herself upon the latter's safe return); when the woman was about to enter the churchyard, she was stricken by a sudden, violent force of wind that left her infirm and eventually killed her. Judith, as a result of superstitious fear, had the crucifix especially made for St. Cuthbert's shrine. Throughout her life, she collected and commissioned many books and illuminated manuscripts, some of which are extant, including the Gospels of Countess Judith, which are currently housed in Pierpont Morgan Library in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. These were written and illuminated by English scribes and artists to record for posterity, Judith's generosity to the Church.
In October 1065, Northumbria rose in rebellion against the rule of Tostig. After his brother Harold persuaded King Edward to accept the demands made by the rebels, there was an acrimonious confrontation between the two brothers, with Tostig accusing Harold of fomenting the rebellion. In November, Tostig was outlawed by King Edward, and Judith, along with Tostig and her children, was compelled to seek refuge with her half-brother in Flanders the following month. Count Baldwin appointed Tostig as castellan
Castellan
A castellan was the governor or captain of a castle. The word stems from the Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum "castle". Also known as a constable.-Duties:...
of Saint-Omer. In May 1066 following the succession of Harold to the English throne in January, he returned to England with a fleet provided by Baldwin to seek revenge on his brother. He formed an alliance with King Harold III of Norway, but they were both killed on 25 September 1066 at the Battle of Stamford Bridge
Battle of Stamford Bridge
The Battle of Stamford Bridge took place at the village of Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire in England on 25 September 1066, between an English army under King Harold Godwinson and an invading Norwegian force led by King Harald Hardrada of Norway and the English king's brother Tostig...
by the forces of King Harold.
After her husband's death at Stamford Bridge, Judith moved to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. It is presumed that she brought her "unweaned" children with her to Denmark; however, nothing is known of their subsequent fates. Less than a month after Tostig's death, Judith's brother-in-law was killed at the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
by the Norman army led by her cousin, William the Conqueror, who would thereafter reign as William I of England.
Second marriage
In 1071, when she was 38 years of age, she married her second husband, Welf I, Duke of Bavaria, who had divorced his childless wife, Etherinde von Northeim in 1070. Upon her marriage, she became Duchess of Bavaria; however in 1077, her husband was deprived of his title, and did not regain it until 1096, two years after her death.They made their principal home at the castle of Ravensburg
Ravensburg
Ravensburg is a town in Upper Swabia in Southern Germany, capital of the district of Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg.Ravensburg was first mentioned in 1088. In the Middle Ages, it was an Imperial Free City and an important trading centre...
and together had two sons, and one daughter:
- Welf II, Duke of BavariaWelf II, Duke of BavariaWelf II , or Welfhard, called Welf the Fat, was duke of Bavaria from 1101 until his death. In the Welf genealogy, he is counted as Welf V.-Life and reign:...
(1073 – 24 September 1120), married Matilda of Tuscany, but the marriage did not produce issue. - Henry IX, Duke of BavariaHenry IX, Duke of BavariaHenry IX , called the Black, a member of the House of Welf, was duke of Bavaria from 1120 to 1126.-Life and reign:...
(1074 – 13 December 1126), married Wulfhild of Saxony, by whom he had seven children. - Kunizza of Bavaria (died 6 March 1120), married Frederich Rocho, Count of Diesen
Death
Judith died on 5 March 1094 and was buried at St. Martin MonasteryWeingarten Abbey
Weingarten Abbey or St. Martin's Abbey is a Benedictine monastery on the Martinsberg in Weingarten near Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg .-First foundation:...
, the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
abbey which had been built by Duke Welf on the Martinsberg in Weingarten, and had received Judith's patronage. She also had bequeathed her magnificent library and a relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
of Christ's Blood to the abbey. The Chronicon of Bernold recorded the death "1094 1V Non Mar of Iuditha uxor ducis Welfonis Baioariae" and her subsequent burial. Her husband Duke Welf died in 1101 in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
while returning home from the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
.