Mildrith
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| Saint Mildrith | |
|---|---|
| Born | unknown |
| Died | unknown, Minster-in-Thanet |
| Major shrine | formerly Minster-in-Thanet |
| Feast | 13 July |
 Saints Portal |
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Saint Mildrith (floruit 694–716x733), also Mildryth or Mildred, was an Anglo-Saxon abbess.
Mildrith was the daughter of King Merewalh of Magonsaete, a sub-kingdom of Mercia, and Eormenburh (Saint Eormenburga), herself the daughter of King Æthelberht of Kent. Her sisters Milburh (Saint Milburga of Much Wenlock) and Mildgyth (Saint Mildgytha) were considered to be saints. Goscelin, probably relying on a now-lost history of the rulers of the Kingdom of Kent, wrote a hagiography of Mildrith.
Mildrith's maternal family had close ties to the Merovingian rulers of Gaul, and Mildrith is said to have been educated at the prestigious Merovingian royal abbey of Chelles. She entered the abbey of Minster-in-Thanet, which her mother had earlier established, of which she became abbess by 694. Suggesting that ties to Gaul were maintained, number of dedications to Mildrith exist in the Pas-de-Calais, including at Millam. Mildrith died at Minster-in-Thanet and was buried there.
Her remains were translated to St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury in 1035, the translation is commemorated on 18 May.
Mildrith was apparently followed as abbess by Eadburg, correspondent of Saint Boniface.
[edit] References
- Love, R.C., "Mildrith, St" in Michael Lapidge et al., The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England. Blackwell, 1999. ISBN 0-631-22492-0
- Rollason, D.W., The Mildrith Legend: A Study in Early Medieval Hagiography in England (series "Studies in the Early History of Britain", Leicester University) 1983.
- Primary texts in Old English and translation, with further information, are available here: http://www.alarichall.org.uk/teaching/mildrith.php.
