Revision as of 19:52, 1 April 2019 edit JohnThorne (talk \| contribs) Extended confirmed users 55,256 edits →‎Death: Archeology ← Previous edit		Revision as of 01:59, 23 April 2019 edit undo Mannanan51 (talk \| contribs) Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers 28,697 edits rm sentence tagged unsourced since September 2012, added ref Next edit →
Line 31: ===Early life=== Æbbe was the daughter of King [[Æthelfrith]] of [[Bernicia]]<ref name=Ziegler>[http://monasticmatrix.osu.edu/vitae/%C3%A6bbe-coldingham Ziegler, Michelle. "Æbbe of Coldingham", Monastic Matrix, Ohio State University]</ref> and [[Acha of Deira]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLAND,%20AngloSaxon%20&%20Danish%20Kings.htm#_Toc214769388 \|title=England Anglo-Saxon Kings \|publisher=Fmg.ac \|date= \|accessdate=2018-01-17}}</ref> Her brothers were [[Oswald of Northumbria]] and [[Oswiu]].<ref>[https://saintsplaces.gla.ac.uk/saint.php?id=574 "Æbbe of Coldingham", Saints in Scottish Place-Names]</ref> Æthelfrith invaded the neighbouring kingdom of Deira in 604, and deposed the heir, Acha's brother [[Edwin of Northumbria\|Edwin]], who fled into exile. Æthelfrith was the first Bernician king to also rule Deira, giving him an important place in the history of the later [[Kingdom of Northumbria]]. Edwin took refuge in the court of [[Rædwald of East Anglia\|King Rædwald]] of [[Kingdom of East Anglia\|East Anglia]], and with his support in 616, raised an army against Æthelfrith. Edwin's forces defeated and killed Æthelfrith, and Edwin gained the throne of Bernicia and Deira. The kingdom was no longer safe for Æthelfrith's children, as they presented potential rival claims to Edwin's rule. Æbbe fled north with her mother and brothers to exile in the court of [[Eochaid Buide]] of [[Dál Riata]]. It was during this time of exile in western [[Scotland]] that she and her brothers were converted to [[Christianity]]. ===Abbess=== While the sons of Æthelfrith always represented a threat to Edwin, he was finally deposed by an alliance of the [[Mercia]]n King [[Penda of Mercia\|Penda]] and the Welsh king [[Cadwallon ap Cadfan\|Cadwallon]]. They raised an army against Edwin and killed him in battle in 633. Eanfrith, eldest son of Æthelfrith, and Æbbe's half-brother, returned as King of Bernicia, however hethe ~~was~~alliance ~~double~~proved short-~~crossed~~lived and ~~murdered~~he was later killed by Cadwallon. The year following, Æthelfrith's son [[Oswald of Northumbria\|Oswald]] returned and drove the invaders from both Bernicia and Deira, thus establishing himself on the throne of [[Kingdom of Northumbria\|Northumbria]]. He was however defeated and killed in battle in 642 by Penda, and was succeeded as king by his brother [[Oswiu]]. With her brothers on the throne of Northumbria, Æbbe could return from exile and with their support established a monastery at [[Ebchester]] and later within the remains of a 6th-century fort at ''urbs Coludi'', now known as Kirk Hill at [[St Abb's Head]], latterly evolving into ~~[[Coldingham Priory]].~~ This religious house lasted for about 40 years and was a [[double monastery\|double separate monastery]] of both monks and nuns governed by Æbbe. Legend says she became a nun to avoid the attentions of a certain Prince Aidan. However, he refused to give up his suit and it is said that due to her prayers the tide stayed high around Kirk Hill for three days and protected her. Æbbe was instrumental in the spread of Christianity to the still largely pagan Angles on the Northumbrian coast. Ecgfrith of Northumbria was the son of Æbbe's brother Oswiu, who arranged a marriage between the then fifteen year old Ecgfrith and [[Æthelthryth]], daughter of King [[Anna of East Anglia]]. Æbbe was a great teacher and politician, bringing Christianity to the then pagan Angles who had been settling along the east coast of Britain since the 5th century. She educated the ex-queen [[Æthelthryth\|Ætheldreda]] first wife of [[Ecgfrith of Northumbria\|Ecgfrith]], who later after graduating from Æbbe's tutelage established a religious site on which now stands [[Ely Cathedral]].<ref name=Ziegler/>▼ ▲~~Æbbe was a great teacher and politician, bringing Christianity to the then pagan Angles who had been settling along the east coast of Britain since the 5th century.~~ She educated the ex-queen [[Æthelthryth~~\|Ætheldreda]]~~ first wife of [[Ecgfrith of Northumbria\|Ecgfrith]], who later after graduating from Æbbe's tutelage established a religious site on which now stands [[Ely Cathedral]].<ref name=Ziegler/> Her political prowess also proved important in rectifying a dispute between her nephew Ecgfrith, King of Northumbria, who had succeeded his father Oswui in 670, and the Bishop [[Wilfrid]]. The dispute started with Wilfrid's support for Queen [[Æthelthryth\|Ætheldreda]], who wished despite her marriage to preserve her virginity, and to enter a monastery. With his support she had become a nun at Æbbes monastery. The ill feeling in court against Wilfrid continued with Ecgfrith's second wife, Iurmenburh, who became hostile to Wilfrid on account of the vast estates which he had acquired and the way he travelled about with a large armed retinue, like that of a king. This culminated in Wilfrid being imprisoned at [[Dunbar]] at Ecgfrith's whim. Thanks to Æbbe's political skills, on a visit by Ecgfrith to the monastery on Kirk hill, she managed to persuade her nephew to release the bishop.<ref name=Ziegler/> ~~The reality of life in the early Christian establishment was not always strict on sexual piety.{{citation needed\|date=September 2012}}~~ Due to the noble background of members of the religious community, the monastery would also have been a place for eating, drinking and entertainment. While Æbbe, herself was noted for her own piety, she had trouble enforcing discipline at the monastery. The monks and nuns thus became very lax and worldly. This leads to one of the most famous miracles surrounding the patron saint of southeast Scotland and northeast England, St. [[Cuthbert]] who visited Æbbe's monastery to instruct the community. At night Cuthbert would disappear to bathe and pray in the sea, to stop himself succumbing to temptations of the flesh. Very early one morning, a monk from the monastery spied him praying and singing psalms in the sea and as Cuthbert came ashore, he saw or imagined he saw two otters bound out of the sea and join Cuthbert. The most likely location for this event is Horse Castle bay at the base of the Kirk Hill. ===Death=== Line 50 ⟶ 54: ==Archeology== The remains of the monastery at Coldingham is discovered near the Coldingham Priory (a historical house for Benedictine monks), according to the announcement on March 8, 2019 by DigVentures, a U.K.-based group led by archaeologists and supported by crowdfunding.<ref>[https://www.livescience.com/64961-monastery-7th-century-scottish-princess-excavated.html Monastery of 7th-Century Scottish Princess (and Saint) Possibly Discovered]. By Laura Geggel, Associate Editor, Live Science. March 11, 2019.</ref> ==See also== * [[Coldingham Priory]] ==References==

Æbbe of Coldingham: Difference between revisions