Berhtwald
| Berhtwald | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop of Canterbury | |
| Elected | 1 July 692 |
| Term ended | 13 January 731 |
| Predecessor | Theodore of Tarsus |
| Successor | Tatwine |
| Other posts | Abbot of Reculver |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 29 June 693 by Godwin |
| Personal details | |
| Died | probably 13 January 731 |
| Buried | Canterbury |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | 9 January |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
Berhtwald (also Brihtwald,Beorhtweald,Bertwald, Berthwald, Beorhtwald, or Beretuald; died 731) was the ninth Archbishop of Canterbury in England. Documentary evidence names Berhtwald as abbot at Reculver before his election as archbishop. Berhtwald begins the first continuous series of native-born Archbishops of Canterbury, although there had been previous Anglo-Saxon archbishops, they had not succeeded each other until Berhtwald's reign.
Berhtwald's period as archbishop coincided with the end of Wilfrid's long struggle to regain the Bishopric of York, and the two-year delay between Theodore's death and Berhtwald's election may have been due to efforts to select Wilfrid for Canterbury. After his election, Berhtwald went to Gaul for consecration and then presided over two councils that attempted to settle the Wilfrid issue, finally succeeding at the second council in 705. Berhtwald also was the recipient of the first surviving letter close in Western Europe.
Little is known of Berhtwald's ancestry or his early life, but he was born around the middle of the seventh century. By 679, he was made abbot of the monastery at Reculver in Kent, and a charter dated May 679 names Berhtwald as abbot. This charter, from Hlothere, King of Kent, is the earliest surviving original Anglo-Saxon charter.
The see of Canterbury was vacant for two years after the death of Theodore before Berhtwald was elected to the office on 1 July 692. The long vacancy resulted from the disturbed conditions in the kingdom of Kent at the time, as various kings fought for control. The succession to the kingdom was disputed between rival claimants Oswine and Wihtred, and various outside kings, including Caedwalla and Swaefheard raided and plundered Kent. Eventually, Wihtred secured the throne, around 691 or early 692, as Bede names Wihtred as King of Kent, along with Swaefheard, at the time of Berhtwald's election. Swaerfheard, however, is not named as king of Kent after this date.
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