View source for Liudhard

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| name = Liudhard
| title =
| image = Liudhardmedaletreplica.jpg
| imagesize = 220px
| alt =
| caption = Replica of the [[Liudhard medalet]], which depicts Liudhard
| church =
| see = unspecified see in Kent
| enthroned =
| ended = after 600 AD
}}
'''Liudhard''' ({{langx|ang|Lēodheard}}; modern {{langx|fr|Létard}}, also '''Letard''' in English) was a [[Franks|Frankish]] bishop.
==Life==
[[Alban Butler]], citing [[Bede]], places his see at [[Ancient Diocese of Senlis|Senlis]].<ref>[https://www.bartleby.com/lit-hub/lives-of-the-saints/volume-ii-february/st-lethard-bishop-of-senlis-confessor/ "St. Lethard, Bishop of Senlis, Confessor", Butler, Alban. ''The Lives of the Saints''. Volume I: January, 1866]</ref> He was the chaplain of Queen [[Bertha of Kent]], whom she brought with her from the continent upon her marriage to King [[Æthelberht of Kent]]. A short ways east of [[Canterbury]] he helped found and dedicate to St [[Martin of Tours]] the first Christian [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] church in [[England]], [[St Martin's Church, Canterbury|St Martin's]], still serving as the oldest church in the English-speaking world.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Malam |first1=John |title=Christian Sites |date=2019 |publisher=Raintree Publishers |isbn=978-1-4747-5419-4 |page=7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1et3DwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>
He is believed to have died in the late 590s, soon after the arrival of [[Augustine of Canterbury|Augustine]] with the [[Gregorian mission]], but [[Bede]] fails to mention him in any detail. He was originally buried in [[St Martin's Church, Canterbury]], but Archbishop [[Laurence of Canterbury]] had his remains removed and buried in the [[St Augustine's Abbey|Abbey Church of St Peter and St Paul]] in the early 7th century. He was regarded locally as a saint, and [[Goscelin]] recounts the story of a miracle he performed to help the 11th-century artist and abbot [[Spearhafoc]], who in thanks adorned his tomb, with "statues of enormous size and beauty" of the saint and Bertha.
According to Goscelin, while Spearhafoc was working on metal figures at [[St Augustine's Abbey]] in Canterbury, he lost a valuable ring given him by Edward's queen, and Godwin's daughter, [[Edith of Wessex]], presumably as materials to use in his project.<ref>Dodwell:58, who seems to contradict himself here as to whether this was before or after Spearhafoc became abbot, saying it was "Some time before 1047" but that he was already abbot.</ref>  In his distress, he prayed to Liudhard, after which the ring was found. In gratitude, he adorned Liudhard's tomb with the statues. From other mentions it would seem such a description would mean the statues were at least approaching life-size.<ref>Dodwell:213–216</ref>  Also according to Goscelin and [[William of Malmesbury]], Liudhard "was especially good at speedily responding to appeals for rain", for which purpose his remains would be carried in procession to the fields.<ref>William of Malmesbury, ''The Deeds of the Bishops of England'', Chapter 2. [https://books.google.com/books?id=eIEYPsHuC18C&dq=Saint+Letard&pg=PA7 google books]</ref>
A coin or "medalet", known as the [[Liudhard medalet]], bearing his name was found in the 19th century in a grave in Canterbury, and is the earliest [[Coinage in Anglo-Saxon England|Anglo-Saxon coin]], though it may not have been used as money in the normal way. The design is clearly based on contemporary Continental coins, but has unusual features.<ref>Wernher, 29</ref>
==See also==
* [[Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Sources==
*Dodwell, C. R. (1982) ''Anglo-Saxon Art, A New Perspective'', Manchester UP, {{ISBN|0-7190-0926-X}}. Miracle, p.&nbsp;213
*Wernher, Martin (1992) "The Liudhard Medalet", in ''Anglo-Saxon England'', Volume 20, eds. [[Michael Lapidge]], et al. Cambridge University Press {{ISBN|0-521-41380-X}}, 9780521413800, [https://books.google.com/books?id=21xhHS5eBdsC google books]
{{authority control}}
{{short description|6th-century Frankish bishop}}
[[Category:Christian chaplains]]
[[Category:Clergy from Canterbury]]
[[Category:Anglo-Saxon saints]]
[[Category:Gregorian mission]]
[[Category:6th-century Frankish bishops]]
[[Category:590s deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]