Domne Eafe facts for kids

Minster in Thanet Priory, on the Isle of Thanet, Kent

Domne Eafe was an important lady who lived in England in the late 600s. Her name might sound a bit confusing, as sometimes she was called Domneva, Domne Éue, Æbbe, or Ebba. "Domne" was like a title, showing she was a respected person. She was a granddaughter of King Eadbald of Kent. Domne Eafe is famous for starting a special kind of monastery called a double monastery (for both monks and nuns) at Minster-in-Thanet. This happened during the time of her cousin, King Ecgberht of Kent.

Domne Eafe was married to Merewalh, a king from Mercia. They had at least four children. A sad event led to her founding the monastery: her two brothers, Æthelred and Æthelberht, were murdered. King Ecgberht felt bad about this. To make up for it, he gave Domne Eafe land in Thanet. On this land, she built the abbey. Her three daughters also became important leaders of monasteries and were later known as saints. The most famous of them was Mildrith.

Domne Eafe's Family

Domne Eafe came from a very important family. Her father was Eormenred, who was the son of King Eadbald of Kent. This made her great-granddaughter of Æthelberht of Kent, who was the first Christian king in England. Domne Eafe's mother was named Oslafa. It's thought that Eormenred might have shared the rule of Kent with his brother, Eorcenberht.

Domne Eafe had several brothers and sisters. Her brothers, Æthelberht and Æthelred, were sadly murdered. This happened during the rule of their cousin, King Ecgberht of Kent. Her sisters included Eormengyth, who was also considered a saint. Eormengyth was married to King Centwine of Wessex. Later, she became an abbess (the head of a monastery for nuns).

Understanding Domne Eafe's Name

For a long time, people have been a bit confused about Domne Eafe's name. From the 1030s onwards, some records also called her Eormenburg. The name "Domne" seems to be a title, meaning "lady" or "mistress." "Eafe" might have been her actual name, or it could have been another title meaning "abbess."

Old legal documents from her time, called charters, usually just refer to her as "Æbbe." One charter from 699 mentions "Æbbe" along with three other important abbesses. This suggests that "Æbbe" was her main name or title.

About 300 years later, when stories about the Kentish royal family were written down, some of these stories suggested that Domne Eafe and Eormenburg were the same person. However, other old texts said Eormenburg was Domne Eafe's sister. Even when texts offered Eormenburg as an option, they usually stuck to "Domne Eafe" throughout their stories.

Over time, some writers preferred the name Eormenburg for this royal princess and abbess. Today, you might find her referred to as Ermenburg in some books and websites. But it's important to remember that "Domne Eafe" is the name most closely linked to her original story.

The Story of the Hind and the Abbey

The story of Domne Eafe and her abbey is part of a famous legend called the Kentish royal legend. This legend tells us that Domne Eafe married Merewalh, a king from Mercia. They had a son, Merfin, who died young, and three daughters. None of her daughters married, and they all became saints.

The legend also tells a sad tale about Domne Eafe's younger brothers, Æthelberht and Æthelred. They were staying with their cousin, King Ecgberht. The king's officer, named Thunor, murdered them. It's not clear if the king ordered it or if Thunor did it on his own.

To stop a family feud (a big fight between families) because of this murder, King Ecgberht agreed to pay a special payment called a wergild. This payment was meant to make up for the deaths. Domne Eafe was offered land for her payment. The legend says she asked for as much land as her pet hind (a female deer) could run around in one go.

The story says that the hind ran around a large area on the Isle of Thanet. Some versions say it was a miracle, others say Domne Eafe guided the deer. Either way, she gained about 80 "sulungs" of land. A sulung was an old way of measuring land. On this land, she built her special monastery for both monks and nuns. After Domne Eafe, her daughter Mildrith became the abbess of the monastery.

Historians believe this legend is very old, perhaps even from the 700s. It includes details, like building a monastery to make up for a murder, which were common in those ancient times.

Old Records and Maps

We know about Domne Eafe from old legal documents called charters. These charters are like official papers from the time of King Oswine and King Wihtred. They show that "Æbbe" (Domne Eafe) was a witness or received gifts for the Minster-in-Thanet monastery. These records suggest that Minster-in-Thanet was very important and received a lot of support from the Kentish kings. It might have even been more important than St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury at that time.

No charters from King Ecgberht's time have survived. But a historian from the 1400s, Thomas of Elmham, wrote about a charter from 678 that has since been lost. This charter was from the time of King Hlothhere, Ecgberht's brother. Thomas of Elmham even drew a map showing Thanet and the path Domne Eafe's pet hind took. This path marked the boundary of the land given to the monastery.

Domne Eafe's Family Tree

The Kentish royal legend includes detailed family trees. These trees are special because they focus a lot on the women in the family and their role as saints. They don't care about pagan ancestors, only Christian kings and queens. The family tree shows how many female saints came from this royal line, not just from Kent, but also from other kingdoms they married into. From King Æthelberht I, who ruled around 560, all the way to Domne Eafe's three daughters, who were also saints and died in the early 700s.

The family tree below is based on the information from the Kentish royal legend. Some parts of it are also supported by the writings of Bede and other old documents.