What is Judith, Countess of Flanders?
[[File:Balduin Judita.jpg|thumb|right|350px|{{Center|Judith and her third husband Baldwin.}}]] '''Judith of Flanders''' (or '''Judith of the Franks''') ({{circa|844}}–{{circa|870}}), was a member of the [[Frankish]] [[Royal family]], twice Queen of [[Wessex]], and by her third marriage [[Count of Flanders|Countess of Flanders]]. == Early life == Judith was the eldest daughter of the [[Franks|Frankish]] King and [[Holy Roman Emperor]] [[Charles the Bald]] and his wife Ermentrude of Orléans.<ref>Pierre Riché, ''The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe'', trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), pp. 196-97</ref> She was born about 844.<ref>Detlev Schwennicke, ''Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten'', Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A., Stargardt, 1984) Tafel 1</ref> Judith inherited her name and her willful temperament from her grandmother, Judith of [[Bavaria]].<ref>Pierre Riché, ''The Carolingians; A Family Who Forged Europe'', trans. Michael Idomir Allen (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), p. 191</ref> In 855 King [[Æthelwulf of Wessex]] made a [[:en:wikt:pilgrimage|pilgrimage]] to [[Rome]], remaining there about a year.<ref name=Stenton245>Frank Stenton, ''Anglo Saxon-England'' (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1989), p. 245</ref> On his return in 856 he stayed at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles the Bald. In July Æthelwulf became engaged to Judith, Charles' oldest daughter. She was at most thirteen years of age at the time.<ref name=Stenton245/> == Child Queen == On 1 October 856 they were married at [[:en:Verberie|Verberie]] in northern [[France]]. The marriage was at best a diplomatic alliance. Both men were suffering from [[Viking]] attacks, and formed a common alliance.<ref name=Stenton245/> Charles insisted that his daughter be [[:en:wikt:consecrate|consecrated]] queen.<ref name=Ward120>Jennifer Ward, ''Women in England in the Middle Ages'' (London: Continuum In