Jænberht

Early life Jænberht was a monk at St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury before being selected as abbot of that monastic house. He came from a prominent family in the kingdom of Kent, and a kinsman of his, Eadhun, was the reeve of King Egbert II of Kent. Jænberht himself was on good terms with Egbert.

Archbishop of Canterbury Jænberht was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury on 2 February 765, at the court of King Offa of Mercia; this location implies that his election was acceptable to the king. In 780 and 781, Jænberht attended church councils at Brentford that were led by King Offa. Although initially on good terms with Offa, Jænberht's ties to Egbert were also strong: after the Battle of Otford, Egbert granted a number of estates to Christ Church. When Offa reasserted control over Kent, which occurred by 785 at the latest, he confiscated these lands and regranted them to some of his thegns.

Elevation of Lichfield During Jænberht's term of office, a dispute arose between the see of Canterbury and Offa which led in 787 to the creation of the rival Archdiocese of Lichfield under Hygberht. There were several reasons for the conflict between Jænberht and Offa. Jænberht opposed Offa's deposition of the Kentish dynasty. They conflicted over land which they both claimed as theirs, and Jænberht refused to crown Offa's son Ecgfrith. Problems were also caused by the archbishop minting his own coins at Canterbury. Matthew Paris, writing in the thirteenth century, stated that Jænberht conspired to admit Charlemagne to Canterbury if he invaded Britain. This story may reflect a genuine tradition recorded at St Albans Abbey, where Paris was based, or it may be a fabrication to fill in details of Jænberht's life where Paris had no other information.

In 787, Pope Hadrian sent a pallium to Hygberht of Lichfield, elevating Lichfield to an archbishopric, and Ecgfrith was crowned. There is no extant contemporary evidence, however, that Jænberht ever recognised Hygberht as an archbishop.

Later life Jænberht presided at a council held at London, sometime after the elevation of Lichfield, attended by most of the bishops from southern Britain. He died on 12 August 792, and was buried in the abbey church of St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury. He has since been revered as a saint, with a feast day of 12 August.