Once Charlemagne was crowned king by the pope in 800, Christianity was the majority across most of western Europe. By 1000 AD it had completely converted the majority of northern, central Europe, and eastern Europe. This was no doubt the peak of Christianity, where anyone who wasn't a Catholic was considered a heretic. Soon the church established their own form of persecutions known as the Inquisitions. The only cases of Catholic martyrdom that occurred during this period of the high middle ages were political cases. Situations where the monarchy was able to get the support of the church, so that they could execute an enemy (even if they were a devout Christian). Then came the wave of the Protestant Reformation during the 1500-1600s and a new era of religious wars and Catholic purges began. Here are my favorite saints of the Medieval ages (the heroic adventurers that movies are made about).
Early Missionary Martyrs
Saint Boniface
Martyrs of Cordoba
Saint Edmund the Martyr
Saint Wenceslaus
St. Adalbert of Prague
Saint Olaf
Saint Stanislaus
Medieval Political Martyrs
Early Missionary Martyrs
Saint Boniface
- Years: 675-754 (79 years)
- Nationality: Crediton, Roman-Britain
- Life: He was an English missionary who felt the call to convert pagans in Germany. He eventually got approval from the pope in Rome, and arrived in the German regions of Hesse and Thruingia. He made quite the public spectacle when he chopped down an oak tree of Thor challenging the god to strike him down. According to legend he later used the wood from this sacred Norse tree to build the first German Catholic church. He continued to establish churches and monasteries all throughout Germany, and eventually became archbishop of Mainz. In this post he continued to work closely with Rome on church policy and doctrine. At the age of 80 he pressed on with his missionary work in Netherlands but was eventually killed by a group of raiders thus making him a Christian martyr. He was basically like the St. Patrick of Germany, who made great contribution in spreading Christianity throughout the Dark Ages.
- Cause of Death: Sword or axe
- Patronage: Germany, Fulda, England
- Symbols: Bishops robes, book pierced by a sword, or axe
- Feast Day: June 5
- Famous Churches:
- Fulda Cathedral (Fulda, Germany)- 744; Rebuilt in 1704; This is where he is buried and is considered the heart of German Catholicism
- Mainz Cathedral (Mainz, Germany)- 975-1009- Was once the administrative center of the Archbishop of Mainz for the Holy Roman Empire. Contains statues and relics associated to him.
- Fritzlar Cathedral (Fritzlar, Germany)- 11th century- Near the site where Boniface chopped down an oak tree to build a Catholic church
- St. Boniface Chapel (Dokkum, Netherlands)- 1871-1872- The site of his martydom which contains some relics
Martyrs of Cordoba
- Years: 850-859
- Nationality: Spanish
- Life: When the Islamic Caliphates took control of Spain in the 9th century they quickly came at odds with local Christians. At the time Cordoba was one of the most advanced cities in Europe and had a large population of Christians. Surprisingly the Muslims allowed for religious tolerance, however they would not tolerate any blasphemy towards Islam or converts to Christianity. The Umayyad al-Andalus had approximately 50 Christians in Cordoba executed for either speaking poorly of Islam or for apotheosizing Islam. The church later canonized these martyrs who were killed for defending their faith. Some famous martyrs from this group include St. Eulogius, St. Prefectus, and St. Roderick.
- Cause of Death: Beheading, torture
- Patronage: Spain
- Symbols: Palm branch, sword, crown
- Feast Day: July 27
- Famous Churches:
- Basilica de San Pedro de Cordoba (Cordoba, Spain)- 1264-1320- Primary shrine dedicated to the martyrs of Cordoba
Saint Edmund the Martyr
- Years: 855-869
- Nationality: England
- Life: He was king of East Anglia during the Viking Danish raids throughout the 850-860s. He was a deeply devout Christian far more concerned with the faith over the ongoing threat of the Great Heathen Army. Once the Vikings reached his kingdom, they offered him a puppet kingdom as long as he renounced Christ. Edmund rejected their offer and bravely refused to renounce Christ. As a consequence they had him tied to a tree, whipped him, and shot him with many arrows (just like St. Sebastian). He was then beheaded and died as a martyr. According to legend his head was guarded by a wolf in the forest, who later helped his followers recover the head.
- Cause of Death: Beheading
- Patronage: Kings, pandemics, wolves, torture victims, plague
- Symbols: Arrows, swords, handhelf orb, wolf
- Feast Day: Nov 20
- Famous Churches:
- Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds (Suffolk, England)- 1095 (Destroyed in 1539)- Now it is just ruins, considered the martyrdom site of Saint. Edmund
- St. Edmundsbury Cathedral (Suffolk, England)- 1065- Originally dedicated to Saint James, but later included St. Edmun after the destruction of the Abbey site.
- St. Edmund, King and Martyr Church (London, England)- 1292- Destroyed in Great Fire of 1666. Rebuilt in 1670 as an Anglican church honoring the great royal martyr
Saint Wenceslaus
- Years: 907-935 (28 years)
- Nationality: Bohemia (Czech Republic)
- Life: He was a duke of Bohemia, famous for the Christmas Carol good king Wenceslaus where he had his page follow his footsteps. He was a devout Christian who put his faith into his policy, especially in regards to protecting the peasants and the poor. This of course upset many of the nobles as they felt their privileges were beginning to be restricted under his leadership. Wenceslaus founded many churches in Bohemia and was very involved in clergy affairs. His final straw against the nobles however was when he made a truce with the German King Henry the Fowler, which many Bohemians saw as betrayal. He was later killed by his brother who sought to take advantage of his unpopularity and assume his role. This is another example of a political assassination however he was classified a martyr saint due to his charity for the poor, his good deeds, and dedication to the church, makes him considered a medieval martyr.
- Cause of Death: Dagger
- Patronage: Prague, Bohemia, Czech Republic
- Symbols: Crown, dagger, burning eagle
- Feast Day: Sept 28
- Famous Churches:
- St. Vitus Cathedral (Prague, Czech Republic)- 1344- He has a chapel in this famous Czech cathedral that contains his relics and tombs
- Basilica of St. Wenceslaus (Stara Boleslav, Czech Republic)- 1039-1046- Built near the site of his martyrdom
St. Adalbert of Prague
- Years: 956-997 (41 years)
- Nationality: Duchy of Bohemia (Czech Republic)
- Life: He was born in Bohemia as a nobleman educated at Magdeburg one of the top academic institutes in the Holy Roman Empire. He was devout in the faith, became a priest, and quickly became Bishop of Prague by 982 AD. He pushed for reform in the church regarding polygamy, clerical corruption, and slave trade. He was also committed to convert the remaining pagan pockets throughout the Slav region of Central Europe. His ambitious goals eventually made him enemies with the Bohemian elite who had him removed from his office and even exiled. He later became a Benedictine monk and did missionary work in Hungary and Poland. It was in 997 where he was killed by Baltic Prussians while attempting to preach and convert the pagans.
- Cause of Death: Spears
- Patronage: Poland, Czech Republic, students of Polish literature
- Symbols: Spears
- Feast Day: April 23
- Famous Churches:
- Gniezno Cathedral (Gniezno, Poland)- 12th century- Considered the site of his martyrdom. Contains his relics and tombs. This that later became the coronation site for Polish kings during the middle ages.
- St. Vitus Cathedral (Prague, Czechia)- 1344- Dedicated to Saint Vitus but contains many of his relics
Saint Olaf
- Years: 995-1030 (35 years)
- Nationality: Ringerike, Norway
- Life: Olaf Haraldsson was a Viking king of Norway who led many violent raids along the Northern Sea. He discovered Christianity in 1013 in Normandy/England and was baptized as a follower. He then changed his primary mission to convert his entire pagan culture to Christianity. This of course made many enemies as he used his violent means to force the conversion and eventually a civil war broke out in Norway. Olaf was eventually killed by Cnut the Great at the Battle of Stiklestad (1030 AD). Despite his violent nature he was canonized a saint for his dedication to spreading the Christian faith. The argument for his sainthood is that he was surrounded by a violent society and fully committed himself to die for this cause. This is the rare exception of a canonized saint who used forced pressure and violence to spread the word of Christ. He quickly became considered a cult legend, as miracles and healings occurred at his grave. He eventually became the patron of Norway, a confessor like Patrick or Boniface, who was also a political martyr.
- Cause of Death: Sword or axe
- Patronage: Norway
- Symbols: Sword, Axe, Crown
- Feast Day: July 29
- Famous Churches:
- Nidaros Cathedral (Trondheim, Norway)- 1300- This was originally built as his main tomb, however the Shrine of Olaf was eventually dismantled in the mid 1500s when Denmark abolished Catholicism in replace of Lutheranism.
- Stiklestad Church (Stiklestad, Norway)- 1180- It is a historical site where the Battle of Stiklestad occurred and is also the martyrdom site of Saint Olaf. It was built as a Catholic church but is now a Luthern church.
Saint Stanislaus
- Years: 1030-1079
- Nationality: Szczepanow, Poland
- Life: He was a devout Christian in Poland, where there was still a heavy Pagan prescence throughout Central Europe and into the Baltics. In 1072 he reached the position of Bishop of Krakow which gave him closer connections with the royal crown. He preached for repentance, moral reform and spoke against social injustice in defense of the poor. He quickly came at odds with the Polish King Boleslaw II who considered himself above the church. Stanislau later took the bold act of excommunicating the king for his insistence that he was above God's law. In response to this King Boleslaw sent soldiers to arrest and kill the Polish Bishop as he was attending to the Eucharist of Mass. His story is somewhat similar to many other medieval disputes between the church and state (such as Becket and Henry II).
- Cause of Death: Sword
- Patronage: Poland, Lithuania, Krakow, moral order
- Symbols: Episcopal robes, sword, resurrected pior
- Feast Day: April 11
- Famous Churches:
- Wawel Cathedral (Krakow, Poland)- 1000-1025 (destroyed by fire); 1320-1364- One of the most popular churches in Poland contains a shrine dedicated to Saint Stainslaus with his relics
- Church of the Rock (Krakow, Poland)- 14th-15th century- Built on the site of Stainslaus' martyrdom
- Cathedral Basilica of St. Stainslaus and St. Vladislaus (Vilnius, Lithuania)- 13th century
- Basilica of St. Stainslaus Bishop and Martyr (Chicopee, Massachusetts)- 1890-1908
Medieval Political Martyrs
St. Thomas Becket
- Years: 1119-1170 (50 years)
- Nationality: London, England
- Life: He was the famous archbishop of Canterbury who was murdered by King Henry II in a power dispute between the church and the state. He first served under Theobald of Bec for some time as archdeacon where he learned of the ecclesiastical laws. He was quickly appointed to King Henry II's personal Lord Chancellor where he counseled him on political and church affairs (mostly as the king's yes-man). In 1162 Becket became the archbishop after the death of Theobald which led him to resign his post as chancellor. He began to openly oppose the king on the church's separation from royal authority (emphasizing that the church should govern itself). The former friendship quickly blew up to a feud where King Henry II had the archbishop exiled and in response Becket had Henry II excommunicated. The hostility finally hit it's breaking point when the king famously uttered "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest". His knights took this request literally and had Becket murdered by sword at Canterbury. Becket instantly became a martyr-saint and Henry II was faced with public outrage over the matter that damaged his reputation. This was more so a political dispute instead of being executed solely for being Christian, however he is still regarded as a very important martyr.
- Cause of Death: Sword
- Patronage: Oxford, secular clergy, exiles
- Symbols: Sword, bishop vestments, palm branch, books
- Feast Day: Dec 29
- Famous Churches:
- Canterbury Cathedral (Canterbury, England)- 1070- The site of his martyrdom. His shrine, relics, and tombs were famously destroyed during the reign of Henry VIII during the English reformation. The Trinity Chapel has a candle in the cathedral that continues to honor his martyrdom.
- Years: 1205-1252 (46 years)
- Nationality: Verona, Italy
- Life: Born into a heretic household he became a passionate Dominician preacher speaking out against heresy. His parents were Cathar converts who rejected the sacraments and the authority of the church. Peter refused to follow his parents and joined the Dominican order as a young man. He was noted for his sharp persuasive and skill in theological debate. This skill secured him the position of Inquisitor for Lombardy where he conducted fierce investigations and challenge any heretic movements (quite often thru violence). He especially targeted the movement of Catharism in northern Italy which led to his martyrdom. He was eventually assassinated by a group of Cathars, who stuck Peter in the head with a blade, while traveling on the road to Milan. His famous last words as he fell to his death covered in blood were, "I believe in God".
- Cause of Death: Blade
- Patronage: Preachers, Inquisitors, midwives, Lombardy,
- Symbols: Dominican robes, hatchet, cleaver, blade in the head,
- Feast Day: April 29
- Famous Churches:
- Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio (Milan, Italy)-4th century- Considered the primary shrine for Saint Pete of Verona that contain his relics
- Sanctuary of San Pietro Martire (Seveso, Italy)- 1253; 1660-1685 (rebuilt)- Built on the site of Peter's martyrdom
St. Joan of Arc
- Years: 1412-1431 (19 years)
- Nationality: Domremy, France
- Life: One of the most remarkable stories in sainthood, Joan of Arc experienced visions and the calling from Christ at a young age. She passionately believed she was called to save France and arranged an audience with the Dauphin Charles VII despite not having any noble blood. After having her examined the Dauphin believed her story and gave her armor, weapons, and an army to help rally the French Army during the Hundred Years War. Joan of Arc played a crucial role in leading the French Army to victory at the Siege of Orleans (1429) and various other battles which inspired the coronation of King Charles VII. However she was not finished here, and continued to lead the French army to reclaim Paris. Eventually she was captured by the English Army, imprisoned, and put on trial for heresy. The French did not come to her rescue and she was found guilty of witchcraft and burned at the stake. Her martyrdom was more so a political one since she had proved to be a great threat to England, however her accusers did make the case that she was a witch and heretic.
- Cause of Death: Burnt at the Stake
- Patronage: France, soldiers, prisoners, captives
- Symbols: Armor, sword, banner, Fleur-de-lis
- Feast Day: May 30
- Famous Churches:
- Basilica Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc (Domremy-la-Pucelle, France)- 1881-1939- This is the hometown of Joan, where it is believed she first had her visions.
- Cathedral Sainte-Crox d'Orleans (Orleans, France)- 1278- Chapel with stained glass window inside dedicated to Joan of Arc.
- Notre-Dame de Reims (Reims, France)- 1211-1345- Chapel dedicated to Joan of Arc inside.
St. Thomas More
- Years: 1478-1535
- Nationality: London, England
- Life: He was a lawyer, scholar, writer, and humanist who became famous after his book Utopia in 1516. This book depicted the injustice in the current state that lacked proper morals and ethics. He quickly rose to power from this book, finding a seat in Parliament and eventually as the Lord Chancellor of England in 1529 counseling King Henry VIII. He was loyal to the king at the beginning of his reign, however division began to grow when Henry considered to split from the Catholic Church. When Henry VIII finally decided to ignore the pope and annul his marriage with Catherin of Aragon, Thomas decided to resign from his post. When the vote came to the parliament to accept the King as the head of the church (and NOT the pope), More boldly refused to sign it. He was eventually imprisoned and put on trial for treason. He bravely argued his case that the English monarchy could not redefine the Catholic Church. For this he was sentenced to beheading. He was yet another political martyr, who boldly stood against a tyrannically regime to support the doctrine of the Catholic church.
- Cause of Death: Beheading
- Patronage: Statesman, lawyers, politicians
- Symbols: Dressed in robes, wearing the Collar of Esses, axe
- Feast Day: June 22
- Famous Churches:
- Cathedral of St. Thomas More (Arlington, Virginia)- 1942
- St. Thomas More Catholic Church (London, England)- 1528- This chapel was built by More during his lifetime and remains a historical pilgrimage site of the saint.
- Years: 1535-1679
Nationality: England and Wales - Life: During the English Reformation King Henry VIII passed the Act of Supremacy which declared himself Supreme Head of the Church. While there was not widespread persecutions against Catholics, any person who refused to recognize this was accused of treason. This reached a new level of threat under Queen Elizabeth (who was likely responding to Bloody Mary's persecution of Protestants). Elizabeth saw Catholic missionaries as a threat and had many executed. Laws against Catholicism became even harsher after the 1605 Gunpowder terrorist plot. Anti-Catholic sentiment reached new heights after the Popish conspiracy plot during the reign of Charles II 1678-1679. While there were likely hundreds of Catholics killed during this time the church recognized 40 in this group with notable names such as St. Edmund Champion,
- Cause of Death: Hanged, drawn, and quartered
- Patronage: United Kingdom
- Symbols: Palm branch, knife, eucharist, keys, trapdoors
- Feast Day: Oct 25
- Famous Churches:
- Church of the English Martyrs (London, England)- 1875
- Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the English Martyrs (Cambridge, England)- 1885-1890-
- Shrine of the Forty Martyrs (Westminster Cathedral)- 1950s- Shrine within the famous English cathedral honoring the 40 Martyrs.
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