Bertulf of Renty

Saint Bertulf, O.S.B. (alternate Bertulph, also known as Bertoul) was born in either Pannonia (Hungary) or Germany; he died in Artois in 705. He became a monk later in his life and founded a Benedictine abbey at Renty.

Bertulf migrated to the County of Artois, where he converted to Christianity. For years he was steward to Count Lambert, whom he served so faithfully that the Count entrusted the administration of his entire estate to Bertulf and gave him the land of Renty, where Bertoul later built a monastery. Upon his benefactor's death, Bertoul became a monk and retired there as abbot. He died a monk in Artois.

In art, Saint Bertulf is shown sheltered from the rain by an eagle. He may also be portrayed either with a ship in his hand, or changing water into wine. He is venerated in Germany and the Netherlands and invoked against storm.

His feast day is kept on 5 February.

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Renty

Renty is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.

Geography

Renty lies about 13 miles (21 km) southwest of Saint-Omer, on the D129 road, by the banks of the river Aa.

Population

Places of interest

The Battle of Renty (August 13th, 1554)

Henry II of France inherited his father’s fight against Charles Quint. After the failure of a peace trip to Germany, his armies occupied Metz, Toul and Verdun in order to consolidate the north-east border of France. In June 1554, Renty, a small village with a solid castle was in the hands of Spanish imperial troops.
At noon, the French artillery began firing at Renty Castle. The siege lasted until August 15.
The castle was restored in 1630 but was destroyed eight years later in August 1638, during the Thirty Years War, by Marshal Châtillon.

There are still traces of the feudal motte in the centre of the village.