Ina, a descendant of Cerdic, was born at Somerton and was to rule the
enlarged Kingdom of the West Saxons for thirty-eight years. This Kingdom
included quite a number of the old British inhabitants, now to be called
Welsh, and Ina was the first of the Saxons to make provision for them in
his code of laws for which he is most renowned. In fact his is the
oldest collection of Saxon laws, apart from those of the Jutish King
Ethelbert of Kent. Ina and his wife Ethelburga were devout Christians,
and the foundation of St. Andrew's at Wells, later to become a
Cathedral, and the creation of the new diocese of Sherborne, to which he
appointed his Kinsman Aldhelm as bishop, are evidence of his Christian
zeal. However, it is his love for Glastonbury that made that holy place
his chief concern.
Ina recognised Glastonbury as a most holy place and set about restoring
the British buildings and extending them. S. Paulinus of York is
credited with enclosing and protecting the original church with wooden
panels and lead roofing, and King Ina added to this a Wooden basilica
dedicated to the honour of the Blessed Mother of God, Mary,
and a new
church dedicated to SS Peter and Paul. This church was in memory of his
brother Mul, who had died in battle against the King of Kent and is
buried in the Abbey of SS Peter and Paul at Canterbury. Ina gave over
the church at Glastonbury to Rome and in return received the Privilege
under the Apostolic Seal, which was to be the boast of the Abbey until
the dissolution.
There is a curious story told by William of Malmsbury. The King and
Queen had been holding court in one of the royal residences, and on the
night before they moved on, had held a great banquet. The following
morning the royal party had gone only a few miles when the Queen begged
her husband to return to the hall. There she showed him what she had
done: she had ordered the servants to throw rubbish and cow dung in the
hall, and had put a sow and her litter into the royal bed. Thus,
Ethelburga pointed out to the King, the pomp of this world passes and
the splendour of the world is as a breath that disappears.
In 720 Ina resigned his kingdom and went to spend the last years of his
life with his wife in Rome praying at the tombs of the Apostles. He was
graciously received by Pope Gregory II who gave him a parcel of land
near St. Peters, where he founded a hospice for English pilgrims with a
church adjoining it known as St. Maria in Saxia. This is now covered by
the large hospital of San Spirito, but the district is still known as
"In Sassia". Ina and his wife Ethelburga died in Rome and are buried
there, probably by the altar of St. Maria, but some say in the narthex
of the old Basilica of St. Peter.