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'''Ratgar''' was a controversial abbot at the famous Benedictine monastery of [[Fulda]] during the early ninth century.
'''Ratgar''' was a controversial abbot at the famous Benedictine monastery of [[Fulda]] during the early ninth century.<ref name="Frassetto Jeep Smid 2001 p. 258">{{cite book |last=Frassetto |first=M. |last2=Jeep |first2=J.M. |last3=Smid |first3=L.K. |title=Medieval Germany: An Encyclopedia |publisher=Garland Pub. |series=Garland reference library of the humanities: Garland encyclopedias of the Middle Ages |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-8240-7644-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p4uHav3mZLsC&pg=PA258 |access-date=June 13, 2018 |page=258}}</ref>


== Life ==
== Life ==
'''Ratgar''' was abbot of the monastery of Fulda from 802 until 817. He was from a noble family in Germania, and was sent by his parents to Fulda, whose monastery school was already becoming a renowned center of learning.<ref name="RM-13">Hraban Maur in ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetaes Latini Aevi Carolingi''II, poem 13.</ref> which was at the time ruled by [[St. Sturmius|Saint Sturm]], a disciple of [[Saint Boniface]]. Sturm died in 779 and Baugulf succeeded him as abbot, ruling until his retirement in 802,<ref name="ann-Ful">''Annales Fuldenses'' in ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptores 1'', p. 353.</ref> when he was succeeded by Ratgar.
'''Ratgar''' was abbot of the [[Fulda monastery|monastery of Fulda]] from 802 until 817.<ref name="Kambaskovic 2014 p. 192">{{cite book |last=Kambaskovic |first=D. |title=Conjunctions of Mind, Soul and Body from Plato to the Enlightenment |publisher=Springer Netherlands |series=Studies in the History of Philosophy of Mind |year=2014 |isbn=978-94-017-9072-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3aygBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA192 |access-date=June 13, 2018 |page=192}}</ref> He was from a noble family in Germania, and was sent by his parents to Fulda, whose monastery school was already becoming a renowned center of learning.<ref name="RM-13">Hraban Maur in ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetaes Latini Aevi Carolingi''II, poem 13.</ref> which was at the time ruled by [[St. Sturmius|Saint Sturm]], a disciple of [[Saint Boniface]]. Sturm died in 779 and Baugulf succeeded him as abbot, ruling until his retirement in 802,<ref name="ann-Ful">''Annales Fuldenses'' in ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptores 1'', p. 353.</ref> when he was succeeded by Ratgar.


The sources on Ratgar's abbacy provide conflicting pictures of his rule. The future abbot of Fulda, [[Hrabanus Maurus|Hraban Maur]], writes of Ratgar in several poems. In one he praises the grand building projects Ratgar undertook, calling him a "wise architect."<ref name="RM-13" /> The great Basilica, dedicated by Archbishop Haistolf in 819, was undertaken during his reign.<ref name="RM-13" />
The sources on Ratgar's abbacy provide conflicting pictures of his rule. The future abbot of Fulda, [[Hrabanus Maurus|Hraban Maur]], writes of Ratgar in several poems. In one he praises the grand building projects Ratgar undertook, calling him a "wise architect."<ref name="RM-13" /> The great Basilica, dedicated by Archbishop Haistolf in 819, was undertaken during his reign.<ref name="RM-13" />
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Candidus Bruun, who lived at Fulda throughout Ratgar's reign, paints an extremely negative picture of Ratgar.<ref name="MGH">Candidus Bruun, ''Vita Aeigili,'' in E. Duemmeler, ed. ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetae Latini Aevi Carolini'' II (Berlin, 1884), pp. 94-117.</ref> He nicknames Ratgar "monoceros", meaning "unicorn" (the unicorn was considered a violent and dangerous beast), and depicts an abbey divided by dissent.<ref name="Dümmler Monumenta Germaniae Historica (München) Traube von Winterfeld 1884 p. 100">{{cite book |last=Dümmler |first=E. |author2=Monumenta Germaniae Historica (München) |last3=Traube |first3=L. |last4=von Winterfeld |first4=P. |title=Monumenta Germaniae historica: Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, t. 2 |publisher=Weidmann |issue=v. 2 |year=1884 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kBajtAEACAAJ |access-date=June 13, 2018 |page=100}}</ref>
Candidus Bruun, who lived at Fulda throughout Ratgar's reign, paints an extremely negative picture of Ratgar.<ref name="MGH">Candidus Bruun, ''Vita Aeigili,'' in E. Duemmeler, ed. ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetae Latini Aevi Carolini'' II (Berlin, 1884), pp. 94-117.</ref> He nicknames Ratgar "monoceros", meaning "unicorn" (the unicorn was considered a violent and dangerous beast), and depicts an abbey divided by dissent.<ref name="Dümmler Monumenta Germaniae Historica (München) Traube von Winterfeld 1884 p. 100">{{cite book |last=Dümmler |first=E. |author2=Monumenta Germaniae Historica (München) |last3=Traube |first3=L. |last4=von Winterfeld |first4=P. |title=Monumenta Germaniae historica: Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, t. 2 |publisher=Weidmann |issue=v. 2 |year=1884 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kBajtAEACAAJ |access-date=June 13, 2018 |page=100}}</ref>


Despite the attempts of several bishops and archbishops to intervene, Ratgar continued his manner of rule among the monks, until in 817 he was "charged and convicted" by the monks.,<ref name="ann-Ful2">''Annales Fuldenses'' in ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptores 1'', p. 356.</ref> and the Emperor [[Louis the Pious]] had him deposed and banished.<ref name="MGH" /> Ratgar's successor Eigil <ref name="ann-Ful2" /> restored peace in the divided monastery.<ref name="Dümmler Monumenta Germaniae Historica (München) Traube von Winterfeld 1884 p. 101">{{cite book |last=Dümmler |first=E. |author2=Monumenta Germaniae Historica (München) |last3=Traube |first3=L. |last4=von Winterfeld |first4=P. |title=Monumenta Germaniae historica: Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, t. 2 |publisher=Weidmann |issue=v. 2 |year=1884 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kBajtAEACAAJ |access-date=June 13, 2018 |page=101}}</ref>
Despite the attempts of several bishops and archbishops to intervene, Ratgar continued his manner of rule among the monks, until in 817 he was "charged and convicted" by the monks.,<ref name="ann-Ful2">''Annales Fuldenses'' in ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptores 1'', p. 356.</ref> and the Emperor [[Louis the Pious]] had him deposed and banished.<ref name="MGH" /> Ratgar's successor [[Eigil of Fulda|Eigil]]<ref name="ann-Ful2" /> restored peace in the divided monastery.<ref name="Dümmler Monumenta Germaniae Historica (München) Traube von Winterfeld 1884 p. 101">{{cite book |last=Dümmler |first=E. |author2=Monumenta Germaniae Historica (München) |last3=Traube |first3=L. |last4=von Winterfeld |first4=P. |title=Monumenta Germaniae historica: Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, t. 2 |publisher=Weidmann |issue=v. 2 |year=1884 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kBajtAEACAAJ |access-date=June 13, 2018 |page=101}}</ref>


== Bibliography ==
== Bibliography ==
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== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[Monastery of Fulda|Abbey of Fulda]]
* [[Hrabanus Maurus|Raban Maur]]
* [[Hrabanus Maurus|Raban Maur]]
* [[Candidus of Fulda|Candidus Bruun of Fulda]]
* [[Candidus of Fulda|Candidus Bruun of Fulda]]
* [[Saint Sturm|Sturm of Fulda]]
* [[Saint Sturm|Sturm of Fulda]]
* [[Eigil of Fulda]]


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 12:18, 13 June 2018

Ratgar was a controversial abbot at the famous Benedictine monastery of Fulda during the early ninth century.[1]

Life

Ratgar was abbot of the monastery of Fulda from 802 until 817.[2] He was from a noble family in Germania, and was sent by his parents to Fulda, whose monastery school was already becoming a renowned center of learning.[3] which was at the time ruled by Saint Sturm, a disciple of Saint Boniface. Sturm died in 779 and Baugulf succeeded him as abbot, ruling until his retirement in 802,[4] when he was succeeded by Ratgar.

The sources on Ratgar's abbacy provide conflicting pictures of his rule. The future abbot of Fulda, Hraban Maur, writes of Ratgar in several poems. In one he praises the grand building projects Ratgar undertook, calling him a "wise architect."[3] The great Basilica, dedicated by Archbishop Haistolf in 819, was undertaken during his reign.[3]

Ratgar also showed concern for the education of the young monks in his care, sending them to study with the leading scholars of the day. He sent Hraban Maur (future abbot, archbishop and leading theologian) and Hatto to Tours to study the liberal arts with Alcuin, the founding scholar of the Carolingian Renaissance.[5] He sent Candidus Bruun and Modestus to study with another luminary, Charlemagne's biographer Einhard, and he sent Candidus and others to Clemens Scottus, one of the many renowned Irish scholars living on the continent.[6]

On the other hand, it seems he was excessively severe on his monks. Hraban Maur, in another poem, recounts that a number of monks seceded from Ratgar's Rule.[7] The Saxon Chronicle recounts that, in 811, there was a great disturbance among the monks at Fulda, and other contemporary chronicles also mention chaos and dissent among the brothers, noting that a delegation of 12 monks made a plea before Charlemagne for him to reform the monastery.[6]

Candidus Bruun, who lived at Fulda throughout Ratgar's reign, paints an extremely negative picture of Ratgar.[8] He nicknames Ratgar "monoceros", meaning "unicorn" (the unicorn was considered a violent and dangerous beast), and depicts an abbey divided by dissent.[9]

Despite the attempts of several bishops and archbishops to intervene, Ratgar continued his manner of rule among the monks, until in 817 he was "charged and convicted" by the monks.,[10] and the Emperor Louis the Pious had him deposed and banished.[8] Ratgar's successor Eigil[10] restored peace in the divided monastery.[11]

Bibliography

  • Candidus Bruun. Vita Aeigili, liber II (= vita metrica). In E. Duemmeler, ed. Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetae Latini Aevi Carolini Vol. II. Berlin, 1884, pp. 94–117.
  • Rudolf of Fulda. Miracula sanctorum in Fuldenses ecclesias translatorum. G. Waitz (Ed.) Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptore 15.1, pp. 328–41.

External links

See also

References

  1. ^ Frassetto, M.; Jeep, J.M.; Smid, L.K. (2001). Medieval Germany: An Encyclopedia. Garland reference library of the humanities: Garland encyclopedias of the Middle Ages. Garland Pub. p. 258. ISBN 978-0-8240-7644-3. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  2. ^ Kambaskovic, D. (2014). Conjunctions of Mind, Soul and Body from Plato to the Enlightenment. Studies in the History of Philosophy of Mind. Springer Netherlands. p. 192. ISBN 978-94-017-9072-7. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Hraban Maur in Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetaes Latini Aevi CarolingiII, poem 13.
  4. ^ Annales Fuldenses in Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptores 1, p. 353.
  5. ^ Alcuin, Intercessio Albini Pro Mauro,in Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetae Latini II, p. 160.
  6. ^ a b Introduction to Candidus' Life of Eigil, Patrologia Latina 105, col. 383. [1]
  7. ^ Hraban Maur in Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetaes Latini Aevi CarolingiII, poem 30.
  8. ^ a b Candidus Bruun, Vita Aeigili, in E. Duemmeler, ed. Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetae Latini Aevi Carolini II (Berlin, 1884), pp. 94-117.
  9. ^ Dümmler, E.; Monumenta Germaniae Historica (München); Traube, L.; von Winterfeld, P. (1884). Monumenta Germaniae historica: Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, t. 2. Weidmann. p. 100. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  10. ^ a b Annales Fuldenses in Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptores 1, p. 356.
  11. ^ Dümmler, E.; Monumenta Germaniae Historica (München); Traube, L.; von Winterfeld, P. (1884). Monumenta Germaniae historica: Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, t. 2. Weidmann. p. 101. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
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