Leibulf of Provence
Encyclopedia
Leibulf, Leybulf, or Letibulf was the Count of Provence in the early ninth century. Along with Gaucelm
, who ruled Gothia
, and Bera
, who ruled Catalonia
, he was one of the three most important magnates in the south during the early reign of Louis the Pious
, during which the emperor
reorganised that territory's government.
Leibulf's origins are unknown, though the probability is high that he was a native of Provence where he held ex rebus proprietas (allodial land) in Arles
. His rise to power occurred in the last years of the reign of Charlemagne
(768 – 814), who may have granted him many of the honores
he held. Along with Bera's Goths and Duke Sancho I
's Gascons, he led a contingent of Provençals on Louis the Pious' expedition against Barcelona
in 801 – 802.
Leibulf was a patron of the monastery of Lérins. He exchanged some estates with Noton, Archbishop of Arles. He died in 829 (after 16 March, date of his last donation to Lérins) and Bernard of Septimania was given his honores. He was probably succeeded in Provence by the dux Guerin
. He left a wife named Oda who had likewise patronised Lérins.
Gaucelm
Gaucelm was a Frankish count and leading magnate in Gothia during the reign of Louis the Pious. He was initially the Count of Roussillon from about 800, but he received Empúries in 817 and was thenceforward the chief representative of imperial authority in that region.He was the son of William of...
, who ruled Gothia
Gothia
Gothia is a name given to various places where the Goths lived during their migrations:* Götaland, the traditional original homeland of the Goths.* Dacia was referred to as Gothia during the fourth century, when it was settled by Goths....
, and Bera
Bera, Count of Barcelona
Bera was the first count of Barcelona from 801 until his deposition in 820.He was also the count of Girona and Besalú from 812 or 817 and count of Razès and Conflent from 790 until his deposition.-Origins:...
, who ruled Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, he was one of the three most important magnates in the south during the early reign of Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
, during which the emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
reorganised that territory's government.
Leibulf's origins are unknown, though the probability is high that he was a native of Provence where he held ex rebus proprietas (allodial land) in Arles
Arles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
. His rise to power occurred in the last years of the reign of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
(768 – 814), who may have granted him many of the honores
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
he held. Along with Bera's Goths and Duke Sancho I
Sancho I of Gascony
Sancho I López or Lupus Sancho was a Duke of Gascony between the years 801 and 812....
's Gascons, he led a contingent of Provençals on Louis the Pious' expedition against Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
in 801 – 802.
Leibulf was a patron of the monastery of Lérins. He exchanged some estates with Noton, Archbishop of Arles. He died in 829 (after 16 March, date of his last donation to Lérins) and Bernard of Septimania was given his honores. He was probably succeeded in Provence by the dux Guerin
Guerin of Provence
Guerin, Garin, Warin, or Werner was the Count of Auvergne, Chalon, Mâcon, Autun, Arles and Duke of Provence, Burgundy, and Toulouse. Guerin stabilised the region against the Saracens from a base of Marseille and fortified Chalon-sur-Saône...
. He left a wife named Oda who had likewise patronised Lérins.
Sources
- Lewis, Archibald R. The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050. University of Texas Press: Austin, 1965.
- Février, P. "La donation faite à Lérins par le comte Leibulfe." Provence Historique, Vol. VI. 1956.
- Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Provence — Early Counts.