Leudesius
Encyclopedia
Leudesius was the son of Erchinoald
, Mayor of the Palace
of Neustria
, and his wife Leutsinde.
Leudesius inherited his father's properties on his death in 658. In 659, there was a dispute between the Archdiocese of Rouen and Abbey of Saint-Denis over his property.
When, in 673, the Burgundians
under Leodegar
defeated the mayor Ebroin
and king Theuderic III
, they exiled Ebroin to a monastery. The Austrasia
n mayor Wulfoald
took over the power in Neustria, but fled back to Austrasia on the assassination of Childeric II
in 675. The Neustrians turned to Leudesius to replace him. The next year, Ebroin returned. Leudesius and Theuderic III fled with the royal treasure to Baizieux
, where Ebroin overtook them and had Leudesius murdered.
Leudesius had been married to a daughter of Sigismund of Burgundy
. His son was Eticho, the first Duke of Alsace.
Erchinoald
Erchinoald succeeded Aega as the mayor of the palace of Neustria in 641 and succeeded Flaochad in Burgundy in 642 and remained such until his death in 658. According to Fredegar, he was a relative of Dagobert I's mother...
, Mayor of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval title and office, also called majordomo, from the Latin title maior domus , used most notably in the Frankish kingdoms in the 7th and 8th centuries....
of Neustria
Neustria
The territory of Neustria or Neustrasia, meaning "new [western] land", originated in 511, made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel, approximating most of the north of present-day France, with Paris and Soissons as its main cities...
, and his wife Leutsinde.
Leudesius inherited his father's properties on his death in 658. In 659, there was a dispute between the Archdiocese of Rouen and Abbey of Saint-Denis over his property.
When, in 673, the Burgundians
Burgundians
The Burgundians were an East Germanic tribe which may have emigrated from mainland Scandinavia to the island of Bornholm, whose old form in Old Norse still was Burgundarholmr , and from there to mainland Europe...
under Leodegar
Leodegar
Saint Leodegar or Leger, Bishop of Autun , was the great opponent of Ebroin— the mayor of the Palace of Neustria— and the leader of the faction of Austrasian great nobles in the struggles for hegemony over the waning Merovingian dynasty...
defeated the mayor Ebroin
Ebroin
Ebroin was the Frankish mayor of the palace of Neustria on two occasions; firstly from 658 to his deposition in 673 and secondly from 675 to his death in 680 or 681...
and king Theuderic III
Theuderic III
Theuderic III was the king of Neustria on two occasions and king of Austrasia from 679 to his death in 691. Thus, he was the king of all the Franks from 679...
, they exiled Ebroin to a monastery. The Austrasia
Austrasia
Austrasia formed the northeastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising parts of the territory of present-day eastern France, western Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Metz served as its capital, although some Austrasian kings ruled from Rheims, Trier, and...
n mayor Wulfoald
Wulfoald
Wulfoald was the mayor of the palace of Austrasia from 656 or 661, depending on when Grimoald I was removed from that office , to his death and mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy from 673 to 675.He was the regent of Austrasia during the minority of Childeric II until 670...
took over the power in Neustria, but fled back to Austrasia on the assassination of Childeric II
Childeric II
Childeric II was the king of Austrasia from 662 and of Neustria and Burgundy from 673 until his death, making him sole King of the Franks for the final two years of his life. He was the second eldest son of Clovis II. His elder brother Chlothar III was briefly sole king from 661, but gave...
in 675. The Neustrians turned to Leudesius to replace him. The next year, Ebroin returned. Leudesius and Theuderic III fled with the royal treasure to Baizieux
Baizieux
Baizieux is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northernFrance.-Population:-External links:* * *...
, where Ebroin overtook them and had Leudesius murdered.
Leudesius had been married to a daughter of Sigismund of Burgundy
Sigismund of Burgundy
Sigismund was king of the Burgundians from 516 to his death. He was the son of king Gundobad, whom he succeeded in 516. Sigismund and his brother Godomar were defeated in battle by Clovis' sons and Godomar fled. Sigismund was taken by Chlodomer, King of Orléans, where he was kept as a prisoner. He...
. His son was Eticho, the first Duke of Alsace.
Primary sources
- Liber historiae Francorum, edited by B. Krusch, in Mon. Germ. hist. script. rer. Merov.Monumenta Germaniae HistoricaThe Monumenta Germaniae Historica is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources for the study of German history from the end of the Roman Empire to 1500.The society sponsoring the series was established by the Prussian reformer Heinrich Friedrich Karl Freiherr vom...
vol. ii. - Vita sancti Leodegarii, by UrsinusUrsinus the AbbotUrsinus the Abbot was an abbot of Saint-Martin at Ligugé, and presumed biographer of Saint Leodegar. He began his career as a monk in the monastery of Saint-Maixent at Poitiers in Neustria....
, then a monk of St Maixent (MigneJacques Paul MigneJacques Paul Migne was a French priest who published inexpensive and widely-distributed editions of theological works, encyclopedias and the texts of the Church Fathers, with the goal of providing a universal library for the Catholic priesthood.He was born at Saint-Flour, Cantal and studied...
, Patrilogia Latina, vol. xcvi.) - Vita metrica in Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, vol. iii. (Mon. Germ. Hist.)
- Diplomata Regum Francorum. Mon. Germ. hist.Monumenta Germaniae HistoricaThe Monumenta Germaniae Historica is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources for the study of German history from the end of the Roman Empire to 1500.The society sponsoring the series was established by the Prussian reformer Heinrich Friedrich Karl Freiherr vom...
DD Mer (1872), no. 37, p. 34. - Chronicon Ebersheimense 4, Mon. Germ. hist.Monumenta Germaniae HistoricaThe Monumenta Germaniae Historica is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources for the study of German history from the end of the Roman Empire to 1500.The society sponsoring the series was established by the Prussian reformer Heinrich Friedrich Karl Freiherr vom...
SS XXIII, pp. 433-4. - Cronica Hohenburgensis 664, Annales Marbacenses, Mon. Germ. hist.Monumenta Germaniae HistoricaThe Monumenta Germaniae Historica is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources for the study of German history from the end of the Roman Empire to 1500.The society sponsoring the series was established by the Prussian reformer Heinrich Friedrich Karl Freiherr vom...
SS in Usum Scholarum [9], p. 3. - Wallace-Hadrill, J. M.John Michael Wallace-HadrillJohn Michael Wallace-Hadrill CBE was Professor of Mediaeval History at the University of Manchester , a Senior Research Fellow of Merton College in the University of Oxford , Chichele Professor of Modern History, University of Oxford and a Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford...
, translator. The Fourth Book of the Chronicle of Fredegar with its Continuations. Greenwood Press: Connecticut, 1960.
Secondary sources
- Pitra, J. B. Histoire de Saint Léger. ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 1846. - Friedrich, J. "Zur Geschichte des Hausmeiers Ebroin." Proceedings of the Academy of Munich. 1887, pp 42–61.
- Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Merovingian Nobility.