Wigeric of Lotharingia
Encyclopedia
Wigeric or Wideric (died before 923) was the count of the Bidgau (pagus Bedensis) and held the rights of a count within the city of Trier
. He received also the advocacy
of the Abbey of Saint Rumbold
's founding of the St. Rumbold's Chapter
around 1000, an adjacent collegiate church was built and its parish title was handed to the chapter in 1134. Most likely on its spot, already from around the next turn of the century onwards the wellknown Saint Rumbold's Church was built, consecrated
in 1312, and functions as metropolitan cathedral since 1559. This edifice never belonged to the abbey. Source: Sint-Romboutskerk (ID: 74569), VIOE (Retrieved 29 July 2011)
at Mechelen
from Charles III of France. From 915 or 916 he was the count palatine of Lotharingia. He was the founder of the House of Ardennes.
At the death of Louis the Child
, the Lotharingians rejected the suzerainty of Conrad I
and elected Charles of France as their king. At the time, the military authority in Lotharingia was assigned to Count Reginar I of Hainaut
(d. 915), but at his death it fell to Wigeric, who became count palatine, exercising as such the military authority in Lotharingia.
Wigeric founded the monastery of Hastière
, of which he also assumed the advocacy. He married Cunigunda, daughter of Ermentrude and granddaughter of Louis II of France. Their children were:
Some genealogies record two other children, Henry and Liutgard, who were in fact son and daughter of another Wigeric, son of Roric, a contemporary living in the shire of Bidgau-Trier.
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
. He received also the advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
of the Abbey of Saint Rumbold
Notker of Liège
Notker of Liège was a Benedictine monk, bishop and first prince-bishop of the Bishopric of Liège with a capital Liège/Lüttich, ....
's founding of the St. Rumbold's Chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
around 1000, an adjacent collegiate church was built and its parish title was handed to the chapter in 1134. Most likely on its spot, already from around the next turn of the century onwards the wellknown Saint Rumbold's Church was built, consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
in 1312, and functions as metropolitan cathedral since 1559. This edifice never belonged to the abbey. Source: Sint-Romboutskerk (ID: 74569), VIOE (Retrieved 29 July 2011)
at Mechelen
Mechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
from Charles III of France. From 915 or 916 he was the count palatine of Lotharingia. He was the founder of the House of Ardennes.
At the death of Louis the Child
Louis the Child
Louis the Child , sometimes called Louis IV or Louis III, was the last Carolingian ruler of East Francia....
, the Lotharingians rejected the suzerainty of Conrad I
Conrad I of Germany
Conrad I , called the Younger, was Duke of Franconia from 906 and King of Germany from 911 to 918, the only king of the Conradine dynasty...
and elected Charles of France as their king. At the time, the military authority in Lotharingia was assigned to Count Reginar I of Hainaut
Reginar, Duke of Lorraine
Reginar I Longneck was the Duke of Lorraine from 910 until his death. He stands at the head of the clan of Reginarids, an important Lotharingian noble family....
(d. 915), but at his death it fell to Wigeric, who became count palatine, exercising as such the military authority in Lotharingia.
Wigeric founded the monastery of Hastière
Hastière
Hastière is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur. On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 5,230 inhabitants. The total area is 56.46 km², giving a population density of 93 inhabitants per km²....
, of which he also assumed the advocacy. He married Cunigunda, daughter of Ermentrude and granddaughter of Louis II of France. Their children were:
- FrederickFrederick I, Duke of Upper LorraineFrederick I was the count of Bar and duke of Upper Lorraine. He was a son of Wigeric, count of Bidgau, also count palatine of Lorraine, and Cunigunda, and thus a sixth generation descendant of Charlemagne....
(d. 978), count of Bar, the duke of Upper Lorraine from 959 - Adalberon (d. 962), bishop of Metz
- Gilbert (d. 964), count in the ArdennesArdennesThe Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
- Sigebert (fl. ca. 942)
- Gozlin (d. 942), count of Bidgau, married Uda of Metz, father of:
- Godfrey the PrisonerGodfrey I, Count of VerdunGodfrey I , called the Prisoner or the Captive , sometimes the Old , was the count of Bidgau and Methingau from 959 and the count of Verdun from 963 to his death. In 969, he obtained the margravate of Antwerp and Ename...
- Adalberon, Archbishop of ReimsAdalberon, Archbishop of ReimsAdalberon was the archbishop of Reims, chancellor of Kings Lothair and Louis V of France.Upon the death of Louis V, in 987, Adalberon and Gerbert of Aurillac addressed the electoral assembly at Senlis in favour of Hugh Capet, to replace the Carolingian monarch. Adalberon pleaded:Capet was elected...
- Godfrey the Prisoner
- SiegfriedSiegfried of LuxembourgSiegfried is considered the first count of Luxembourg. He was actually count in the Moselgau and the Ardennes. He was also the advocate of the abbeys of Saint-Maximin de Trêves and Saint-Willibrod d'Echternach. He is speculated to be the son of Wigeric of Lotharingia, Count Palatine and Cunigunda...
, count of Luxembourg
Some genealogies record two other children, Henry and Liutgard, who were in fact son and daughter of another Wigeric, son of Roric, a contemporary living in the shire of Bidgau-Trier.
Primary sources
- FMG on Wigerich III
- He is first attested in 899899Year 899 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Edward the Elder becomes King of Wessex.* Regino of Prüm is expelled from Prüm and becomes abbot of St...
as count Widiacus in a charter of King ZwentiboldZwentiboldZwentibold was the illegitimate son of the Carolingian Emperor Arnulf of Carinthia. In 895 his father, then king of East Francia, granted him the Kingdom of Lotharingia, which he ruled until his death.After his death he was declared a saint and martyr by the Catholic Church.- Life :Zwentibold...
in Trier http://www.rlb.de/cgi-bin/jump.pl?page=212&book=91-3152-som&thisPage=230. - A Wigericus, with comital rights in Trier, appears in a diploma of Louis IV dated 19 September 902: MGH Diplomata.
- He is usually identified with Widricus, count of the Bidgau, of a charter of Saint-MaximinSaint-MaximinSaint-Maximin is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Saint-Maximin, in the Gard département* Saint-Maximin, in the Isère département* Saint-Maximin, in the Oise département...
dated 1 January 909 http://www.rlb.de/mrHist/91-3152-som/2.216.html. - He appears in a diploma of Charles IIICharles the SimpleCharles III , called the Simple or the Straightforward , was the undisputed King of France from 898 until 922 and the King of Lotharingia from 911 until 919/23...
(between 911911Year 911 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Rebellion of the Kutama Berbers against the Fatimid Caliphate...
-915915Year 915 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Battle of Garigliano: The Christian League defeats the Saracens.* Berengar I of Italy is crowned Holy Roman Emperor....
) as Windricus and his son Adalberon and he received the fiefs and the advocacy of the abbeys of Saint Rumbolds at MechelenMechelenMechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
and HastièreHastièreHastière is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur. On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 5,230 inhabitants. The total area is 56.46 km², giving a population density of 93 inhabitants per km²....
. The margraveMargraveA margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
of NeustriaNeustriaThe 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...
, RobertRobert I of FranceRobert I , King of Western Francia , was the younger son of Robert the Strong, count of Anjou, and the brother of Odo, who became king of the Western Franks in 888. West Francia evolved over time into France; under Odo, the capital was fixed on Paris, a large step in that direction...
, and Reginar, margrave in Lotharingia, gave their consent. - He appears for the first time with the title count palatine in a diploma of Charles as well, this time as Widricus, dated 19 January 916 at HerstalHerstalHerstal, formerly known as Heristal, or Héristal, is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege along the Meuse river. Herstal is included in the "Greater Liège" agglomeration, which counts about 600,000 inhabitants...
http://www.rlb.de/mrHist/91-3152-som/2.222.html.
Readings
- Van Droogenbroeck, F. J., 'Paltsgraaf Wigerik van Lotharingen, inspiratiebron voor de legendarische graaf Witger in de Vita Gudilae', Eigen Schoon en De Brabander 93 (2010) 113-136.