Hugh “the Abbot”

• Not the same as Hugo, Archchancellor of the Empire
• No known children

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From “The Henry Project: The Ancestors of King Henry II of England: Foulques I "le Reux" (Fulk the Red, Fulco Rufus).” (Commentary section) < link > Compiled by Stewart Baldwin

Given the contemporary evidence which shows the gradual rise of Foulques, first without title, then as viscount, finally as count, most scholars have rejected the legendary account of Foulques's ancestors in Gesta Consulum Andegavorum [e.g., Mabille (1871), Werner (1958), Settipani (1997)]. For a recent attempt to find some history in the account of Ingelger and his "ancestors" in Gesta Consulum Andegavorum, see Bachrach (1989) [also, see Settipani (1997) for a response to Bachrach's attempts]. Thus, although Ingelger’s name is well documented, nothing certain can be said about him.

The other "ancestors" could be outlined as follows:

Supposed grandfather (probably mythical): Tertullus.

Supposed grandmother (probably mythical): Petronilla, consanguinea of Hugues "the Abbot", d. 886.

Although the "duke of Burgundy" who was supposedly a relative of Petronilla is not explicitly named in Gesta Cons. Andegav. in the passage mentioning Petronilla's supposed marriage to Tertullus, it is clear from context that the person intended is Hugues "the Abbot" (who does not appear to have actually held the title of "duke of Burgundy").

Biography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_the_Abbot

Hugh the Abbot (died 12 May 886) was a member of the Welf family, a son of Conrad I of Auxerre and Adelaide. After his father's death, his mother apparently married Robert the Strong, the margrave of Neustria. On Robert's death in 866, Hugh became the regent and guardian for Robert's sons, Odo and Robert.

Hugh entered the monastery and rose to become abbot of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre. Despite his vows, he was no peaceful, contemplative monk but the epitome of the warrior-monk of his age. King Charles the Bald sent him on a military expedition to the Nivernais. One can see in this the clerical tendency to support the reigning dynasty against the great vassals. Hugh welcomed Charles when the king had to flee during an 858 invasion of Louis the German, when his vassals refused him aid and rebelled under Robert the Strong. When Robert regained favour, Hugh was exiled to Lotharingia, where he became archbishop of Cologne (864). However, he was soon called back to France.

In 866, upon Robert's death, Hugh received all the former's abbacies, including Noirmoutiers and Saint-Martin de Tours, counties, including Tours, and the margraviate between the Seine and the Loire (Neustria). The only lands the sons of Robert inherited were in Beauce and Touraine. Despite being Robert's opponent during his life, after his death Hugh became the guardian of Robert's children. Hugh was endued with great political sense and fought the Vikings vigorously. He was the archchaplain of the royal court and one of the chief ministers of the joint-kings Louis III and Carloman. Hugh tried to maintain the alliance of the related Carolingian monarchs against the Vikings. He united all the Carolingian kingdoms against the usurper Boso of Provence. He supported Charles the Fat on his succession to West Francia in 884, but he died before he could lend aid to the defence of Paris during the siege of 885–86.

Sources

MacLean, Simon. Kingship and Politics in the Late Ninth Century: Charles the Fat and the end of the Carolingian Empire. Cambridge University Press: 2003.

Origins

https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/WURTTEMBERG.htm#ConradIParisdiedaf...

CONRAD "l'Ancien" (-22 Mar [862/66]). … m ADELAIS [de Tours], daughter of HUGUES Comte [de Tours] & his wife Ava ---.

Comte Conrad & his wife had [five] children:

c) HUGO (-Orléans 12 May 886, bur Saint-Germain d'Auxerre). The Annales Bertiniani name "Hugoni clerico, avunculi sui [=Karoli regis] Chonradi filio" when recording that he received the counties of Tours and Angers in 866[989]. Abbot of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre 853. The Miraculis Sancti Germani names "Hugo" as one of the sons of "Chuonradus princeps" who continued to patronise the church of Saint-Germain at Auxerre after their father's death[990]. Imperial missus in Auxerre in 853. Abbot of Saint-Riquier until 861. Abbot of Saint-Bertin 859/62. He was a supporter of King Lothar 861/865. He was elected Archbishop of Köln in 864. The Annales Xantenses record that "quidam tirannicus Hugo…filius predicti Cuonradi" (the previous paragraph naming "Cuonradi fratris quondam Iuthit reginæ") succeeded as archbishop of Köln[991]. Marquis de Neustrie, Comte de Tours et d'Angers 866. Comte d'Auxerre in [866], assuming that Hugues was appointed to succeed Robert "le Fort" in this as well as the latter's other counties, although the primary source which confirms this beyond doubt has not yet been identified. Abbot of Saint-Martin de Tours 866. Abbot of St Vaast, Arras [874]. Abbot of Saint-Aignan, Orléans before 876. Abbot of Saint-Julien d'Auxerre 877. Chaplain of the imperial chapel in [880]. "Hugo consobrinus eius [Conradi]" succeeded his cousin [as Abbot of Saint-Colombe de Sens] in 882, recording that he was "clericatus in Palatio"[992]. "Karolus…imperator augustus" confirmed a donation by "Hugo…propinquus noster" of property "villam Apiarias in pago Aurelianensi" to "episcopo Adalaldo archiepiscopo simulque Rainoni episcopo, fratri eiusdem" at the request of "Odo comes" by charter dated 27 Oct 886[993]. Regino records the death in 887 of "Hugo abba" at Orléans and his burial "apud Sanctum Germanum Autisiodoro"[994]. The necrology of Auxerre cathedral records the death 12 May of "Hugo abbas"[995].

From the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy page on Frankish Nobility

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/FRANKISH%20NOBILITY.htm#PetronillaM...

Q. FAMILY of HUGUES [DUKE of BURGUNDY]

1. HUGUES .

m ---. The name of Hugues's wife is not known.

Hugues & his wife had two children:

a) HUGUES . The Gestis Consulum Andegavensium names "Hugo Dux Burgundiæ, filius alterius Hugonis" was "ex parte matris suæ [Fulco] consanguineus"[547]. [Duke of Burgundy]. This is the only reference so far identified to a duke of Burgundy in the late 9th century and should presumably therefore be treated with caution.

b) PETRONILLA .

The Gesta Consulum Andegavensium records the marriage of "Tertullus nobilem dux" and "ducis Burgundiæ filiam nomine Petronillam"[548].

The Chronico Turonensi names "Ingelgerius comes Andergavensis" as "nepos Hugonis Ducis Burgundiæ"[549].

m TERTULLUS, son of TORQUATIUS & his wife ---.

Comments

Petrnolla was the daughter of (take your pick) Conrad the Elder, Count of Paris and Duke of Franconia or Hugh d'Abbee), who was consanguineous to the Emperor Charlemagne and was succeeded by his son INGELAR.

The anonymous twelfth-century Gesta Consulum Andegavorum names his father as Tertullus nobilem dux, but both the name Tertullus and the title dux are unusual. Another twelfth-century source, the Chronicon Turonensis (c.1180) records that Ingelger was nepos Hugonis ducis Burgundiæ, a nephew of Hugh, Duke of Burgundy—chronologically stretched.

Modern scholars are divided as to the historicity of Tertullus and Petronilla.

It is 100% certain that neither she nor her purported parents were born in "Prussia".

There is a genealogical tradition accepted by some that Petronille (if she existed) was daughter of "Hugh the Abbot". This was not Charlemagne's son however, but a member of the Welf clan, brother of Conrad I of the Burgundy lineage (if I recall correctly). I have not looked into the contemporary evidence for these connections, so I don't trust them. [Ref: TAF 1 Jul 1996]

The wife of Tertullus, also part of his reward & mother of Ingelger, is described in the same source as a relative of the duke of Burgundy [p 29: "Namque Tertullus nobilem duxerat uxorem, ducis Burgundie consanguineam, nomine Petronillam, que hunc puerum peperit"]. Christian Settipani considered this account to be quite implausible, and that Ingelger's purported mother Petronilla must be fictional, arguing that it is unthinkable for a relative of Hugues l'Abbé (assuming he had been confused with Hugues le Noir, duke of burgundy), the most powerful figure in Francia after the king, to be married off to a mere parvenu such as the son of a forester. [Ref: Peter Stewart 1 Sep 2003]

Note: the "Hugh the Abbot/Hugues l'Abbé" they are talking about was son of Conrad/Konrad I of Burgundy, Count of Auxerre (also variously described as: Welf I Graf im Argengau und Linzgau, Count in the Bergen and Linzgaus, Duke of Burgundy, Lay Abbot of St. Germain) who married Adelaide/Aelis dau of Hugh 'le Méfiant/the Magnificent' Count of Tours (& Alsace?) by Aba/Ava/Bava (NN). 949

gehörte zu den führenden Persönlichkeiten des Westfränkischen Reiches. Zeitweilig hatte er den ducatus regni inne, war also faktisch Reichsstatthalter (ein entsprechender Titel ist allerdings urkundlich nicht bezeugt). Seinen Beinamen verdankte er dem Umstand, dass er als "Laienabt" bedeutende Klöster als Pfründen besaß und deren Einkünfte bezog.

Hugo stammte aus der Familie der burgundischen Welfen. Er war der jüngere Sohn des Grafen Konrad I. des Älteren von Paris und Auxerre und der Adelheid von Tours aus der Familie der Etichonen. Über seine Tante, die Kaiserin Judith, war er ein Vetter von deren Sohn, Kaiser Karl II. dem Kahlen.

Hugo wurde 853 als Nachfolger seines Vaters Laienabt von Saint-Germain d'Auxerre. Damals erhielt er auch das Amt eines Königsboten (Missus Regius) für die Region, in der er begütert war (Nivernais, Gegend von Avallon und Auxerre). Von 859 bis 861 war er auch Laienabt von Saint-Bertin. Außerdem war er bis 861 Laienabt von Saint-Riquier. 861 fiel er offenbar bei Karl dem Kahlen in Ungnade und büßte seine Ämter ein. Darauf begab er sich in den Dienst des Königs Lothar II. von Lotharingien, der ihn im März 864 zum Erzbischof von Köln machen wollte, obwohl er in der geistlichen Hierarchie nur den Rang eines Subdiakons hatte; das Vorhaben scheint an örtlichem Widerstand gescheitert zu sein. Nach einiger Zeit versöhnte sich Karl der Kahle mit Hugo. 865 wurde Hugo Graf von Auxerre.

864 hatte seine Mutter in zweiter Ehe den Robertiner Robert den Tapferen geheiratet, den Markgrafen von Neustrien, der 866 in der Schlacht von Brissarthe gegen die alliierten Bretonen und Normannen fiel. Nach Roberts Tod wurde Hugo Abbas von Karl dem Kahlen zum Nachfolger des Gefallenen als Befehlshaber im Gebiet zwischen Seine und Loire eingesetzt, war somit Markgraf der bretonischen Mark und erhielt überdies Roberts Ämter eines Grafen von Tours und Angers sowie die Pfründe eines Laienabtes von Saint-Martin de Tours.

Nach dem Tod König Karls waren er, Gauzlin und wohl auch Hinkmar diejenigen Vertreter des Adels, die die Bedingungen für die Thronbesteigung Ludwigs II. stellten. Beim Tod Ludwigs wiederum (879) versuchte Hugo die Teilung des Reiches zwischen Ludwigs Söhnen Ludwig III. und Karlmann zu verhindern, ließ sie dann aber (880) angesichts der drohenden Intervention aus dem Ostfrankenreich beide krönen; auch gelang es ihm, für beide Könige die Regentschaft zu übernehmen. In diese Zeit fallen der Verlust der Provence an Boso von Vienne und der Verlust Lotharingiens nach dem Vertrag von Ribemont.

Hugo Abbas blieb der Vormund Karlmanns in Aquitanien und Burgund, Gauzlin wurde es in Neustrien, und kämpfte in dieser Aufgabe weiter um die Zugehörigkeit der Provence zum Westfrankenreich. Als nach dem plötzlichen Tod Ludwigs III. (882) das Königreich unter Karlmann wiedervereinigt wurde, gewann Hugo zwar wieder an Macht, konnte diese jedoch gegenüber Gauzlin, der kurz darauf zum Erzkanzler ernannt wurde, nicht behaupten.

In späteren Jahren erhielt er noch die Ämter eines Abtes von Saint-Vaast (um 874), eines Abtes von Saint-Aignan in Orléans (vor 876), eines Abtes von Saint-Julien in Auxerre (877), sowie von Sainte-Colombe in Sens. Um 880 wurde er schließlich Erzkaplan der königlichen Kapelle.

Nach seinem Tod gingen Hugos Besitzungen an der Loire an Odo von Paris, den Sohn Roberts des Tapferen, über, der damit schließlich das Erbe seines Vaters antrat. Hugo Abbas wurde in der Kirche der Abtei Saint-Germain d'Auxerre begraben.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Abbas

References

• https://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00020417&tree=LEO cites
  • Europäische Stammtafeln, Band I, Frank Baron Freytag von Loringhoven, 1975, Isenburg, W. K. Prinz von. 11