Homblières () is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; pcd, Ainne) is a French department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne. In 2019, it had a population of 531,345.department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

Hauts-de-France Hauts-de-France (; pcd, Heuts-d'Franche; , also ''Upper France'') is the northernmost Regions of France, region of France, created by the territorial reform of French regions in 2014, from a merger of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy. Its Prefectu ...

in northern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

History

According to Abbot Berner (''Bernerus Humolariensis Abbas'') who wrote the Vita of Hunegund (''Vita Sanctae Hunegundis Virginis Humolariensis'') in the 10th century, Bernerus Humolariensis Abbas, De Vita Sanctae Hunegundis Virginis Humolariensis
documentacatholicaomnia.eu a monastic community was founded around 650 near the site of present-day Homblières by a young noblewoman named Hunegund (d. ca. 690), a native of Lambay in the

Vermandois Vermandois was a French county that appeared in the Merovingian period. Its name derives from that of an ancient tribe, the Viromandui. In the 10th century, it was organised around two castellan domains: St Quentin ( Aisne) and Péronne ( Som ...

.Newman, William Mendel/ The Cartulary and Charters of Notre-Dame of Homblieres. - 1. History of the Monastery
medievalacademy.org The monastery of Homblières (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

: ''Humolarias'', from humulus = hop field) is first mentioned in the 940s as a community of nuns in need of reform because of lapsed morals. The archbishop of

Reims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by ...

assigned Bertha, an old nun from the abbey of Saint-Pierre of Reims, to restore the community, but without much success. After Bertha’s death in 948 or 949, King Louis IV authorized the expulsion of the nuns and their replacement by monks from Saint-Remi of Reims who were required to live at Homblières under the

Benedictine Rule The ''Rule of Saint Benedict'' ( la, Regula Sancti Benedicti) is a book of precepts written in Latin in 516 by St Benedict of Nursia ( AD 480–550) for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. The spirit of Saint Benedict's Ru ...

. It was their first abbot, Berner, who wrote the Vita of Hunegund from stories that he had heard locally. Eilbert of Florennes, a direct descendant of Emperor Lothair’s vassal Ebro, was responsible for refounding the abbey at Homblières. During the later stages of the

Hundred Years War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French throne between the English House of Plantagen ...

, the relics of Saint Hunegund were sent for safety to Saint-Quentin. With the Concordat of 1516, Homblières passed under royal control. In 1607, the abbey church collapsed and Homblières was abandoned, but in 1666, a monk from Saint-Remi became prior of Homblières and undertook its restoration. He rebuilt the abbey church and reestablished a community by 1679, when the remains of Hunegund were returned. During the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

, on 13 february 1790, the

constituent assembly A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...

dissolved all religious orders in France. In 1792, the last eight Benedictine monks left the abbey, which subsequently was sold and turned into a stone quarry.

Population

Notable people

Hunegund of France Hunegund of France (died 690) was a 7th-century French saint and nun and founder of a convent in Homblières in Northern France. She was betrothed to a French nobleman, but while visiting Rome before their marriage, she chose to become a nun ins ...

(died 690), French saint, nun and convent founder

References

Communes of Aisne Aisne communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia {{SaintQuentin-geo-stub

History

Population

Notable people

See also

References