Ratgar was a controversial abbot at the famous Benedictine monastery of
Fulda
Fulda () (historically in English called Fuld) is a town in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district (''Kreis''). In 1990, the town hosted the 30th Hessentag state festival.
History ...
during the early ninth century.
Life
Ratgar was abbot of the
monastery of Fulda from 802 until 817.
He was from a noble family in Germania, and was sent by his parents to Fulda, whose monastery school was already becoming a renowned center of learning.
[Hraban Maur in ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetaes Latini Aevi Carolingi''II, poem 13.] which was at the time ruled by
Saint Sturm, a disciple of
Saint Boniface
Boniface, OSB ( la, Bonifatius; 675 – 5 June 754) was an English Benedictines, Benedictine monk and leading figure in the Anglo-Saxon mission to the Germanic parts of the Frankish Empire during the eighth century. He organised significant ...
. Sturm died in 779 and
Baugulf succeeded him as abbot, ruling until his retirement in 802,
[''Annales Fuldenses'' in ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptores 1'', p. 353.] when he was succeeded by Ratgar.
The sources on Ratgar's abbacy provide conflicting pictures of his rule. The future abbot of Fulda,
Hraban Maur
Rabanus Maurus Magnentius ( 780 – 4 February 856), also known as Hrabanus or Rhabanus, was a Frankish Benedictine monk, theologian, poet, encyclopedist and military writer who became archbishop of Mainz in East Francia. He was the author of the ...
, writes of Ratgar in several poems. In one he praises the grand building projects Ratgar undertook, calling him a "wise architect."
The great Basilica, dedicated by Archbishop Haistolf in 819, was undertaken during his reign.
Ratgar also showed concern for the education of the young monks in his care, sending them to study with the leading scholars of the day. He sent Hraban Maur (future abbot, archbishop and leading theologian) and Hatto to Tours to study the liberal arts with
Alcuin, the founding scholar of the Carolingian Renaissance.
[Alcuin, Intercessio Albini Pro Mauro,in Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetae Latini II, p. 160.] He sent
Candidus Bruun and Modestus to study with another luminary, Charlemagne's biographer
Einhard
Einhard (also Eginhard or Einhart; la, E(g)inhardus; 775 – 14 March 840) was a Frankish scholar and courtier. Einhard was a dedicated servant of Charlemagne and his son Louis the Pious; his main work is a biography of Charlemagne, the ''Vita ...
, and he sent Candidus and others to
Clemens Scottus
Clement Scotus II ( fl. 820) was an Irish grammarian.
Life
Clement Scotus II arrived, according to tradition, from Ireland on the coast of Gaul, with another Irish scholar, around the time when Charlemagne began his sole rule (i.e. after the death ...
, one of the many renowned Irish scholars living on the continent.
[Introduction to Candidus' Life of Eigil, Patrologia Latina 105, col. 383]
/ref>
On the other hand, it seems he was excessively severe on his monks. Hraban Maur, in another poem, recounts that a number of monks seceded from Ratgar's Rule.[''Hraban Maur in ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetaes Latini Aevi Carolingi''II, poem 30.''] The ''Saxon Chronicle'' recounts that, in 811, there was a great disturbance among the monks at Fulda, and other contemporary chronicles also mention chaos and dissent among the brothers, noting that a delegation of 12 monks made a plea before Charlemagne for him to reform the monastery.[Candidus Bruun, ''Vita Aeigili,'' in E. Duemmeler, ed. ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetae Latini Aevi Carolini'' II (Berlin, 1884), pp. 94-117.] He nicknames Ratgar "monoceros", meaning "unicorn" (the unicorn was considered a violent and dangerous beast), and depicts an abbey divided by dissent.[''Annales Fuldenses'' in ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptores 1'', p. 356.] and the Emperor Louis the Pious had him deposed and banished.Eigil Eigil (also called Aeigil or Egil) (c. 750–822) was the fourth abbot of Fulda. He was the nephew and biographer of the abbey's founder and first abbot Saint Sturm. We know about Eigil primarily from the Latin ''Life'' (''Vita Aegili'') that the mo ...
See also
* Raban Maur
* Candidus Bruun of Fulda
* Sturm of Fulda
References
Bibliography
* Candidus Bruun. ''Vita Aeigili,'' liber II (= vita metrica). In E. Duemmeler, ed.'' Monumenta Germaniae Historica Poetae Latini Aevi Carolini'' Vol. II. Berlin, 1884, pp. 94–117.
* Rudolf of Fulda. ''Miracula sanctorum in Fuldenses ecclesias translatorum.'' G. Waitz (Ed.) ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptore'' 15.1, pp. 328–41.
External links
Candidus' Life of Eigil in verse and prose, featuring negative account of Ratgar's Rule
article at New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ratgar
8th-century births
9th-century deaths
Year of birth unknown
Year of death unknown
Abbots of Fulda