Stodilo (or Stodilus, french: Stodile; died c. 861) was the
bishop of Limoges from the early 840s until his death. His unusual name may be a corruption of the
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 ...
''stolidus'' (stolid, stupid), a humble reference to Christian "foolishness" in the eyes of unbelievers.
The earliest reference to an ecclesiastical court in southern France dates from 851, when Stodilo judged a case between a vassal (''vassus'') of his and
his cathedral over a piece of land the vassal had unjustly possessed. This document doubles as an early piece of evidence of
feudo-vassalic relations in the Limousin. In 845, Stodilo received from King
Pippin II
Pepin II (c. 635 – 16 December 714), commonly known as Pepin of Herstal, was a Frankish statesman and military leader who de facto ruled Francia as the Mayor of the Palace from 680 until his death. He took the title Duke and Prince of the F ...
two ''villas'' from the royal
fisc
Under the Merovingians and Carolingians, the fisc (from Latin ''fiscus,'' whence we derive "fiscal") applied to the royal demesne which paid taxes, entirely in kind, from which the royal household was meant to be supported, though it rarely was. ...
.
In the autumn of 855, Stodilo assisted Archbishop
Rodulf of Bourges
Rodulf (french: Saint Raoul; died 21 June 866) was the archbishop of Bourges from 840 until his death. He is remembered as a skillful diplomat and a proponent of ecclesiastical reform. As a saint, his feast has been celebrated on 21 June.
Aquitai ...
in the unction, coronation and investiture of
Charles the Child
Charles the Child (Latin ''Karolus puer'', from the ''Annales Bertiniani''; 847/848, Frankfurt am Main – 29 September 866, Buzançais) was the King of Aquitaine from October 855 until his death in 866.
He was the second son of Charles the Bald a ...
as king of
Aquitaine in Limoges, according to the ''
Annales Bertiniani'' and the ''Chronicon'' of
Adhemar of Chabannes Adhemar is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include:
Given name
* Adhemar of Salerno (died 861), prince
* Adhemar of Capua (died after 1000), prince
* Adhémar de Chabannes (988-1034), French monk and historian
* Adhema ...
. Stodilo may have been one of the guardians (''bajuli'') for the young king.
In 859 Rodulf gave Stodilo and his successors a privately owned church "from his own
alod
Allodial title constitutes ownership of real property (land, buildings, and fixtures) that is independent of any superior landlord. Allodial title is related to the concept of land held "in allodium", or land ownership by occupancy and defense ...
". In exchange, Stodilo gave Rodulf a diocesan church, that is, "from the possessions of Saint Stephen", the patron saint of Limoges, to be held by Rodulf "as his alod". Both church lay within the diocese of Limoges. On his new acquisition, Rodulf founded the
monastery of Beaulieu. When he consecrated the new community in 860, Stodilo was among the witnesses.
Notes
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{{authority control
860s deaths
Bishops of Limoges
Year of birth unknown