Hermann von Niederaltaich

Hermann von Niederaltaich , also Hermannus Altahensis (* between 1200 and 1202; † July 31, 1275 in Niederaltaich Monastery ), was a Benedictine , abbot of Niederaltaich and chronicler .

Life

Hermann's place of birth and how he grew up at an early age are not recorded. He received his education at the Niederaltaich monastery school . He entered the community of the monastery and became custodian of the monastery church. This enabled him to study documents extensively and paved the way for his work as a chronicler. He was commissioned by the abbot of the monastery as envoy to Verona to the emperor and twice to Rome .

Hermann was elected abbot of the monastery in 1242. Due to favorable circumstances and skillful leadership, he was able to bring about a considerable improvement in the economic, structural and inner-monastery conditions. In addition, it also had a positive effect on neighboring monasteries. Among other things, he is said to have had a favorable relationship with the Dukes of Bavaria and King Ottokar II of Bohemia and, through this connection, strengthened the monastery’s legal position. His writings give extensive testimony to the developments of the time, especially his Annales Althaensis are considered a valuable contemporary source. His tax register is also the first documentary mention for many places in the surrounding area. He is also said to have been in personal contact with the papal envoy Albert Behaim .

Hermann had to give up his position as abbot for health reasons in 1273. After his death in 1275, his secretary, who later became the abbot of Metten Henricus Stero, wrote an eulogy for him.

Works (selection)

The land register abbot Hermann von Niederalteich , edited in 2 volumes by Josef Klose, sources and discussions on Bavarian history No. 43, Munich 2003.
De rebus suis gestis , in: Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptores (MGH SS.) 17, 1861, p. 357 ff.
De institutione monasterio Altaha , in: MGH SS. 17, 1861, p. 369 ff.
Annales Althaensis (1137-1273) , in: MGH SS. 17, 1861, p. 381 ff.

literature

Friedrich Wilhelm Bautz : HERMANN of Niederaltaich. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 2, Bautz, Hamm 1990, ISBN 3-88309-032-8 , Sp. 751-751.
Karl Schnith : Hermann von Niederaltaich . In: Lexicon of the Middle Ages (LexMA). Volume 4, Artemis & Winkler, Munich / Zurich 1989, ISBN 3-7608-8904-2 , Sp. 2167.
Franz-Josef Schmale : Hermann. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 8, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1969, ISBN 3-428-00189-3 , p. 648 f. ( Digitized version ).
Josef Klose: The document system of Abbot Hermann von Niederalteich (1242–1273), his office and writing school (= Munich historical studies, department of auxiliary historical sciences. Vol. 4). Lassleben, Kallmünz 1967 (at the same time: Munich, university, dissertation, 1965).
Paul Fridolin Kehr : Hermann von Altaich and his followers. Pierer, Altenburg 1883 (Göttingen, University, dissertation, 1883).
Wilhelm Wattenbach : Hermann, Abbot of Nieder-Altaich . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 12, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1880, p. 164.

Web links

Hermannus abbas Altahensis (Hermann von Niederaltaich) in the Repertory of Historical Sources of the German Middle Ages

Hermannus <Altahensis> . Publications in the bibliographic database of the Regesta Imperii . contains the older editions of the works

Publications on Hermann von Niederaltaich in the Opac of the Regesta Imperii

Individual evidence

↑ Heinricus Steoro De Hermanni Abbatis Morte. in: MGH SS. 17, 1861, pp. 408 ff.

personal data
SURNAME	Hermann von Niederaltaich
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Hermannus Altahensis
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Chronicler and abbot of Niederaltaich
DATE OF BIRTH	between 1200 and 1202
DATE OF DEATH	July 31, 1275
Place of death	Niederaltaich Monastery

[1] Heinricus Steoro De Hermanni Abbatis Morte. in: MGH SS. 17, 1861, pp. 408 ff.