Megingaudshausen Monastery

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The Megingaudshausen monastery (also Megingaudeshausen monastery , documented as "Megingozzeshusen") was a Benedictine monastery in what is now the district of Neustadt an der Aisch-Bad Windsheim in Middle Franconia . It existed in the 9th century and was only mentioned once in a document. However, in its founding history, the Münsterschwarzach Monastery at the Maindreieck refers to the monastic settlement.

Geographical location

The exact location of the monastery is controversial. The founding deed mentioned a location Super fluvium Leymbach (above the Laimbach river). That is why the monastery on the Laimbach , which is heading towards the Ehebach tributary , was located. Older research suspected the monastery to be near Langenfeld , Altmannshausen ("Altmönchshausen"), Schwarzenberg and Erlabronn . At times the river was also associated with a silted-up stream near Wiesenbronn near Kitzingen and Megingaudshausen was suspected there. Only the location in the Steigerwald was considered secure.

In the 1960s, research came to the expired Michaelskapelle near Ullstadt as the location of the monastery ( 49 ° 37 ′ 36.8 ″  N , 10 ° 28 ′ 23.1 ″  E ). It wasn't until the 21st century that Oberlaimbach was considered again. Its location on the former Königsstrasse (today's Bundesstrasse 8 ) led to heavy traffic in the 9th century, which was an advantage for the establishment of a convent. The foundation locations mentioned in the deed are also arranged concentrically around Oberlaimbach. The shards and strips of walrus tooth dated to the 8th to 10th centuries serve as further evidence, readings in the hallway Hauswiese east of the Laimbach. ( 49 ° 38 ′ 37.2 ″  N , 10 ° 28 ′ 21.7 ″  E )

history

The deed of 816

A single document from March 816 forms the basis for the monastic settlement. It was handed down in several manuscripts from the Middle Ages and the early modern period , including the Chronicon Schwarzacense , which is considered an important document compilation of the Münsterschwarzach monastery. The document was already the subject of research in the 19th century and many places refer to it when they were first mentioned. In addition, it is considered an important diploma from the early days of the settlement of the Steigerwald and is regarded as one of the most important private documents in Franconia .

The document mentions the founder of the monastery, "Megingaud (Megingoz) the Younger" and his wife "Imma" (also "Ymna"). Ortmann connects the monastery name Megingaudshausen, which was often changed in the copies of the Middle Ages, with the personal name Megingoz and refers to the establishment as a manorial settlement "To the houses of Megingoz". The place name, however, indicates an older settlement of the place before the monastery was built. Possibly there was a small hunting lodge of the donors there .

Megingaud belonged to the Mattonen family , who were closely connected to the ruling Carolingian dynasty and who had previously appeared as the founder of a monastic institution, especially to care for their later sons and daughters. As early as 815, Megingaud was probably negotiating a foundation with Ludwig the Pious . Recent research is of the opinion that Megingaud did not include the ruling family in its establishment and waived a royal letter of protection.

The monks were the foundation of the "foreign" or from the at Aachen nearby monastery Kornelimünster sent to the Steigerwald. Brothers from Maurusmünster and Aniane were also sent there. A prayer fraternity list from Salzburg lists 22 priests, nine deacons , three lay monks and one cleric. There were also 22 people in church, who were probably unfree. In the deed, Megingaud ceded the powers over his lands to the monks.

The extensive goods of the Mattonen in the area around the new monastery, the serfs living there with all rights and a vineyard near Scheinfeld were transferred to the Megingaudshausen monastery. The locations in the deed of foundation are controversial, as is the location of the monastery, and the different spellings are discussed in the literature. The following places are mentioned in Chronicon Schwaracense : "Biberoth" ( Markt Bibart ), "Langheim" ( Groß- and Kleinlangheim ), "Megingaudeshusen", "Castel" ( Castell  ?), "Bullinheim" ( Bullenheim ), "Dornheim" ( Dornheim ), "Craszulzun" ( Krassolzheim ), "Ulgestat" ( Ullstadt ), "Ostheim" ( Krautostheim ), "Titenheim" ( Deutenheim ) and "Hezzelenheim" ( Ezelheim ). The identification of individual places is the subject of research debates .

Megingaud guaranteed the monks some privileges . They should own the place for all time and their abbot should only obey the king, which in particular considerably restricted the influence of the Würzburg bishop. The monks were also allowed to choose their own leader. Benedikt, who was already associated with the monastery reformer Benedikt von Aniane in the 19th century, was appointed as the first ruler . Benedict, who had rendered outstanding services to the reorganization of many monasteries, was closely associated with King Ludwig the Pious.

Settlement and relocation

The monks moved into the possibly already existing buildings, which were probably dominated by a larger monastery church . This is indicated by the altars described in the deed of foundation . In the older literature it is assumed that the St. Michael's Chapel, which was demolished in 1824 in the northeast of Ullstadt, contained the remains of the monastery church. Underground remains of a permanent building are also assumed to be probable at the site near Oberlaimbach, which is suspected today. There were probably mills ( molendini ) and fish ponds operated by the monastery .

List of Abbots
Surname Mentioned
Benedict (by Aniane) 816-821
Madalbertus 821, 843
Hartwig 892

Due to the rich foundation, the monastery was soon expanded into an educational institution. Megingaud and his wife also handed over books so that a writing school could be set up. In this context, "Frater Teutgarius " was referred to as the second abbot in older literature. Recent research names him as Benedict's deputy.

After the death of Benedict of Anianes in 821 there were disputes between Ludwig the Pious and his sons Lothar and Pippin , into which the Megingaudshausen monastery was drawn. However, it is unclear in which context the abbey played a role. Inside the monastery was devastated by a fire that largely destroyed the wooden structures. Conflicts between the monks shaped the following years. The monastery goods are said to have been squandered under Abbot Hartwig.

The intervention of the Würzburg bishop saved the monastery from being dissolved, making it dependent on the diocesan . Megingaud had failed to reveal the founding to the Holy See or to involve the royal family more closely. This is why Bishop Arn von Würzburg , himself a relative of Megingaud, took the initiative and ordered the monks to go to the empty buildings of the Frauenschwarzach monastery on the site of today's Münsterschwarzach.

The Megingaudshausen monastery was no longer mentioned in a document after it was relocated around 877. Instead, the Schwarzach male monastery adopted its traditions. Every year on August 23, a service commemorated the founders Megingaud and Imma. The last abbot of Megingaudshausen, Hartwig, remained head of Münsterschwarzach. The coat of arms of the Münsterschwarzacher monastery refers with two crossed abbot's staves to the double foundation of Megingaudshausen and Münsterschwarzach.

See also

literature

  • Franziskus Büll: The Monastery Suuarzaha. A contribution to the history of the Münsterschwarzach women's monastery from 788 (?) To 877 (?) (= Münsterschwarzacher Studien Vol. 42) . Münsterschwarzach 1992.
  • Franziskus Büll: The Counts of Castell- descendants of the Mattons? A contribution to the early history of the Castell family and the Münsterschwarzach monastery . In: Alfred Wendehorst (Hrsg.): The land between Main and Steigerwald in the Middle Ages. The lectures given at the Symposium in Castell from September 5th to 7th, 1996. Erlangen research. Series A Humanities . Erlangen 1998. pp. 185-232.
  • Franziskus Büll: The foundation of the Benedictine Abbey Megingaudshausen from 816 and its first abbot Benedict . In: Franziskus Büll (Ed.): Magna Gratulatio. 1200 years of Benedictine monastic community from Münsterschwarzach. 816–2016 (= Münsterschwarzacher studies, vol. 55) . Münsterschwarzach 2016. pp. 113–134.
  • Franziskus Büll: The founding document of the Benedictine Abbey Megingaudshausen-Münsterschwarzach . In: Franziskus Büll (Ed.): Magna Gratulatio. 1200 years of Benedictine monastic community from Münsterschwarzach. 816–2016 (= Münsterschwarzacher studies, vol. 55) . Münsterschwarzach 2016. pp. 135–143.
  • Franziskus Büll: Megingaudshausen . In: Helmut Flachenecker, Manfred Heim, Michael Kaufmann, Wolfgang Wüst (eds.): The men and women monasteries of the Benedictines in Bavaria (= Germania Benedictina Vol. II / 2) . Munich 2014. pp. 1095–1110.
  • Rainer Kengel: Megingaudeshausen-Münsterschwarzach. A study of the history of property . In: Mainfränkische Jahrbücher Vol. 1, 1949 . Würzburg 1949. pp. 81-94.
  • Wolfgang Mück: Müller and Mühlen in the Aischgrund and its neighboring valleys. About the becoming and passing of an almost vanished world (= publications of the Society for Franconian History, Series IX: Representations from Franconian History, Vol. 56) . Wuerzburg 2010.
  • Wolf Dieter Ortmann: District of Scheinfeld (= historical place name book of Bavaria. Middle Franconia, vol. 3) . Munich 1967. Local name part .
  • Theodor J. Scherg: The Counts of the Mattonen and their religious foundations in Franconia, primarily Megingaudshausen in the Steigerwald and Schwarzach am Main . Brno 1909.
  • Bernhard Schmeidler: Fränkische Urkundenstudien (= special print from the yearbook for Fränkische Landesforschung 5th vol.) . Erlangen 1939.
  • Leo Trunk: Megingozzeshusenscastel - a philological note on the founding document of the Megingaudshausen monastery . In: Mainfränkisches Jahrbuch 39 . Würzburg 1987. pp. 98-102.
  • Gabriel Vogt: On the early history of the Münsterschwarzach Abbey (= special print from Mainfränkisches Jahrbuch 32/1980) . Volkach 1980.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Wolf Dieter Ortmann: District of Scheinfeld . P. 123.
  2. ^ Franziskus Büll: Megingaudshausen . P. 1096 fu 1107.
  3. ^ Bernhard Schmeidler: Franconian document studies . P. 74.
  4. ^ Wolf Dieter Ortmann: District of Scheinfeld . P. 124.
  5. ↑ Theodor J. Scherg: The Counts of the Mattonen . P. 10.
  6. ^ Franziskus Büll: Megingaudshausen . P. 1106.
  7. ↑ Gabriel Vogt: On the early history of the Münsterschwarzach abbey . P. 8 f.
  8. ^ Leo Trunk: Megingozzeshusenscastel . P. 101.
  9. ↑ Gabriel Vogt: On the early history of the Münsterschwarzach abbey . P. 6.
  10. ^ Franziskus Büll: The Counts of Castell - Descendants of the Mattons ? Pp. 197-200.
  11. ↑ Theodor J. Scherg: The Counts of the Mattonen . P. 14.
  12. ↑ Gabriel Vogt: On the early history of the Münsterschwarzach abbey . P. 5.
  13. ^ Franziskus Büll: Megingaudshausen . P. 1107.
  14. ↑ Wolfgang Mück: Müller and Mühlen in the Aischgrund and its neighboring valleys . P. 367.
  15. ^ Franziskus Büll: Megingaudshausen . P. 1109.
  16. ^ Franziskus Büll: Megingaudshausen . P. 1107.
  17. ↑ Theodor J. Scherg: The Counts of the Mattonen . P. 14.
  18. ↑ Franziskus Büll: The Monastery Suuarzaha . P. 140.