Ruthard (Corvey)

Ruthard († 1074 ) (also Rothardus, Ruthardus ) was abbot of Corvey Monastery from 1046 to 1050 and then abbot of Hersfeld from 1059 to 1072 .

Life

Ruthard was of aristocratic origin and was considered a learned and eloquent man. He was an excellent preacher, but is said to have followed the Regula Benedicti a little more casually than was usual.

After the death of his predecessor, Ruthard was not appointed by the king, but by the convent in the presence of Henry III. elected. After his election, he accompanied the king to Dortmund . He received a document stating the duties of the vassals and ministerials of the monastery. Ruthard was present at the solemn consecration of the Marienkirche in Goslar . He made rich and precious gifts to Corvey.

After he was accused of serious misconduct, the nature of which is unclear, Ruthard was removed from his office. However, he turned out to be innocent.

Later he became abbot in Hersfeld. He was instrumental in promoting the monastery school. He also continued the construction of the Hersfeld monastery church , but had to cede some goods in favor of Count Werner von Hessen , a confidante of Heinrich IV . But they came back to the monastery later. He received the place Mertenfeld in Eichsfeld from the emperor . In his time, the feudal lordship over the Counts of Waldenstein near Homberg was added to the possession of Hersfeld.

He sent Lambert von Hersfeld to the monasteries in Siegburg and Saalfeld to study the reforms that had been introduced shortly before in Anno II of Cologne to increase monastic discipline. After returning, Lambert was rather skeptical about the experience. The rules there would place too great a burden on the monks.

Ruthard fell seriously ill. Because he thought the disease was fatal, he resigned from his position and recommended Hartwig von Hersfeld as his successor. He died some time later.

literature

• Friedrich Wilhelm Ebeling: The German bishops until the end of the sixteenth century . Vol. 1, Leipzig, 1858 p. 344
• Paul Wigand : History of the royal abbey Corvey and the cities of Corvey and Höxter. Vol. 1, I. Department Höxter, 1819 133-134.
• August Friedrich Gfrörer : Pope Gregorius VII. And his age, Vol II Schaffhausen, 1859 p. 339
• LF Hesse (Ed.): The yearbooks of Lambert von Hersfeld: after the edition of the Monumenta Germaniae. Berlin, 1855 S.VIII
• General Encyclopedia of Sciences and Arts . Second section. Part 7 Leipzig, 1830 p. 47f.

predecessor	Office	successor
Druthmar	Abbot of Corvey 1046-1050	Arnold I.
Meginher	Abbot of Hersfeld 1059-1072	Hartwig