Adalbold II of Utrecht
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Adalbold II of Utrecht was a bishop of Utrecht (1010–1026).
He was born probably in the Low Countries
, and received his education partly from Notker of Liège
. He became a canon of Laubach
, and apparently was a teacher there. The emperor Henry II
, who had a great regard for him, invited him to the court, and nominated him as Bishop of Utrecht in 1010, and he must be regarded as the principal founder of the territorial possessions of the diocese
, especially by the acquisition in 1024 and 1026 of the counties of Drente and Teisterbant.
He was obliged to defend his bishopric not only against frequent inroads by the Normans
, but also against the aggressions of neighboring nobles. He was unsuccessful in the attempt to vindicate the possession of the district of Merwede
(Mircvidu), between the mouths of the Maas and the Waal, against Dirk III of Holland
(Battle of Vlaardingen
, 1018).
The imperial award required the restitution of this territory to the bishop and the destruction of a castle which Dietrich had built to control the navigation of the Maas; but the expedition under Godfrey of Brabant
which undertook to enforce this decision was defeated; and in the subsequent agreement the disputed land remained in Dietrich’s possession.
Adalbold was active in promoting the building of churches and monasteries in his diocese. His principal achievement of this kind was the completion within a few years of the great romanesque Cathedral of Saint Martin
at Utrecht. He restored the monastery of Tiel
, and completed that of Hohorst, begun by his predecessor Ansfried
. To the charge of the latter he appointed Poppo of Stablo, and thus introduced the Cluniac reform into the diocese.
Adalbold is also to be mentioned as an author. A life of Henry II, carried down to 1012, has been ascribed to him; but the evidence in favor of attributing to him the extant fragment of such a life is not decisive. He wrote a mathematical treatise upon establishing the volume of a sphere
(), and dedicated it to Pope Sylvester II, who was himself a noted mathematician. There is also extant a philosophical exposition of a passage of Boethius
. The discussion seems to have been ascribed to him on insufficient grounds.
He was born probably in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
, and received his education partly from Notker of Liège
Notker of Liège
Notker of Liège was a Benedictine monk, bishop and first prince-bishop of the Bishopric of Liège with a capital Liège/Lüttich, ....
. He became a canon of Laubach
Laubach
' is a town of approximately 10,000 people in the region of Hesse, Germany. Laubach is known as a , a climatic health resort. It is situated east of Gießen. Surrounding are the towns of , , and .-Points of interest:...
, and apparently was a teacher there. The emperor Henry II
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004...
, who had a great regard for him, invited him to the court, and nominated him as Bishop of Utrecht in 1010, and he must be regarded as the principal founder of the territorial possessions of the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
, especially by the acquisition in 1024 and 1026 of the counties of Drente and Teisterbant.
He was obliged to defend his bishopric not only against frequent inroads by the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
, but also against the aggressions of neighboring nobles. He was unsuccessful in the attempt to vindicate the possession of the district of Merwede
Merwede
The Merwede is the name of several interconnected stretches of river in The Netherlands, all part of the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta. The Meuse river joins the Waal at Woudrichem to form the Boven Merwede...
(Mircvidu), between the mouths of the Maas and the Waal, against Dirk III of Holland
Dirk III, Count of Holland
Dirk III was Count of Holland from 993 to May 27, 1039, until 1005 under regency of his mother. It is thought that Dirk III went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land around 1030, hence his nickname of Hierosolymita....
(Battle of Vlaardingen
Battle of Vlaardingen
The Battle of Vlaardingen was fought on 29 July 1018. The German emperor sent an army towards western Frisia to subdue the rebellious Count Dirk III...
, 1018).
The imperial award required the restitution of this territory to the bishop and the destruction of a castle which Dietrich had built to control the navigation of the Maas; but the expedition under Godfrey of Brabant
Godfrey of Brabant
Godfrey of Brabant, , was Lord of Aarschot between 1284 and 1302 and Lord of Vierzon between 1277 and 1302.-Biography:...
which undertook to enforce this decision was defeated; and in the subsequent agreement the disputed land remained in Dietrich’s possession.
Adalbold was active in promoting the building of churches and monasteries in his diocese. His principal achievement of this kind was the completion within a few years of the great romanesque Cathedral of Saint Martin
Cathedral of Saint Martin, Utrecht
St. Martin's Cathedral, Utrecht, or Dom Church was the cathedral of the diocese of Utrecht during the Middle Ages. Once the Netherland's largest church, dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, it is one of the country's two pre-Reformation cathedrals, along with the cathedral in Middleburg, Province...
at Utrecht. He restored the monastery of Tiel
Tiel
' is a municipality and a town in the middle of the Netherlands.The town is enclosed by the Waal river and the Linge river on the south and the north side, and the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal on the east side. The city was founded in the 5th century AD....
, and completed that of Hohorst, begun by his predecessor Ansfried
Ansfried of Utrecht
Saint Ansfried of Utrecht was Count of Huy and the sword-bearer for Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor....
. To the charge of the latter he appointed Poppo of Stablo, and thus introduced the Cluniac reform into the diocese.
Adalbold is also to be mentioned as an author. A life of Henry II, carried down to 1012, has been ascribed to him; but the evidence in favor of attributing to him the extant fragment of such a life is not decisive. He wrote a mathematical treatise upon establishing the volume of a sphere
Sphere
A sphere is a perfectly round geometrical object in three-dimensional space, such as the shape of a round ball. Like a circle in two dimensions, a perfect sphere is completely symmetrical around its center, with all points on the surface lying the same distance r from the center point...
(), and dedicated it to Pope Sylvester II, who was himself a noted mathematician. There is also extant a philosophical exposition of a passage of Boethius
Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius
Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius, commonly called Boethius was a philosopher of the early 6th century. He was born in Rome to an ancient and important family which included emperors Petronius Maximus and Olybrius and many consuls. His father, Flavius Manlius Boethius, was consul in 487 after...
. The discussion seems to have been ascribed to him on insufficient grounds.