Balderic of Utrecht
Encyclopedia
Balderic was Bishop
of Utrecht from 918
to 975
.
Balderic descended from the Counts of Hainaut
. He was a cousin of Duke Gilbert of Lorraine and the uncle of Bishop Balderic of Liège. He was the son of Count Ricfried in the Betuwe
, who expelled the Vikings from Utrecht, after which Balderic, who like his immediate predecessors had resided in Deventer
, was able to move the bishopric back to Utrecht
.
In Utrecht, Balderic repaired the forerunner of the Cathedral of Utrecht, St. Martin, and rebuilt the St. Salvator Church, which had been destroyed by the Normans, as well as the convent school that was attached to the Cathedral Chapter. Under his influence, Utrecht became the most important city in the northern Netherlands and he expanded the power of the local diocese so that it could maintain itself between the surrounding counties. This was achieved through his support of the German king, who granted him possessions in return.
Balderic was very successful in this policy: in 923 he formed close relations with the German King Henry I (919-936), who in return entrusted Balderic with the education of his four year old son Bruno, future archbishop of Cologne
.
Because of this, Balderic also kept close contact with Henry's other son and successor, King Otto I
(936-973). He belonged to the Lorrainian lords that sided with Otto in his struggle with his sons in 953. In exchange, Otto granted Balderic the right of coinage in Utrecht, as well as the trade settlement Muiden
including the important toll
. Furthermore, he acquired hunting rights in Drenthe
, and several possessions in the Gau (country subdivision) Lek and IJssel.
Balderic collected relic
for the churches in Utrecht. These included the relics of saint Odulfus for the St. Salvator Church and relics of saints Agnes
and Pontian
for the St. Martin's Church. In 954 he had the relics of Plechelm
transferred Church that he had rebuilt in Oldenzaal.
Balderic was the first bishop of Utrecht to be buried in the Cathedral of Saint-Martin. In 1481, an important part of his remains from Utrecht were moved to the St. Plechelmusbasilica in Oldenzaal and buried there, probably as a tribute to the founder of its chapter
. The tombstone of that year is preserved and built into the west wall of the south aisle of the St. Plechelmusbasiliek.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Utrecht from 918
918
Year 918 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Taebong has been overthrown, and Goryeo established in the Korean peninsula, when Wang Kon ascends the throne at Cheorwon.* The Khitan empire's government occupies a newly walled capital city called Shangjing,...
to 975
975
Year 975 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* Al-Azhar University is founded in Cairo, Egypt .- Asia :...
.
Balderic descended from the Counts of Hainaut
Counts of Hainaut
The counts of Hainaut were the rulers of the county of Hainaut, a historical region in the Low Countries .-House of Reginar:...
. He was a cousin of Duke Gilbert of Lorraine and the uncle of Bishop Balderic of Liège. He was the son of Count Ricfried in the Betuwe
Betuwe
The Betuwe is an area in the Netherlands in the province of Gelderland...
, who expelled the Vikings from Utrecht, after which Balderic, who like his immediate predecessors had resided in Deventer
Deventer
Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in...
, was able to move the bishopric back to Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
.
In Utrecht, Balderic repaired the forerunner of the Cathedral of Utrecht, St. Martin, and rebuilt the St. Salvator Church, which had been destroyed by the Normans, as well as the convent school that was attached to the Cathedral Chapter. Under his influence, Utrecht became the most important city in the northern Netherlands and he expanded the power of the local diocese so that it could maintain itself between the surrounding counties. This was achieved through his support of the German king, who granted him possessions in return.
Balderic was very successful in this policy: in 923 he formed close relations with the German King Henry I (919-936), who in return entrusted Balderic with the education of his four year old son Bruno, future archbishop of Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
.
Because of this, Balderic also kept close contact with Henry's other son and successor, King Otto I
Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto I the Great , son of Henry I the Fowler and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of Germany, King of Italy, and "the first of the Germans to be called the emperor of Italy" according to Arnulf of Milan...
(936-973). He belonged to the Lorrainian lords that sided with Otto in his struggle with his sons in 953. In exchange, Otto granted Balderic the right of coinage in Utrecht, as well as the trade settlement Muiden
Muiden
Muiden is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It lies at the mouth of the Vecht and is in an area called the Vechtstreek.-Population centres :...
including the important toll
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
. Furthermore, he acquired hunting rights in Drenthe
Drenthe
Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...
, and several possessions in the Gau (country subdivision) Lek and IJssel.
Balderic collected relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
for the churches in Utrecht. These included the relics of saint Odulfus for the St. Salvator Church and relics of saints Agnes
Agnes
-People:*Agnes , a female given name *Agnes of Assisi*Agnes of Gandersheim, Abbess of Gandersheim and Quedlinburg*Agnes of Poitou, Regent of the Holy Roman Empire*Agnes of Tristain, fictional character...
and Pontian
Pontian
Pontian may refer to:* Pontian, in stratigraphy the uppermost Miocene Paratethys stage, coeval with the Messinian* Pontian Greeks, a group of ethnic Greek who inhabited northern Turkey* Pontian Islands, a group of islands on the coast of Italy...
for the St. Martin's Church. In 954 he had the relics of Plechelm
Plechelm
Plechelm is a saint in the Roman Catholic Church and a patron saint of the Netherlands. Plechelm, also Pleghelm or Plechelmus was a Benedictine monk who traveled to Rome with St. Wiro and St. Otger. He became a missionary in Northumbria and The Netherlands and died in St. Odiliënberg...
transferred Church that he had rebuilt in Oldenzaal.
Balderic was the first bishop of Utrecht to be buried in the Cathedral of Saint-Martin. In 1481, an important part of his remains from Utrecht were moved to the St. Plechelmusbasilica in Oldenzaal and buried there, probably as a tribute to the founder of its chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
. The tombstone of that year is preserved and built into the west wall of the south aisle of the St. Plechelmusbasiliek.