Itta
Encyclopedia
Saint Itta (also Ida, Itte or Iduberga) (592–652) was the wife of Pepin of Landen, mayor of the palace
of Austrasia
. Her brother was Saint Modoald
, bishop of Trier. Her sister was abbess Saint Severa. There is no direct record of their parents, but it has been suggested that she was daughter of Arnoald
, Bishop of Metz, son of Ansbertus
.
On the advice of the missionary bishop Saint Amand
, bishop of Maastricht, after Pepin's death, she founded the Benedictine
nunnery at Nivelles
, with a monastery under the abbess. She herself entered it and installed as abbess
her daughter Gertrude
, perhaps after resigning the post herself.
She had by Pepin another daughter, Abbess Begga of Andenne who married Ansegisel
, son of Arnulf of Metz
. By Begga, she is the grandmother of Pepin of Herstal and one of the matriarchs of the great Carolingian
family. Her sons were Grimoald
, later mayor of the palace, and father of King Childebert the Adopted
.
Her second son was Bavo (or Allowin), became a hermit and later canonized
Both her daughters were later canonised, as was she. Her feast day is May 8.
Mayor of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval title and office, also called majordomo, from the Latin title maior domus , used most notably in the Frankish kingdoms in the 7th and 8th centuries....
of Austrasia
Austrasia
Austrasia formed the northeastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising parts of the territory of present-day eastern France, western Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Metz served as its capital, although some Austrasian kings ruled from Rheims, Trier, and...
. Her brother was Saint Modoald
Saint Modoald
Saint Modoald, also known as Romoald, was the Frankish archbishop of Trier from 626-645. He is the patron saint of the Reichsabtei Helmarshausen and his liturgical feast is on May 12....
, bishop of Trier. Her sister was abbess Saint Severa. There is no direct record of their parents, but it has been suggested that she was daughter of Arnoald
Arnoald
Arnoald, also called Arnoldus or Arnual , was a Bishop of Metz between 601 and 609 or 611, the successor of Agilulf, and a Margrave of Schelde. He was the son of Ansbertus, a Senator, and wife Blithilde....
, Bishop of Metz, son of Ansbertus
Ansbertus
Ansbertus was a mythical Gallo-Roman Senator. It is proposed by some modern genealogists, that he is the son of Ferreolus, Senator of Narbonne and his wife Saint Dode...
.
On the advice of the missionary bishop Saint Amand
Saint Amand
Saint Amand or Amandus was a French Christian saint, one of the great Christian Saints of Flanders.-Biography:...
, bishop of Maastricht, after Pepin's death, she founded the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
nunnery at Nivelles
Nivelles
Nivelles is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. The Nivelles municipality includes the old communes of Baulers, Bornival, Thines, and Monstreux....
, with a monastery under the abbess. She herself entered it and installed as abbess
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
her daughter Gertrude
Gertrude of Nivelles
Saint Gertrude of Nivelles was abbess of the Benedictine monastery of Nivelles, in present-day Belgium.She was a daughter of Pepin I of Landen and Saint Itta, and a younger sister of Saint Begga, Abbess of Andenne, Saint Bavo and Grimoald I.One day, when she was about ten years of age, her father...
, perhaps after resigning the post herself.
She had by Pepin another daughter, Abbess Begga of Andenne who married Ansegisel
Ansegisel
Ansegisel was the son of Saint Arnulf, bishop of Metz and his wife Saint Doda. He served King Sigbert III of Austrasia as a duke and domesticus...
, son of Arnulf of Metz
Arnulf of Metz
Saint Arnulf of Metz was a Frankish bishop of Metz and advisor to the Merovingian court of Austrasia, who retired to the Abbey of Remiremont....
. By Begga, she is the grandmother of Pepin of Herstal and one of the matriarchs of the great Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
family. Her sons were Grimoald
Grimoald the Elder
Grimoald I , called the Elder , was the Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia from 643 to 656. He was the son of Pepin of Landen and Itta....
, later mayor of the palace, and father of King Childebert the Adopted
Childebert the Adopted
Childebert III the Adopted was a Frankish King. When King Sigebert III died in 656, Grimoald the Elder had Sigebert's son Dagobert II shorn of hair and sent to an Irish monastery and then proclaimed his own son king of Austrasia....
.
Her second son was Bavo (or Allowin), became a hermit and later canonized
Both her daughters were later canonised, as was she. Her feast day is May 8.
Sources and references
- Alban Butler's Lives of the saints, edited, revised and supplemented by Thurston and Attwater. Christian Classics, Westminster, Maryland.
- Les ancêtres de Charlemagne, 1989, Christian SettipaniChristian SettipaniChristian Settipani is the Technical Director of an IT company in Paris and a genealogist and historian.He has a Master of Advanced Studies degree from the Paris-Sorbonne University and is currently preparing his doctoral thesis, while he often gives lectures to students undergraduates at the...