Person Gobelinus
Encyclopedia
Person Gobelinus was a German historian from Westphalia
and a reformer of monastic life in his native land.
or the nearby area, and received his first schooling in that city. As a young man he went to Italy, where he studied theology and canon law
, becoming cleric of the papal court, and later an official of the papal exchequer
. This was in 1384, under Urban VI, of whom he was always a loyal adherent. This position ceased to be agreeable after the Western Schism
disturbed the Roman court. He resigned, was ordained priest in Ancona
in 1386, and returned to his native land.
Papal influence secured for him a benefice from the church of the Holy Trinity and later the pastorate of St. Pancratius at Paderborn. He now attended the University of Erfurt
, which he entered during the incumbency of its first rector (1392–1394). It is deduced from this that he was still pursuing his scientific studies. Wilhelm von Berg, who had been chosen Bishop of Paderborn (1400–1415), selected Gobelinus for his court chaplain and induced him to enter his service. The latter availed himself of his position to work for the improvement of religious life and particularly for the restoration of dlscipline in the cloisters which had drifted into an habitual disregard of their rules.
The monastery of nuns at Böddeken near Paderborn where the abbess alone remained was changed into a convent for men and given over to the Augustinians
. Not content with this, he undertook in spite of great difficulties to reform the Benedictine
Abbey of Abdinghof, at Paderborn. But the opponents of his policy resisted the interference of the bishop, who transferred to Bielefeld
that branch of the diocesan administration of which Gobelinus was a part. The latter had already in 1405 given up his parish church at Paderborn, owing to certain differences with the municipal authorities. The bishop appointed him dean of the collegiate church of Bielefeld. The Archbishop of Cologne, Dietrich von Mörs, who in 1415 received the See
of Paderborn gave the dean authority to reform the religious life, not only in the monastery of Bielefeld but also in other institutions, a mission Gobelinus fulfilled.
Due to old age and illness, he resigned in 1418 and moved back to the monastery of Böddeken. He did not don the monk's habit, but spent the remaining years of his life in the monastic solitude.
Another work of Gobelinus was his Vita Meinulphi, a biography of Meinolf, a canon of the cathedral chapter of Paderborn in the first half of the ninth century, and the founder of the Böddeken monastery.
The Cosmidromius of Gobelinus was first published by Meibom
(Frankfort, 1599) in the Scritores rerum Germanicarum; Max Jansen prepared a new edition (Münster, 1900). The Vita Meinulphi may be found in the Acta Sanctorum
of the Bollandists, Oct. III, 216 sqq.
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
and a reformer of monastic life in his native land.
Life
He came from either PaderbornPaderborn
Paderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
or the nearby area, and received his first schooling in that city. As a young man he went to Italy, where he studied theology and canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
, becoming cleric of the papal court, and later an official of the papal exchequer
Exchequer
The Exchequer is a government department of the United Kingdom responsible for the management and collection of taxation and other government revenues. The historical Exchequer developed judicial roles...
. This was in 1384, under Urban VI, of whom he was always a loyal adherent. This position ceased to be agreeable after the Western Schism
Western Schism
The Western Schism or Papal Schism was a split within the Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417. Two men simultaneously claimed to be the true pope. Driven by politics rather than any theological disagreement, the schism was ended by the Council of Constance . The simultaneous claims to the papal chair...
disturbed the Roman court. He resigned, was ordained priest in Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
in 1386, and returned to his native land.
Papal influence secured for him a benefice from the church of the Holy Trinity and later the pastorate of St. Pancratius at Paderborn. He now attended the University of Erfurt
University of Erfurt
The University of Erfurt is a public university located in Erfurt, Germany. Originally founded in 1379, the university was closed in 1816 for the next 177 years...
, which he entered during the incumbency of its first rector (1392–1394). It is deduced from this that he was still pursuing his scientific studies. Wilhelm von Berg, who had been chosen Bishop of Paderborn (1400–1415), selected Gobelinus for his court chaplain and induced him to enter his service. The latter availed himself of his position to work for the improvement of religious life and particularly for the restoration of dlscipline in the cloisters which had drifted into an habitual disregard of their rules.
The monastery of nuns at Böddeken near Paderborn where the abbess alone remained was changed into a convent for men and given over to the Augustinians
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
. Not content with this, he undertook in spite of great difficulties to reform 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...
Abbey of Abdinghof, at Paderborn. But the opponents of his policy resisted the interference of the bishop, who transferred to Bielefeld
Bielefeld
Bielefeld is an independent city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 323,000, it is also the most populous city in the Regierungsbezirk Detmold...
that branch of the diocesan administration of which Gobelinus was a part. The latter had already in 1405 given up his parish church at Paderborn, owing to certain differences with the municipal authorities. The bishop appointed him dean of the collegiate church of Bielefeld. The Archbishop of Cologne, Dietrich von Mörs, who in 1415 received the See
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Paderborn gave the dean authority to reform the religious life, not only in the monastery of Bielefeld but also in other institutions, a mission Gobelinus fulfilled.
Due to old age and illness, he resigned in 1418 and moved back to the monastery of Böddeken. He did not don the monk's habit, but spent the remaining years of his life in the monastic solitude.
Works
Gobelinus was also an historian. He wrote a history of the world entitled: Cosmidromius, hoc est Chronicon unversale complectens re ecclesiae et reipublicae. This work he continued up to the year 1418. The Cosmidromius was selected by Paul Scheffer-Boichorst as his basis and starting-point when he set out to restore the Annales Patherbrunnenses, lost annals of the twelfth century which had been looked upon as an authority in its particular field.Another work of Gobelinus was his Vita Meinulphi, a biography of Meinolf, a canon of the cathedral chapter of Paderborn in the first half of the ninth century, and the founder of the Böddeken monastery.
The Cosmidromius of Gobelinus was first published by Meibom
Meibom
Meibom is surname of:* Heinrich Meibom* Heinrich Meibom , German historian and poet* Heinrich Meibom , a German physician and scholar* Marcus Meibom...
(Frankfort, 1599) in the Scritores rerum Germanicarum; Max Jansen prepared a new edition (Münster, 1900). The Vita Meinulphi may be found in the Acta Sanctorum
Acta Sanctorum
Acta Sanctorum is an encyclopedic text in 68 folio volumes of documents examining the lives of Christian saints, in essence a critical hagiography, which is organised according to each saint's feast day. It begins with two January volumes, published in 1643, and ended with the Propylaeum to...
of the Bollandists, Oct. III, 216 sqq.