Regino of Prüm
Encyclopedia
Reginon or Regino of Prüm (died 915) was a Benedictine abbot and medieval chronicler.
on the Rhine near Speyer
at an unknown date. From his election as abbot and from his writings, it is evident that he had entered the Benedictine
Order, probably at Prüm
itself, and that he had been a diligent student. The rich and celebrated Imperial Abbey of Prüm suffered greatly during the ninth century from the marauding incursions of the Normans
. It had been twice seized and ravaged, in 882 and 892. After its second devastation by the Danes, the abbot
Farabert resigned his office and Regino was elected his successor in 892. His labours for the restoration of the devastated abbey were hampered by the struggle between contending parties in Lorraine
.
In 899 Regino was driven from his office by Richarius
, later Bishop of Liège, the brother of Count Gerhard and count Mattfried of Hainaut
. Richarius was made abbot; Regino resigned the position and retired to Trier, where he was honourably received by Archbishop Ratbod and was appointed abbot of St Martin's, a house which he reformed. He supported the archbishop in the latter's efforts to carry out ecclesiastical reforms in that troubled era, rebuilt the Abbey of St. Martin that had been laid waste by the Normans, accompanied the archbishop on visitations, and used his leisure for writing. Regino died at Trier in 915 and was buried in St. Maximin's Abbey, Trier
, his tomb being discovered there in 1581.
era to 906, especially the history of affairs in Lorraine
and the neighbourhood. It was dedicated to Adalberon, bishop of Augsburg
(†909).
The first book, which ends in the year 741 with the death of Charles Martel
, consists mainly of extracts from Bede
, Paulus Diaconus and other writers. Of the second book (741-906), the first part is a long excerpt of the Royal Frankish Annals
down to 813, the latter part - from 814 onwards - being original and valuable, although suffering from faulty chronology. If the author's own statement is to be believed, he has here relied chiefly upon tradition and hearsay for his information. The work was continued to 967 by a monk of Trier, possibly Adalbert, archbishop of Magdeburg.
Regino's chronicle is an important source on Bulgaria
n medieval history in that it is the only contemporary text hinting at the organisation of the Council of Preslav
("…[ Boris I
] gathered his entire empire and placed his younger son [ Simeon I
] as prince…").
Historians who made use of Regino's chronicle include Cosmas of Prague
.
The chronicle was first printed at Mainz in 1521.
, Libri duo de synodalibus causis et disciplinis ecclesiasticis, dedicated to Hatto I, Archbishop of Mainz
. It was a work on ecclesiastical discipline for use in ecclesiastical visitations.
Biography
According to the statements of a later era, Regino was the son of noble parents and was born at the stronghold of AltripAltrip
Altrip is a municipality in the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.It is situated on the left bank of the Rhine, approx. 7 km southeast of Ludwigshafen.-References:...
on the Rhine near Speyer
Speyer
Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
at an unknown date. From his election as abbot and from his writings, it is evident that he had entered 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...
Order, probably at Prüm
Prüm
Prüm is a town in the Westeifel , Germany. Formerly a district capital, today it is the administrative seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Prüm.-Geography:...
itself, and that he had been a diligent student. The rich and celebrated Imperial Abbey of Prüm suffered greatly during the ninth century from the marauding incursions of 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...
. It had been twice seized and ravaged, in 882 and 892. After its second devastation by the Danes, the abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
Farabert resigned his office and Regino was elected his successor in 892. His labours for the restoration of the devastated abbey were hampered by the struggle between contending parties in Lorraine
Lotharingia
Lotharingia was a region in northwest Europe, comprising the Low Countries, the western Rhineland, the lands today on the border between France and Germany, and what is now western Switzerland. It was born of the tripartite division in 855, of the kingdom of Middle Francia, itself formed of the...
.
In 899 Regino was driven from his office by Richarius
Richarius
Richarius was a Frankish hermit, monk, and the founder of two monasteries. He is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.-Life:...
, later Bishop of Liège, the brother of Count Gerhard and count Mattfried of Hainaut
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
. Richarius was made abbot; Regino resigned the position and retired to Trier, where he was honourably received by Archbishop Ratbod and was appointed abbot of St Martin's, a house which he reformed. He supported the archbishop in the latter's efforts to carry out ecclesiastical reforms in that troubled era, rebuilt the Abbey of St. Martin that had been laid waste by the Normans, accompanied the archbishop on visitations, and used his leisure for writing. Regino died at Trier in 915 and was buried in St. Maximin's Abbey, Trier
St. Maximin's Abbey, Trier
St. Maximin's Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Trier in the Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.-History:The abbey, traditionally considered one of the oldest monasteries in western Europe, was held to have been founded by Saint Maximin of Trier in the 4th century. Maximin St. Maximin's Abbey was a...
, his tomb being discovered there in 1581.
De harmonica institutione and Tonarius
Regino's earliest work was Epistola de harmonica institutione, a treatise on music which he wrote in the form of a letter to Archbishop Radbod. Its primary objective was to improve the liturgical singing in the churches of the diocese and probably to ensure Radbod's support for this. He also wrote the Tonarius, a collection of chants.Chronicon
Regino's most influential work is his Chronicon, a history of the world from the commencement of the ChristianChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
era to 906, especially the history of affairs in Lorraine
Lotharingia
Lotharingia was a region in northwest Europe, comprising the Low Countries, the western Rhineland, the lands today on the border between France and Germany, and what is now western Switzerland. It was born of the tripartite division in 855, of the kingdom of Middle Francia, itself formed of the...
and the neighbourhood. It was dedicated to Adalberon, bishop of Augsburg
Bishop of Augsburg
The Bishop of Augsburg is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Augsburg in the Ecclesiastical province of München und Freising.The diocese covers an area of 13,250 km².The current bishop is Konrad Zdarsa who was appointed in 2010....
(†909).
The first book, which ends in the year 741 with the death of Charles Martel
Charles Martel
Charles Martel , also known as Charles the Hammer, was a Frankish military and political leader, who served as Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings and ruled de facto during an interregnum at the end of his life, using the title Duke and Prince of the Franks. In 739 he was offered the...
, consists mainly of extracts from Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
, Paulus Diaconus and other writers. Of the second book (741-906), the first part is a long excerpt of the Royal Frankish Annals
Royal Frankish Annals
The Royal Frankish Annals or Annals of the Kingdom of the Franks ,are annals covering the history of early Carolingian monarchs from 741 to 829. Their composition seems to have soon been taken up at court, providing them with markedly official character...
down to 813, the latter part - from 814 onwards - being original and valuable, although suffering from faulty chronology. If the author's own statement is to be believed, he has here relied chiefly upon tradition and hearsay for his information. The work was continued to 967 by a monk of Trier, possibly Adalbert, archbishop of Magdeburg.
Regino's chronicle is an important source on Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n medieval history in that it is the only contemporary text hinting at the organisation of the Council of Preslav
Preslav
Preslav was the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire from 893 to 972 and one of the most important cities of medieval Southeastern Europe. The ruins of the city are situated in modern northeastern Bulgaria, some 20 kilometres southwest of the regional capital of Shumen, and are currently a...
("…
Boris I of Bulgaria
Boris I, also known as Boris-Mihail and Bogoris was the Knyaz of First Bulgarian Empire in 852–889. At the time of his baptism in 864, Boris was named Michael after his godfather, Emperor Michael III...
Simeon I of Bulgaria
Simeon I the Great ruled over Bulgaria from 893 to 927, during the First Bulgarian Empire. Simeon's successful campaigns against the Byzantines, Magyars and Serbs led Bulgaria to its greatest territorial expansion ever, making it the most powerful state in contemporary Eastern Europe...
Historians who made use of Regino's chronicle include Cosmas of Prague
Cosmas of Prague
Cosmas of Prague was a Bohemian priest, writer and historian born in a noble family in Bohemia. Between 1075 and 1081, he studied in Liège. After his return to Bohemia, he became a priest and married Božetěcha, with whom he probably had a son. In 1086 Cosmas was appointed prebendary of Prague, a...
.
The chronicle was first printed at Mainz in 1521.
Collection of canons
Regino also drew up, at the request of his friend and patron Radbod, Archbishop of Trier (d. 915), a collection of canonsCollections of ancient canons
Collections of ancient canons contain collected bodies of canon law that originated in various documents, such as papal and synodal decisions, and that can be designated by the generic term of canons.-Generalities:...
, Libri duo de synodalibus causis et disciplinis ecclesiasticis, dedicated to Hatto I, Archbishop of Mainz
Hatto I, Archbishop of Mainz
Hatto I was archbishop of Mainz from 891 until his death.-Biography:He belonged to a Swabian family, and was probably educated at the monastery of Reichenau, of which be became abbot in 888...
. It was a work on ecclesiastical discipline for use in ecclesiastical visitations.
Editions and translations
- Chronicon:
- MacLean, Simon (ed. and tr.). History and politics in late Carolingian and Ottonian Europe. The chronicle of Regino of Prüm and Adalbert of Magdeburg. Manchester, 2009.
- Kurze, Friedrich (ed.). Reginonis abbatis Prumiensis Chronicon cum continuatione Treverensi. MGH SS rerum Germanicarum in usum scholarum separatim editi 50. Hanover, 1890. Available from the Digital MGH
- An earlier edition is in volume I of the Monumenta Germaniae historica ScriptoresMonumenta Germaniae HistoricaThe Monumenta Germaniae Historica is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources for the study of German history from the end of the Roman Empire to 1500.The society sponsoring the series was established by the Prussian reformer Heinrich Friedrich Karl Freiherr vom...
(1826). It has been translated into German by W. Wattenbach (Leipzig, 1890).
- Tonarius, ed. Edmond de CoussemakerEdmond de CoussemakerCharles Edmond Henri de Coussemaker, known as Edmond de Coussemaker, born on 19 April 1805 in Belle, died on 10 January 1876 in Lille, was a schooled jurist. As a musicologist and ethnologist, he focused mainly on the heritage of French Flanders...
, Scriptores de musica medii aevi. Vol. II. Paris, 1867. 1-73. - De harmonica institutione, ed. Gerbert, Scriptores ecclesiastici de musica sacra. Vol. I. 1784.
- Libri duo de synodalibus causis et disciplines ecclesiasticis, ed. JP MigneJacques Paul MigneJacques Paul Migne was a French priest who published inexpensive and widely-distributed editions of theological works, encyclopedias and the texts of the Church Fathers, with the goal of providing a universal library for the Catholic priesthood.He was born at Saint-Flour, Cantal and studied...
, Patrologia LatinaPatrologia LatinaThe Patrologia Latina is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1844 and 1855, with indices published between 1862 and 1865....
vol. 132. - Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes
Further reading
- Maclean, Simon. "Insinuation, Censorship and the Struggle for Late Carolingian Lotharingia in Regino of Prüm's Chronicle." English Historical Review 74 (February 2009).
External links
- Reginon and music, musicologie.org .
- Chartier, Yves. Reginon de Prüm: Epistola de Armonica Institutione. . musicologie.org