Theodo of Bavaria
Encyclopedia
Theodo also known as Theodo V and Theodo II, was the Duke of Bavaria from 670 or, more probably, 680 to his death.
It is with Theodo that the well-sourced history of Bavaria begins. He strengthened Bavaria internally and externally and, according to Arbeo of Freising
, he was a prince of great power whose fame extended beyond his borders.
His father was Theodo IV, Duke of Bavaria and his mother was probably Fara of Bavaria (b: 600), daughter of one of the Kings of the Lombards and (her mother) Daughter of Gisulf
of Friuli (b: 577).
Theodo established his capital at Ratisbon (modern Regensburg
). He married Folchaid, of the aristocracy of Alemannia, to build diplomatic ties there. He intervened in Lombard
affairs by harbouring the refugees Ansprand
and Liutprand
, whom he assisted militarily on his return to claim the Iron Crown
. Liutprand later married his daughter Guntrude. Theodo also defended his duchy ably from the Avars
(with some failure in the east).
Theodo is the patron to the four great missionaries of Bavaria: Saint Rupert
, Saint Erhard
, Saint Emmeram
, and probably Saint Corbinian. He was the first to draw up plans for the Bavarian church, aiming both at a deeper cultivation of the countryside as well as greater independence from the Frankish Kingdom by a closer association with the Pope. He was the first Bavarian duke to travel to Rome
, where he conferred with Pope Gregory II
. The diocesan seats were placed in the few urban centres, which served as the Duke's seats: Regensburg, Salzburg, Freising and Passau.
Two of his children are involved with the death of Saint Emmeram
. Theodo's daughter Uta had become pregnant by her lover. Fearing her father's wrath, she confided to Emmeram and the saint promised to bear the blame, as he was about to travel to Rome. Soon after his departure, Uta's predicament became known and in keeping with the agreement she named Emmeram as the father. Her brother Lantpert went after Emmeram and greeted him as "bishop and brother-in-law," i.e., episcope et gener noster! Then he had Emmeram cut and torn into pieces. Theodo had the remains of the saint moved to Regensburg. Nothing more is known of Lantpert and Uta.
To complicate matters even further, Bavarian tradition has referred to Theodo I and Theodo II as Theodo IV and Theodo V respectively to differentiate them from legendary Agilolfing ancestors Theodo I to III, all who would have reigned before 550.
and Nanthild
. They had the following:
He also married Folchiade of Salzeburg. They had the following:
Theodo was eventually succeeded by his four other sons, among which he divided his duchy sometime before 715.
As early as 702, Theodbert had been ruling from Salzburg and from 711 or 712, Theobald was co-reigning. It is impossible to see if this division was territorial (as with the Merovingians) or purely a co-regency (as with the later princes of Benevento and Capua). If so, Theodbert's capital was probably Salzburg and the Vita Corbiniani informs that Grimoald had his seat there. References to Theobald and the Thuringii
implies perhaps a capital at Regensburg and this leaves Tassilo at Passau. All of this is educated conjecture.
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It is with Theodo that the well-sourced history of Bavaria begins. He strengthened Bavaria internally and externally and, according to Arbeo of Freising
Arbeo of Freising
Arbeo of Freising was Bishop of Freising.He was a member of the Benedictine Order. At first a priest and notary under Bishop Joseph of Freising, he became in 763 abbot of the newly-founded monastery of Scharnitz...
, he was a prince of great power whose fame extended beyond his borders.
His father was Theodo IV, Duke of Bavaria and his mother was probably Fara of Bavaria (b: 600), daughter of one of the Kings of the Lombards and (her mother) Daughter of Gisulf
Gisulf
Gisulf is the name of several figures in the political history of Italy:*Gisulf of Spoleto*Gisulf I of Friuli*Gisulf II of Friuli*Gisulf I of Benevento*Gisulf II of Benevento*Gisulf I of Salerno*Gisulf II of Salerno...
of Friuli (b: 577).
Theodo established his capital at Ratisbon (modern Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
). He married Folchaid, of the aristocracy of Alemannia, to build diplomatic ties there. He intervened in Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
affairs by harbouring the refugees Ansprand
Ansprand
Ansprand was king of the Lombards briefly in 712. Before that he was the duke of Asti and regent during the minority of Liutpert . He was defeated at Novara by Raginpert and exiled during the subsequent war over the succession, fleeing to the court of Theudebert, duke of Bavaria, in 702.In 711,...
and Liutprand
Liutprand, King of the Lombards
Liutprand was the King of the Lombards from 712 to 744 and is chiefly remembered for his Donation of Sutri, in 728, and his long reign, which brought him into a series of conflicts, mostly successful, with most of Italy. He profited by Byzantine weakness to enlarge his domains in Emilia and the...
, whom he assisted militarily on his return to claim the Iron Crown
Iron Crown of Lombardy
The Iron Crown of Lombardy is both a reliquary and one of the most ancient royal insignia of Europe. The crown became one of the symbols of the Kingdom of Lombards and later of the medieval Kingdom of Italy...
. Liutprand later married his daughter Guntrude. Theodo also defended his duchy ably from the Avars
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
(with some failure in the east).
Theodo is the patron to the four great missionaries of Bavaria: Saint Rupert
Rupert of Salzburg
Rupert of Salzburg is a saint in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches and a founder of the Austrian city of Salzburg...
, Saint Erhard
Saint Erhard
Saint Erhard of Regensburg was bishop of Regensburg in the 7th century. He is identified with an Abbot Erhard of Ebersheimmunster mentioned in a Merovingian diploma of 684...
, Saint Emmeram
Emmeram of Regensburg
Saint Emmeram of Regensburg was born in Poitiers and was a Christian bishop and a martyr. He died circa 652 and is buried in St. Emmeram's in Regensburg, Germany. His feast day in the Catholic calendar of saints is 22 September.-Life:What we know of Emmeram comes to us second hand...
, and probably Saint Corbinian. He was the first to draw up plans for the Bavarian church, aiming both at a deeper cultivation of the countryside as well as greater independence from the Frankish Kingdom by a closer association with the Pope. He was the first Bavarian duke to travel to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he conferred with Pope Gregory II
Pope Gregory II
Pope Saint Gregory II was pope from May 19, 715 to his death on February 11, 731, succeeding Pope Constantine. Having, it is said, bought off the Lombards for thirty pounds of gold, Charles Martel having refused his call for aid, he used the tranquillity thus obtained for vigorous missionary...
. The diocesan seats were placed in the few urban centres, which served as the Duke's seats: Regensburg, Salzburg, Freising and Passau.
Two of his children are involved with the death of Saint Emmeram
Emmeram of Regensburg
Saint Emmeram of Regensburg was born in Poitiers and was a Christian bishop and a martyr. He died circa 652 and is buried in St. Emmeram's in Regensburg, Germany. His feast day in the Catholic calendar of saints is 22 September.-Life:What we know of Emmeram comes to us second hand...
. Theodo's daughter Uta had become pregnant by her lover. Fearing her father's wrath, she confided to Emmeram and the saint promised to bear the blame, as he was about to travel to Rome. Soon after his departure, Uta's predicament became known and in keeping with the agreement she named Emmeram as the father. Her brother Lantpert went after Emmeram and greeted him as "bishop and brother-in-law," i.e., episcope et gener noster! Then he had Emmeram cut and torn into pieces. Theodo had the remains of the saint moved to Regensburg. Nothing more is known of Lantpert and Uta.
Ordinals
Some historians have distinguished between a Duke Theodo I, ruling around 680, and a Duke Theodo II, reigning in the early eight century. Theodo I is attributed with the events involving Saint Emmeram, Uta and Lantpert, while Theodo II is associated with Saints Corbinian and Rupert, the ecclesiastical organisation and the division of the Duchy. However, no contemporary source indicates a distinction between different Dukes of that name.To complicate matters even further, Bavarian tradition has referred to Theodo I and Theodo II as Theodo IV and Theodo V respectively to differentiate them from legendary Agilolfing ancestors Theodo I to III, all who would have reigned before 550.
Marriage and issue
He married Regintrude of Austrasia, daughter of Dagobert IDagobert I
Dagobert I was the king of Austrasia , king of all the Franks , and king of Neustria and Burgundy . He was the last Merovingian dynast to wield any real royal power...
and Nanthild
Nanthild
Nanthild , also known as Nantéchilde, Nanthechilde, Nanthildis, Nanthilde, or Nantechildis, was a Frankish queen consort and regent, the third of many consorts of Dagobert I, king of the Franks ....
. They had the following:
- Daughter of Theodo, married Godefroy, Duke of AlamanniaGotfridGotfrid, Gotefrid, or Gottfried was the Duke of Alemannia in the late seventh century and until his death. He was of the house of the Agilolfing, which was the dominant ruling family in Bavaria....
He also married Folchiade of Salzeburg. They had the following:
- Theodbert
- TheobaldTheobald of BavariaTheobald was the duke of Bavaria from at least 711, when his father Theodo associated him with his rule at Passau or Salzburg. He was the second son of Theodo and Folchaid....
- TassiloTassilo II of BavariaTassilo II was a ruler in southern Germany.He was the son, probably third, of Theodo of Bavaria and Folchaid. Sometime before 715, Theodo divided his duchy and associated with its rule the eldest two of his four sons. The eldest, Theodbert, was co-ruling as early as 702 and the second, Theobald,...
- GrimoaldGrimoald of BavariaGrimoald was the duke of Bavaria from about 715 to his death. He was the youngest of the four sons of Theodo of Bavaria and his wife Folchaid and the uncle of Swanachild, the second wife of Charles Martel. At first, he co-reigned with his brothers Theodbert, Theobald, and Tassilo II and then,...
Theodo was eventually succeeded by his four other sons, among which he divided his duchy sometime before 715.
As early as 702, Theodbert had been ruling from Salzburg and from 711 or 712, Theobald was co-reigning. It is impossible to see if this division was territorial (as with the Merovingians) or purely a co-regency (as with the later princes of Benevento and Capua). If so, Theodbert's capital was probably Salzburg and the Vita Corbiniani informs that Grimoald had his seat there. References to Theobald and the Thuringii
Thuringii
The Thuringii or Toringi were a Germanic tribe which appeared late during the Völkerwanderung in the Harz Mountains of central Germania around 280, in a region which still bears their name to this day — Thuringia. They evidently filled a void left when the previous inhabitants — the...
implies perhaps a capital at Regensburg and this leaves Tassilo at Passau. All of this is educated conjecture.
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