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Gugo AbbatCount of Auxerre 866-878, Count of Tours, Blois, Anjou and Orleans from 866, Marquis of Neustria from 866, Abbot of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre from 859, Saint-Bertin 859-862.
Country:
 France |
Content:
- Biography of Hugo Abbot
- Early Ecclesiastical Career
- Archbishop of Cologne and Return to Charles the Bald
- Count and Marquis
- Influence at the Royal Court
- Defender of the Legitimate Royal Dynasty
- Death and Legacy
Biography of Hugo Abbot
Early Life and EducationHugo Abbot was born in 810 to Conrad I, Count of Oser, and Adelaide, the daughter of Hugo III the Fearful, Count of Tours. He belonged to the House of Welf and was the cousin of Charles the Bald, the King of West Francia. As the youngest son in the family, he was destined for a career in the clergy.
Early Ecclesiastical Career
After the Burgundian nobility revolted in 858, Charles the Bald appointed Hugo as the abbot of the Saint-Germain d'Oser monastery and the royal courier in Oser. He also served as the abbot of Saint-Bertin from 859 to 862 and Saint-Riquier until 861. During this time, he opposed Robert the Strong, who led the nobility revolt.
Archbishop of Cologne and Return to Charles the Bald
In 864, Hugo and his brother Conrad left their service under Charles the Bald and joined Lothair II, the King of Lotharingia. Hugo became the Archbishop of Cologne. However, he soon returned to Charles the Bald.
Count and Marquis
After the death of Robert the Strong in 866, his possessions were divided, with Hugo becoming the Marquis of Neustria and the Count of Oser, Orleans, Anjou, Blois, and Tours. He also became the abbot of Saint-Martin de Tours. As the guardian of Robert's underage children, Ed, and Robert, Hugo successfully defended against Norman raids. He expanded his territories, becoming the abbot of Saint-Vaast and Saint-Anian in Orleans, Saint-Julien in Oser, and Saint-Colombe in Sens. In 880, he also served as the archchaplain of the royal chapel.
Influence at the Royal Court
After the death of Charles the Bald in 877, Hugo, along with Chancellor Gozlin and Archbishop Günther of Reims, became one of the most influential figures at the royal court. He served as the chief advisor to King Louis II. After Louis' death in 879, a dispute arose over the succession of power. Hugo remained loyal to the late king and wanted to crown his sons, Louis and Carloman, as kings in their father's kingdom. However, Chancellor Gozlin, Count Conrad of Paris, and their supporters called for the crowning of Louis the Younger, the son of Louis the German. To resolve the conflict, Hugo sent an embassy to Louis the Younger, offering him a share of the inheritance received by Charles the Bald according to the Treaty of Meerssen in 870, on the condition that he would not interfere in the dynastic struggle for the throne of West Francia. Louis the Younger agreed, and Louis III and Carloman were anointed to reign by Archbishop Anségise at the Abbey of Ferrières.
Defender of the Legitimate Royal Dynasty
When Duke Boson of Provence, together with his wife, Irmingard, daughter of Emperor Louis II, was crowned on the throne and seized part of Burgundy on October 15, 879, it was the first part of the empire to fall out of the control of the Carolingians. However, Hugo Abbot, Bernard Plantapilosa, and later Count Richard of Autun, Boson's brother, stood up in defense of the legitimate royal dynasty. Dissatisfied with Hugo Abbot's influence over the kings, Gozlin and Conrad once again tried to invite Louis the Younger from Germany to reign. The Germans moved towards Waas, where they camped, but no battle occurred. Through the mediation of Hugo Abbot, the kings met in Ribemont in February 880 and reconciled, promising not to punish the guilty nobles. In March, Hugo resolved the issue of inheritance in France between Louis the Stammerer's two sons: Louis received Neustria, and Carloman received Burgundy and Aquitaine. After this, Hugo Abbot played a dominant role in West Francia. After the death of Louis III in 882, sixteen-year-old Carloman was recognized as the sole king of the West Franks and ruled under the guardianship of Hugo Abbot. All the nobles recognized him, except for Bernard Plantapilosa. In fact, until the death of Carloman in 884, Hugo was the ruler of the kingdom.
Death and Legacy
Hugo Abbot passed away on May 12, 866, in Orleans. His eldest son, Ed, inherited his possessions. Hugo was buried in the church of the Saint-Germain d'Oser monastery.
