Gembloux Abbey
Gembloux Abbey(French:Abbaye de Gembloux) was aBenedictineabbeynearGembloux[1]in the province ofNamur,Wallonia,Belgium.Since 1860, its buildings host theUniversity of Liège'sGembloux Agro-Bio Techfaculty and campus (previously known as Agronomical University of Gembloux).
Foundation
[edit]The former Benedictine monastery, located about nine miles north-west ofNamuron the riverOrneau,was founded about 945 bySaint Guibertor Wibert (lat:Wicbertus) and dedicated toSaint Peterand the martyrSaint Exuperius.Saint Guibert was assisted in the erection of the monastery and the selection of its monks byErluin,who had resigned acanonryto become a monk. Some of Guibert's relatives challenged the legality of the monastic foundation on the grounds that the monastery was built on land of the Imperialfisc,which had been givenin feeto Guibert's ancestors and could not be alienated without imperial authority.Emperor Otto Isummoned Guibert and Erluin to his court but was so favourably impressed with the manner in which they defended their undertaking that on 20 September 946, he issued an imperial diploma approving the foundation ofGemblacumand granting it various privileges.
Guibert appointed his friend Erluin the first abbot of Gembloux, while he himself became a monk atGorze AbbeynearMetz.He returned twice to Gembloux. The first time was in 954, when theHungariansthreatened to pillage the monastery. Guibert not only saved it from harm but also converted some Hungarians to Christianity. The second time was in 957, when his brother-in-law Heribrand of Mawolt had seized the revenues of the monastery. Guibert persuaded Heribrand to leave the possessions of the monastery unmolested in the future. On 23 May 962, Guibert died at Gorze and his remains were brought for burial to Gembloux.
Flourishing
[edit]When monastic discipline was well established at Gembloux, Erluin attempted, at the suggestion of Count Regnier of Hainaut, to reformLobbes Abbeyin 955. The monks of Lobbes however did not welcome reform, and on the night of 20 October 958 three of them assaulted Erluin in his cell, dragged him outside the monastery and inflicted on him serious bodily injuries. Erluin died at Gembloux on 10 August 986 afterPope Benedict VIIhad granted his monasteryexemptionand papal protection.
During the short reign of his successor, abbot Heriward (987-990), the monks voluntarily relinquished their right of exemption in favour of BishopNotger of Liège,who was well disposed towards the monastery. Heriward was succeeded by Erluin II (990-1012), under whose weak administration monastic discipline greatly relaxed.
His successor Olbert (1012-1048), a pious and learned abbot, restored discipline, built a new abbey church in 1022, organized a rich library, and by encouraging sacred and secular learning gave the first impulse to the subsequent flourishing condition of Gembloux. During the period of its greatest intellectual activity the abbey was ruled by Mysach (1048-1071), Thietmar (1071-1092), Liethard (1092-1115) andAnselm(1115-1136).
Under Thietmar flourished the famous chroniclerSigebert of Gembloux(1030-1112), who in a neat Latin style wrote a chronicle of the world from 381-1111, a history of the abbots of Gembloux and other historical works of great value. His chronicle was continued by Abbot Anselm till 1136, and his history of the abbots of Gembloux by the monk Gottschalk, a disciple of Sigebert. The learned prior Guerin, a famous teacher at the abbey school, was a contemporary of Sigebert.
Decline
[edit]In 1157 and again in 1185 the monastery was destroyed by fire, and though rebuilt, it began from this period to decline in importance. The abbots did, however, continue to hold the title of count and to sit among the nobility in theStates of Brabant.[2]
In 1505, under Abbot Arnold II de Solbrecg (1501-1511), the abbey became affiliated to theBursfeld Union.
It was pillaged by theCalvinistsin 1598, and was partly destroyed by fire in 1678 and again in 1712. It was just beginning to recover from these heavy misfortunes when in 1793 theRevolutionarygovernment suppressed it.
The buildings, which largely survived, are used for theAgronomical University of Gembloux.
Abbots
[edit]The succession of abbots is as follows:[3]
- Erluin I
- Heriward
- Erluin II
- Olbert
- Mysach Mathelin
- Thietmar
- Liethard
- Anselm
- Arnold
- Petrus
- Odo
- Joannes
- Guibert Martin
- Guillaume
- Henri
- Arnold
- Guillaume
- Godfrey
- Jean de Brogne
- Joannes,abbot of Affligem(1259–1261)
- Rauol
- Arnold de Chastres
- Godfrey
- Arnold de Rosières
- Lambert de Liroux
- Nicolas de Rupemont
- Jean del Bare
- Jean de Walhain
- Louis d'Oinies
- Othon de Dave
- Jean de Carnières
- Jean d'Ittre
- Othon de Viviers
- Antoine de Bossunes
- Arnold de Solbrecq
- Mathieu Petri
- Antoine Papin
- Arnold Dumont
- Bernard Fourier
- Lambert Hancart
- Jean de Caverel
- Louis Sombeck
- Philippe Clocman
- Charles d'Ursel
- Gaspar Benselle
- Martin Draerck
- François Dumonceau
- Arnold de Mertz
- Pierre Dumonceau
- Ildephonse Chapelle (1732–1739)
- Eugène Gérard
- Jacques Legrain (1759–1791)
- Colomban Wilmart
Notes
[edit]- ^French:Gembloux;Dutch:Gembloers;Latin:Gemblacum;in older texts, sometimes Gemblours, an earlier French form of the name
- ^Ursmer Berlière,Monasticon Belge,vol. 1 (Maredsous, 1897), p. 26.
- ^Ursmer Berlière,Monasticon Belge,vol. 1 (Maredsous, 1897), pp. 16-26.
| International | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
- Christian monasteries in Namur (province)
- Benedictine monasteries in Belgium
- Gembloux
- 10th-century establishments in Belgium
- Christian monasteries established in the 10th century
- 945 establishments
- Religious buildings and structures completed in the 940s
- Neoclassical church buildings in Belgium
- Otto the Great