Gunfried I

The exact origin of Gunfried I is not known. It is assumed that he was from a noble Frankish or Alemannic family. Perhaps Gunfried belonged to the Burcharding family ^{[1] [2]} .

The first evidence of Gunfried I in modern sources dates from February 7, 806. In this document, as well as in the charters of the years 807–808, it is referred to as the “Count of Recy ” ( lat. Reciarum comis ) and the “count of Cura ” ( lat. Comes Curensis ) ^{[1] [2]} . Perhaps in Rezion Gunfried succeeded Count Roderich , a representative of the Welfish clan. It is likely that the endowment by Emperor Karl the Great of a native of the Burcharding family of estates in Recy was aimed at reducing the influence in these lands of representatives of the local nobility, Count Roderich and Count Ruodbert of Udalrichings , who owned Argengau and Linzgau ^[1] . The acquisition of power by Gunfried I in the Kura was a consequence of the inclusion of this area by Charlemagne in the Italian kingdom . Gunfried became the first Frankish ruler of this area, appointed by the emperor. Previously, power in these lands belonged to the Victoridov family, many of whom were local bishops ^[3] . It is assumed that at about the same time Gunfried received power from Istria from Charlemagne. He was here the successor to the Duke of John , the last mention of which is dated 804 ^{[2] [4]} .

In 807, Gunfried I took part in the transfer of relics to the monastery of Reichenau, organized by Charles the Great and Abbot Valdo . According to legend, in the same year, Gunfried visited Corsica , where he acquired sacred relics for the emperor: the ark with the blood of Jesus Christ and a particle of the Life-giving cross . According to one of the medieval authors, Charlemagne with great difficulty was able to find among his entourage who would agree to go on such a dangerous trip. Later, some of these relics were donated by the emperor to the Count of Recy as a reward for faithful service. Gunfried transferred the shrines to the monastery he founded in Kura ^{[1] [2]} .

In March-April 808, Gunfried I and Count Helmgaud acted as sovereign envoys on behalf of Charlemagne in the Italian kingdom . They first visited Rome , where they negotiated with Pope Leo III , then the royal court of Pepin in Pavia and, finally, in Ravenna met with Archbishop Valery . Probably, the purpose of the trip was to resolve the conflict between Pepin and Leo III, caused by a dispute about the patrimonies of the island of Corsica ^{[1] [5]} .

After this, there is no evidence of the activities of Gunfried I until 823, when Villa Rankweil belonging to Count Gunfrid was mentioned in the donation charter of the Italian king Lothar I of the Diocese of Como . In May-June of the same year, Gunfried took part in the Frankfurt Empire State Assembly, held in Frankfurt . In the sources reports about this event, he is endowed with the post “Count Kura” ^[1] .

It is assumed that Gunfried I is identical to the “duke of Recy” ( Latin dux super Redicam ) mentioned in the Frankish annals , which in 823 or in 824, together with the abbot of the monastery of Saint-Vaast Adelung, was sent by Emperor Louis I the Pious to Rome. Here they had to find out the circumstances of the murder of two supporters of Lothar I, the conciliar of Theodore and the nomenclator Leo, adherents of Pope Paschal I. However, according to the Annals of the Kingdom of the Franks , even before the imperial envoys began to investigate, the pope solemnly swore his innocence to the murder and was found completely innocent. In November, Gunfried and Adelung returned to the emperor, reporting on the outcome of their trip to the state assembly held in Compiegne ^{[1] [2]} .

The report on the Italian mission of Gunfred I is the last accurately dated mention of him in contemporary sources. It is believed that he could have died around the year 835 ^[1] .

Based on the mention of the name Gunfried in the " twin books " of the Abbeys of Reichenau and St. Gallen, it is concluded that he was married to Gitte from the Udalrichings clan. According to one of the assumptions, she was a niece or daughter of Count Witzgau Gerold and a close relative of Duke Eric Friulsky ^[1] , and according to another, a daughter of Count Udalrich I ^[6] . Sources from Reichenau and St. Gallen also indicate that the sons of Gunfried I were the inheritors of power over Recyt Adalbert I ^[7] , the Count of Barcelona Odalrik and Gunfried II , who after his father was Margrave of Istria, the founder of the Swabian line of Burchardings ^[8] . In one of the charters, the names of the four daughters of Gunfried are mentioned: Liutsvinda, Gitta, Imma and Aba ^[6] .

Being one of the close Carolingians , Gunfried I laid the foundations for the future prosperity of his family, which was named Gunfriedings by his name. Subsequently, his descendants served in the courts of the rulers of East and West Franky , as well as Italy ^[1] .

Hagermann D. Charlemagne. - M .: LLC Publishing House AST: ZAO NPP Ermak, 2003. - 684 p. - ISBN 5-17-018682-7 .