Hugbert (Duke of Bavaria)

Hugbert was the son of the ruler of Bavaria, Teudebert and his wife Regintrude ^[1] . Around 715, Hoogbert married Rotruda, daughter of Rathis , future Friulian Duke and King of the Lombards ^[1] . Throughout his life he maintained friendly relations with his father-in-law. Including, this is evidenced by the construction of the altar in the Cathedral of Cividale del Friuli , erected at the expense of Hugbert ^[1] .

The exact date of death of Duke Theudebert is unknown. According to some assumptions, he died in the late 710s ^[2] , according to others - a little later, already in the first half of the 720s ^{[3] [4] [5]} . After the death of his father, Hugbert inherited a part of Bavaria belonging to that ^{[6] [7]} . Soon, however, Hugbert's uncle Grimoald II expelled his nephew from his father's possessions and became the sovereign ruler of the duchy. Hugbert was forced to seek refuge at the courtyard of the mayor of the Frankish state, Karl Martell ^{[8] [9]} .

Perhaps Hoogbert also turned for help to his relative, the Lombard King Liutprand . The ruler of the Langobard kingdom was the first to stand up for the exile: he invaded the possessions of Grimoald II and captured several fortresses belonging to the Bavarian duke. However, Liutprand did nothing more to regain power to Hoogbert. Moreover, under the pretext of helping a relative, the Lombard ruler annexed all Bavarian lands to his possessions up to Merano ^{[9] [10] [11]} . In 725, Carl Martell also spoke in support of Hugbert. He made a trip to Bavaria, during which he defeated the Bavarian army in a battle on the banks of the Danube . The wife of Grimoald II Pilitrude and her niece Swangilda were taken to Francia. In the same year, Swangilda became the new wife of Karl Martell ^[12] . With the support of the Frankish mayordom, Hugbert became the new ruler of Bavaria ^{[1] [11]} .

It is not known exactly when Grimoald II died: according to some sources, this happened in 725, according to others - in 728, when Karl Martell was forced to make a new campaign in Bavaria in order to punish the local rebels ^{[7] [11] [13]} . Since that time, Hugbert became the sovereign ruler of the Bavarian Duchy ^{[8] [14]} .

Having received the throne thanks to the Franks, Hugbert became the first Bavarian Duke from the middle of the 7th century to recognize the supreme power of the rulers of the Frankish state ^{[11] [14] [15]} . It is known that under him part of the land in the north of Bavaria ( Nordgau ) was annexed to the Frankish state ^{[10] [16]} . Several Bavarian charters of that time, dating back to the reign of King Merowing Theodorich IV ^[16] , have also survived . At the same time, it is assumed that the wife of Karl Martell Svangilda used her great influence on her husband in favor of her Bavarian relatives ^[12] .

Hugbert himself, trying to weaken his dependence on the Franks, patronized Saint Boniface in the Christianization of Bavaria ^[1] . It is assumed that in 728 Hugbert again called to Bavaria St. Corbinian , who fled from the duchy from the persecution of Grimoald II and Pilitroda. The saint followed Hugbert’s request and, as before, he began to actively preach Christianity among the Bavars living in the vicinity of Freising ^{[1] [14] [17]} .

Hugbert passed away in 736 ^{[1] [18] [19]} . His wife, Rotruda, after the death of her husband, became ordained and became abbess of the Nonnberg Monastery ^[7] . The new ruler of the Bavarian Duchy was Odilon ^{[14] [20]} , the son of Duke Alemania Gottfried and an unknown by the name of Aunt Hugbert ^{[19] [21]} .

• Reiser R. Agilolf oder Die Herkunft der Bayern . - München: Ehrenwirth, 1977 .-- 128 S. - ISBN 3-431-01894-7 .
• Spindler M. Handbuch der bayerischen Geschichte . - München: CH Beck, 1981. - Bd. I: Das alte Bayern. Das Stammesherzogtum bis zum Ausgang des 12. Jahrhunderts. - 766 S. - ISBN 978-3-4060-7322-9 .
• Störmer W. Die Baiuwaren. Von der Völkerwanderung bis Tassilo III . - München: CH Beck, 2002 .-- 127 S. - ISBN 978-3-4064-7981-6 .