Oliba Cabreta (c. 920 – 990) was the

count of Cerdanya The County of Cerdanya (, ; ; , ) was one of the Catalan counties formed in the last decades of the 8th century by the Franks in the ''Marca Hispanica''. The original Cerdanya consisted of the valley of the upper Segre. Today Cerdanya is a Catala ...

from 965 and

count of Besalú Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

from 984 until his abdication in 988.

Life

He was the fourth son of Miró II and

Ava Ava or AVA may refer to: Places Asia and Oceania * Ava Kingdom, in upper Burma from 1364 to 1555 ** Inwa, formerly Ava, the capital of Ava Kingdom ** Earl of Ava, a British colonial earldom in Burma * Ava, Iran, Gilan Province, a village * Iva ...

. He inherited Cerdanya from his eldest brother Sunifred II and Besalú from his elder brother Miró III. He was originally under the tutelage of his mother from his father's death in 927. During his tenure, he added

Berga Berga () is the capital of the ''Catalonia/Comarques, comarca'' (county) of Berguedà, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is bordered by the municipalities of Cercs, Olvan, Avià, Capolat and Castellar del Riu. History Berga de ...

and

Ripoll Ripoll () is the capital of the ''comarca'' of Ripollès, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is located on confluence of the Ter river and its tributary Freser, next to the Pyrenees near the border of France. The population was 11 ...

to his domains. In 979,

Roger I of Carcassonne Roger I (died 1012) was the count of Carcassonne from and, as Roger II, count of Comminges (from 957) and Couserans (from 983). Life Roger was the son of Arnaud I of Comminges and Arsinde of Carcassonne. Associated with the government of Commin ...

ceded

Capcir Capcir (; ) is a historical Catalan comarca of Northern Catalonia, now part of the French department of Pyrénées-Orientales. The capital of the comarca was Formiguera, and it borders the historical comarques of Conflent and Alta Cerdanya. ...

to him. In 984, he assumed the direction of all his father's counties when his last brother died without heirs. Oliba travelled twice to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, first in 968 with the Abbot Garin of Cuixà and second in 988 on his journey to

Montecassino The Abbey of Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a Catholic, Benedictine monastery on a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Latin Valley. Located on the site of the ancient Roman town of Casinum, it is the first house ...

, the monastery to which he retired. He divided his lands betwixt his three eldest sons:

Bernard Bernard ('' Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It has West Germanic origin and is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''be ...

received Besalú and Ripoll, Wilfred received Cerdanya, and Oliba received Berga. His fourth son, Berengar, became

bishop of Elne The Diocese of Perpignan–Elne (Latin: ''Dioecesis Elnensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Perpignan–Elne''; Catalan: ''Bisbat de Perpinyà–Elna'') is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in France.Sales Sales are activities related to selling or the number of goods sold in a given targeted time period. The delivery of a service for a cost is also considered a sale. A period during which goods are sold for a reduced price may also be referred ...

. By his mistress, Ingeberga de Besora, he had a daughter named Ingeberga who became

abbess An abbess (Latin: ''abbatissa'') is the female superior of a community of nuns in an abbey. Description In the Catholic Church (both the Latin Church and Eastern Catholic), Eastern Orthodox, Coptic, Lutheran and Anglican abbeys, the mod ...

of Sant Joan de Ripoll. His wife Ermengard of Empúries, daughter of Count

Gausbert Gausbert (died 931) was the count of Empúries and Rosselló from 915 until he died. He was the son of Sunyer II of Empúries and brother of Bencion. With the murder of his father, the counties passed to him and Bencion, but Bencion died in 916 ...

, acted as

regent In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...

for his sons and he lived out his days in Italy until 990.

Issue

He had issue: *

Bernard I, Count of Besalú Bernard (''Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It has West Germanic origin and is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''bern ...

(died 1020) *

Wifred II, Count of Cerdanya Wifred or Wilfred (, or ) ( 970 – 1050) was the Count of Cerdanya (988–1035; as Wifred II) and Count of Berga (1003–1035; as Wifred I). He was the eldest son of Oliba Cabreta and Ermengard of Empúries. Life When his father abdicated in 9 ...

c. 970-1050 *

Abbot Oliba Oliba (; 971–1046) was the count of Berga and Ripoll (988–1002), and later abbot of the monasteries of Santa Maria de Ripoll and Sant Miquel de Cuixà (1008–1046) and the bishop of Vic (1018–1046). He is considered one ...

c. 971–1046 * Berengar, became bishop of Elne * Adelaida, married John d'Oriol, lord of Sales

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cabreta, Oliba 920s births 990 deaths Counts of Cerdanya Counts of Besalú 10th-century Catalan people Year of birth uncertain Spanish Benedictines