Adalbert I of Ostrevent (died 652) was a 7th-century Frankish nobleman of the court of King

Clovis II Clovis II (633 – 657) was King of the Franks in Neustria and Burgundy, having succeeded his father Dagobert I in 639. His brother Sigebert III had been King of Austrasia since 634. He was initially under the regency of his mother Nanth ...

of France. He is recognized as a

saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...

, and is commemorated on both 2 February (his

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' Word stem, stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party. In ...

dom) and 2 May (

translation Translation is the communication of the semantics, meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The English la ...

of his

relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...

s to

Douai Douai ( , , ; ; ; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord département in northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe (rive ...

in 1221).

Life

Adalbald was the son of Gerberga, daughter of the

magister militum (Latin for "master of soldiers"; : ) was a top-level military command used in the late Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine the Great. The term referred to the senior military officer (equivalent to a war theatre commander, the e ...

Richomer and Gertrude of Hamage (died 649), who founded a nunnery at

Wandignies-Hamage Wandignies-Hamage () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Heraldry Population See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 647 communes of the Nord department of the French Republic. T ...

near Douai. According to

Alban Butler Alban Butler (13 October 171015 May 1773) was an English Roman Catholic priest and hagiography, hagiographer. Born in Northamptonshire, he studied at the English College, in Douai, Douay, France where he later taught philosophy and theology. He s ...

, Adalbald had two brothers, Sigefrid, count of Ponthieu, and Archenald, Mayor of the Palace to Clovis II, son of

Dagobert Dagobert or Taginbert is a Germanic male given name, possibly from Old Frankish ''Dag'' "day" and '' beraht'' "bright". Alternatively, it has been identified as Gaulish ''dago'' "good" ''berxto'' "bright". Animals * Roi Dagobert (born 1964), ...

, to whom they were related.Alban Butler, Alban. "Saint Mauront, Abbot". ''Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints'', 1866. CatholicSaints.Info. 4 May 2013
/ref> His relationship with Merovingian King Dagobert has been proposed to have been through his mother Gerberga, and her putative sister Bertrude (or perhaps Haldetrude, Clothar's first wife). However, Karine Ugé argues that the connection between Adalbald and Erchinoald is a fiction developed by the canons of Saint-Amé (Saint Amatus) at Douai to enhance a connection with Rictrude. Adalbald was a leading noble and claimed lordship of Douai. He was a disciple of Amand of Maastricht. In 630, Adalbald founded

Marchiennes Abbey Marchiennes Abbey was a French monastery located on the Scarpe in Marchiennes. It was founded around 630 by Adalbard of Douai, and Irish monks, disciples of Saint Columbanus, on the advice of Saint Amand. One of its founders was Rictrude, who ...

. During a military expedition in Gascony, he met and married

Rictrude Rictrude (Rictrudis, Richtrudis, Richrudis) (c. 614–688) was abbess of Marchiennes Abbey, in Flanders. The main early source for her life is the ''Vita Rictrudis'', commissioned by the abbey, and written in 907 by Hucbald. Life She was from a ...

of Marchiennes, daughter of Ernoldo, lord of Toulouse,"Sant 'Adalbaldo", Santi e Beati, November 1, 2008
/ref> despite the opposition of both families. Although her parents approved, others opposed a marriage to a Frank. The marriage was said to be happy. They had four children: Maurant, abbot of Breuil (died 702); Eusebia of Douai (also known as Ysoie) (died c. 680), abbess of Hamage Abbey near Arras;

Adalsinda Adalsinda or Adalsindis of Hamay and Eusebia of Douai, were 7th-century Columban nuns, who were sisters from a prominent Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from around the middle of the 5th century unt ...

, a nun at Hamage (died 714); and Clotsinda (died 714). All are venerated as saints. The couple opened their castle to the poor and disadvantaged. The hermit-monk Richarius was a family friend. Adalbald's wife made Marchiennes Abbey a

double monastery A double monastery (also dual monastery or double house) is a monastery combining separate communities of monks and of nuns, joined in one institution to share one church and other facilities. The practice is believed to have started in the East ...

in 643. Adalbard was assassinated in obscure circumstances in 652, near Périgueux during a subsequent expedition to Aquitaine, probably by his wife's relatives still bitter about the marriage to an enemy of her people. His body was returned to

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

and buried at

Saint-Amand Abbey Saint-Amand Abbey (''Abbaye de Saint-Amand''), once known as Elno, Elnon or Elnone Abbey, is a former Benedictine abbey in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, Nord, France. History The abbey was founded around 633-639 in what was once a great tract of uni ...

where he was venerated as a martyr, as his death had taken place in a region which largely had not yet adopted Christianity. His name, however, is not currently mentioned in the liturgical calendars of Cambrai and Lille. After the death of Adalbald, his brother Archenald (Erkenwald) rebuilt the castle of Douai (which gave rise to the town) and founded the church of Our Lady, now dedicated to Saint Amatus.He should not be confused with Saint (died 790), father of Saint .

References

{{authority control 7th-century Frankish saints Year of birth unknown 652 deaths Assassinated nobility Colombanian saints