Saint Chrodoara was a

Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from around the middle of the 5th century until Pepin the Short in 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the ...

noblewoman and traditionally the foundress of the Abbey of

Amay Amay (; ) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium. On 1 January 2006 Amay had a total population of approximately 14,231. The total area is 27.61 km2 which gives a population density of approximately 476 i ...

, now in

Wallonia Wallonia ( ; ; or ), officially the Walloon Region ( ; ), is one of the three communities, regions and language areas of Belgium, regions of Belgium—along with Flemish Region, Flanders and Brussels. Covering the southern portion of the c ...

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

. Chrodoara is thought to have been born around the year 560 in

Swabia Swabia ; , colloquially ''Schwabenland'' or ''Ländle''; archaic English also Suabia or Svebia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany. The name is ultimately derived from the medieval Duchy of Swabia, one of ...

. She was probably married to Bodegisel-Bobo, the son of

Mummolin of Soissons Mummolin (Latin: ''Mummolinus'') (born ) was a Frankish nobleman. Life He was a son or son-in-law of Munderic. He served as Mayor of the Palace of Neustria. Issue He fathered: # Bodegisel (murdered 585 or 588), Chrodoara is said to be the mother of Bishop

Arnulf of Metz Arnulf of Metz ( 582 – 645) was a Frankish bishop of Metz and advisor to the Merovingian court of Austrasia. He later retired to the Abbey of Remiremont. In French he is also known as Arnoul or Arnoulf. In English he is known as Arnold. G ...

, and she may have been the grandmother of either

Hugobert Hugobert (also Chugoberctus or Hociobercthus) (died probably in 697) was a seneschal and a count of the palace at the Merovingian court during the reigns of Theuderic III and Childebert III. He was a grandson of the ''dux'' Theotar, and it is assu ...

or of his wife Irmina of Oeren, and thus the great-grandmother of

Plectrude Plectrude (; ) (died 718) was the consort of Pepin of Herstal, the mayor of the palace and duke of the Franks, from about 670. She was the daughter of Hugobert, seneschal of Clovis IV, and Irmina of Oeren. She was the regent of Neustria during t ...

, wife of

Pepin of Herstal Pepin II (c. 635 – 16 December 714), commonly known as Pepin of Herstal, was a Franks, Frankish statesman and military leader who was the de facto ruler of Francia as the Mayor of the Palace from 680 until his death. He took the title Duke ...

, but the evidence is too late to be relied upon. In 1977 Chrodoara's sarcophagus was discovered in the choir of the Church of Saint George and Saint Ode. On the cover she is depicted as an abbess holding a staff. However, although she was a patron and benefactor of the abbey she apparently was not an abbess.

References

7th-century Christian saints Christian female saints of the Middle Ages 7th-century Frankish women People from Amay Pippinids Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain 7th-century duchesses consort {{saint-stub