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The Princely Abbey of Stavelot-Malmedy, also Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy, sometimes known with its German name Stablo, was an
ecclesiastical principality of the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
. Princely power was exercised by the
Benedictine
The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
abbot of the imperial double monastery of
Stavelot
Stavelot (; ; ) is a town and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium.
The municipality consists of the following districts: Francorchamps and Stavelot.
It is best known as the home of Spa-Francorchamps Circuit a ...
and
Malmedy
Malmedy (; , historically also ; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium.
On January 1, 2018, Malmedy had a total population of 12,654. The total area is 99.96 km2 which gives a population dens ...
, founded in 651. Along with the
Duchy of and the
Prince-Bishopric of , it was one of only three principalities of the Southern Netherlands that were never part of the
Spanish Netherlands
The Spanish Netherlands (; ; ; ) (historically in Spanish: , the name "Flanders" was used as a '' pars pro toto'') was the Habsburg Netherlands ruled by the Spanish branch of the Habsburgs from 1556 to 1714. They were a collection of States of t ...
, later the
Austrian Netherlands
The Austrian Netherlands was the territory of the Burgundian Circle of the Holy Roman Empire between 1714 and 1797. The period began with the acquisition by the Austrian Habsburg monarchy of the former Spanish Netherlands under the Treaty of Ras ...
,
which after 1500 were assigned to the
Burgundian Circle
The Burgundian Circle (, , ) was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy (the former administrative region of Franche-Comté), the Burgundian Circle ...
while the principalities were assigned to the
Lower Rhenish Imperial Circle.
As a prince-abbot, the abbot of Stavelot-Malmedy sat on the Ecclesiastical Bench of the College of Ruling Princes of the
Imperial Diet alongside the prince-bishops. Along with the handful of other prince-abbots, he cast a full vote ('),
[Number 67 of the princely college.] in contrast to the majority of imperial abbots who were only entitled to collectively determine the votes of their respective curial benches.
In 1795, the principality was abolished and its territory was incorporated into the
French of .
The
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...
in 1815 assigned Stavelot to the
United Kingdom of the Netherlands
The United Kingdom of the Netherlands is the unofficial name given to the Kingdom of the Netherlands as it existed from 1815 to 1839. The United Netherlands was created in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars through the fusion of territories t ...
,
and Malmedy became part of the
Prussian
Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, the House of Hohenzoll ...
district
A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...
of .
Both are currently parts of the
Kingdom of 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 southe ...
—since the 1830
Belgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution (, ) was a conflict which led to the secession of the southern provinces (mainly the former Southern Netherlands) from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and the establishment of an independent Kingdom of Belgium.
The ...
and the 1919
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919. As the most important treaty of World War I, it ended the state of war between Germany and most of the Allies of World War I, Allied Powers. It was signed in the Palace ...
, respectively (Malmedy annexed to Belgium in 1925). In 1921 the Abbey church of Malmedy became the Cathedral of the short-lived
Diocese of Eupen-Malmedy.
History
Establishment
Saint Remaclus founded the Abbey of Stavelot on the river, circa 650,
on lands along the border between the bishoprics of
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
and ,
[, notably referenced there. Both sites last accessed 2 January 2010.] this territory belonged at that time to Grimoald, the Austrasian mayor of the palace and member of the Arnulfinger-Peppinid family. A charter of
Sigebert III
Sigebert III ( 630–656) was the Merovingian dynasty, Merovingian king of Austrasia from 633 to his death around 656. He was described as the first Merovingian ''roi fainéant'', or "do-nothing king", with the mayor of the palace in fact ruling ...
, king of
Austrasia
Austrasia was the northeastern kingdom within the core of the Francia, Frankish Empire during the Early Middle Ages, centring on the Meuse, Middle Rhine and the Moselle rivers. It included the original Frankish-ruled territories within what had ...
entrusted Remaclus with the monasteries of both Stavelot and Malmedy, which was located a few kilometres eastwards in the forest, "a place of horror and solitary isolation which abounds with wild beasts".
Sigebert granted forest land; charged his
Mayor of the Palace
Under the Merovingian dynasty, the mayor of the palace or majordomo,
( or ) was the manager of the household of the Frankish king. He was the head of the Merovingian administrative ladder and orchestrated the operation of the entire court. He ...
,
Grimoald the Elder, with furnishing money to build the two monasteries; and continued to foster these communities with personal gifts.
The site of Malmedy was probably already settled before the foundation of the abbey, despite
etymology
Etymology ( ) is the study of the origin and evolution of words—including their constituent units of sound and meaning—across time. In the 21st century a subfield within linguistics, etymology has become a more rigorously scientific study. ...
seeming to indicate Malmedy's unsuitability.
' was "a place with winding waters", or, most probably, ', a "bad confluency".
The was partially
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface ...
ised and its banks strengthened, to prevent the flooding that Malmedy often experienced.
The abbey church in Malmedy was dedicated to
St Benedict
Benedict of Nursia (; ; 2 March 480 – 21 March 547), often known as Saint Benedict, was a Christian monk. He is famed in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Churches, the Anglican Communion, and Old Catholic Ch ...
.
The monastery of Malmedy is considered by historians and hagiographers to be slightly older than the monastery of Stavelot,
with the town claiming its foundation date as 648.
Malmedy is listed on earlier maps than Stavelot, and the commission appointed in 670 by
Childeric II
Childeric II ( 653 – 675) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks in the 7th century. He ruled Austrasia from 662 and Neustria and Kingdom of Burgundy, Burgundy from 673 until his death, making him sole king for the final two years o ...
, in order to delimit the abbey territory, started from Malmedy ().
Afterwards, the territory of the abbey was enlarged westwards, so that Stavelot became the geographical centre and the capital of the principality.
The first church in Stavelot was built by abbot
Godwin and, on 25 June 685, was dedicated to saints
Martin Martin may refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land
* Port Martin, Adelie Land
* Point Martin, South Orkney Islands
Europe
* Martin, Croatia, a village
* Martin, Slovakia, a city
* Martín del Río, Aragón, Spain
* M ...
,
Peter
Peter may refer to:
People
* List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Peter (given name)
** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church
* Peter (surname), a su ...
, and
Paul
Paul may refer to:
People
* Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people
* Paul (surname), a list of people
* Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament
* Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo ...
.
The
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 of Saint Remaclus were housed in this new church.
[ The sources contemporary to ''Triumph of St Remaclus'' are listed in footnote 233 o]
page 742
the 1509 procession is cited in footnote 169 on page 729 as being referenced in
Development and the High Middle Ages

In 747,
Carloman, Duke of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia, enlarged the abbeys' lands with gifts from his own, on his
abdication
Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the Order of succession, succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of ...
.
Throughout the ninth century, the abbeys played an important cultural role in
Lotharingia
Lotharingia was a historical region and an early medieval polity that existed during the late Carolingian and early Ottonian era, from the middle of the 9th to the middle of the 10th century. It was established in 855 by the Treaty of Prüm, a ...
, particularly thanks to abbot
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
. Around 875, the relics of
St Quirinus were
translated from to Malmedy Abbey after the intercession of Emperor
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald (; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as CharlesII, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), King of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a series of civil wars during t ...
, partly to secure relics comparable to those of St. Remaclus at Stavelot.
[ and, cited therewithin, ]
Through the seventh and eighth centuries, the two abbeys followed their mission of
evangelism
Evangelism, or witnessing, is the act of sharing the Christian gospel, the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is typically done with the intention of converting others to Christianity. Evangelism can take several forms, such as persona ...
, along with
forest clearance. With the decline of the
Carolingian Empire
The Carolingian Empire (800–887) was a Franks, Frankish-dominated empire in Western and Central Europe during the Early Middle Ages. It was ruled by the Carolingian dynasty, which had ruled as List of Frankish kings, kings of the Franks since ...
, however, the abbeys suffered the same decay as elsewhere, leaving the principality in the custody of
lay abbots—temporal guardians—from 844 to 938, including
Ebbo,
Archbishop of Reims
The Archdiocese of Reims or Rheims (; French language, French: ''Archidiocèse de Reims'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastic territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. Erected as a diocese around 250 by Sixtus of Reims, the diocese w ...
,
Adalard the Seneschal
Adalard, also known as Adalhard or Alard, and called ''the Seneschal'', was a Frankish nobleman of the 9th century. He served as warden of the Norman march from 861 to 865, and was Lord Chancellor of France under Louis the Pious.
He was a son o ...
, and
Reginar and
Giselbert, dukes of Lorraine.
[ cited i]
Voyer & Bedard Family History and Ancestry
website last accessed 26 December 2009.
Welcoming
pilgrims and the sick was a part of the monks' mission. The ' mention the ', the monastery's
hospice
Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life b ...
, where poor pilgrims were granted hospitality, including food for almost eight days, whilst they made their
devotions; this hospice differs from the abbey's
hospital
A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...
: '. On 13 April 862,
Lothair II of Lotharingia, while dealing with the distribution of property ', ordered that local
tithe
A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Modern tithes are normally voluntary and paid in money, cash, cheques or v ...
s be paid to the hospital ', an order he confirmed on 10 June 873.
In December 881,
Normans
The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...
, including
Godfrid, Duke of Frisia, invaded the area, burning both abbeys and causing the monks to flee with their treasures and relics.
Several historical sources provide evidence of the raid of 881, which was well prepared and organised. The monks rushed to dig up the relics of Remaclus and fled to the
county of in present-day , in the French ; the surrounding region was largely unaffected by the invasion.
Stavelot and Malmedy were both burned, with the monks not returning until just before Christmas 882, with a stay in , to allow them to repair the roofs of the monastic buildings. Relics from
Aachen
Aachen is the List of cities in North Rhine-Westphalia by population, 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, 27th-largest city of Germany, with around 261,000 inhabitants.
Aachen is locat ...
, which had been entrusted to the monks at Stavelot because of the Norman threat, were returned intact.
In gratitude, on 13 November 882,
Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat (839 – 13 January 888) was the emperor of the Carolingian Empire from 881 to 887. A member of the Carolingian dynasty, Charles was the youngest son of Louis the German and Hemma, and a great-grandson of Charlemagne. He was t ...
—Carolingian emperor and king of East Francia,
Alemannia, and
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
—granted the abbeys the lands of , a dependency of , and restored to them the chapel in (now a part of in ).
In 885, Normans extracted
ransom
Ransom refers to the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release. It also refers to the sum of money paid by the other party to secure a captive's freedom.
When ransom means "payment", the word ...
from and passed through the Meuse valley, marching on , causing the monks of Stavelot to flee again, finding refuge in the
county of and ; the ' details the flight from the invaders and follows the monks' wanderings.
After the invasions, abbot Odilon began to rebuild the ruined abbey of Stavelot, with support from
bishops of —including
Notker, the first prince-bishop. The abbots Odilon and Werinfride rebuilt the abbeys, with new building; re-established the monastic community; re-organised the principality. By the time of the
Ottonian dynasty
The Ottonian dynasty () was a Saxons, Saxon dynasty of German monarchs (919–1024), named after three of its kings and Holy Roman emperors, especially Otto the Great. It is also known as the Saxon dynasty after the family's origin in the German ...
in the early 10th century, the abbeys were once again of suitable Imperial stature.
A new abbey church was built in Malmedy in 992, dedicated to St Quirinus;
in 1007, a parish church was consecrated to
Saint Gereon.
Another danger threatened the abbey—and the Western Empire—in the 10th century: the
Hungarian invasions. Having been deposed as
duke of Lotharingia
The kings and dukes of Lorraine have held different posts under different governments over different regions, since its creation as the kingdom of Lotharingia by the Treaty of Prüm, in 855. The first rulers of the newly established region were k ...
,
Conrad the Red invited the Hungarians to undermine his opponents,
Bruno the Great
Bruno the Great (May 925 – 11 October 965) was the archbishop of Cologne''Religious Drama and Ecclesiastical Reform in the Tenth Century'', James H. Forse, ''Early Theatre'', Vol. 5, No. 2 (2002), 48. from 953 until his death and the duke of ...
,
archbishop of Cologne
The Archbishop of Cologne governs the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cologne in western North Rhine-Westphalia. Historically, the archbishop was ''ex officio'' one of the prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire and ruled the Electorate of Cologne ...
, and
Reginar III, Count of Hainaut
Reginar III (c. 920 – 973) was Count of Hainaut from approximately 940 until his exile in 958.
He was the son of Reginar II, Count of Hainaut.
He took part in the rebellion of his uncle Gilbert, Duke of Lorraine. When Gilbert was killed in ...
. The ' reports: '
In the year 954, Hungarians ravage the regions of Gaul ... In the year 955, victory over the Hungarians" On 1 July 960, Eraclus, bishop of , driven by the fears of the time, granted the monks a place to build a refuge in , although five years earlier, the victory of emperor
Otto I
Otto I (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), known as Otto the Great ( ) or Otto of Saxony ( ), was East Francia, East Frankish (Kingdom of Germany, German) king from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was the eldest son o ...
over the Hungarians at
Lechfeld had removed the danger of Hungarian
sack
A sack usually refers to a rectangular-shaped bag.
Sack may also refer to:
Bags
* Flour sack
* Gunny sack
* Hacky sack, sport
* Money sack
* Paper sack
* Sleeping bag
* Stuff sack
* Knapsack
Other uses
* Bed, a slang term
* Sack (band), ...
.

The key building period at the abbey of Stavelot corresponds to the rule of prince-abbot
Poppo of Deinze, the second founder of the abbey,
who was made abbot by
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans (disambiguation), Emperor of the Romans (; ) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period (; ), was the ruler and h ...
Henry II
Henry II may refer to:
Kings
* Saint Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (972–1024), crowned King of Germany in 1002, of Italy in 1004 and Emperor in 1014
*Henry II of England (1133–89), reigned from 1154
*Henry II of Jerusalem and Cyprus (1271–1 ...
in 1020.
He built an imposing church over in length, which was consecrated in the presence of
Emperor Henry III
Henry III (, 28 October 1016 – 5 October 1056), called the Black () or the Pious, was Holy Roman Emperor from 1046 until his death in 1056. A member of the Salian dynasty, he was the eldest son of Conrad II and Gisela of Swabia.
Henry was rais ...
on 5 June 1040.
Thietmar was the lay patron who assembled carpenters and stonemasons to build the abbey church.
As well as confirming the authenticity of the relics of St Quirinus at Malmedy in 1042,
Poppo revived the cult of St Remaclus. Poppo died in 1048; his cult, which began almost immediately,
[The ', which detailed the miracles that occurred in his name, specifically asserted that Stavelot might rejoice in having a saint, as Tours rejoiced in its Saint Martin.] focused on his resting place in the crypt. Malmedy developed around the monastery; until the end of the tenth century, the villagers used the chapel of
Saint Laurent, an
apsidiole An apsidiole or absidiale refers to a small semicircular or polygonal recessed space projecting from or arranged around the main apse of a cathedral. In medieval Catholic church design, apsidioles serve as basic units and key features of architectur ...
of the abbey church, as their place of worship.
In 1065, controversy arose when
Anno II, Archbishop of Cologne
Anno II ( – 4 December 1075) was Archbishop of Cologne from 1056 until his death. From 1063 to 1065 he acted as regent of the Holy Roman Empire for the minor Emperor Henry IV. Anno is venerated as a saint of the Catholic Church.
Life
He was ...
, named Tegernon of abbot of Malmedy, on dubious authority—whilst Malmedy was in the archdiocese of Cologne, the two abbeys were linked and, thus, under the purview of the diocese of , where Stavelot lay. This occurred despite several previous Imperial bulls reinforcing the position that the two abbeys should be subject to a single abbot.
[ For example: "" Otto I, King of the Romans, granted to abbot Odilon, under which he grants to the religious community of the monasteries of Stavelot and Malmedy the free ability to choose an abbot, charged with the sole right of administration of the two monasteries."]
page 8
More recently to the time, Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor">Emperor Henry IV
Henry IV (; 11 November 1050 – 7 August 1106) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 to 1105, King of Germany from 1054 to 1105, King of Italy and Burgundy from 1056 to 1105, and Duke of Bavaria from 1052 to 1054. He was the son of Henry III, Holy ...
had confirmed this in Trier in 1065: "" ["... declaring that the two monasteries must submit to the authority of a single abbot."
page 10/ref> The monks from Stavelot processed to Malmedy with the
crosier
A crozier or crosier (also known as a paterissa, pastoral staff, or bishop's staff) is a stylized staff that is a symbol of the governing office of a bishop or abbot and is carried by high-ranking prelates of Roman Catholic, Eastern Catho ...
and relics of St Remaclus to remind the rebellious monks of the traditional ordering of the abbeys that the saint had instituted. The relics and crosier were also transported to an Imperial Diet of
Henry IV in
Goslar
Goslar (; Eastphalian dialect, Eastphalian: ''Goslär'') is a historic town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the Goslar (district), district of Goslar and is located on the northwestern wikt:slope, slopes of the Harz ...
. In 1066, they processed again, this time to
Aachen
Aachen is the List of cities in North Rhine-Westphalia by population, 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, 27th-largest city of Germany, with around 261,000 inhabitants.
Aachen is locat ...
and
Fritzlar
Fritzlar () is a small town (pop. 15,000) in the Schwalm-Eder-Kreis, Schwalm-Eder district in northern Hesse, Germany, north of Frankfurt, with a storied history.
The town has a medieval center ringed by a wall with numerous watch towers. high ...
; they processed to
Bitburg
Bitburg (; ; ) is a city in Germany, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate approximately 25 km (16 mi.) northwest of Trier and 50 km (31 mi.) northeast of Luxembourg (city), Luxembourg city. The American Spangdahlem Air Base i ...
and
Bamberg
Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian German, East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia district in Bavaria, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main (river), Main. Bamberg had 79,000 inhabitants in ...
the following year. That their prayers were not answered apparently led the monks to despair that the relics were becoming impotent or that the monks were being punished by their patron; in 1067 and 1068, abbot Thierry even went 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, ...
to appeal to
Pope Alexander II
Pope Alexander II (1010/1015 – 21 April 1073), born Anselm of Baggio, was the head of the Roman Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1061 to his death in 1073. Born in Milan, Anselm was deeply involved in the Pataria reform mo ...
. This impasse lasted for a further three years, until Henry held court at Liège during Easter in 1071; with great ceremony, the monks processed with Remaclus's relics to meet with his legendary fellow bishop
St Lambert, joined en route by the relics of
St Symmetrus. Numerous miracles convinced the emperor to recognise the union of the two abbeys and reiterate the superiority of Stavelot, forcing Anno eventually to capitulate. A rejoiceful procession back to Stavelot paused en route to celebrate Mass on the banks of the Meuse; finally, the monks processed with Remaclus's relics to the abbey at Malmedy, to symbolise the restoration of his and their authority. This series of episodes is recounted in the heroic narrative of the ''Triumph of St Remaclus'' and confirmed by several contemporary sources.
In 1098,
Wibald was born in the hamlet of , near Stavelot. Elected prince-abbot in 1130, he played a key role in the religious life of the region and the abbeys. In 1138, he granted permission for the
castle
A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...
to be built in , first mentioned in an 862 abbey charter.
[ this piece contains a citation to ] In the 12th to 15th centuries, however, the abbacy experienced a slow decline. In the 14th and 15th centuries, several Imperial edicts, initially issued by
Emperor Charles IV, put the abbacy under the protection of the
counts of Luxembourg
The County of Luxembourg (; ) was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It arose from medieval '' Lucilinburhuc'' ("Little Fortress") Castle in the present-day City of Luxembourg, purchased by Siegfried, Count of the Ardennes in 963. His descen ...
.
[ For example: Charles IV, King of the Romans enjoining, in his capacity as hereditary officer of the abbey of Stavelot, all the officers of the ]Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor">Charles IV, King of the Romans enjoining, in his capacity as hereditary officer of the abbey of Stavelot, all the officers of the county of Luxembourg to take under their protection the abbot, his church and all the goods they possess and to assure their tenure."
page 14 This protection was reiterated in 1384 by Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia">Wenceslaus, King of the Romans
Wenceslaus IV (also ''Wenceslas''; ; , nicknamed "the Idle"; 26 February 136116 August 1419), also known as Wenceslaus of Luxembourg, was King of Bohemia from 1378 until his death and King of Germany from 1376 until he was deposed in 1400. As h ...
and in 1417 by Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, themselves both dukes of Luxembourg
page 15
. House of Habsburg, Habsburg Emperor Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I, also duke of Luxembourg, again reiterated this protection by an edict of 1674
page 46
.
Early Modern Age
In 1509,
William
William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...
of organised a procession to induce the recalcitrant county of , a fief of the abbey, to submit to his jurisdiction. The cortège was pious, rather than fraught with tension; with Stavelot monks carrying the shrines of Remaclus and with other reliquaries; and the monks of Malmedy with reliquaries of
Quirinus
In Roman mythology and Roman religion, religion, Quirinus ( , ) is an early god of the Ancient Rome, Roman state. In Augustus, Augustan Rome, ''Quirinus'' was also an epithet of Janus, Mars (mythology), Mars, and Jupiter (god), Jupiter.
Name
...
,
Just, Peter, and Philip; joined by parishioners from with the relics of Symmetrus.
In 1521, after the castle in had been dismantled, William added "Count of " to the abbots' titles, with the county representing most of the western portion of the principality's territory.

The abbey church served as a monastic church and as a church of pilgrimage until the French Revolution. Its imposing gatehouse tower was rebuilt in 1534;
(its ground floor and some further foundation still remain). Malmedy began to flourish particularly in the 16th century with the development of tannery; in 1544 there were only 216 houses with a thousand inhabitants, but that more than tripled by 1635.
After the death of abbot Christopher of Manderscheid, there was a series of absent abbots, including
Maximilian Henry of Bavaria (also bishop of and of ), who reformed the abbey in 1656.
In the 17th century, Stavelot and Malmedy were major centres of
tanning in Europe.
Papermaking
Papermaking is the manufacture of paper and cardboard, which are used widely for printing, writing, and packaging, among many other purposes. Today almost all paper is Pulp and paper industry, made using industrial machinery, while handmade pape ...
was particularly important to Malmedy, as was the manufacture of
gunpowder
Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal (which is mostly carbon), and potassium nitrate, potassium ni ...
. Other industries included
cotton
Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
manufacturing, manufacture of
chess set
A chess set consists of a chessboard and White and Black in chess, white and black chess pieces for playing chess. There are sixteen pieces of each color: one King (chess), king, one Queen (chess), queen, two Rook (chess), rooks, two Bishop (chess ...
s and
dominoes
Dominoes is a family of tile-based games played with gaming pieces. Each domino is a rectangular tile, usually with a line dividing its face into two square ''ends''. Each end is marked with a number of spots (also called ''Pip (counting), pips ...
, and
gingerbread
Gingerbread refers to a broad category of baked goods, typically flavored with ginger root, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon and sweetened with honey, sugar, or molasses. Gingerbread foods vary, ranging from a moist loaf cake to forms nearly ...
baking.
In 1659, a
Capuchin convent was built in Stavelot.

Despite the abbacy's
neutrality and the protection of the prince-abbots, the territory was invaded at least 50 times by troops passing through, whose depredations had disastrous consequences for the population,
including the 4 October 1689 razing of both Stavelot
and Malmedy
on the orders of , general to
Louis XIV of France
LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...
, during the
Nine Years' War
The Nine Years' War was a European great power conflict from 1688 to 1697 between Kingdom of France, France and the Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg), Grand Alliance. Although largely concentrated in Europe, fighting spread to colonial poss ...
.
In Stavelot, the entire town, including over 360 houses, was destroyed, leaving just the abbey and its farmyard standing.
In Malmedy, some 600 out of the 660 houses of the town were destroyed and it took more than a century to completely rebuild.
Malmedy's 1601
city walls
A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications such as curtain walls with to ...
had previously been destroyed by French troops in 1658, during the 1635–59
Franco-Spanish War.
The wars—and passage by troops of
Brandenburg-Prussia, the
Dutch Republic
The United Provinces of the Netherlands, commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, and —had cost the principality the sum of 2.75 million '. The abbey had to borrow 134 000 thalers from Liège and
Verviers
Verviers (; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium.
The municipality consists of the following districts: Ensival, Heusy, Lambermont, Petit-Rechain, Stembert, and Verviers. It is also the cent ...
; another loan, shared amongst the communities, totalled 109 000 thalers, with annual
interest
In finance and economics, interest is payment from a debtor or deposit-taking financial institution to a lender or depositor of an amount above repayment of the principal sum (that is, the amount borrowed), at a particular rate. It is distinct f ...
of 14 161 thalers and
arrears
In finance, arrears (or arrearage) is a legal term for the part of a debt that is overdue after missing one or more required payments. The amount of the arrears is the amount accrued from the date on which the first missed payment was due. The t ...
of 26 000 thalers.
By the start of the 18th century the principality had lost a third of its territory, as a result of war, fires, pillage, and unjust encroachments. The deputies to the Imperial Diet complained that, in the 16th century, the
Spanish Netherlands
The Spanish Netherlands (; ; ; ) (historically in Spanish: , the name "Flanders" was used as a '' pars pro toto'') was the Habsburg Netherlands ruled by the Spanish branch of the Habsburgs from 1556 to 1714. They were a collection of States of t ...
had seized several territories and that the Bishopric of had stolen over half a dozen ' totalling over 2000 households; adding that the principality itself retained only 1693 households, having had 3780 households before the upheavals and that the suffering of the principality had caused some of the richest and most powerful families to emigrate. The Imperial Diet was moved to halve the ' for the abbeys (reducing the sums and troops the abbeys needed to provide towards the Imperial army) and exempting any need for the abbeys to send troops to the Imperial army for three years, an exemption extended for four more years on 24 March 1715.
Abolition

During the
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted French First Republic, France against Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain, Habsb ...
, from 1793 to 1804, the abbey was abandoned by the monks and the principality extinguished.
Stavelot was incorporated into the French Republic by a decree of 2 March 1793, along with and .
Despite opposition from local notables, Malmedy was similarly incorporated by a decree of of the Year IV (1 October 1795).
Stavelot abbey itself was sacked and the church sold and demolished;
of the church just the western doorway remains, as a free-standing tower. Two
cloister
A cloister (from Latin , "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open Arcade (architecture), arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle (architecture), quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cat ...
s—one secular, one for the monks—survive as the courtyards of the brick-and-stone 17th-century domestic ranges. The foundations of the abbey church are presented as a footprint, with walls and column bases that enable the visitor to visualize the scale of the
Romanesque abbey.
Geography and administration

Based largely in the and river valleys, the principality occupied a substantial proportion of what is now the
of in the
province of . By the time of the
French Revolution, the principality was bounded on the north by the
duchy of Limburg
The Duchy of Limburg or Limbourg was an imperial estate of the Holy Roman Empire. Much of the area of the duchy is today located within Liège Province of Belgium, with a small portion in the municipality of Voeren, an Enclave and exclave, excla ...
, on the south and east by the
duchy of Luxembourg
The Duchy of Luxembourg (; ; ; ) was a Imperial state, state of the Holy Roman Empire, the ancestral homeland of the noble House of Luxembourg. The House of Luxembourg became one of the most important political forces in the 14th century, comp ...
and on the north-west by the
marquisate of and the .
The principality was divided into three administrative districts: the ' of Stavelot and Malmedy, and the
county of , totalling around 28,000 inhabitants.
The ' of Stavelot contained 14 communities and that of Malmedy contained the town itself and the ' of and . The county of was divided into four ': (7 communities), (6), (5) and (2), with public assemblies being based in . In addition, six other communities were
exclaves
An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is s ...
, and there were the ' of
Anthisnes
Anthisnes (; ) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium.
On 1 January 2006 Anthisnes had a total population of 3,998. The total area is 37.08 km2 which gives a population density of 108 inhabitants per km2.
...
and , in the . In 1768, these two ' were exchanged with for , , and .
Several sources note that there were disputes between the two abbeys, with Stavelot assuming primacy over Malmedy,
to the latter's discontent; though new abbots were invested in Stavelot on behalf of both abbeys.
Whilst an
absolute
Absolute may refer to:
Companies
* Absolute Entertainment, a video game publisher
* Absolute Radio, (formerly Virgin Radio), independent national radio station in the UK
* Absolute Software Corporation, specializes in security and data risk ma ...
principality, in some matters the prince-abbot would consult a general assembly or ' of clergy, dignitaries, prince's officers, mayors, and aldermen, whose main role was to vote for
tax
A tax is a mandatory financial charge or levy imposed on an individual or legal entity by a governmental organization to support government spending and public expenditures collectively or to regulate and reduce negative externalities. Tax co ...
es. Each of the three districts had its own provincial assembly and court, with a Princely Council for highly contested cases. As a court of last resort, citizens could appeal to the ' (Imperial Chamber Court), created by
Emperor Maximilian I
Maximilian I (22 March 1459 – 12 January 1519) was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1508 until his death in 1519. He was never crowned by the Pope, as the journey to Rome was blocked by the Venetians. He proclaimed hi ...
(reigned 1508–19) on the model of the parliaments in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
and
Mechelen
Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...
and headquartered in
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
(1495–1527), (1527–1693) and
Wetzlar
Wetzlar () is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. It is the twelfth largest city in Hesse with currently 55,371 inhabitants at the beginning of 2019 (including second homes). As an important cultural, industrial and commercial center, the un ...
(1693–1806).
Shortly before the principality's extinction, it contributed just over 81 Reichsthaler per session for the maintenance of the Imperial Chamber Court, from annual revenues of around 25 000
Rhenish guilder
The Rhenish ''gulden'' or Rhenish ''guilder'' (; ) was a gold, standard currency coin of the Rhineland in the 14th and 15th centuries. They weighed between 3.4 and 3.8 grams ().
History
The Rhenish gold ''gulden'' was created when the Prince- ...
.
Art
The abbeys at Stavelot and Malmedy commissioned some of the finest surviving works of
Mosan art
Mosan art is a regional style of art from the valley of the Meuse in present-day Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Although in a broader sense the term applies to art from this region from all periods, it generally refers to Romanesque ar ...
, one of the leading schools of
Romanesque art
Romanesque art is the art of Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic Art, Gothic style in the 12th century, or later depending on region. The preceding period is known as the Pre-Romanesque period. The term was invented by 1 ...
, especially in
goldsmith
A goldsmith is a Metalworking, metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Modern goldsmiths mainly specialize in jewelry-making but historically, they have also made cutlery, silverware, platter (dishware), plat ...
metalwork, which was then the most prestigious art form. Their collections were dispersed by wars and, finally, the French Revolution. Works from the abbeys are now in museums across the world. The
illuminated manuscript
An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared manuscript, document where the text is decorated with flourishes such as marginalia, borders and Miniature (illuminated manuscript), miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Churc ...
Stavelot Bible (now in the
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. Based in London, it is one of the largest libraries in the world, with an estimated collection of between 170 and 200 million items from multiple countries. As a legal deposit li ...
) was probably the abbey's main bible, and was created there by several hands over a four-year period ending in 1097
(other works have been identified as being from the same
scriptorium
A scriptorium () was a writing room in medieval European monasteries for the copying and illuminating of manuscripts by scribes.
The term has perhaps been over-used—only some monasteries had special rooms set aside for scribes. Often they ...
). The bible has been described as "a perfect microcosm of the influences and interests that gave rise to the first
Romanesque painting
Romanesque art is the art of Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic style in the 12th century, or later depending on region. The preceding period is known as the Pre-Romanesque period. The term was invented by 19th-centur ...
".
A group of manuscripts from the less productive
scriptorium
A scriptorium () was a writing room in medieval European monasteries for the copying and illuminating of manuscripts by scribes.
The term has perhaps been over-used—only some monasteries had special rooms set aside for scribes. Often they ...
at Malmedy were donated to the
Vatican Library
The Vatican Apostolic Library (, ), more commonly known as the Vatican Library or informally as the Vat, is the library of the Holy See, located in Vatican City, and is the city-state's national library. It was formally established in 1475, alth ...
in 1816 by
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII (; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823) was head of the Catholic Church from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. He ruled the Papal States from June 1800 to 17 May 1809 and again ...
,
including the ''Malmedy Bible'' and two
lectionaries from about 1300.
Malmedy illuminations show a particular closeness with metalwork styles.
Abbot
Wibald (ruled 1130–58) was an important Imperial minister and diplomat, and was regarded as one of the greatest patrons of Mosan art in its best period, although much of the evidence for this is circumstantial. Some of his surviving letters discuss works which may be identifiable with existing pieces, and an "aurifaber G", who some have identified with , a shadowy figure to whom many masterpieces are attributed. Several important commissions were certainly placed by Wibald with Mosan workshops of goldsmiths and metalworkers, and other works later connected with Stavelot are also presumed to have been commissioned by him.
The works, mostly
enamels of very high quality, include the
Stavelot Triptych, a portable altar
reliquary
A reliquary (also referred to as a ''shrine'', ''Chasse (casket), chasse'', or ''phylactery'') is a container for relics. A portable reliquary, or the room in which one is stored, may also be called a ''feretory''.
Relics may be the purported ...
for two fragments of the
True Cross
According to Christian tradition, the True Cross is the real instrument of Jesus' crucifixion, cross on which Jesus of Nazareth was Crucifixion of Jesus, crucified.
It is related by numerous historical accounts and Christian mythology, legends ...
, , (now in the
Morgan Library & Museum in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
),
the Stavelot Portable Altar of 1146, and a head-shaped reliquary of
Pope Alexander II
Pope Alexander II (1010/1015 – 21 April 1073), born Anselm of Baggio, was the head of the Roman Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1061 to his death in 1073. Born in Milan, Anselm was deeply involved in the Pataria reform mo ...
, , possibly by (both now
Museum,
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
).
A gold
relief
Relief is a sculpture, sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''wikt:relief, relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give ...
retable
A retable is a structure or element placed either on or immediately behind and above the altar or communion table of a church. At the minimum, it may be a simple shelf for candles behind an altar, but it can also be a large and elaborate struct ...
of the
Pentecost
Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christianity, Christian holiday which takes place on the 49th day (50th day when inclusive counting is used) after Easter Day, Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spiri ...
(1160–70) is in the ' in Paris. An important and more elaborate retable of Saint Remaclus, of about 1150, about nine square metres in extent, was broken up during the French Revolution; and only two round enamel plaques survive, in Berlin and
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
,
though a 17th-century drawing survives in .
Coat of arms
The
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
granted to the town of Stavelot, in 1819, is also that of the abbey—parted
fess
In heraldry, a fess or fesse (from Middle English ', Old French ', and -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... ', and charge on a coat of arms">Latin ' ...
wise between an image of St Remaclus and the
wolf
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, includin ...
, which in Stavelot's founding legend carried bricks for the building of the abbey after having killed Remaclus's
donkey
The donkey or ass is a domesticated equine. It derives from the African wild ass, ''Equus africanus'', and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, ''Equus africanus asinus'', or as a separate species, ''Equus asinus''. It was domes ...
.
[ cited in ]
See also
*
List of Carolingian monasteries
This is a partial list of monasteries of the Carolingian Empire, in Western Europe around the year 800.
{, class="wikitable"
! Abbey
! Location (present-day)
! Foundation date (traditional)
! Founder (traditional)
, -
, Altomünster Abbey
, Altom ...
*
Carolingian architecture
Carolingian architecture is the style of north European Pre-Romanesque architecture belonging to the period of the Carolingian Renaissance of the late 8th and 9th centuries, when the Carolingian dynasty dominated west European politics. It wa ...
References
External links
Official website of Stavelot Abbey
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stavelot-Malmedy, Principality
Imperial abbeys
651 establishments
States and territories established in the 650s
Historical geography of Belgium
Lower Rhenish-Westphalian Circle
Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy
The Princely Abbey of Stavelot-Malmedy, also Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy, sometimes known with its German name Stablo, was an Hochstift, ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Princely power was exercised by the Order of Sai ...
Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy
The Princely Abbey of Stavelot-Malmedy, also Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy, sometimes known with its German name Stablo, was an Hochstift, ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Princely power was exercised by the Order of Sai ...
Principalities of the Holy Roman Empire
Prince-bishoprics of the Holy Roman Empire in Belgium
Southern Netherlands
Stavelot
Stavelot (; ; ) is a town and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium.
The municipality consists of the following districts: Francorchamps and Stavelot.
It is best known as the home of Spa-Francorchamps Circuit a ...