Teucinde of Arles (or Theusinde, Teucinda; ) was a Burgundian aristocrat who lived in

Arles Arles ( , , ; ; Classical ) is a coastal city and Communes of France, commune in the South of France, a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône Departments of France, department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Reg ...

, Provence, and was known for her numerous donations to the Arles Church.

Life

Teucinde was a woman of the Burgundian aristocracy who followed Hugues d'Arles to Provence and belonged to the family of the counts of

Cavaillon Cavaillon (; ) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France.

. She was the daughter of the Count of Apt, known by the nickname of Griffon, appointed by King

Conrad I of Burgundy Conrad I, called the Peaceful (; ; ; – 19 October 993), was King of Burgundy (ruling a political unit also called the Kingdom of Arles) from 937 until his death in 993. Life A member of the Elder House of Welf, Conrad was the son of King ...

in 948 or 949. Her brother was Gontard, the provost of the Cathedral of Arles. Her nephew was Majolus, the fourth

abbot of Cluny The Abbot of Cluny was the head of the powerful monastery of the Abbey of Cluny in medieval France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories ...

. A very pious woman, whom some texts describe as a ''sancto monialis'' or ''Deo devota'', Teucinde distributed her goods to the religious communities of Arles under the archbishops of Arles, Manasses and Ithier. On 7 October 949, she bought the island of Montmajour, which belonged to the archbishopric of Arles, and donated it to 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 ...

monks who lived there.

Montmajour Abbey Montmajour Abbey, formally the Abbey of St. Peter in Montmajour (), was a fortified Benedictine monastery built between the 10th and 18th centuries on what was originally an island five kilometers north of Arles, in what is now the Bouches-du- ...

was founded there. Teucinde confirmed this donation in her will in 977. On 19 July 973 Teucinde obtained from Archbishop Ithier the concession of Saint-Hippolyte near Arles for her and her nephew Riculf,

Bishop of Fréjus A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...

. They were to rebuild it, restore it, and own it until the end of their days.Gallia N C Teucinde's gravestone was found in the 1970s on private property near Montmajour Abbey.

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Teucinde of Arles 920s births 970s deaths Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain Kingdom of Burgundy History of Arles