Baldric of Dol

Baldric of Dol [Baudri of Bourgeuil, Baudry, Balderic, Balderich, Baldericus.] (c. 1050-January 7, 1130) was abbot of Bourgueil from 1079 to 1106, then bishop of Dol-en-Bretagne from 1107 until his death [Henri Pasquier, Un poète latin du XIième siècle: Baudri, Abbé de Bourgueil, Archevêque de Dol, 1046-1130 (Paris 1878).] .

After a course of studies at the school of Angers, he entered the Abbey of Bourgueil in Anjou, where he became abbot in 1079. In addition to his various official duties, he was an active participant in the loose association of regional Latin literary writers known today as the Loire School. In 1107 he received from Pope Paschal II the pallium of Bishop of Dol. He assisted at all the councils held in his day, traveled several times to Rome, and left an account of a journey to England. He exercised considerable activity in reforming monastic discipline. The last years of his life were spent in retirement. He is remembered as the author of important or interesting contributions to history, poetry, and hagiography.

Balderic's poetic oeuvre was written almost entirely while abbot at Bourgueil [Otto Schumann, "Baudri von Bourgueil als Dichter," in Studien zur lateinischen Dichtung des Mittelalters, vol. 3 (Munich, 1931), 885-896.] . The 256 [Karlheinz Hilbert, Baldricus Burgulianus Carmina (Heidelberg, 1979)] extant poems are found almost exclusively in a single contemporary manuscript which is most likely an authorized copy [Jean-Yves Tilliette, "Note sur le manuscrit des poèmes de Baudri de Bourgueil," Scriptoria 37 (1983), 241-245.] . They consist of a wide range of poetic forms ranging from epitaphs, riddles and epistolary poems to longer pieces such as an interpretative defense of Greek mythology and a praise poem for Adela of Normandy that describes something very like the Bayeux Tapestry within its 1,368 lines. His thematics are dominated by two great topics: desire/friendship (amor)--including paedophiliac--and game/poetry (iocus) [Gerald A. Bond, The loving subject: desire, eloquence and power in Romanesque France (Philadelphia, 1995)] . His constant citations and interpretations reveal a deep knowledge and appreciation of Ovid that was rare for the age.

Balderic's most valuable work from the second part of his career is his "Historiae Hierosolymitanae libri IV", an account of the First Crusade, based in part on the testimony of eyewitnesses, and submitted for correction to the Abbot Peter of Maillesais, who had accompanied the Crusaders. Among his other works are poems on the conquest of England and on the reign of Philip I; lives, in Latin, of his friend Robertus de Arbrissello [Published by the Bollandists under February 25.] , of St. Valerian [Published by Bouquet, "Hist. Eccl. De France".] , and of St. Hugh of Rouen [Published by Du Monstier, "Neustria Pia".] ; finally a letter to the monks of Fécamp Abbey which contains some valuable material relating to Breton manners, and to English and Norman monasteries [Duchesne and Bouquet, "Historiens de France.] .

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*catholic

Category;Bishops of Dol