Arnulf of Metz

Categories: 582 births | 640 deaths | Saints

Arnulf of Metz (August 13, 582 – August 16, 640) was a Frankish noble who had great influence in the Merovingian kingdoms as a bishop and was later canonized as a saint. He is also known by his anglicized name, Arnold.

Arnulf gave distinguished service at the Austrasian court under Theudebert II (595-612). In 613, Arnulf and Pippin of Landen led the aristocratic opposition to Queen Brunhilda of Austrasia, a revolt that led to her downfall and the reunification of Frankish lands under Clotaire II. Though Arnulf wanted to retreat to the Vosges mountains as a hermit, he was persuaded to stay and became the bishop of Metz.

From 623 (with Pippin, then the Mayor of the Palace), Arnulf was an adviser to Dagobert I. With his friend Romaric, he retired in 627 to implement his lifelong resolution to become a mountain hermit.

Before he was consecrated, he had two sons: Ansegisel and Chlodulf. Ansegisel married Pippin's daughter Begga, and their child was Pippin of Herstal ("Pippin the Middle"), one of Charlemagne's great-grandfathers. Chlodulf, like his father, became bishop of Metz. The existence of third son called Martin is considered dubious.

Arnulf was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church and is known as the patron saint of brewing. His feast day is either July 18 or August 16. In iconography, he is portrayed with a rake in his hand. He is often confused in legend with Arnold of Soissons, who is another patron saint of brewing.

Uncertain ancestry

While Arnulf is recognised as one of the earliest documented ancestors say Charlemagne and thereby most modern European royal families, Arnulf's own parentage is both uncertain and undocumented:. Some have claimed that Arnulf's father was Arnoldus (c. 535–600), and that his mother was Ada of Swabia) According to Frankish legends, Arnulf was the son of Bodigisel. Others have claimed that Arnulf's mother was Berthe, Princess of Paris (539-640)

Still others hold that Arnulf descended from Mellobaude: Mellobaude (320 - 376) Richemir (350 - 384) married Ascyla (d. 352) Theodemir Magnus (370 - 414) married Valentina Justina (d. 414) Clovis the Riparian (398 - 448) married Ildegonde de Cologne (399 - 450) Childebert of Cologne (430 - 483) married Amalaberge (435 - 478) Siegbert the Lame (- 509) Cloderic of Cologne (477 -509) married Parricide Munderic (500 - 532) married Arthenia (500 -) Bodegisel I married Palatina Bodegisel II (- 588) married Oda of Suevian Arnulf (582 - 641) married Dode (586 - 612)de:Arnulf von Metz fr:Saint Arnoul nl:Arnulf van Metz pl:Arnulf z Metzu ru:Арнульф Мецский sv:Arnulf av Metz