Abbot Oliva
Encyclopedia
Oliva (c. 971-1046) was the count of Berga (998-1003) and Ripoll
and later bishop of Vic
(1018–1046) and abbot of Sant Miquel de Cuixà
. He was the son of a noble Catalan
house who abdicated his secular possessions to take up the Benedictine
habit in the Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll. He is considered one of the spiritual founders of Catalonia
and perhaps the most important prelate of his age in the Iberian Peninsula
.
Subsequently raised to the bishopric of Vic and the abbacy of Cuixà, he was a great writer and from his scriptorium at Ripoll flowed a ceaseless stream of works enlightening us about his world. Most importantly, however, are the Arabic manuscripts he translated into Latin for the benefit of all Europe.
He promoted the movement of Peace and Truce of God
(Pau i treva), towards 1022 and in 1027. The agreement of this treaty with other bishops and noblemen took place in Toulouges
(Roussillon
) and was said that all, noblemen, knights, farmers and monks, agreed to make, days in which nobody could quarrel with anybody and in which the fugitives could take refuge in churches and places holy, sure of being protected and respected, some days every year, be days of Peace.
So influential was he, that, in 1023, King Sancho III of Navarre
consulted him on the propriety of marrying his sister Urraca to her second cousin Alfonso V of León
. The bishop objected, but Sancho ignored him. His letters to the various contemporaneous kings of Spain indicate to us that Alfonso and his successor, Vermudo III
were regarded as imperatores
, while the king of Navarre was a mere rex
, though eventually rex Ibericus.
He founded or reformed the monasteries of Montserrat
(1025), Fluvià
, and Canigó, and consecrated or patronized numerous other churches, such as the Collegiate Basilica of Manresa. It was he who created the Assemblies of Peace and Truce, the seeds of the future Catalan corts
, to aid the nobles in the administration of the realm. He improved the decoration of his own church at Ripoll and rededicated it on 15 January 1032. He was a close advisor to Count Berengar Raymond I of Barcelona
and reconstructed the cathedral of Vic with the support of his Countess Ermesinda. The new cathedral was rededicated to Peter and Paul on 31 August 1038. He died at his monastery at Cuixà in 1046.
In 1973 the Abat Oliba College was created as a private branch of the University of Barcelona
. In 2003, the Catalan government (Generalitat de Catalunya
) approved the Abat Oliba College conversion to the Abat Oliba CEU University. They take the name of Abbot Oliba because they "aim to embrace the spirit of Oliba who thousand years ago established the foundations of the nascent Catalonia
on the basis of the Roman and Christian culture".
Ripoll
Ripoll is the capital of the comarca of Ripollès, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is located on confluence of the Ter River and its tributary Freser, next to the Pyrenees near the French border...
and later bishop of Vic
Vic
Vic is the capital of the comarca of Osona, in the Barcelona Province, Catalonia, Spain. Vic's location, only 69 km far from Barcelona and 60 km from Girona, has made it one of the most important towns in central Catalonia.-History:...
(1018–1046) and abbot of Sant Miquel de Cuixà
Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa
Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa is a Benedictine abbey located in the territory of the commune of Codalet, in the Pyrénées-Orientales département, in southwestern France...
. He was the son of a noble Catalan
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
house who abdicated his secular possessions to take up the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
habit in the Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll. He is considered one of the spiritual founders of Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
and perhaps the most important prelate of his age in the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
.
Subsequently raised to the bishopric of Vic and the abbacy of Cuixà, he was a great writer and from his scriptorium at Ripoll flowed a ceaseless stream of works enlightening us about his world. Most importantly, however, are the Arabic manuscripts he translated into Latin for the benefit of all Europe.
He promoted the movement of Peace and Truce of God
Peace and Truce of God
The Peace and Truce of God was a medieval European movement of the Catholic Church that applied spiritual sanctions in order to limit the violence of private war in feudal society. The movement constituted the first organized attempt to control civil society in medieval Europe through non-violent...
(Pau i treva), towards 1022 and in 1027. The agreement of this treaty with other bishops and noblemen took place in Toulouges
Toulouges
Toulouges is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.-History:Toulouges was probably grew upon a Roman villa. It was first mentioned in 904 at the same time mentioning the church called Tulogias...
(Roussillon
Roussillon
Roussillon is one of the historical counties of the former Principality of Catalonia, corresponding roughly to the present-day southern French département of Pyrénées-Orientales...
) and was said that all, noblemen, knights, farmers and monks, agreed to make, days in which nobody could quarrel with anybody and in which the fugitives could take refuge in churches and places holy, sure of being protected and respected, some days every year, be days of Peace.
So influential was he, that, in 1023, King Sancho III of Navarre
Sancho III of Navarre
Sancho III Garcés , called the Great , succeeded as a minor to the Kingdom of Navarre in 1004, and through conquest and political maneuvering increased his power, until at the time of his death in 1035 he controlled the majority of Christian Iberia, bearing the title of rex Hispaniarum...
consulted him on the propriety of marrying his sister Urraca to her second cousin Alfonso V of León
Alfonso V of León
Alfonso V , called the Noble, was King of León from 999 to 1028. He was the son of Bermudo II by his second wife Elvira García of Castile. The Abbot Oliva called him "Emperor of Spain"....
. The bishop objected, but Sancho ignored him. His letters to the various contemporaneous kings of Spain indicate to us that Alfonso and his successor, Vermudo III
Bermudo III of León
Bermudo III , king of León , son of Alfonso V of León by his wife Elvira Mendes, was the last scion of Peter of Cantabria to rule in the Leonese kingdom...
were regarded as imperatores
Imperator totius Hispaniae
Imperator totius Hispaniae is a Latin title meaning "Emperor of all Spain". In Spain in the Middle Ages, the title "emperor" was used under a variety of circumstances from the ninth century onwards, but its usage peaked, as a formal and practical title, between 1086 and 1157...
, while the king of Navarre was a mere rex
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
, though eventually rex Ibericus.
He founded or reformed the monasteries of Montserrat
Santa Maria de Montserrat
Santa Maria de Montserrat is a Benedictine abbey located on the mountain of Montserrat, in Monistrol de Montserrat, in Catalonia, Spain.It hosts the Virgin of Montserrat, and the Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, a publishing house, one of the oldest presses in the world still running, with...
(1025), Fluvià
Fluvià
The Fluvià is a river in Catalonia. It rises in the Serralada Transversal, passes through Olot, and flows into the Mediterranean Sea near Sant Pere Pescador.- See also :* List of rivers of Spain...
, and Canigó, and consecrated or patronized numerous other churches, such as the Collegiate Basilica of Manresa. It was he who created the Assemblies of Peace and Truce, the seeds of the future Catalan corts
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
, to aid the nobles in the administration of the realm. He improved the decoration of his own church at Ripoll and rededicated it on 15 January 1032. He was a close advisor to Count Berengar Raymond I of Barcelona
Berenguer Ramon I, Count of Barcelona
Berengar Raymond I the Crooked, also called the Hunchback was the count of Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona from 1018 to his death.He was the son of Raymond Borrell, count of Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona and his wife Ermesinde of Carcassonne...
and reconstructed the cathedral of Vic with the support of his Countess Ermesinda. The new cathedral was rededicated to Peter and Paul on 31 August 1038. He died at his monastery at Cuixà in 1046.
In 1973 the Abat Oliba College was created as a private branch of the University of Barcelona
University of Barcelona
The University of Barcelona is a public university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia in Spain. It is a member of the Coimbra Group, LERU, European University Association, Mediterranean Universities Union, International Research Universities Network and Vives Network...
. In 2003, the Catalan government (Generalitat de Catalunya
Generalitat de Catalunya
The Generalitat of Catalonia is the institution under which the autonomous community of Catalonia is politically organised. It consists of the Parliament, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Government of Catalonia....
) approved the Abat Oliba College conversion to the Abat Oliba CEU University. They take the name of Abbot Oliba because they "aim to embrace the spirit of Oliba who thousand years ago established the foundations of the nascent Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
on the basis of the Roman and Christian culture".
External links
- Fundació Abat Oliba
- Abat Oliba CEU University
- Oliba at WikisourceWikisourceWikisource is an online digital library of free content textual sources on a wiki, operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. Its aims are to host all forms of free text, in many languages, and translations. Originally conceived as an archive to store useful or important historical texts, it has...