Witbert de Nantes

Rotrude, baptized in Pavia, 835×840; probably m. Lambert, count, possibly the same person as Lambert II, d. 852, count of Nantes.

Witbert appears in a document from the monastery of Tournus from 28 January 870, in which he donated for the absolution of his lord king Lothair and of his father Lambert and mother Rotrude. Not only does Witbert speak of Lothair's generosity toward him, but more importantly, he states that Lothair was like a father to him.

Moreover, Witbert appears to have had a similar relationship with Lothair's son Hugues (although poorly repaid), if, as seems probable, he can be identified with the Wicbert who was killed by Hugues in 883. While Hlawitschka's case for identifying count Witbert's mother Rothrude with the daughter of Lothair I is good, his attempt to identify Witbert's father Lambert with Lambert II, count of Nantes, who died in 852, while possible, is less secure.

Stewart Baldwin: http://sbaldw.home.mindspring.com/hproject/prov/lotha000.htm

• The only explicit information about Rotrude is that she was baptized at Pavia while her parents were there ["... et suscepit filiam praedicti augusti nomine Rotrudam, ..." Agnellus, Liber pontificalis ecclesiae Ravennatis, c. 171, MGH SRL, 388; Hlawitschka places this between 835 and 840, Hlawitschka (1969), 367].
• As Hlawitschka has shown, Rotrude can be identified with a high degree of probability with the Rotrude who was wife of a certain Lambert and mother of a count Witbert.
• This Witbert appears in a document from the monastery of Tournus from 28 January 870, in which he donated for the absolution of his lord king Lothair and of his father Lambert and mother Rotrude ["Ego Vuitbertus misericordia Dei comes, cogitans humanae conditionis casum et spem habens, sanctae genitricis Dei et almi confessoris sui Filiberti intercessione a peccatorum posse contagio liberari, sive pro absolutione domni et senioris mei Hlotharii regis, qui mihi et pater extitit et bona quaeque mercede sua largitus est, qui etiam mihi fundum Rodonionem inter caetera contulit, seu etiam pro liberatione Lanberti genitoris mei necnon et Rutrudis genitricis meae et mea, ..." Hlawitschka (1969), 369, n. 10].
• Not only does Witbert speak of Lothair's generosity toward him, but more importantly, he states that Lothair was like a father to him ("qui mihi et pater extitit").
• Moreover, Witbert appears to have had a similar relationship with Lothair's son Hugues (although poorly repaid), if, as seems probable, he can be identified with the Wicbert who was killed by Hugues in 883 ["Hoc etiam tempore idem Hugo Wicbertum comitem, qui ab ineunte aetate sibi faverat, interfecit; ..." Regino, Chronicon, s.a. 883, 121].
• While Hlawitschka's case for identifying count Witbert's mother Rothrude with the daughter of Lothair I is good, his attempt to identify Witbert's father Lambert with Lambert II, count of Nantes, who died in 852, while possible, is less secure. For earlier conjectures on the identiy of Rotrude's husband, see the Commentary section.

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WICBERT [Witbert] (-murdered 883).  "Witbertus…comes" donated property "Rodonionem…in comitatu Odornensi" (Ornois), donated to him by "senioris mei Hlotharii Regis", to the abbey of Tournus, for the souls of "Lanberti genitoris mei necnon et Rutrudis genetricis meæ", by charter dated 28 Jan 870[765].  [Comte d'Ornois.]  The Annales Fuldenses names "Wicberto comite fraudulentissimo" when recording advice he gave to Charles III King of the East Franks regarding a Viking attack in 882[766].  "Hildebertus filius quondam Berengarii comitis" donated property "res…mee in comitatu Vuabrinse prope fluvio…Cherus villam…Beuram" for "germano meo Berengario" to Verdun Sainte-Vanne by charter dated 18 Sep 882, subscribed by "Stephanus comes, Matfridus comes, Witpertus comes"[767].  Regino names "Stephanus, Ruodbertus, Wicbertus, Thietbaldus comites, Albricus et frater eius Stephanus" recording that they opposed "Hugo filius Hlotharii" in France in 883, specifying that Wicbert was killed by Hugo[768].  m (883) as her third husband, FRIDERADA, widow firstly of ENGUERRAND, secondly of BERNARIUS, daughter of ---.  Regino names "Friderada" as wife of "Engilrammo ex qua filiam quam postmodem Richwinus comes in coniugem accepti", also referring to her subsequent marriages[769].  The Chronico Saxonico records that "Hugo filius Lotharii Regis" had "Wicbertum comitem" murdered and married his wife "Frideradam" in 883[770].  She married fourthly (883) Hugues, illegitimate son of Lothaire II King of Lotharingia.  Wicbert & his wife had one child: 

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BRITTANY.htm#Wicbertdied883 http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/LOTHARINGIA.htm