Adalhard and Wala

ADALHARD AND WALA, ad´ɑl-hɑ̄rd, wɑ̄´lɑ: Abbots of Corbie (10 m. e. of Amiens) from about 775 to 834. They were brothers, cousins of Charlemagne, pupils and friends of Alcuin and Paul the Deacon, and men of much authority and influence in both church and state. The elder, Adalhard (b. about 751; d. Jan. 2, 826), was interested in the German language and the education of the clergy, and is especially famous for the establishment of diocesan colleges and the foundation of the abbey of New Corbie (Corvey) on the Weser (see Corvey). He gave new laws to his monastery of Corbie (MPL, cv. 535-550), and defended against Pope Leo III. the resolutions de exitu Spiritus Sancti passed in the autumn of 809 by the Synod of Aachen (see Filioque Controversy). When Charlemagne’s son Pepin, king of Italy, died (810), Adalhard was appointed counselor of his young son Bernard in the government of Italy.

The younger brother, Wala (d. at Bobbio in Italy Sept. 12, 836), also enjoyed the confidence of Charlemagne, and became chief of the counts of Saxony. In 812 he was sent to join Adalhard and Bernard in Italy and work for the choice of the last-named as king of the Lombards. After the death of Charlemagne and the accession of the incapable Louis (814), whom the brothers had always opposed, they returned to Corbie, and fell into disgrace for having favored Bernard. They were deprived of their estates and Adalhard was banished. After seven years, however, a reconciliation took place between them and Louis. Wala, as successor of Adalhard at Corbie, continued his brother’s work and gave especial care to the mission in the north. As head of the opposition to the repeal of the law of succession of 817 and a bold defender of the rights of the Church, he was imprisoned by Louis in 830, and regained his liberty only when, in 833, Louis’s eldest son, Lothair, the future emperor, came north with an army, accompanied by Pope Gregory IV. Wala’s counsel was gratefully received by both Lothair and Gregory; and the former rewarded him with the abbey of Bobbio in northern Italy. Just before his death Wala became reconciled with Louis, and, at the head of an embassy sent to that monarch by Lothair, made peace between father and son.

A. Werner.

Bibliography: Paschasius Radbertus, Vita Adelhardi, complete in ASM, iv. 1, pp. 308-344; Vita Walæ, ib. pp. 455-522; also in MPL, cxx. 1507-1650; extracts in MGH, Script., ii. (1829) 524-569; F. Funk, Ludwig der Fromme, Frankfort, 1832; Himly, Wala et Louis-le-Débonnaire, Paris, 1849; Jaffé, Regesta, vol. i.; A. Enck, De St. Adalhardo abbate Corbeiæ antiquæ et novæ, Münster, 1873; B. E. Simson, Jahrbücher des fränkischen Reichs unter Ludwig dem Frommen, i., Munich, 1874 ; Hauck, KD, vol. ii.; W. Wattenbach, DGQ, i. (1893) 250, ii. (1894) 170; D. C. Munro and G. C. Sellery, Mediæval Civilization, pp. 319-320, New York, 1904.