Arnulf of Metz

Arnulf of Metz was born of an important Frankish family at an uncertain date around 582. In his younger years he was called to the Merovingian court to serve king Theudebert II (595-612) of Austrasia. Later he became bishop of Metz. During his life he was attracted to religious life and he retired as a monk. After his death he was canonized as a saint. In the French language he is also known as Arnoul or Arnoulf.

Arnulf gave distinguished service at the Austrasian court under Theudebert II After the death of Theudebert in 612 he was made bishop of Metz. The rule of Austrasia came in hands of Brunhilda, the grandmother of Theudebert, who ruled also in Burgundy in name of her great-grandchildren. In 613 Arnulf joined his politics with Pippin of Landen and led the opposition of Frankish nobles against Queen Brunhilda. The revolt led to her overthrow, torture, and eventual execution, and the subsequent reunification of Frankish lands under Chlothachar II.

Chlothachar later made his son Dagobert I king of Austrasia and he ruled with the help of his advisor Arnulf. Not satisfeid with his position, as a bishop he was involved in the murder of Chrodoald in 624, an impportant leader of the Frankish Agilolfings-family and a protégé of Dagobert.

From 623 (with Pippin of Landen, then the Mayor of the Palace), Arnulf was an adviser to Dagobert I. He retired around 628 to a hermitage at a mountain site in the Vosges, to implement his lifelong resolution to become a monk and a hermit. His friend Romaric, whose parents were killed by Brunhilda had preceded him to the mountains and together with Amatus had already established the monastery of Remiremont there. Arnulf settled there, and remained there until his death twelve years later.

Arnulf was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. In iconography, he is portrayed with a rake in his hand and is often confused in legend with Arnold of Soissons, who is a patron saint of brewing.

Arnulf was married to woman who may have been called Doda and had children. Chlodulf of Metz was his oldest son, but more important is his second son Ansegisel, who married Begga daughter of Pippin of Landen.

sources

• Alban Butler's lives of the saints, edited, revised and supplemented by Thurston and Attwater. Christian Classics, Westminster, Maryland.
• Christian Settipani - La Préhistoire des Capétiens, Première Partie.
• [Life of Arnulf][[1]] - translation