Lièpvre

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

To comply with Wikipedia's quality standards, this article may need to be rewritten. Please help improve this article. The discussion page may contain suggestions.

Coordinates: 48°16′23″N 7°16′59″E / 48.27305, 7.283

Commune of Lièpvre Lièpvre seen from Hoimbach
Location
Administration
Country	France
Region	Alsace
Department	Haut-Rhin
Arrondissement	Ribeauvillé
Canton	Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines
Intercommunality	C.C. du Val d'Argent
Mayor	Claude Ruff (2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation	234 m–930 m (avg. 275 m)
Land area¹	12.55 km²
Population² (1999)	1,632
- Density	130/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	68185/ 68660
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.

Lièpvre (German: Leberau) is a town and commune of the Haut-Rhin département, in Alsace, France. The 8th century saint and abbot, Fulrad, built a monastery here. He also brought relics of Saint Cucuphas to this monastery.

Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Distances and localities 1.2 Municipal Banns 2 History 2.1 Hermitage 2.2 Foundation of Lièpvre 2.3 Convent of Lièpvre 2.4 Royal basilica of Saint-Denis 2.5 Fulrad's death 2.6 Disputed priory 2.7 Dukes of Lorraine 2.8 Decline of the priory 2.9 Disappearance of the priory 2.10 Current church 2.11 Plunders and ravage wars of the Middle Age 2.12 Berthold of Bucheck invests Valley of Lièpvre 2.13 Mercenary plunder Lièpvre 2.14 Armagnacs enter the valley 2.15 Armagnacs is undone in the valley 2.16 The count Palatine and the bishop of Strasbourg take revenge on the inhabitants of Lièpvre 2.17 Duke of Lorraine Antoine returns in conflict with the Lord of Geroldseck 3 Places and monuments 3.1 Old fountain 3.2 Chapel / ossuary 3.3 The gravestone of Eckerich 3.4 Musloch's chapel 3.5 The former borders of the Chapter Saint Georges of Nancy 3.6 The frescoes of XIII-th century under the vault of the bell tower of the parochial church 3.7 Fountain Saint Alexander 4 Notes and references 5 Bibliographies

[edit] Geography

The municipality nestles in the valley of the Liepvrette ^[1] coming out of the main chain of Vosges in the neighborhood of the Col de Bagenelles (Vosges). It flows at first towards the northeast, and reaches Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines. Lebraha's original name is doubtless of Celtic origin and seems to arise from the word Labar (Latinized shape), whence from term Valle Leporus by 1200. One meets also in this time the name of Levremouster, which is the name in Lièpvre's dialect.

Downstream, the Lièpvrette receives the waters of Rauenthal, come from Brézouard (right bank, confluence to Echéry). She crosses Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines where she receives the waters of the valleys of the Petit and Grand Rombach and arrives at Lièpvre. There it is enlarged with the waters of Rombach which crosses Hingrie and Rombach-le-Franc. Below Lièpvre, the river crosses between the castle ruined with Frankenbourg and castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg then crossbar the municipality of famous Scherwiller since the victory of duke Antoine in May, 1525 against the Revolt of the Rustauds and Châtenois. She joins then Giessen (= Scheer in the former titles) which comes of Val de Villé, and all the reunited waters pour in l’Ill below Sélestat.

The municipality of Lièpvre is lined with summits of the massif of Vosges : in the South Brézouard (on 1229 m), Taennchel (992 m) and High-Koenigsbourg (775 m), in the North Altenberg (880 m), Chalmont (697meters in height - in German called Karlsberg), the Rocher du Coucou (819 m) and Frankenbourg (703 m). The link of the North is Altenberg (880 metres) separate Valley of Lièpvre of the Val de Villé. By sinking into the valley of Rombach situated in the middle of the village one finds the Col de la Hingrie in 749 metres. A road built in 1905 completely opened up Rombach-le-Franc who is in 2 km of Lièpvre. This road leads to the hamlet of Hingrie situated in 7 km of Lièpvre and farther still Col de Fouchy. The village owes its name to the river which sprays him and its origin in Lièpvre's convent. Of the top of Vosges in the plain of Alsace, Lièpvrette goes through a sort of aisle 25 km in length, rather wide so that one was able to build there in various places of villages and localities. Lièpvre occupies about the center of this aisle and which was during very for a long time the most renowned main conglomeration of the Valley of Lièpvre. Lièpvre is 275 meters in height

[edit] Distances and localities

(it exists there 102) :

Agely, Anvers, Aspygoutte, la Baisse des noyers, la Basse maisse, la Basse Mathis, la Brode, Bois l'Abbesse, Grand Breuil, le Petit Breuil, la Brode, le Calvin, Chalmont, Champs Le moine, Champs Germain, Champs grosse tête, Champs Hache, Champs Haton, Clos pré,la Collinière, la Craintole, Creux pré, Creuse de la Gely, Creux pré, Derrière la fabrique, Derrière la Grand rue, Derrière l'église, Devant Chalmont, Devant le Bois, Devant le Rain Brûlé, Devant Ménabois, Devant Musloch, Devant Vesprés, Doynières, l'Entregoutte, Estary, Faubourg de Sainte Marie, Faubourg de Sélestat, Fourrière de la fête, Fourrière de l'église, Fourrière de la place, Frarupt, la Gely, Genaugoutte, la Grande Baisse, les Grands Champs, les Grands Jardins, les Grands prés, les Gros Champs, Grandes fourrières, Grands jardins, le Gravier, la Halle, Hauts champs, la Haute Echevé, la Herrschaft, Aux Grands Zônés, le Kast, Estary, au Lundi, les Eveaux, le Haut Ménèchamp,Hoimbach, Kesbel, Musloch, Ménabois, Mollembach, Montplaisir, le Passé, Pairis, Paquis du Bas, Picaupré, la Pinasse, la Petite Baisse, les Prés Monts, le Pré Saint Alexandre, Prés de la Mule, Prés de l'étang, Prés de Mollenbach, Pré de la Dame, Pré Trinquart, Raincorn, Rain des Bolles, le Rain Brûlé, le Rain de la Mule, le Rain des Brulattes, Sous la Craintole, Sous la Raincorne, Sous le canal, Sous le Clos pré, Spiacôte, Spiemont, Sur la plaine, Sur le chemin, Sur le Ravin, Sur les Vignes, la Vaurière, Vesprés, la Vieille Papeterie, le village, Votembach

[edit] Municipal Banns

Musloch's hamlet among Lièpvre and famous Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines in 1445 to have been the refuge of the farmers of the Valley of Lièpvre who surprised the Armagnacs spirit to go to Lorraine, by imposing them a cutting defeat near the Rocher des Violons^[2] is called in 1517 Museloch, in 1782 Mauslauch. The name results from the mine which was exploited from XV-th century. In the XVIII-th century one finds Misloch or Meusloch who was a formed hamlet about thirteen families. One discovered to it in 1545, a mine which was named the mine Saint Anne. In 1750 she was abandoned because the exploitation was too much expensive.

Chalmont 697 metres in height. Called Nannenstol in Charlemagne's diploma in 774, then Chainement in 1517, Challemont in 1596, sometimes Charlemont and Karlsberg during the German occupation. In dialect Chalmont is called Chânemont.

Spiemont: in German named Stemberg. The abbot Grandidier says that he could involve Stophanberg called back in Charlemagne's diploma in 774 for Lièpvre's convent. But it is recognized for a long time that Stophanberg is other than Haut-Koenigsbourg.

[edit] History

[edit] Hermitage

A monk named Bobolinus had settled near Lièpvre where he had built a hermitage, Bobolinocella. Certain writers think that it could involve Andaldovillaré mentioned in Charlemagne's charters and who would be the wooden hamlet the Abbess (who was a part before 1789 of La Vancelle, the Bas Rhin and who was connected then with the municipality of Lièpvre), the others more numerous tilt rather for Saint-Hippolyte. This hermitage of Bobolinocella's name is mentioned in a document of Charlemagne in 774.

A monk Bobolinus was abbot in Italy, becoming the 37th bishop of Vienna. Another monk Bobolinus name was monk of Stavelot Abbey in Belgium. This Benedictine monastery was founded in 648 by Saint Remacle to evangelize Stavelot-Malmedy's region near Liège ^[3]. This person would have registered a testimony of certain Genechselo dated Esherico the 16th year of Sigebert III's administration, king of Austrasia (at the beginning of 648 the end of 650). This act, the original of which has disappeared, was formerly in the archives of the abbey of Saint-Denis. Genchieselo admits to have taken leaves in a fight arisen in his house having pulled died from man ^[4].

Escherico's name is close and very similar to that of the hamlet of Echéry to Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines who belonged to the Duchy of Alsace, maybe at first to duke Attic father of Sainte Odile, boss of Alsace. Later these lands passed in Luitfried II's hands of which the two threads, Leuthard and Hugue granted these lands to the girl of this last one, Irmengarde 804-858)^[5] who built in this place a small sanctuary. Irmengarde will become in year 821 the wife of Lothaire I (795-855)^[6]. Afterward Echéry's lands will become the property of the monks of Gorze ( the Moselle). A monk of named Gorze Blidulphe will settle down at about X-th century with some other monks in this place to create Echéry's convent. Due to the silver mines that they had discovered they were able to develop the priory which became celebrated in all the region and in Lorraine.

[edit] Foundation of Lièpvre

Lièpvre (Leberau in German, Lebera or Lebraha in Latin - In German the valley of Lièpvre takes Leberthal or Leberachtal's name and in Latin that of Lepora Leporeacensis vallis) is a big village situated on the brook which carries Lièpvrette's name, named in the former Carolingian titles Laimaha, notably in Charlemagne's diplomas in 774 ^[7] and of Lothair I in 854 and fluvius Laima in Fulrad's will in 777. The village is based by a future abbot of Saint-Denis, Fulrad, whose parents had immense possessions in Alsace. These possessions had been seized by Clovis which had redistributed them to some property owners of whom the parents of Fulrad. Riculfe, the father of Fulrad possessed indeed lands to Saint Hippolyte but also in the other places of Alsace. The region was doubtless already known by the young person Fulrad due to his parents who often took him in this region which he appreciated so much. Valley of Lièpvre was then a place where took place narrow contacts between populations on each side of the Rhine. It is doubtless the reason for which Fulrad will think of creating a convent to take foot on the other side of the border to serve Carolingian cause. Very close were also the descendants of the benefactors of Wissembourg's abbey, among whom one meets Boniface's name, carried by a brother of Fulrad. In the will it mentions that it has two brothers: Gausbert and Boniface and a sister Waldrade. His parents, Riculfe and Emengarden were not Alsatian, but were origin is not so Alsace but Mosellane which is the cradle of Welfs ^[8]. En 770 Fulrad begins the construction of a priory to Fulradocella, Lièpvre's primitive name. It took then Leberaha's name, where from comes Leberau's name, formed with the name of the river which pours into the village: Leber to whom was joined the diminutive To the whom means prairie or campaign. The monks begin then to take foot in the valley and begin to cultivate lands. In 774, Charlemagne approves Lièpvre's foundation in a diploma sent since Duren and assures him at the same opportunity several other properties situated in the royal domain of Kintzheim's neighborhood with straight ahead of meadow and hunting. The first important matter which made Fulrad to open up the valley was the creation of a road leading of Alsace in Lorraine and crossing all the valley. It received Pippin the Short license in 750 to lead works. One came from serfs of Saint-Dié ( Saint Déodat's ) region of the Valley of Galilée who are mirrored at once to cultivate forests and to make necessary works. This road succeeded by Lièpvre to join the plain of Alsace. The road was not the one that we know today, because Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines did not count at the time. She passed by Petit Rombach connected today with Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines to end on the other side of Vosges in Lusse. It is finally only from 18th century, by 1761 that was constructed another road passing this time this by Col de Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines.

[edit] Convent of Lièpvre

In year 770 Fulrad begins the construction of a priory to Fulradocella ( future Lièpvre). It is around this priory works of which are going to last 8 years when is going to develop Lièpvre's village. From the first year of sound reign, on January 13, 769, Charlemagne donated him Saint-Dié's convent. This establishment placed in around thirty km of Lièpvre owes its birth to the concession of a territory of the royal treasury by the king Childéric II at the time of the mayor Wulfoald. This person had been accused of high treason to have plotted against Pippin the Short. Translated into justice it will be condemned to death, but on Fulrad's intervention it will have safe life. In return he will give in to the king of the possessions belonging to him, of which Saint-Mihiel abbey in the diocese of Verdun ^[9] .

On September 14, 774, Charlemagne grants the other properties to his friend Fulrad, situated in the royal domain of Kintzheim's neighborhood with straight ahead of meadow. To assure the maintenance of Lièpvre's convent, Charlemagne grants besides towards 781 a vast area of forests untied from the Kintzheim's royal domain and grants to the abbey of Saint-Denis all the tithes of Lièpvre's nearby lands. He took then the name of convent of Holy Alexander and Holy Cucuphas whose his founder enriches him ^[10]. Holy Alexander's relics were at first to transport in Paris, then transferred to Lièpvre. In year 835 the relics of Saint Alexander and Saint Cucufat were transferred to the abbey of Saint-Denis (it is not know exactly under what circumstances) under Hilduin's abbatiate. Cucuphas's relics, martyr of Barcelona (the fine IIIth beginning of IV th century) were doubtless brought back by Spain and not of Rome between 777 and 778 to the time when Sulaiman Ibn-Al Arabi governed the region of Barcelona. This same Soulaiman had made his submission for Pippin the Short towards 756-753 and the bones must be returned in Long pole by the Spaniards avoiding the Moslems and given to Fulrad who has them to set to Lièpvre ^[11]. The ancient parochial church to him was dedicated and the cult went on until XVth century. In 750 Fulrad became abbot of Saint-Denis and begins alteration works of the abbey Merovingian. These works begin after Pippin the Short death that it had so faithfully served and before that of Carloman in 771. On February 24 775, the abbot Fulrad dedicates the church reconstructed by Saint-Denis in the presence of Charlemagne. Karlsruhre's library in Germany keeps a manuscript which the monks of Saint-Denis had sent towards 830 to their colleagues of Reichenau on Lake Constance. The manuscript contains the description of the basilica of Saint-Denis, consisted in 799, the 32nd year of the administration of the king Charles (Badische Landesbibliothek, Karlsruhre).

Fulrad had based meanwhile the other convents, of which notably to Salonne near Castle Salt marshes (Moselle) but also to Saint Hippolyte of whom the village was only in some kilometres of Lièpvre. In Bade-Wurtemberg one owes him notably the creation of Esslingen-am-Neckar's convents near Stuttgart, near Herbrechtingen near Heidengeim and near Hoppentenzell near Stockach to the North of Lake Constance. Territories given up to the abbot Fulrad exceeded the limits of the Valley of Lièpvre. The possessions extended also beyond the plain of Alsace, Saint-Hippolyte, Roderen, Rorschwihr, Orschwiller, Haut-Koenigsbourg. It also included the complete municipalities of Lièpvre, Rombach-le-Franc and Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines with the exception of the mountain of Saint Pierre. The summit of Chalmont makes also left for the possessions of Lièpvre's priory as well as the mountain of Taennchel. Fulrad was also an owner of Saint Germain's church to Widensolen whom he built between 777-784. Fulrad also receives properties in Sarreguemines's region, as well as Blittersdorf and Auersmacher (near Sarrebruck, in the Saar) by fortunate parents of Pippin the Short and generous givers from whom names are quoted in particular: Theudericus, Haribertus. Another less known person, Ermelindus, to bequeath to Fulrad of the possessions to Kochelinge and Fechingen and maybe Vöklingen in the Saar. During year 764 the count Ruthard who well knew Fulrad to have accompanied him up to Holy Maurice Cost it gave up him a group of possessions situated in Brisgau, to Binzen, Rummingen, Tumringen, Küttingen, Wollbach, Haltingen, Eimelfingen and Oettligen. The possessions resulted from Alamans which their had been seized. On September 23, the count Wido, future marquees of Brittany gave the other possessions to Fulrad of whom villae in Alsace and in Saulnois: Guémar ( Ghermari), Orschwiller ( Andaldovillare), Ribeauvillé ( Ratbertovillare), Grussenheim ( Geucinhaim), Andolsheim ( Ansulfishaim), Schafersheim, in the neighborhood of Colmar and Sélestat, etc.... Ruthard is certainly one of the persons the most close to Pippin the Short. It is indicated three times in the projects in which Saint-Denis is implied. From 753 at the beginning of 754, Pit sends him with Fulrad to welcome the Pope Stephen II in Argonne's holy Maurice. The importance of negotiations led by Fulrad at the expense of Pippin the Short with the Popes Zachary ( 741-752 ), and Stephen II ( 752-757 ) should not be demonstrated any more. The pope Zachary approves inauguration. Of Pippin the Short by Saint-Boniface in 752. On February 26 757, the pope Stephen II gives permission to the abbot Fulrad to build convents on his own lands or those that he bought or received from his parents he ties up relations privileged with Franks ^[12]. It is following the merits that Fulrad obtains from the pope Stephen II the abbey of Saint-Denis. Furad was used with a lot of zeal and patience with the popes Zachary, then Adrian to obtain the pallium for Abel of Reims and his successor Turpin, Archbishop of Reims. The testimonies that it brought to the pope Adrian on the righteousness and the knowledge of Tilpin to permit to be raised to the rank of archbishop. In the death of Stephan II, it is his brother Paul Ier ( 757-767 ) who will be his successor. There are six popes' bulls where Fulrad's name is quoted: four of the Staphen II signed in 757 , two of Adrian I, one of the 781 and other one of the 774. In Fulrad's death on July 16 784 ^[13] Lièpvre's village is already rather prosperous. According to the former necrology of the Abbey of Saint-Denis, the body of the abbot Fulrad was at first interred in Saint-Denis, then transferred to Lièpvre's priory on February 17 during one year which is not clarified. The epitaph which raised to him the monk - scholar of Anglo-Saxon origin, Alcuin, mentions that " Fulrad was the most illustrious of all the abbots who governed the abbey of Saint-Denis. He lived in the highest respect and in the almost general approval, loved by five popes, three kings and most great men of her century ". The donation of Lièpvre's domain is confirmed much later by Lothair I in a diploma sent by Verdun on August 4, 854 which clarifies that only the abbey of Saint-Denis is an owner of all these possessions and that they can be on no account alienated to someone else.

[edit] Royal basilica of Saint-Denis

In the will drafted by Fulrad in 777 to Héristal^[14] he wished that after the death all the possessions which it had acquired, bought or received are intended for the abbey of Saint-Denis ^[15] of which he was an abbot from 750 to 784. In this will which was for a long time analyzed by Mr Tangl and Fleckenstein, it enumerated all the possessions which had to pass under the control of Saint-Denis. This precaution was dictated by main concerns that its possessions are not scattered by some rivalries of which it anticipated consequences after the death. It took care of endorse the will by most high-ranking persons of his time. There were notably the possessions which certain Widon had given, placed him partially in Mortenau, then in Alsace, notably to Guémar, Saint-Hippolyte, Andolsheim, Sundhoven, Grussenheim and Ribeauvillé.

This donation had been endorsed in 768 by Pippin the Short, in a charter by which it fell to Fulrad the possessions which this abbot had given up to him while he felt in danger of death ^[16]. These possessions allow to make an idea of the limit and the description of the royal domain alienated in favour of Lièpvre's convent which included so three villages of the Valley of Lièpvre (Lièpvre, Rombach-le-Franc, Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines) The other historians added that the mountain of Chalmont would be other than Nannenstol mentioned in Charlemagne diploma in 774 whom in dialect is called Chânemont ^[17]. A doubt remains however as for the origin of this name ^[18] Stophanberg (Haut Koenigsbourg) but also it seems Taennchel the possessions of Lièpvre's priory made left because the monks of the priory took their pigs until the summit of this mountain so that they can eat the acorns of the oaks which sprinkled the ground ^[19]. Fulrad received from his sister Waldrade Ansulsishaim's villa which he connected with Holy Alexander to Lièpvre. In this will is also mentioned the possessions granted by Charlemagne in 774 whom declared will to give the other possessions to Fulradovilla ( Lièpvre's ) ^[20] convent of which several other wooded wood situated in Alsace, being a part of the Kintzheim's fiscal walking. These forests were situated to Garmaringa ( Guémar), Odeldinga (near Orschwiller) and Ridmarca ^[21]. It authorized besides the monks of Lièpvre graze to the crowds in all the settled of Kintzheim's walking, even except indicated limits. These properties untied from the royal domain, such as those that were a part of seigneuries of Widon and Riculfe are not mentioned in this charter signed in 774, but are indicated in Fulrad's will. The possessions of Lièpvre's convent extended also of Frarupt's brook until that of Molembach and ended in Fersta and in Bogenstrein ( Ramstein). In the other forests the rights of usage and meadow exercised in common between the nearby municipalities and Lièpvre's prieuré, what often caused disputes, notably with the inhabitants of Rombach-le-Franc. [Fulrad also mentions in his will the possessions received from certain Chrodradus on July 17, 767 (Sixteenth August calends of the 13-th year of Pepin-the-small's administration. It arranged several possessions in Germany in the pago Brisagavinsi (Brisgau) of which Rummingen, Tamingen, Kütthenhen, Haltinge, Emeldingen, Birizen and Oetlingen. Chrodradus, count of Alsace of 27/09/749 in 15/11/769 died on August 31 in year 790 ^[22]. Another importing person, Ruthard who was considered as an aristocrat sold also to the abbot Fulrad of the possessions. This person is mentioned in three Pepin the Short diplomas: in 752 , 753 and 759. Widensolen's church, district of Colmar does not appear in Fulrad's will drafted in 777, but in a copy which he executed a little later ^[23].

[edit] Fulrad's death

As long as lived Fulrad and Charlemagne that is until the death of this last one in 814, the monks of Very Lièpvre did not have to be afraid. No Lord would have allowed to question rights and possessions of the priory. However from 843 the emperor Lothario Ier gives up to certain Erchanguer count of Nordgau or Low Alsace ^[24] Quuningishaim ( Kintzheim's former) fiscal walking which had been given in 774 to Fulrad by Charlemagne. It hoped also to monopolize of the forest which depended on it and which was a part good of Lièpvre's priory ^[25]. During the interview among the three brothers, Lothario, Lewis and Karl to tighten the links of their alliances, the abbot Lewis, the son of the count Roricon and Charlemagne's Rotrude girl who obtained the abbey of Saint-Denis in 841, took advantage of it to try to remove the possessions of the priory’s of Lièpvre and Saint Hippolyte to grant them in fief, or as one said then in precarious profit, to a Lord of Conrad Ier's name, count of Argovie, brother of the empress Judith and Emma, wife of Lewis II of Bavaria and member of the influential family of Welfs which had married Gisèle, girl of the emperor Louis le Débonnaire. The monks of Saint-Denis, more conscious than their abbot opposed wildly to this seizure and carried affair in front of the assembly of the bishops reunited at the request of the king of France to Verberie, near Compiègne in 853, by producing them Fulrad's original will and the bull of the pope Stephan II which granted all the convents which this abbot could base in the vast e of his realm. The council of Verberie consisted of four archbishops and seventeen bishops cut in favor of the monks and pronounced that Lièpvre's priers could be never alienated or dismembered whatever excuse it is of the abbey of Saint-Denis. The letter synodal dated August 27 853 is sent personally to Conrad to warn it of consequences which it would have to undergo in case of passage in force ^[26].

The abbot Lewis of Saint-Denis had, not long after the misfortune of hang between the hands of the Normans. I obtained the freedom only after a strong ransom paid with several churches and the abbey of Saint-Denis she even and all the priers of France it of Germany who depended on it. Lièpvre's priory participated in its way of paying a strong sum of money for Lewis's liberation abbot of Saint-Denis. After the liberation, the abbot Lewis in sign of reward asked that after the death all the incomes of the abbeys of Saint-Denis were used for their food and the conversation of their church and to come to the need of the poor men of their district ^[27]. Charles le Chauve, king of France, whose Lewis was similar and arch-chancellor, approved this disposal in a diploma dated Compiègne of the year 856.

[edit] Disputed priory

Dom Doublet ^[28] and Dom Michel Félibien ^[29] opened the way to studies of documents held in the abbey of Saint-Denis, some of which concern particularly Lièpvre and Fulrad. One of the first authors to consider the authenticity of diplomatic and papal acts and papal concerning Saint-Denis, and incidentally Lièpvre, was the Bollandist Henschenius. He published in February 1658 a eulogy on Fulrad ^[30].

In 1672, Father Modeste of Saint Amable, in his turn, published in his second volume a note on Fulrad ^[31]. Later Jean Mabillon praised Fulrad, in a chapter of a book from 1686 ^[32]. After Mabillon, Dom Félibien was able to give in his History of Saint-Denis Fulrad's life more completely. The abbé Rapp, the former vicar general of Strasbourg, in 1878 published a work on Fulrad^[33]. Finally another work on Fulrad's life was published in 1902 by Father Marc Dubruel, still authoritative ^[34]. Some chapters on Fulrad's life were also resumed in the Review of Alsace in 1901 and 1902. Most of the acts concerning the former priory of Lièpvre are situated today in the national archives in Paris and in. Another part of archives can be consulted in the National Library in capital of Lorraine. The other isolated documents concerning Saint-Denis and Lièpvre are stored in her to Karlsruhre and also to the concerning more particularly connections with Ribeaupierre.

The letters of the great men, the bulls of the popes, the royal diplomas where it is Fulrad's question are very numerous. First bulls granted tuned by the Roman pontiffs to the abbot of Saint-Denis are in the number six: four are signed by the pope Stephen II in 757; two of Hadrian in 774 and 781. The authenticity of all these acts is not questioned. One finds also thirteen authentic diplomas of the time of Pippin the Short, four under Carloman, and twenty under Charlemagne. Count acts exist in originals in the national archives. Late Jules Tardif published them in his Ancient memorials by analyzing them and by inventorying them. Some of these details mention Lièpvre's priory ^[35].

The first to be granted its support for Lièpvre's priory was Charlemagne himself who there 774 brought its support for the abbot Fulrad for the creation of a priory to Lièpvre in a diploma by assuring him properties situated in the royal domain of. In February 847 Charles the Bald confirm the possessions and the privileges of Lièpvre's convent. This donation is also confirmed by his son eldest on October 21, 843 which renews donations made by Charlemagne granting in Saint-Denis Lièpvre's priory, Vallis Fulradis of which several possessions and forests situated in Alsace and in the country of Salonne ^[36]. Dans this document Valley of Lièpvre is mentioned on August 4, 854 the same emperor renew that the possessions of Lièpvre's priory make left well for the abbey of Saint-Denis ^[37]. About ten years later this privilege is renewed by his son Lothaire II. In 856 Charles the Bald confirm the capacities of the abbot Louis, relative to the use of Lièpvre's incomes. The Pope ( 858-867 ) confirmed the aforementioned charter on April 18 862. Lothair II, king of Lorraine who come in Alsace to Epfig will renew on June 12 866 the diploma when the emperor Lothair I that his father had given twelve years previously in favor of Lièpvre's convent. In Worms's treaty concluded towards 876 among the 3 brothers, Charles the Bald, Louis the German and Lothair I, it was decided that the possessions of Lièpvre's priory had to remain between the hands of the abbey of Saint-Denis. Louis the Bald sent the diploma to the pope Léon IV to seal this alliance and to obtain his approval. On June 5, 903, Robert, grandfather of Hugh Capet, obtains from Charles the Simple, from letters to assure the monks of Lièpvre against all the attempts of appropriation of the abbots of Saint-Denis. In 903, the possessions of Lièpvre's abbey, cross dominated by Louis IV king of Germania. With Charles's fall of Simple dethroned with the vaussaux in 922, Henry I the Fowler, king of Germania imposes his control on all Lotharingia ( 923-923 ) and emperors Otto. The 15 October 980 Lièpvre which was crossed dominated by Louis IV, by Henry I the Fowler and by that of Otton, returns in abbey of Saint-Denis. Otto II, king of Germania and emperor of West lets know to the abbot Robert that Lièpvre's pripry is a part of the abbey of Saint-Denis. It leaves him also the care of naming the admitted of this convent. These formulations are resumed on January 26, 1056 at the request of Agnès his wife and of Henri IV his son in a diploma sent since Strasbourg ^[38]. All these details confirm that Lièpvre's convent, as well as quite complete valley were a part then of Alsace. But they passed soon towards the Duchy of Lorraine when dukes obtained the advocatie of Lièpvre's convent.. The pope Nicholas II reminds he as well as Lièpvre's convent been a part of possessions of Saint-Denis in a bull of April 18, 1061 ^[39]. The English pope ( 1154-1159 ) goes to the same by reminding that the possessions of the Alsatian priory have to stay in the patrimony of Saint-Denis. This bull is signed on December 18, 1156. The pope in a bull dated let know October 11, 1259 that the abbey of Saint-Denis enjoys all the temporal jurisdiction in Lièpvre's village ^[40]. In 1342 , 1348 and 1354 Lièpvre is confirmed in the rights of the abbey of Saint-Denis. The pope who rose on the papal throne in 1342 will confirm all the privileges granted to Lièpvre's priory. The emperor Charles IV who reigned at the time gave on April 27, 1348 orders to put the abbey of Saint-Denis shielded from the appropriations which desired several Lords, as ecclesiastical as laic ^[41]. The same prince of passage to Sélestat on May 12, 1354 will renew all the privileges to the prior of Lièpvre granted by all the kings, his predecessors and those that had tuned the emperor Charlemagne, Charles the Bald and Henri III ^[42]. The pope Alexander IV also grants his support for the monks of Lièpvre in 1388. In 1396, Charles II, duke of Lorraine declares itself defender of Lièpvre's convent. Following frequent changes of sovereign power of the history of Alsace, the monks of Lièpvre were often despoiled of a part of their possessions because not being able to defend itself by themselves. That is why they are going to appeal to defenders more generally called dedicated. They were at first the noble persons of Echéry who play an important role by guaranteeing the territorial integrity of the possessions of the monks of Lièpvre. This noble family had grown rich due to the exploitation of mines). She appears only from 1232. But a tragic event interrupted their prosperity in 1284: the richest in them was " treacherously " put to death by his own cousins, and Landvogt of Alsace deprived them the castle. The successors of Echery were then dukes of Lorraine. In 1377 Hattstatt is charged by the prior of Lièpvre of defender the valley. Things were can be not as simple as it appears to it, because the monks of Saint-Denis ask the king of France, Charles VI to intervene with duke of Lorraine so that this one restores the possessions, the justice, jurisdiction and seigniory of the Valley of Lièpvre with several other righteousness and memberships which had been given by the kings of France in Saint-Denis. At the beginning of XVth century the abbey of Saint-Denis had completely lost Valley of Lièpvre and in spite of the interventions of Charles VI, she was never able to get back the lost possessions. Hattstats has to swear allegiance and defend rights and privileges of the priory, then in 1384, it receives half of the provost ship of the Valley of Lièpvre. It had sworn on the relics of the saints to protect the priory and to maintain there the interests of the monks. Hattstatt guarded Valley of Lièpvre until their extinction in 1585. In archives one finds notably certain Burchard of Kintzheim's Rathsamhausen and Henri de Rathsamhausen, knight chastelain of Kaysersberg loaded to protect the possessions of the convent. There were several branches of the family of Rathsamhausen which are all interred in the vault station wagon of the church Midsummer Day to Sélestat. In the documents of the XVth in the XVIIIth century the possessions of Lièpvre appear under the naming of " ground of Saint-Denis " which one finds for properties crossed on the subject of Saint Georges in Nancy from 1502.

[edit] Dukes of Lorraine

A diploma dated VIIIth century, during Charlemagne's administration, prescribed to duke of Lorraine, admitted by Saint-Denis, for all the domains belonging to convents based by Fulrad in Alsace, to protect them against quite invasion and unlawful intrusion from territory. Duke of Lorraine had to intervene militarily in every case of appropriation which could threaten the interests of the monks. It is doubtless following this diploma that dukes of Lorraine took excuse to interfere more and more in the business of the Valley of Lièpvre to the detriment of Lièpvre's priory. In the beginning this intervention makes in a courteous way and without brutality. Dukes of Lorraine doubtless had knowledge of the rich mines of lead and iron, brass money in the Valley of Lièpvre from the year 963 run by the monks of Echéry. By the time of Gerard, bishop of Toul, there is question already of the tithe on the mines of the Valley of Lièpvre ^[43]. Gerard d' Alsace duke of Lorraine from 1049 till 1070 who was invests in 1048 by the emperor Henri III, seized in 1052 tithes and markets, as well as all the rights of the Valley of Lièpvre of which Saint Blaise, near Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines. In this operation it is he seems supported by Brunon, former bishop of elected Toul pope under the name of Leo IX, which in Lorraine had obtained the liberation. The nobility of Lorraine which had not adopted him will try to create him troubles. The emperor Henry III supported him and supplies her troops which allowed him to overcome his opponents. The Abbey of Saint-Denis in the tour entered conflict with duke of Lorraine who showed himself determined to defend Lièpvre's priory. It is after 1065 that was doubtless consisted Charlemagne's false diploma which confirmed the set of the possessions of Saint-Denis situated in the Empire, but it was in vain. In 1078, the son and the successor of Gerard, duke Thierry made the possessions usurped to Yves abbot of Saint-Denis and Lièpvre's Manassès prior. This charter sent by Saint-Dié is countersigned by Pibon, bishop of Toul, Thierry, bishop of Verdun, Rembald, provost of Saint-Dié and three counts and several Lords ^[44].

Charles, duke of Lorraine, seizes completely possessions and domains of Lièpvre's priory in 1400. On April 16, 1502, Lièpvre is put back between the hands of the pope by the bishop of Verdun. The pope reunites him in the collegiate church of Nancy. The monks of Saint-Denis complain with the king of France Charles VI, which wants to restore the possessions in 1404. In 1405 Saint-Denis tempts a new approach directly by addressing duke of Lorraine, but in vain. The monks of Saint-Denis and Philippe de Villette, his abbot, demanded the authority of Charles VI king of France, to be them restored. The king by writing several times to duke during two years never had answer. The king ordered then his Vitry's bailli to send one or two of his officers with the representatives of the abbey to obtain the answer of duke. The letter is dated October 24, 1404 since Paris ^[45]. Both went in Nancy, in the fixed day, but always not having found there duke, they returned to it next March 13. But duke Charles remained firm and gave in no way to the king of France. The primatial of Nancy enters ownership of the incomes of Lièpvre's priory and that of Saint-Hippolyte which depended on it. At the beginning of sixteenth century it is Dommartin's Warin, a bishop of Verdun, who possessed him there commend. The prelate having put handed him between the hands of the pope, Alexander VI reunites him in the request of duke of Lorraine, René II, duke of Lorraine, in the Saint George collegiate church of Nancy on April 16, 1502.. ^[46]. The church primatial of this city, based in 1602 entered ownership of Lièpvre's incomes and that of Saint-Hippolyte, 1742 and reunited in that of Saint George, to form only an one and only dependence. The pope Pius VI by a bull dated November 19, 1777, confirmed with Louis XVI's letters of patent of January, set up the primatial of Our Lady of Nancy as a bishop's palace suffragist of Trier and as a chapter cathedral. It is as such that this priory enjoys a part of the tithes of Lièpvre, Saint Hippolyte, Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines Lorraine and Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines as well as the right of patronage of the cures of the four municipalities of the Valley of Lièpvre.

[edit] Decline of the priory

The church of the convent would date the time of Charlemagne : she was big and spacious. According to the columnist of Senones, the monk Richer (who lived in the XIIIth century), the emperor had made cover the marble ground of various colours. This marble tiled floor was removed in 1577 by Christophe de Bassompierre, gread Master of the finances of Lorraine, which transferred the whole in its Haroué's castle. Today, there is any more no vestige. Lièpvre's priory possessed for a long time relics which attracted the believers. One indicates in 1229 that Lièpvre's priory is compromised in the point to succumb under the weight of its debts. The abbot of Saint-Denis, Odon, lends him 530 pounds parisis to take on the income that the abbot pulls every year of it. By 1271 a settlement of account appears that Lièpvre's priory has already paid off a good part of its loan and does not owe any more in Saint-Denis than 100 payable pounds in five years. The prior of Lièpvre makes a loan of 80 pounds by 1365 to repair the church of the church ravaged by the English commanded by Cervolle's Arnaud says Archiprêtre.

In the XIV-th century the prior of Franconville's Lièpvre, Eudes, executed a stained glass for the monarchal church. This work does not exist any more, but we know, due to two rudimentary plans, dated 1596, that in the lower register, Charlemagne, occupying the central panel, was represented by Fulrad (left panel) and of Roland and Olivier (right panel)^[47].A list raised on May 16, 1509 enumerates, before the confusions of the reform and the devastation of the Boorish, the inventory of the possessions situated in the priory. The same year the priory was visited with Toul's suffrages, two canons of Saint Georges and some clerics, among others Vautrin Lud, canon of Saint-Dié. They found there a reliquary with Holy Alexander's bones, an arm of money containing a bone of the arm of this saint : eight other wooden reliquaries bronzed, gold-colored copper and ivory containing relics not determined ^[48] In 1602 one indicates that a quite broken reliquary which would contain Holy Alexander's relics ^[49]. An inventory made in 1746 enumerates missals, chalice, pinafore dresses and the other ornaments, but does not speak any more about relics ^[50].

According to a plan established in 1549 by Bichler Michel, judge mines, representing for the house of Austria and superintendent of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines's part of Lorraine, the only sanctuary remained still (the conventional buildings had already disappeared); it was a basilica for three naves with transept and three apses and a square bell tower. She existed still in the XVIIth century. Mr Bichler made statements and sketch of the church of Lièpvre's priory. It supplies descriptions of the church such as she existed in this time. The ledge of the outside wall of the choir of the former convent was decorated with heads of oxen, rams, muzzles and lions. On August 2, 1652, the mayor of Lièpvre and some inhabitants become alarmed at the decay of Lièpvre's priory with the lease-holder and ask that it begins repairs. The roof of the church is in very bad state as well as the tours of the chapel. The collateral two are completely burned following the war of thirty years. They ask the lease-holder to advance the necessary money to make repairs. They also demand ropes to ring the bells of the church of the priory and to make charities as formerly.

In 1666, the nave was damaged, only the choir remained still . In the former panes of Lièpvre's church one perceived the image of the abbot Fulrad with these words : do mea cuncta Deo hic, and on the other side Charlemagne's portrait with this registration : trusting haec jubeo. Dom Alliot of Moyenmoutier Abbey who visited in 1704 Lièpvre Priory reporteded in a letter sent to Dom Mabillon that the church remained still complete :

" there is staux, and in the heart of the presbytery a glazing in several panels on one of which one sees Charlemagne on a throne with a scepter in his hand ".

He adds that the base holds an abbot, Fulrad, who holds in his hand a scroll with this legend :

Do omnia bona mea Deo^[51].

With the wars of XVIIth century, the priory undergoes the other damages ^[52]. In 1704 the father Benoît Picart assures that he does not stay any more up than a part of the church.

The priory is once again burned a bit further, doubtless accidentally, and on June 18, 1738, Saint Georges's chapter crossed a treaty to restore her such as she was before, for the price for fifty Louis or ^[53]. In spite of repairs, the church priory remained still well ruined and shaky. A new visit of the priory is organized on August 3, 1717 by the canons of the badge Saint Georges's church of Nancy together with the priest of Lièpvre, François Louis Ferry ^[54]. It spring of this visit that the pavement of the nave is in very bad state and that there are any more no pavements in the collateral. The panes of the choir of the church are also ruined. The roof of the church turns out also in bad state, and to seal breaches, one put " swains ". In spite of these precautions, it is always raining of all the sides. They agree unanimously to make repairs. They notice also that the wall of the entrance of the church, towards the village, is cracked and that it threatens to overthrow all the time. During the visit, the priest of Lièpvre announces also that he exists in a very former small wooden safe, the rests of the relics of Holy Alexander ^[55]. One possesses some details on buildings and on church of Lièpvre's convent due to the abbot Ingold who found in the archives of Karlsruhe a ancient plan with some precision. This plan was a cavalier sight of the church : it was a building with transept with apse flanked with two abseils ; the choir, very short, which preceded the apse, was heightened with five walking. Seven square pillars of every edge separated the nave of bottom - quoted, of which each was enlightened with five windows. Everything this gives the idea of a rather spacious vessel which could have 35 or 40 meters in length. Near the transept, near the side gospel, was the unique bell tower^[56].

According to the abbot Grandidier (It is in 1775 and 1776 that the abbot Grandidier took charge of Lièpvre's priory) but also of the father Louis Laguille ^[57] this church would be that what is more built Fulrad in the VIIIth century. But it seems maybe too beautiful. Of any time one is allowed go gladly to age monuments, and same error was especially easy to the XVIIIth century, when the archaeology of the Middle Age did not still exist. This church and all the priory had to suffer from the passage of Armagnacs and uprising of the Boorish.

[edit] Disappearance of the priory

The rests of Lièpvre's convent were demolished in 1751, and the material used for the construction of the Rombach-le-Franc's parochial church and Lièpvre's church. The former choir of the convent became a chapel under Saint Georges's invocation until the Revolution of 1789. To Lièpvre the auction of the biends of the Chapter Saint Georges took place only on June 17, 1791. The inhabitants bought the plough able ground over Chalmont. The municipality saved itself copses and meadows in the middle of the hillside and the State seized the forest which is even today a national forest. The chapel was sold as property national and transformed into particular house. Soon industrial buildings replaced the former priory, so that there is any more nothing of Fulrad's work. Even the recollection of the illustrious monk disappeared among the population. There is any more no cult in honor of the Holy. The own of the diocese of Strasbourg does not mention it. During the Revolution, in 1790 , the valley of Lièpvre was incorporated into the department of the Height - Rhine and did not depend any more on the Lorraine. Before 1790, time when one abolished convents in all France, this chapel was sold as property national and transformed into particular house; one still saw there stained glasses carrying the portraits of Fulrad and Charlemagne. One saw there also a grave on which was represented a profile of feminine bust, the head of which was decorated with a long plait. One believed in the region that this grave contained the rests of a girl of Charlemagne, but this opinion did not rest on any foundation, any coming registration to support this opinion widely spread in the population. On the other hand, what is proved, it is that the choir of the church of Lièpvre's convent contained the ashes of the Lords of Echéry who had their castle in the heart of the valley of Petit Rombach, on the municipality of Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines, and who were the sub-dedicated or authorized agents of duke of Lorraine and consequently defender of the monks of Lièpvre. It is doubtless in this quality that they received the honor to be buried in Lièpvre's convent. Fact is widely proved because one found on a grave stone which covered these very well preserved graves registration in Gothic style " Hie Ligent die von Echeric und ruwent in gottes frieden " (Here are buried those of Echéry, that they rest in peace). This stone was removed with the chapel in 1790 and placed as altar stone in the Lièpvre's parochial church. She was moved in 1842, when one changed the altars of this church and is at present placed in Lièpvre's cemetery. In 1816, the ground on which was built Lièpvre's priory was acquired with Rissler, which installed there a factory of tissues, then it crossed in the family Dietsch in 1844 and in 1959 in the kitchens Schmidt situated today Avenue Clemenceau. In the last century Romanic sculptures of the former priory were still preserved in the enclosure of the factory. Next to the church is a Romanic chapel of the end of XIth century (ossuary ?) but transformed in the XVIIth century with coupled windows, columns and in full port arches. Big gravestone of the Lords of Echery of XIVth century. According to the fragments found during the excavations of XIXth century, one removed rubble of the fragments of albite, what proves that the convent received and was decorated with numerous marble fragments and of porphyry. One knows that this stone results from Roman time, that the Roman used and appreciated particularly. The discovery of these walls proves that a part of the buildings of the convent extended between the church and the main road in Lièpvre's exit. Skeletons found in the top indicate still that the cemetery of the monks was in the sleeping. During these searches made in 1850, was found no pavement, no cut or sculptured stone. A single silver coin, in Antoine's effigy, duke of Lorraine, was removed from clearings. However one discovered bad lucks of any kind and numerous fragments of porphyries green and red, human bones were dug up. In several places, the earth was calcined. Of this ground one removed scoria’s of iron, copper and some coal. Although that these discoveries establish by in a formal way the place of the Abbey, they prove however that buildings had a rather considerable importance ^[58] One even sees today old four borders between the various copses of the municipality. Most disappeared, but it remains there four after the brook of Vaurière, among Rombach-le-Franc and Lièpvre. They are numbered and carry the initials of Holy Georges's chapter of Nancy which succeeded Lièpvre's priory Benedictine from 1512, namely bishop's butt with two letters S.G. (Saint Georges). They are practically the last vestiges of the former donation of Charlemagne. It is in 1512 that Saint Georges's chapter entered ownership of the priory of Lièpvre and his rights and powers. Until this date, the monks of the order of Saint sanctimonious disserve the parishes of the Valley of Lièpvre. In 1536 we find one named Blaiser, a priest - chaplain to Lièpvre, then Jean Humbert, cleaned out in the Valley of Lièpvre and living in Holy Cross. Lièpvre and Holy Cross are the most old parishes of the Valley. Firmin cleaned out to Lièpvre and another document of 1661 speaks about " Holy Sebastian’s Confraternity". It is during the priesthood of the priest Morel that was established " Estat of Pensions ", censes and inheritances belonging to the consorce of the Lièpvre's parochial church. The successor of Jean Morel harmed the parish until 1719. After Jean Cucufat Henry, we find:

• François Louis Ferry ( 1719-1723 )
• Paul Joseph Pot d‘Argent ( 1723-1732 )
• Collin (1732-1734)
• Jean Deviot ( 1734-1744 )

In 1744, Jean Morel became Vice-chancellor of Lièpvre and Rombach-le-Franc's parish. It is he notably who took care to finish lawsuit concerning the distribution of the tithe, instituted on the subject of Saint Georges in Nancy. It forced by all the legal means the church primatial to rebuild Lièpvre's parochial church, and to the usurpers of the possessions of the church to be restored all that they had possessed inequitably. Due to his energy and its multiple steps, the vice-chancellor Joly of Morey obtained in 1748 a favorable judgment which terminated numerous lawsuits. The classification of tithes was concluded by judgment of duke of Lorraine.

[edit] Current church

Lièpvre's current church which is on Rombach-le-Franc's road was reconstructed probably by 1752, but there was in this place a church from the XIIIth century placed under the invocation of Holy Alexander which was frequented by the inhabitants of Rombach-le-Franc and Lièpvre for Sunday masses, marriages, funerals who was destroyed during the war of 30 years. The elements of the Lièpvre's parochial church were gone up with former rests resulting from the priory of Lièpvre and the church Holy Alexander. In the church a gravestone removed with the chapel in 1790, was placed as altar stone in the Lièpvre's parochial church, but it was uncalled-for when in 1843 one changed the altars of this church. She contained the rests of the last Lord of Eckerich died in 1381. They were leaned in the wall of the church, but these elements have since summer moved in front of the entrance of the church One of the most curious objects which contained the chapel is the baptism which one even sees today under the bell tower of the church It is stone and has the shape of a chalice. The bottom forms a square which is decorated on its four faces of sculptures subjects of which seem pulled by the Apocalypse of Holy Jean. The stone which serves of base is also decorated with symbolic subjects.

The big bell of the Lièpvre's parochial church results also from the convent of Holy Alexandre. She carries the date of 1542. This bell was melted by an artist of Lorraine, Jean Lamperti native of Deneuvre, by Baccarat. This village had formerly a collegiate church based in 1301 under Saint Georges's title by Henri Sire of Blamont and Deneuvre and Cunégonde his woman. Lamperti exercised there during long years the profession of long-distance skiers; their bells competed under the report quality and the elegance, with those of the most famous factories and their fame widely exceeded Lorraine. Two constancies distinguished them: the presence of Saint Georges's medallion and one finds them on Lièpvre's bells ^[59].

According to the popular legend she was hidden in a meadow near Lièpvre during the war of 30 years, from the approach of the Swedes who ravaged the valley in the 1635's and 1636 and notably the convent. She was dug up a century later and risen on the bell tower of the church. One notices there two medallions of which the one represents Saint Georges bringing down the dragon and the other one the Virgin Mary with the child Jesus accompanied with angels, playing different instruments. On the bell have bed: O sancta Married and sancte Cucufate martir orate pro nobis; and more low :Maria am named in honor of God and of the Virgo Marie was faict. Who was this Saint Cucufat ? A martyr died for the faith in Barcelona in Spain on July 25 303.

One reads in saint Cucufat's acts that the relics were given to Charlemagne by the wali of Barcelona Sulaiman Ibn-Al Arabi and that the abbot Fulrad having obtained them from the emperor, put down deposited them in the church of Lièpvre's priory which he had based ^[60]. Were they complete relics? The Spaniards claim that Holy Cucufat's body is in Barcelona and that one carried in France only his leader. A part of these relics stayed in Lièpvre till the beginning of XIX th century. One worshipped this relic in the sacristy which was contained in a small wooden reliquary, decorated outside with sculptures. Another part of relics was transported by Hildouin, abbot of Saint-Denis ( 835 ) in the abbey. Four head of columns resulting from the former convent serve at present in Lièpvre's church of bases for banners. The small chapel ^[61] which one sees to the right of the church was built with the rests of the former priory. It is all which stays of the former convent ^[62].

On February 6, 2004 the frescoes of XIIIth century were discovered under the vaults of the choir of the ancient church during the renovation of the parochial church. These frescoes could date years 1200-1250 what would have anything of amazing because one knows that a chapel was in the place of the choir which was protected and of which the rest was demolished in 1752 to leave place with the bigger current church.

[edit] Plunders and ravage wars of the Middle Age

Having redrawn the history of Lièpvre's convent, we have to speak about the very village. As well as we called it higher, it owes the origin to the convent based by the abbot Fulrad. The chronicles of time reveal us some elaborate details on the convent, but little on the facts which have a report with the inhabitants and the village. Before XIV-th century the proofs of the action ducal on the region are rather rare, but documents are enough however to demonstrate that dukes of Lorraine were already the true bosses of the Valley of Lièpvre. But having about difficulties steering distant province, they gave up her by allegiance or by fiefs to local Lords who were appointed to defend the interests of dukes of Lorraine and to defend the valley.

[edit] Berthold of Bucheck invests Valley of Lièpvre

The valley was attacked (around the thirteenth century) by the troops of the bishop of Strasbourg, the warlike Conrad de Lichtenberg. Troops made frequently raids on the valley, particularly against Lièpvre. It is in conflict with the Lorraine and the Eckerick vassals of dukes of Lorraine since first half of XIII-th century. Frequent altercations already had taken place previously among them Lichtenberg and Lorraine who lasted until 1290 year during which a girl of duke of Lorraine married Conrad de Fribourg of which the mother was Lichtenberg. To celebrate this conciliation, the bishop of Strasbourg invited a big number of representatives of the nobility Alsatian and of Lorraine in his palace in Strasbourg. After so many war years, Valley of Lièpvre knew 48 years of peace. There 1331 Jean d' Echerick is in war with duke of Lorraine against him count of Bar.

Jean d' Echerick ravages Bertrimoutier, Provenchères-sur-Fave, Remomeix, Sainte Marguerite and attracts in an ambush the canons Jean of Toulon, Herbeuviller's Geoffroy and Nicolas de Porcher who commanded the troops of the chapter, the arrested and lock them into her donjon of High Echery for which he demands 750 deliver tournaments of ransom. In 1338, the imperial cities are in war against the bishop of Strasbourg Bucheck's Berthold. Jean d'Echery commands the troops of Sélestat. In sign of reprisal, the bishop joins the baron of Hohenstein, landvogt of Alsace to ravage Valley of Lièpvre and to besiege Echery's castle. It is accompanied with the troops of Jean Senn, bishop of Basel. Lièpvre and Rombach-le-Franc is burned-out. Lièpvre's convent is partially destroyed. The region will not be totally calmed because later, it is the chapter of Saint-Dié which complains about a long-distance lorry driver of Johel's name which has its den in the Valley of Lièpvre and which comes to plunder and to rob the population on the other side of Vosges. This detail which is in the Archives of the Meurthe and the Moselle does not contain of date. Maybe is it about the famous English captain, Jean Jouel who will be killed in her battle of Cocherel in on 1364?

[edit] Mercenary plunder Lièpvre

On July 4, 1365 the valley is attacked with groups of hirelings named in French "routiers" taken by Arnaud de Cervole (1300-1366) says l’Archiprêtre, celebrates leader in them big companies in the XIV-th century. It is called so because he perceives incomes of him Archiprêté of Vélines and is in the service of Charles V which with Bertrand Du Geslin try to chase away of France the big companies. Arnaud of Cervole told to want to save the domains of the church, it is not anything of it. The pope Innocent VI launched an appeal to the crusade against these heretics who took themselves it in the possessions of the church. It invades Valley of Lièpvre, by way of him it Col de Saverne, with his 40 000 hirelings. It is also in service for him count of Blamont who is in war with the bishop of Strasbourg. It ravages Valley of Lièpvre and sets fire to Lièpvre, Rombach-le-Franc and Saint Croix-aux-Mines. On May 25, 1366 Arnaud de Cervole is killed near Mâcon during a quarrel with one of his people as it tried to collect the bands of hirelings scattered in Languedoc.

[edit] Armagnacs enter the valley

The Armagnacs were armed gangs formed by former mercenaries in France of the XVth century under Charles VII's administration. They followed on the Big Companies which were troops of adventurers who were paid by the princes in times of war and who lived on plunders and on ransoms in times of peace or of armistice. They saddened France in XV-th century under the administrations of Jean II and Charles V. After the French-English armistice of 1444, Charles VII employs the Swindlers against the Lorraine and Alsace. This militia of 30 0000 people was consisted of French, English, and Spanish. 1000 Scot participated in this militia under the behaviour of Jean de Mongommery which had the headquarters in Châtenois.

Armagnacs was under behaviour of the Dauphin of Louis XI and had entered Alsace in 1444, forcing cities and villages to submit itself and undergoing in the populations the worst treatments to those that opposed to it. They plundered and set on fire everything on their passage. They set on fire Saint Hyppolite, and Geispolsheim, besieges Dambach-la-Ville, Obernai, Rhinau and Mulhouse, takes Eguisheim, Marckolsheim, Niedernai and Herrlisheim. They plunder Mutzig's region, as well as Pairis Abbey (to Orbey), Rouffach and Rosheim. To avoid that Lièpvre is completely destroyed the village submits itself to the Dauphin, as well as the nearby village Rombach-le-Franc. Lièpvre will be destroyed in 1445 with the troops which the dolphin led in Alsace after famous battle of Saint Jacques near Basel. These troops were an irregular militia consisted of different nations, and which were known under the name of Armagnacs.

[edit] Armagnacs is undone in the valley

Having camped during more than a year in Alsace, Armagnacs leave the province in spring on 1445, because there was no more big thing to be set and who besides lifted up himself quite complete. Charles VII worried about bad news which reached him ordered Armagnacs to evacuate the region on March 20, 1445. A part of these troops by withdrawing in Lorraine crossed Valley of Lièpvre Thursday before Palm Sunday and was surprised unexpectedly with the troops of the city of Schlestadt ( Sélestat) commanded by Gunther Lang the bursar of the prieuré [ [ Sainte Foy] ] whom had joined the farmers of Villé, Rombach-le-Franc, Lièpvre and Saint Croix-aux-Mines. Ulrich of Rathsamhausen, the provost of Obernai and his farmers enlarged Gunther's rows to organize resistance Down from mountains, camouflaged in bushes, they see going back up endless columns of riders and wagons. They rolled enormous districts of cliffs and trunks on Armagnacs near the locality the cliff of violins near the road which goes towards Musloch, to the place said by the cliff of the violin. Armagnacs lost until 300 people. Among the deaths one finds Landgrave which was Scottish and the marshal of the palace of the dolphin which was the brother-in-law of the king and which could be Jean de Montgoméry. Resistance against Armagnacs is steered by Henri Gunther which had received " Lang's " nickname because of its big size. It is in the head of 400 brave people and hundred farmers who start again in Armagnacs the booty which they had amassed: 9 artillery, 400 horses, 9 banners of which one belonged to Switzerland (Swisses). Beautiful women are also arrested.

There are besides 80 armors, 6000 golden guilders and a big quantity of plates, several barrels of powder and the various tools. Charles VII learning the short story of the disaster of Lièpvre put himself in a terrible anger by accusing of unreliability and unreliability those that had so deftly advised him for the crossing of Vosges, and in particular the Margrave de Baden responsible for the mouths with fire which were now between the hands of the middle-class persons of Sélestat. This first-rate Margrave by the marriage with a princess of Lorraine possessed the bailliage of Saint-Dié . Is doubtless for this occasion that was lost an iron spur the knurl of which is formed with six flowers of lys and which was found in on 1815 around of Lièpvre.

[edit] The count Palatine and the bishop of Strasbourg take revenge on the inhabitants of Lièpvre

After the departure of Armagnacs, the troops of the count Palatine, of the bishop and the city of Strasbourg took revenge on the inhabitants of Lièpvre and Rombach-le-Franc in the excuse whom they had favored the entrance of Armagnacs to the valley of Lièpvrette. They plundered and ravaged the valley and mirror the fire everywhere. It is doubtless because of this devastation that it is necessary to attribute absence so to speak of quite monuments previous to the XVI th century. It is doubtless as well because of this devastation that one owes the disappearance of the rests of the bones of the abbot Fulrad which based in Lièpvre's prieuré.

[edit] Duke of Lorraine Antoine returns in conflict with the Lord of Geroldseck

At about May, 1516, duke of Lorraine, Antoine, is in conflict with the Lord of Geroldseck, near Saverne of the house of Wangen, about mines situated in the Valley of Lièpvre. Incapable to triumph his cause with his own forces, he called up to his help François de Sickingen a first-rate adventurer. This one brought the support by engaging a band of 6000 people which seized Saint-Hippolyte by surprise. Duke Antoine bought Sickingen's neutrality and entered the Valley of Lièpvre where the troops of Geroldseck which blocked them passage were undone. It started again then Saint-Hippolyte and cut the head to an inhabitant of this city which had favored the entrance(entry) of the enemy. The name of Geroldseck appears frequently in the history of Alsace and the archives of the Middle Age. One of the families went out in XIV th and one has him knew under the name of Géroldseck-ès-Vosges (" In Vosaso, am Wasichim ") because of the castles situated in Vosges, over Saverne. The other family pulled its name of the castle of Hohen Géroldseck, established on one of the tops of her Black Forest, near Lahr. This war was baptized " the war of ewes " because of the big quantity of sheeps which was deprived of it by Geroldseck's bands which remained only by the plunder and the robberies duke of Lorraine also has a various with the emperor Charles the Fifth in the 1519's in 1521 for the same motive. These difficulties are settled in the privately negotiated by an arbitration judgment in 1521. The considerations of this report are contained in a big register of 440 pages which is in the local archives of Meurthe-et-Moselle.

The Lord Geroldseck's Walter by engaging a German adventurer, Sickingen's Franz, who was renowned to commit numerous robberies under excuse to defend the weak and the oppressed, with his 6000 people by going in the Valley of Lièpvre with his troops provokes rather important damages in the Chronic valley of They are engaged in any sorts of exactions to the population.

In May on 1574, they are soldiers who cross the valley by squadrons from 100 to 200 people, but do not commit damages .Durant the December 1575 Swiss hirelings take the same road. Duke of Lorraine orders his subjects to supply them foods for an accessible price so that they not vandalisent not the inhabitants, but their demand to watch them of very near and to refuse them the entrance to the walled up cities. Later by 1591, they are Italian deserters who pass in the valley without committing damages. They go to Saint Marie-aux-Mines where one tries to arrest them, but they run away by abandoning their horses, weapons and rags which are seized and are sold for the benefit of duke of Lorraine.

[edit] Places and monuments

[edit] Old fountain

Situated on the place of the same name along the street Clemenceau, raises itself a well formed with two massive pillars, assembled by a sort of crossbar carrying the date of 1550. The year was doubtless engraved not long after. On this fountain one does not find any particular stamp.

[edit] Chapel / ossuary

Next to the church of Lièpvre's Assumption, in the cemetery, is a Romanic chapel of the end of XI th century but transformed in the XVIIth century in ossuary with coupled windows, columns and in full port bearing.This chapel was classified Ancient memorial on March 22, 1934 (ministerial Decision: MH1934 / 03 / 22).

[edit] The gravestone of Eckerich

She results from the former chapel of Lièpvre's priory where was the grave of the Lords Echery. The paving stone was then transferred in 1790 outside of the parochial church built in 1756. She was moved in 1843 when one changed altar. The grave contained the rests of the last Lord of Echerich died in 1381. The gravestone is since September, 1998 exposed inside the church of Our Lady of the Assumption. On the gravestone one can another perceive registration affected in time drafted in German: " Hie ligent die von Eckeric und ruwent in Gottes friden " ( = Here is buried those of Echery and rests in God's peace )

[edit] Musloch's chapel

This chapel is placed under the invocation of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and placed in front of the former school. She even has a cellar and would have been built on the place of an former house destroyed by a fire in 1903. This one would have even served of inn during the revolution. The chapel is inaugurated Monday of the Pentecost in 1905 by the Priest Legay.

[edit] The former borders of the Chapter Saint Georges of Nancy

It exists still in the locality of Vaurière, among Rombach-le-Franc and Lièpvre, near the brook, four borders dated 1680 beaten with an abbatial butt and with a letter S.G. (= Saint Georges). The border n°31 is in Kast towards the path which rises in Chalmont. These borders which were doubtless more numerous at the time, bounded the grounds which belonged to Lièpvre's priory and since 1502 on the subject of the Saint Georges collegiate church of Nancy. These borders were installed by 1680.

[edit] The frescoes of XIII-th century under the vault of the bell tower of the parochial church

On February 6, 2004 were updated almost accidentally, during the works of recovery of the church of Our Lady of the Assumption, the frescoes which could date XIII-th century. These paintings are under the vault of the former chapel in the entrance of the hall of the current church. These frescoes were renewed, but were damaged regrettably seriously in 1917 during the demand of the bells of the church by German. One finds so only a part of these old frescoes. On Sunday , April 2, 2006, the bells of the church Our Lady of the Assumption rang at any beating to announce the high mass during which must be inaugurated the entry of the church, formerly Romanic choir of the building, restored after twenty years by works which allowed to update the vestiges of the Romanic church: vault of the choir, diaphragm and frescoes. Originally, the choir and the altar of the celebration were turned to the east as wanted him tradition and it is following increase successive that they were moved in contrast. It is so to relive the past of 250 years that it was decided to restore temporarily but solemnly his former destination in what is at the moment the entry of the church. The father Bernard Schutz, cleaned out by Lièpvre and by Rombach-le-Franc, the father Marcel Ehrhardt who was cleaned out by Lièpvre during 14 years and the canon Aloyse Kieffer and Joseph Burel celebrated the office. This holiday was unique, the last time when one celebrated mass so it was about 260 years ago.

[edit] Fountain Saint Alexander

The fountain Saint Alexander was discovered completely accidentally in 1987 to the South of the village in the locality of Raincorne. They are children of Lièpvre by enjoying building a small dam which made this unexpected discovery. They updated a former fountain which dates the Early Middle Ages, maybe even the time of the abbot Fulrad. One finds the name of Saint Alexandre's source in the ancient titles of the Middle Age of which the water was renowned to cure the diseases of eyes. This former fountain Saint Alexander was built by the monks of Lièpvre's abbey who used its water due to a behaviour of brought with 600 metres worked in the wood by means of a big vine and pipes of which were leaky throughout linked with scrap forged in the hand. The source of this fountain never dried up. Two doors in oak closed the entrance of the pond of water to stoneware of a volume of 1600 liters to protect her from dead sheets. Former mister Victor Kuentzmann schoolteacher of Lièpvre let know that the pond was transferred in 1908 to Bois l'Abbesse, but this one will return to Lièpvre in 1990. This pond was then moved with 20 metres northward in June, 1990 to avoid that is buried by the works abnormality of the RN 59. The fountain carried Alexander's name in memory of relics Saint Alexander pope and martyr that the abbot Fulrad had related of Rome in 763 as donation of the pope Paul I (757 - 767) brother of the pope Stephen II.

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] Bibliographies

• Albrecht, Karl: Rappolsteinisches Urkundenbuch, Vol.5, 1898, Colmar
• Belhomme (Père Humbert, dom) Historia Mediani in Monte Vosago Monasterii, Argentorati, Ordinis sancti Benedicti, ex Congregation sanctorum Vitoni et Hidulfi (actore H.Belhomme), Argentorat (Strasbourg), sumptibus, J.R.Dusseckeri, 1724, 469 pages
• Bourgeois, Jules: L'Eglise du prieuré de Lièpvre aux 7e et VIIIe siècle - Revue d'Alsace, 1901, p. 232-241
• Bourgeois, Jules: Notes pour servir à l'histoire du Val de Lièpvre au XVIIe siècle, Récits détachés, Rixheim, F.Sutter et Cie, 1910, 78 pages
• Bourgeois, Jules: Notices sur deux anciennes cloches du Val de Lièpvre- Bulletin de la Société pour la conservation des monuments historiques d'Alsace, 4 pages, 1897
• Bourgeois, Jules: L'Eglise du prieuré de Lièpvre aux 17e et XVIIIe siècle: Revue d'Alsace, 1901, p.232-241; 1902 p.252 ss; 1904 p.449 ss
• Büttner, H. Lothringen und Leberau - Westmärkische Abhandlung zur Landes und Volksforschung, 1941, t.1, p.59-84
• Brière, Léon: Donation du territoire d'Andolsheims au prieuré de Lièpvre par l'abbé Fulrade - Revue d'Alsace, 1909, p.314-317
• Büttner,Heinrich: Lothringen und Leberau, Westmärkische Abhanslungen zur Landes und Volksforschung, t.5, 1941-1942, Kaiserslautern, p.59 à 84
• D'Ayzac Félicie: Histoire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Denis - Imprimerie impériale, Paris, 1861
• Degermann, Jules: La donation de Charlemagne au prieuré de Lièpvre en 774 - Bulletin de la Société pour la conservation des monuments historiques d'Alsace, 1892, 31 pages
• Delaborde, Fr. et Petit Dutaillis Ch. - Recueil des actes de Philippe Auguste, roi de France, tome II, Paris, 1943, n°543, p.92-93
• Denis, Philippe: Les Eglises d'Etrangers en pays rhénans (1358-1564), Paris, les Belles lettres, 1984
• Diebold, E. Sinaublatter vom Grenzstein. Gedischte und Bilder aus dem Lebertal, Markirch (Ste Marie-aux-Mines), E. et R. Cellarius, 1910, 95 pages
• Dubruel, Marc (Père SJ). - Fulrad, archichapelain des premiers rois carolingiens et abbé de Saint-Denis en France in: Revue d'Alsace, 1901 et 1902
• Dubruel, Marc (Père S.J) - Fulrad, abbé de Saint-Denis, Typ. F. Sutter & Cie, Rixheim, Librairie H.Hüffel, Colmar, 1902
• Dupraz : Le royaume des Francs et l'ascension politique des maires du palais au déclin du VIIe siècle (656-680), 1948, Fribourg en Suisse - (Evocation du maire Wulfoald, p.102)
• Doublet, Dom J. - Histoire de l'abbaye de Saint Denys en France, Paris, 1625
• Giry, Athur: Notices bibliographiques sur les archives des églises et monastères de l'époque carolingienne, Editeur: Emile Bouillon, 1901
• Grandidier Ph. And. - Oeuvres inédites de Ph. And. Grandidier, tome 1, Colmar, 1865, Revue d'Alsace
• Grandidier, abbé: Histoire de l'église de Strasbourg depuis la fondation de l'évêché jusqu'à nos jours, tome 1, 1775, Imprimerie Levrault, Strasbourg
• Gross, Rolf: Papsturkunden in Frankreich, Neue Folge, 9, Band Diözese Paris II, Abtei Saint-Denis, Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1998, 257 pages. ( Abhandlung der Akademie der Wissenschaffen in Göttingen, Philologisch Historische Klasse, Dritte Folge, 225
• Herr. E - Bemerkenswerte Mittelalterliche Schenkungen in Elsass - Beiträge Zur Landes - Und Volkeskunde in Elsass-Lothringen. XXXIV. J.H.ED.Heitz & Mündel, Strassburg, 1908
• Kroeber, Auguste: Choix des pièces inédites. Charte de Fulrad, abbé de Saint-Denis, 777, Paris F. Didot frères, 1856 - Bibliothèque de l'Ecole des Chartes - Don du domaine d'Ansulsisheim à l'abbaye de Lièpvre
• Kroeber, Auguste: Diplôme de Lothaire, roi de France au prieuré de Lièpvre - Revue d'Alsace, 1868, p. 527-528
• Kroeber, Auguste: Choix de pièces inédites. Charte de Fulrad, abbé de Saint-Denys, 777, Paris, F.Didot Frères, 1856,Bibliothèque de l'école des Chartes - Don du domaine d'Ansulsisheim à l'abbaye de Lièpvre
• Kuentzmann, Victor: La maison des ducs de Lorraine à Lièpvre, Elsassland, 1929, p. 77-78
• Kuentzmann, Victor: Le souvenir de Charlemagne à Lièpvre, ZLH, t.14, 1934, pp. 199-201
• Kuentzmann, victor: La maison des ducs de Lorraine à Lièpvre, mein Elsassland, 1929, t. IX, p.77
• Kuentzmann, Victor: Saint Cucufat, patron de l'ancienne église paroissiale de Lièpvre et de Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines jusqu'au 18e siècle, ELH, t.16, 1936, p.209-210
• Laguille, R.père Louis: Histoire de la province d'Alsace depuis Jules César jusqu'au mariage de Louis XV Roy de France et de Navarre - Jean Renaud Doulssecker, Strasbourg 1724
• Langenbeck, Fritz: Studien zur elsässischen Siedlungsgeschichte Vom Weiterleben der vorgermanischen Toponymie in deurschprachigen Elsass - I. Band - Verlag Konkordia AH, Bühl/baden, 1967
• Lauer, Philippe: Recueil des actes de Charles III le Simple, roi de France, Paris, 1940, N°XLVII, p.103-105
• Mabillon: Acta sanctorum ordinis sancti Benedicti Lutétiae Parisiorun, 1668-1701 - 9 volumes, Venetiis, 1733-1738
• Mabillon: Annales ordinis sancti Benedicti, Parisiis, 1703-1739, 6 volumes, Lucae, 1739
• Modeste de Saint-Amable, E. - Monarchie sainte, Paris, 1670-1677
• Picart, Benoit (Le père); Histoire écclésiastique et politique de la ville et du diocèse de Toul, 1707
• Parisse, Michel: Saint-Denis et ses biens en Lorraine et en Alsace: Bulletin Philologique et historique jusqu'à 1610 du Comité des travaux historiques et scientifiques, 1967 - Acte du 92e Congrès national des sociétés savantes tenu à Strasbourg et Colmar, VoL. 1 - Paris - Bibliothèque Nationale, 1969
• Rapp (abbé)- (The former vicar of the diocese of Strasbourg), Saint-Fulrade, chanoine de Saint-Denis Typographie E. Bauer, Strasbourg, 1883, 258 pages
• Sitzmann, Edouard: Dictionnaire de biographies des hommes célèbres de l'Alsace, Rixheim, Imprimerie F. Sutter 1 Cie, 1910
• Stoclet, Alain: Autour de Fulrad de Saint-Denis (v.710-784)- Haute Etudes Médiévales et modernes, Librairie Droz S.A., Genève, 695 pages, 1993
• Tardif, Jules: Archives de l'Empire, Cartons des rois, 1866 (This book analyze and publishes the charters of the National Archives in the séries K, said with "Monuments historiques". One finds the analysis of these details relative to Lièpvre in the Inventory of des "Cartons des Rois") (Reprinting by Kraus Reprint, 1976. Introduction par L. Laborde (Inventaires K 1 à 164)
• Tessier, Georges: Recueil des actes de Charles II le Chauve, tome II,(861-877), Paris, 1952
• Tribout de Morembert, H. - Fulrad in: Dictionnaire de biographie française,, Paris, 1979, collection 1436-1437
• Will, Robert: Données historiques et archéologiques sur la prieurale romane de Lièpvre, in: Revue alsacienne d'archéologien d'art et d'histoire, 28, 1985, p.83-98
• Will, Robert: Le vitrail de Charlemagne à Lièpvre. Evocation d'une oeuvre d'art disparue, in: Cahier alsaciens d'archéologie, d'art et d'histoire 21, 1978 ,p.87-101
• Wilsdorf, Ch.: Les destinées du prieuré de Lièpvre jusqu'à l'an 1000 in: Annuaire de la Société des amis de la bibliothèque de Sélestat, p. 120-134, 1963

Author's nameless work:

• Die Tage des Vier und fechsunszwanzigften februars 1844 in Leberthale, Zu Schlettstadt, bei F. Helbig, Buchbruder - Strassburg, bei Schmidt und Bruder und Mariakitch, bei Gergard, Buchhanler, 30 pages (Speak about the flood to Lièpvre in 1844)

Coordinates: 48°16′N, 7°17′E