Order of Grandmont

The Ordre of Grandmont is an religious order the Limousin founded about 1076 and dissolved in 1772. Resulting from the eremitism, the order is characterized by its rule and the diffusion of its model architectural, in conformity with the Gregorian Réforme.

History of the order

Foundation

After a pilgrimage in Italy during which it would have met hermits, Etienne, originating in Thiers in Auvergne, settles with the foot of the mounts of Ambazac, to 20 km of Limoges, in the Duché of Aquitaine. He founds the hermitage of Muret, towards 1076. This period is marked by the creation of several religious communities to the strict rêgles: thus, in 1084, Bruno founds the Chartreuse and in 1098 Robert de Molesmes founds the Abbaye of Cîteaux.

The Vita , written for the file of Canonization of Etienne to XIIe century, presents it like a founder of order. However, there remain Diacre: it revêt neither the dress of the monks, nor that of the Canon S. Etienne and its first companions are characterized by their choice from a life from excessive poverty. It prohibits any ground possession beyond the terminals of the field, any animal except the bee S. Muret is if not very wide that the hermits live gifts caused by their prayers. Etienne and his brothers practice manual work, the cultures of subsistence, without rule, in their enclosure, far from the world. Its faithful disciple Hugues Lacerta transmits his ideal of life and his doctrines based on the Gospel: it is the base of the Rule of the Order.

Installation with Grandmont and growth

The first communities gather in a strict spirit of equality two very different categories. Initially the brothers alluviums (called later convers) in charge of management then the brothers priests or clerks who carry out a contemplative life and depend on the first: such is the originality of Grandmont. With died of the founder, in 1124, Pierre of Limoges, priest, becomes responsible for the brothers (prior). Following the baffles with their neighbors Benedictines and undoubtedly with the decision of the bishop of Limoges, it decides to settle in Grandmont, 5 km of Ambazac. The place is in border of the grounds of the bishop in the fields of the Comté of Walk.

The first grinding of the rule of Grandmont would be accepted by the pope in 1156. The pope Alexandre III “confirms” the rule about 1171. In 1188, the pope Clément III approves this text, one of the last times where a new rule is accepted. Another notable fact, Etienne is canonized in 1189.

The eremitism disappears little by little from the Latin Church to be replaced by the Cénobitisme. Some, among the brothers alluvium, belong to the minor nobility. Accustomed to manage the family businesses, the Rule entrusts the temporal one, source to them of the impression of constraint of the clerks. The prior also chooses them to direct to them those, these small dependences. The clerks “were by this institution submitted to the laymen whom they would have of controlling entirely according to the practice of all the other monks”, from where crises in the order. Shown to want to regulate the spiritual one, the brothers alluvium lose little by little any capacity in a world which proposes the clerks. For the latter, the rule appears too austere: the popes soften it.

This evolution has as an innermost depth the interest of Henri II Plantagenêt for Grandmont. It is used about it as a basis to control the Limousin and its vassal. Itself, its sons take part in the construction of the buildings to the rise of the order in Aquitaine, Poitou, Anjou, Normandy, England. The new Plantagenêt establishments the foundations of king de France answer: 159 those between 1124 and 1274. More than 80% of the constitutive instruments range between 1189, date of the canonization of the founder, and 1216.

The new foundations receive revenues or said, a field. Grandmontains which builds miniature monasteries, another specificity, in a square of about thirty meters do not live any more in the first ideal of poverty. The project superintendents diffuse the knowledge to make of Grandmont in those. Art opens out. Imposing buildings rise in Grandmont. The patrons order remarkable works: Goldsmithery, stained glasses, enamels, fabrics, manuscripts.

Reorganization of XIIIe century, apogee and falls

However the dissensions persist throughout XIIIe century. Consequently in 1317, the pope Jean XXII reorganizes the Order. Grandmont is set up in abbey. The pope preserves 39 houses raised at the row of Prieuré S, they gather about fifteen brothers each one. The others become simple agricultural domains attached to a priory or the head office. During the Wars One hundred Year old, the authority of king d' Angleterre weakens in Grandmont. The influence of king de France on the abbots increases.

In spite of the vicissitudes of the One hundred Year old wars, commende and wars of religion, the files of Grandmont reveal us an ecclesiastical seigniory which is maintained. It has rights of justice of banality. Throughout its history, the abbey is free from sizes and other rights and benefits from the economic situation to increase its inheritance. It is during the XVIIe century and thanks to the debt of the tenants that it repurchases or seizes Tènement S hitherto a41dernier $c-b1, e,10 $c-b26 ce $c-b16 $c-b43, bn,84 left in Emphytéose. One speaks about these “Sirs de Grandmont”. The abbots cling to the ideas Ligue, approach the Counter-Reformation. They try without success to fight against carelessness, are harnessed with great projects of rebuilding of the buildings of the abbey.

At the XVIIIe century, Charles Frémon, abbot of Grandmont, propose a reform of “strict observance”, but only some houses adopt it. The refusal of the other monks and the covetousness of the bishop involve the suppression of the Order by the commission of Regular the in 1772. The sites grandmontains are sold with the Révolution. Contractors demolish the buildings to recover materials.

Assessment

Comfort of generations of men by his spiritual or social help, the world grandmontain reveals the capacity on the men of coenobites, skilful administrative. If it allures by its rule, memory of its eremitic origin, it lives constantly in symbiosis with the political context and economic.

Bibliography and source

Scriptores Ordinis Grandimontensis , published by J.BECQUET, Turnhout, 1968. Vita Stephani , ch.XXIII and XXVI, XXVIII, XXXII. CH disciple. XX. Vita Hugonis , CH. 11-12. Rule : CH. 4,9,54,59 Liber of Doctrina, CH. 1.
J. BECQUET, “Grandmont and right”, Grandmontaines Studies, Museum of the Country of Ussel, 1998.
Mr. LARIGAUDERIE- BEIJEAUD, Grandmont, of the hermitage to the ecclesiastical seigniory, XIIe-XVIIIe centuries , under the direction of Jacques Péret, thesis of the university of Poitiers, G.E.R.H.I.C.O, 2004,4 volumes.

Arch. EPD. of High-Vienna, I SEM 10, f° 52. f° 39. Funds of Grandmont 5 HH…

“Bullaire about Grandmont”, published by dom J. Becquet, re-examined Mabillon, 1956-1962., n° 5,1156; n°6, 1171; n° 24,1188.
G. CONKLIN, “Law, church and reform: Stephen off Turned and Grandmont”, 9th International Congress off Medieval Canon Law , Munich, 13-18 July 1992.
Vita Stephani , Scriptores, op.cit., CH. XXXII. Etienne studied the lifestyle of the monks, the canons and the hermits before withdrawing himself, CH. XI. Lesson and Sentences, translation of R. Bernier, Paris, Limoges, 1989, ch. 1, p.13. Rule , op.cit., CH. 4 and 9; ch.54, 59 (clerks and convers).
J. NADAUD, * Peerage-book of the diocese and the General information of Limoges , published by A. Lecler, Limoges, 1882, T.I, p. 255; t.III, p.79. J.NADAUD, I SEM 10, f° 52, F) 39.
Bullaire about Grandmont , published by dom J. Becquet, re-examined Mabillon, 1956-1962., n° 5,1156; n°6, 1171; n° 24,1188.
G. CONKLIN, “Law, church and reform: Stephen off Turned and Grandmont”, 9th International Congress off Medieval Canon Law , Munich, 13-18 July 1992.
B. LEGRAND, Die Klosteranlagen der Grammontenser - Studien zur französischen Ordensbaukunst of the 12. und 13. Jahrhunderts . Thesis of the university of Freiburg in Brisgau (Germany), 2006 (complete German Text)

External references

religious orders in the Limousin of XIe at the XVIIIe century.

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