Balderic

From the Catholic Encyclopedia

(Or Baudry).

Bishop of Dol, in France, chronicler, b. about 1050; d. 7 January, 1130. After a brilliant course of studies at the famous school of Angers, he entered the Abbey of Bourgueil in Anjou, where he became abbot in 1079. In 1107 he received from Pascal II the pallium of Bishop of Dol. He assisted at all the councils held in his day, went several times to Rome, and left an account of a journey to England. He exercised considerable activity in reforming monastic discipline. The last years of his life were spent in retirement. He is remembered as the author of important or interesting contributions to history, poetry, and hagiography.

Balderic's most valuable work is his "Historiae Hierosolymitanae libri IV", an account of the First Crusade, based in part on the testimony of eyewitnesses, and submitted for correction to the Abbot Peter of Maillesais, who had accompanied the Crusaders. Among his other works are poems on the conquest of England and on the reign of Philip I; lives, in Latin, of his friend Robertus de Arbrissello (published by the Bollandists under 25 Feb.), of St. Valerian (published by Bouquet, Hit. Eccl. De France), and of St. Hugh of Rouen (published by Du Monstier, "Neustria Pia"); finally a letter to the monks of Fecamp which contains some valuable material relating to Breton manners, and to English and Norman monasteries (Duchesne and Bouquet, Historiens de France).

Histoire litteraire de la France, VIII, 400; Molinier, Sources de l'hist. de France.

J.V. CROWNE