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Birth:          ABT  820 
Death:          16 Dec  866 
Burial:         Cysoing

Notes
some records show d 16 Dec 862
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eberhard_of_Friuli
Eberhard (c. 815 – 16 December 866) was the Frankish Duke of Friuli from 846. His 
name is alternatively spelled Everard, Evrard, Erhard, or Eberard; in Latinized fashion, 
Everardus, Eberardus, or Eberhardus. He wrote his own name "Evvrardus".[1] He was 
an important political, military, and cultural figure in the Carolingian Empire during his 
lifetime. He kept a large library, commissioned works of Latin literature from Lupus 
Servatus and Sedulius Scottus, and maintained a correspondence with the noted 
theologians and church leaders Gottschalk, Rabanus Maurus, and Hincmar.[1]
A note on notability[edit]


"Saint Evrard, Duke of Frioul and son-in-law of Louis le Débonaire, was one of the 
principal personages of the Carolingian period. As his name belongs to a great history, 
our region could, in right name, be re-vindicated as one of his glories. Cysoing, above 
all, has the right to call itself Saint Evrard's village. The past of Saint Evrard and of 
the village of Cysoing are themselves intimately tied such that it is impossible to 
separate them. One would excuse us for therefore reuniting them."[2]

So reads the preface of an ecclesiastic work on Evrard and Cysoing. There was a 
flurry of research and publishing associated with the discovery of Evrard's body at 
Cysoing early in the twentieth century, mostly limited to Lille/Roubaix and within 
elements of the Church.

Family[edit]

He inherited the title of Duke of Friuli from his father Unruoch II. His mother was 
Engeltrude, daughter of Beage, Count of Paris.

Evrard was from an illustrious Frankish family.[3]

Children (with Gisela, daughter of Louis the Pious)[edit]
Eberhard (c. 837 – 840)
Ingeltrude (837 or 840 – 870), probably married Henry of Franconia
Unruoch III (c. 840 – 874)
Bèrenger (c. 845 – 924), King of Italy
Adélard (d. 874)
Rudolf (d. 892)
Heilwise (b. 860)
Gisèle (d. 863)
Judith of Friuli (died ca. 881), first married Arnulf I of Bavaria, second married Conrad 
II of Auxerre

Disputed parentage[edit]
Paternity theoriesHis father was Unruoch II.[4]
"His father was Berengar, the son of Count Unroch."[2]
"After other authors, Unroch, the grandfather of Saint Evrard, should have been the 
Duke of Frioul."[2]
"Alas, some have written that Saint Evrard had for his father Carloman I, the brother of 
Charlemagne."[2]
"His grandfather was, it is said, the Count Unroch who was leaving the court of 
Charlemagne and signatory to the will of the emperor."[2]
Maternity theoriesHis mother was Engeltron of Paris, a daughter of Begue, Count of 
Paris.[4]
"As for his mother, she was, Buzelin says, the daughter of Didier, king of the 
Lombards."[2]

Education[edit]

Saint Evrard lived in the ninth century. He was born under the reign of Charlemagne 
and died under that of Charles the Bald.

Saint Evrard was elevated to the court of Charlemagne and of Louis the Débonaire. 
He took his education at the Palace School founded by Charlemagne and organized 
by Alcuin, where he studied from the medieval programs known as the trivium and the 
quadrivium. There he got a taste of the letters and sciences, at the same time that he 
developed his famous piety.[2]

It is without doubt that it was at the Palace School that Saint Evrard began to build 
the rich library of which he enumerates the books with so much care in his will.[5][6]

Warlike exploits and role as mediator under Louis le Débonaire[edit]

As soon as his age permitted him to carry arms, Saint Evrard took part in numerous 
military expeditions.[7] Named Duke of Frioul and Count or Marquis[8] de Trévise, in 
Italy, he defended his country against invasion by the Bulgars and managed to 
completely drive these new barbarians from the peninsula—825-830.[2]

He rendered service unto Louis le Débonaire that was still more distinguished. During 
the tragic years (830-839) where the emperor had suffered at the hand of his son's 
revolt the most undignified treatment, Count Evrard remained inviolably loyal.[2]

He exercised his influence in Lothair's sphere (the elder son of the emperor) to bring 
about a reconciliation between father and son. It is certain that it was on his council 
in 839, that Lothaire went to Worms to implore the pardon of his father.[9]

Marriage and life at Cysoing[edit]

In return for his services, the emperor Louis le Débonaire gave Count Evrard the 
highest honor possible: the hand of his (acknowledged) daughter, the Princess Gisèle, 
in marriage.

The Princess Gisèle, a woman of piety and virtue,[2] was the daughter of Louis le 
Débonaire and his second wife, the empress Judith.[9] Among the rich domains the 
Princess brought with her in her dowry, Count Evrard found the fisc of Cysoing. One 
gives the name fisc, in this age, to large, rural properties separate from the royal 
domains; that is, to sorts of farms with a residence for the master and homes for 
settlers.[10] The Royal Fisc of Cysoing, situated at the center of the country of 
Pèvele, was one of the most beautiful in the region. The stay seemed so agreeable to 
Saint Evrard and the Princess Gisèle that they made it one of their regular 
residences.[2] The castle which they inhabited was without doubt the same as that of 
the lords of Cysoing in following centuries. It found itself part of a magnificent 
property, surrounded by water, that actually belongs to the family Bigo-Vanderhagen. 
The farming ditches were marked in the oldest documents.[11] It is not rash to think 
these were dug in Saint Evrard's time, or perhaps even earlier.[2]

Already, in the century before (in 752), the little hamlet established on the royal fisc of 
Cysoing has been made famous through the martyrdom of Saint Arnoul.[2] Saint 
Arnoul, a courageous warrior, who was, it is said, the father of Godefroid, Bishop of 
Cambrai-Arras, had been attached to the court of a noble lord, his relative. "His 
virtues and his merits were so radiant that God accorded his prayers more than one 
miracle during his life. He became even more glorious through his martyrdom."[2] He 
was so devoted to his master that he eventually died for him[12] thus attaining 
martyrdom.[2] Saint Arnoul was already honored at Cysoing when Saint Evrard and 
Princess Gisèle went to take possession of their domain. His relics were conserved 
there. Cysoing, of this age, has therefore a church, or less a chapel that was without 
doubt the same chapel as the royal fisc.[2]

Saint Evrard, at Cysoing, had a chaplain named Walgaire.[2] They (Evrard and Gisèle) 
decided to found a monastery at Cysoing. The project was long and difficult, and was 
not complete at the time of Evrard's or Gisèle's deaths. The monastery was initially 
made in honor of Saint Saveur and Mary (mother of Jesus). The religious lived there 
under canon law in a community with all the rigors of the cloister. Their special 
function was singing solemnly in the church. They maintained public prayer. Saint 
Evrard was known to enjoy singing with the choir.[2] After his later campaigns in the 
defense of Italy, the remains of Pope Callixtus I were re-interred in the Abbey at 
Cysoing.[1][2]

Character[edit]

Saint Evrard, himself, has organized his home in a way so perfectly that it was more 
like a monastery than a castle. He was seconded in this task by his pious wife, Gisèle, 
who dedicated herself to the education of their many children. The poor and ill were 
sure of finding not only banal security at Cysoing, but also help and protection. The 
social question of the time, that of serfs, also preoccupied Saint Evrard. He had freed 
a good number. In their testimony, he expressly refrained from impeding their liberty. 
He never forgot those who he didn't free, and tried to improve their lots. Though he 
was a courageous and formidable, he worked all his life for peace. His private virtues 
were no less remarkable. In his elevated position, he strove to preserve modesty and 
humility, to avoid splendor and arrogance. His zeal for the glory of God, to spread the 
Truth, to convert the infidels, was celebrated throughout the Church. Alas, his piety, 
his taste for ceremonies of worship, he devotion to the saints, his respect for the 
precious relics was apparent in his every act.[2]

Pacifier[edit]

Saint Evrard's activity was not limited to the royal fisc of Cysoing, as he involved 
himself freely with matters of other domains and the empire in general. Emperor Louis 
the Debonaire went to die (840) and the war, a cruel war without mercy, exploded 
between the Emperor Lothaire and his two brothers, Louis le Germanique and Charles 
the Bald. Saint Evrard strongly deplored this fighting/battling and fratricide and made 
all efforts to bring it to an end. After the bloody battle of Fontenay (25 June 841), he 
left the ambassadorial envoy of Lothaire near that of Lothaire's brothers for peace 
negotiations. The preparatory conference took place in 842 at Milin, near Châlons in 
Champagne. It was decided to divide the empire between the three brothers. The 
negotiators, among which Evrard could be found, were charged with making the 
partitioning equitable/fair. It was not before August 843 that they presented their 
report to the three kings at Verdun.[2]

Wars with the Saracens[edit]

The negotiations ended and peace was re-established between the three brothers, 
Saint Evrard left in haste for Italy. Italy was under threat from "African Saracens". 
These Saracens[2] had been named as helpers, in 842, by the Duke of Benevento 
and they would soon become a threat to regimes throughout the peninsula. They 
menaced Rome and pillaged it many times. Saint Evrard, in his position as Duke of 
Friuli, was made a captain/leader of the resistance. The war wore on for several years 
and ended in 851 with the defeat of the Saracens.

"Evrard has a reputation for being both a courageous soldier and able leader 
throughout these battles. In the tradition of Charlemagne, Evrard forced the 
vanquished to convert to Christianity, meritoriously teaching them the Gospel, 
himself."[2]

Testament and death[edit]

Sometime after this solemnity, Saint Evrard returned to Italy. We find him in 858 among 
the ambassadors who the emperor Louis le Jeune, son of Lothaire, sent to Ulm, near 
his uncle Louis le Germanique. After this date, we know nothing more about Saint 
Evrard until his Testimony, a very interesting/curious/strange document, whose 
authenticity is certain and in which we are given information on the life of Saint 
Evrard. This Testimony was made in Italy, at Musiestro Castle, in the county of 
Trévise, in 867. Evrard and his consort meticulously recorded not only their lands and 
possessions within a prepared will, but the identities and relationships of family 
members and neighboring royals. With the agreement of his spouse, Princess Gisèle, 
Saint Evrard portioned his goods among his seven children.[2]

The eldest, Unroch, got all properties in Lombardy and Germany. The second, 
Bèrenger, got Annappes with its depencencies less Gruson and the other properties in 
the Hesbaye and in the Condrost. The third, Adélard , got the lands of Cysoing, 
Camphin, Gruson and Somain, with charges and respects of all the properties of the 
Abbey in these regions. The fourth, Rodolphe, got Vitry-en-Artois and Mestucha, 
except for the church at Vitry which was given with the Abbey at Cysoing.[2]

The three daughters of Saint Evrard, Ingletrude, Judith and Heilwich, got various 
other domains : Ermen, Marshem, Balghingham, Heliwsheim, Hostrenheim, Luisinga, 
Wendossa, Engerresteim. Saint Evrard had another daughter who carried the name of 
Gisèle, her mother. But she was dead at the time of his testimony. The testimony split 
equally the jewels and ornaments of the saint, the precious objects of his chappel and 
the books of his library. It is dated 867, the 24th year of the reign of Lothaire's son, 
Louis le Jeune. Saint Evrard died the same year, 16 December.[2]

Parents
____ Unrouch (Hunroch) (ABT  780 - AFT  853)
____ Engeltrude (Engeltron) (ABT  786 - )

Siblings
____ ----- (daughter of Hunroch of Friuli) ()
OF OSCHERET Amadeus (ABT  802 - )
____ Eberhard (Everard) (ABT  820 - 16 Dec  866)

Marriage To ____ Gisela (ABT  820 - 1 Jul  874)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
____ Louis I "the Pious" "the Fair" (Aug  778 - 20 Jun  840)
OF BAVARIA Judith (ABT  800 - 19 Apr  843)

Children by ____ Gisela ABT  820 - 1 Jul  874
____ Berenger I (ABT  840 - 7 Apr  924)
OF FRIULI Hunroch (Unruoch) III (ABT  840 -  874)
____ Ermenfroi (Ermenfried) (ABT  844 - )
OF FRIULI Judith (ABT  845 - AFT  902)
OF FRIULI Heilwise (ABT  855 - AFT  895)

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