Balderic of Utrecht facts for kids

Balderic of Cleves (born in Oldenzaal in 897, died in Utrecht on December 27, 975) was a very important Bishop of Utrecht. He served for a long time, from 918 to 975.

Balderic helped make Utrecht a powerful city. He also played a big role in the politics of his time. He was known for his strong connections with the German kings.

Who Was Balderic?

Balderic was born in 897. His family was important in the region. His father was Count Ricfried from an area called the Betuwe.

Balderic was related to other powerful people. He was a cousin of Duke Gilbert of Lorraine. He was also the uncle of another important bishop, Balderic of Liège.

Moving the Bishopric Back to Utrecht

For a while, the bishops of Utrecht lived in Deventer. This was because Vikings had attacked Utrecht. Balderic's father, Count Ricfried, helped drive the Vikings away from Utrecht.

After the Vikings left, Balderic was able to move the bishop's main seat back to Utrecht. This was a big step for the city.

Rebuilding Utrecht

When Balderic moved to Utrecht, he started rebuilding. The city had been damaged by the Vikings.

• He repaired the main church, which was the forerunner of the Cathedral of Utrecht, St. Martin's.
• He rebuilt the St. Salvator Church. This church had been destroyed by the Normans.
• He also rebuilt the school connected to the Cathedral.

Thanks to Balderic, Utrecht grew stronger. It became the most important city in the northern Netherlands. He also made the local church (diocese) very powerful. This helped it stand strong against nearby counties.

Balderic's Alliance with German Kings

Balderic achieved this power by supporting the German kings. In return, the kings gave him land and special rights.

In 923, Balderic became close with the German King Henry I. King Henry ruled from 919 to 936. King Henry trusted Balderic a lot. He even asked Balderic to educate his four-year-old son, Bruno. Bruno later became the Archbishop of Cologne.

Because of this, Balderic also stayed close with King Henry's other son, Otto I. Otto became king in 936 and later Holy Roman Emperor. Balderic sided with Otto during a conflict with Otto's sons in 953.

In exchange for his loyalty, Otto gave Balderic many important things:

• The right to make coins in Utrecht.
• Control over the trade town of Muiden. This included an important toll (a fee for trade).
• Hunting rights in Drenthe.
• Several lands in the areas of Lek and IJssel.

Collecting Holy Relics

Balderic also collected relics for the churches in Utrecht. Relics are special objects linked to saints.

• He brought relics of Saint Odulf to the St. Salvator Church.
• He brought relics of Saints Agnes and Pontian to St. Martin's Church.
• In 954, he had the relics of Plechelm moved. These were taken to the church he rebuilt in Oldenzaal.

Balderic's Burial

Balderic was the first bishop of Utrecht to be buried in the Cathedral of Saint-Martin.

Later, in 1481, some of his remains were moved. They were taken from Utrecht to the St. Plechelmusbasilica in Oldenzaal. This was likely done to honor him as the founder of that church's chapter. His tombstone from that year can still be seen there today. It is built into the west wall of the south aisle of the St. Plechelmusbasiliek.