Guadamir facts for kids

Guadamir (died June 14, 957) was an important leader in the church. He served as the bishop of Vic from 948 until he passed away. A bishop is like a main leader for a group of churches in an area. Guadamir is remembered for changing how money was managed in his church.

Who Was Guadamir?

Guadamir was a bishop in a city called Vic. This city is in a region that is now part of Spain. He became bishop in the year 948. He was in charge of the main church, called a cathedral. He also led the group of priests who worked there.

A Problem with Money

Before Guadamir became bishop, the church had a special way of handling money. The bishop and the group of priests (called the cathedral chapter) each got money from different places. Even though the bishop controlled all the money, the priests had their own separate incomes.

The priests complained to Guadamir. They said he had used up their share of the money. Guadamir admitted that he had done this. This caused a problem because the priests needed their money to live and do their work.

Guadamir's Big Idea

When Guadamir was very sick, just before he died on June 10, 957, he decided to fix the money problem. He made a new plan. He decided to combine all the money from the bishop and the priests into one big fund. However, he still wanted the bishop and each priest to get their own separate payments from this fund.

Guadamir's main reason for this change was to help everyone feel more like a team. He wanted to make sure the priests felt financially secure. This meant they would know they had enough money.

How the New Plan Worked

Guadamir's new plan said that one-third of the money from certain sources would go to the priests. This money came from things like market fees, tolls (money paid to use roads or bridges), and rights to use pastures for animals. It also included money from the mint, which is where coins were made.

This new system was supposed to make things fairer. It was meant to help the priests have a steady income.

What Happened Next?

Guadamir's new money system was supposed to last a long time. However, it was not always followed very well. Many years later, in 1038, another bishop named Oliba had to confirm the rules again. Even after that, the system was still not always used as Guadamir had planned.

Guadamir's efforts show how leaders in the past tried to manage resources. He wanted to create a better system for his church and its priests.