Haito facts for kids

Haito (born in 764, died March 17, 836) was an important church leader in the early Middle Ages. He was a bishop of Basel and also the abbot of Reichenau Abbey, a famous monastery on an island. He was known for his wisdom and for helping to improve education and religious life during the time of Charlemagne.

Haito's Early Life and Education

Haito was born in the year 764. When he was just five years old, he joined the Reichenau Abbey with his brother. This abbey was a monastery located on an island in Lake Constance. The abbot, Waldo, saw Haito's potential. He made Haito the head of the monastery's school. Haito worked hard to teach the monks and to make the library bigger. The abbey became very important because it trained clerks for the emperor and other rulers.

Becoming a Church Leader

Abbot Waldo often traveled to serve Charlemagne, the powerful emperor. Because of this, Haito started taking on more responsibilities at the Reichenau Abbey from a young age. In 802, he became the Bishop of Basel. A bishop is a high-ranking church leader who oversees a specific area.

In 806, Abbot Waldo moved to another abbey near Paris. Haito then officially became the Abbot of Reichenau. Around the same time, he also became the Bishop of Basel. This meant he held two very important church positions at once.

Working with Emperor Charlemagne

Haito was trusted by Emperor Charlemagne. In 811, he was a witness to the emperor's last will. He was also sent on an important diplomatic mission to Constantinople. This was a big journey to a faraway city, and Haito completed it successfully for the emperor.

Haito also made sure to take care of his own church areas. He helped rebuild the main church in Basel. He also rebuilt the abbey church in Reichenau. He gave clear instructions to priests and people on how to follow their religion.

In 816, the abbey church was rebuilt in a special style called a cruciform basilica. He officially opened the Marienmünster and the Church of St. Mark in Mittelzell. That same year, he joined a meeting called the Aachen Reform Synod. This meeting set rules for how monks should live in the Frankish Empire.

Later Life and Legacy

In 823, Haito decided to step down from both his positions. He was becoming very ill. He spent the rest of his life as a simple monk at the Reichenau monastery. He died there on March 17, 836.

Haito's Writings

Haito wrote several important works during his life:

• The Hodoeporicon: This was a book about his journey to Constantinople. Sadly, no copies of this book have been found today.
• The Visio Wettini: In 824, Haito wrote about the spiritual experiences of Wettin. Wettin was the head of the monastic school at Reichenau. The story tells how Wettin had a vision before he died. He saw good and bad spirits, and an angel showed him different parts of the afterlife. This book is sometimes compared to Dante's Divina Commedia.
• The Capitulare Haitonis: While he was Bishop of Basel, Haito wrote a set of rules in 25 chapters. These rules were about how priests should behave. For example, priests had to live good lives and be able to preach in both Latin and the local language. They were not allowed to live with women or spend time in taverns. These rules were probably shared at a church meeting.

Haito also played a part in the creation of the famous St. Gall monastery plan. This was a detailed drawing of an ideal monastery. Haito is a great example of how church leaders in the Carolingian Empire were often involved in politics and education too.