Nicetius of Provence

Nicetius or Nicetas was the Count of Clermont, Duke of Auvergne, and Governor of Provence in the late sixth century.

He sent gifts to Childebert II in order to secure a dukedom. He received, as constituting his duchy, the cities of Rodez, Clermont, and Uzès. According to Gregory of Tours, though he was young at the time, he was "a man of acute insight," who "established peace in the Auvergne."

In 585 he participated in a war against the Visigoths; Gregory strongly criticises his conduct in the war ("crime and deception"). Afterwards he patrolled the border between Septimania (the Gothic province of Narbonensis) and his own Frankish territory, the so-called "Dukedom of Auvergne."

In 587 he was made governor of Provence (the diocesan province of Marseille) as well. In 588 Theodore, Bishop of Marseille, complained to the king that there had been a plague in Provence. Nicetius was replaced in the countship of Clermont by one Eulalius.

Sources

Nicetius

Saint Nicetius (French: Saint Nizier) (c.525 - c.566) was a bishop of Trier, born in the latter part of the fifth century, exact date unknown; died in 563 or more probably 566.

History

Nicetius was the most important bishop of the ancient See of Trier, in the era when, after the disorders of the Migrations, Frankish supremacy began in what had been Roman Gaul. Considerable detail of the life of this zealous bishop is known from various sources, from letters written either by or to him, from two poems of Venantius Fortunatus and above all from the statements of his pupil Aredius, later Abbot of Limoges, which have been preserved by Gregory of Tours.

Nicetius came from a Gallo-Roman family; he was a native of Acquitaine. From his youth he devoted himself to religious life and entered a monastery. Theuderic I (511-34) had encouraged clerics from Acquitaine to work in the Rhineland. The king came to esteem Nicetius despite his often remonstrating with him on his wrongdoing without, however, any loss of favour. After the death of Bishop Aprunculus of Trier, an embassy of the clergy and citizens of Trier came to the royal court to elect a new bishop. They desired Saint Gallus, but the king refused his consent. It was through Theuderic's patronage that Nicetius was confirmed as bishop. About 527 Nicetius set out as the new bishop for Trier, accompanied by an escort sent by the king, and while on the journey had opportunity to make known his firmness in the administration of his office.

Nicetius (disambiguation)

Nicetius can refer to: