Ermoldus Nigellus

Ermoldus Nigellus or Niger, translated Ermold the Black, or Ermoald, (active between 824–830) was a poet who lived at the court of Pippin of Aquitaine, son of Frankish Emperor Louis I, and accompanied him on a campaign into Brittany in 824.

Ermoldus was a cultured man with a knowledge of the Latin poets, and his poem, In honorem Hludovici imperatoris ("In honour of Emperor Louis"), has some historical value. It consists of four books and deals with the life and exploits of Louis from 781 to 826. He also wrote two poems in imitation of Ovid, which were addressed to Pippin.

Very little is known about Nigellus' life aside from what he writes about himself in his poetry. Although many scholars have thought that he was a monk or member of the Christian clergy, since we only have his own works as evidence about him, this affiliation as a monk cannot be proven. More recent scholarship on Nigellus, therefore, leans away from asserting his vocation as a monk

The only other known fact about Nigellus is that some time in the 820s he was sent into exile for an undisclosed offence to Pippin and Louis. His poetic works were meant to appease Louis and Pippin for his crimes against them but were also meant to be used as proof that he was ready to be reinstated at court in Aquitaine.

His Carmina in honorem Hludovici, edited by Ernst Dümmler, and other writings are published in the Monumenta Germaniae historica. Scriptores, vol. 2 (Hanover, 1826 fol.); by J.P Migne in the Patrologia Latina, vol. 105 (Paris, 1844); and by Ernst Dümmler in the Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, vol. 2 (Berlin, 1881–1884).

Although we do not know where Nigellus was from, the name Ermoldus is Germanic and his moniker, Nigellus (which means "black" or "little" in Latin), suggests that he was either “short in stature, dark haired or with a dark complection”.

Many scholars assume that because Nigellus was so passionate about being recalled from exile to return specifically to Aquitaine, that he was in fact Aquitainian but this is speculation. In fact, in his poem to Emperor Louis the Pious he actually avoids describing much of Aquitaine saying that readers should “go to Aquitaine” and see it for themselves. This has led some to suggest that he wasn't actually from Aquitaine but was simply interested in returning to courtly life at King Pippin's side. In this same poem Nigellus notes that he was an “integral part” of King Pippin's court and also says that King Pippin appreciated Nigellus' company as well as his poetics. From this it seems likely that in reality Nigellus' main desire when writing to King Louis was more about returning to the excitement and importance of court life more than returning to his homeland of Aquitaine.

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