Milo Archbishop of Trier |
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Church | Catholic |
Province | Austrasia |
Diocese |
Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Austrasia (today Germany) Reims, Rhineland-Palatinate, Austrasia (today France) |
Appointed | 722 |
In office | 722 |
Quashed | 744 |
Predecessor | St. Leudwinus |
Successor | Abel |
Opposed to | St. Boniface |
Orders | |
Ordination | Benedictine |
Personal details | |
Birth name | Milo of Trier |
Born | Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Austrasia (today Germany) |
Died | Meulenwald, Rhineland-Palatinate, Austrasia (today Germany) |
Buried | Meulenwald, Rhineland-Palatinate, Austrasia (today Germany) |
Nationality | Frankish |
Denomination | Chalcedonian Christianity |
Parents | St. Leudwinus and Willigard of Bavaria |
Milo of Trier (d. 762 or 763) was the son of St. Leudwinus and was his successor as Archbishop of Trier and Archbishop of Reims. His great-uncle St. Basinus had preceded his father as Trier. He is the great-grandson of Saint Sigrada and Saint Leodegarius is his great uncle.
Milo was the son of the Leudwinus of Trier and Willigard of Bavaria. He was born a nobleman and later styled Count of Trier.
His brother was Wido (Gui), Count of Hornbach.Chrotrude, Duchess of Austrasia (Rotrude), was apparently his sister.
He received a monastic education as was the custom for Medieval noblemen and Milo became an ordained Benedictine monk. Prior to his ecclesiastical career, Milo also had a military career, something he had in common with his brother-in-law Charles Martel.
As the scion of one of the most powerful Frankish clans in Austrasia, Milo's future seemed secure. He succeeded his father as Archbishop of Trier become the third generation of his family to hold this position.
When Charles Martel drove Saint Rigobert from Reims, Milo was appointed his successor.
As bishop, Milo became a controversial figure in the history of the Church. His avarice and fondness of earthly pleasures soon placed him in opposition with the church.
Milo did not lead a spiritual life and flagrantly ignored the Rules of Saint Benedict that governed his colleagues. He habitually used church property for his personal and political purposes, usually to indulge his illegitimate sons. He accumulated much of the riches of his dioceses and developed a reputation for corruption.
Accounts of Milo's time as bishop are collected in the Gesta Treverorum.