Liutbert (or Ludbert) (died 889) was the Archbishop of Mainz from 863 until his death. He also became Abbot of Ellwangen in 874 and is reckoned the first Archchancellor of Germany. He was one of the major organisers—along with Henry of Franconia—of the vigorous and successful defence of East Francia against Viking attack during his last decade.[1][2]
In May 868, Liutbert presided over the synod of Worms, which condemned the Greek church for heresy and laid down punishments for rebels.[3] In 870, he became the archchaplain of Louis the German until 876 and thereafter of Louis the Younger until the latter's death in 882.[4] Under Charles the Fat, however, he did not retain this position, rather it was preserved for Liutward of Vercelli. Liutbert did not accept his lack of position at court initially; he had himself referred to as "archchaplain," though he was not, in an 882 document of Weissenburg, another abbey of which he was abbot.[5]
The Annales Fuldenses, from about the 860s, was being written in the circle of Liutbert and after 882 until 887 (the so-called "Mainz continuation") under his supervision.[4][6] Because of the demotion he had suffered after the accession of Charles the Fat to all East Francia in 882, Liubert was a partisan opponent of the emperor's. It has even been suggested that the Mainz Annales' depiction of Liutbert and Liutward bears resemblance to the figures of Mordecai and Haman in the Book of Esther.,[7] based on the work of Geneviève Bührer-Thierry. Liutbert was also an opponent of Charles' plan to make his heir his bastard son Bernard.[8]
En 871, los moravos se rebelaron contra el señorío franco y los sorbos a lo largo del Elba hicieron lo mismo. Un ejército bajo el mando de Liutbert los derrotó en Waldaha (Vltava o Moldavia). [9] En 883, cuando los vikingos navegaron por el Rin y se llevaron un gran botín, Liutbert los enfrentó con una pequeña fuerza y recuperó su botín. [10] También reconstruyó Colonia , que habían dañado. A finales de 884, los vikingos atacaron Francia occidental e invernaron en Hesbaye . A principios de 885, en una campaña organizada por Carlos el Gordo, Liutberto y Enrique de Franconia sorprendieron a los vikingos y los hicieron huir. [11]
A principios de 887, Carlos el Gordo se vio obligado a despedir a su capellán y canciller Liutward y reemplazarlo por Liutberto a instancias de los alemanes . [12] Después de recuperar su alto puesto, la actitud de Liutberto hacia el emperador mejoró significativamente y pudo atraer más generosidad imperial a Franconia . [13]