Othman I and III, sultans. See Turkey.
Othniar, St. (Audemar, Automarus), is the name of one of the most celebrated monastics of the Middle Ages. He was the first real abbot of the convent of St. Gall, one of the most noted of ascetic asylums in Europe. As has been seen in the article St. Gall, the disciples of Gallus remained together after his decease, and appointed one of their own number as cus- tos, or pustor Gulli. Our Othmar was one of those whom his brethren delighted to honor, and he occasion- ally held that post. He was well fitted for places of distinction. He had been as thoroughly trained as was the custom of his times in Courland, and enjoyed the favors and protection of duke Waldram, whose family took great interest in the county of St. Gall. As tliis establishment was hindered in its progress bj' the Frank?, duke Waldram concluded to make them take an interest in it l)y surrendering it to them in 720, and Othmar was appointed abbot. He now exerted himself greatlj' in establishing the convent on a per- manent basis. I?y Pepin's orders the rule was changed from Columban's to Benedict's, in order to harmonize with the other Frankish convents. This change, how- ever, did not prove (juite successful, as the French
wished to place the convent under the immediate de- pendence of the diocesan bishop, in order to have great- er control over it — a step which the monks themselves strenuously resisted. The chronicles of St. Gall give very full accounts of these disputes. Othmar took a journey to the court of the F' ranks, and there obtained some advantage ; but while on his way to it a second time he was arrested, accused of lewdness, and, j udged by enemies, was of course condemned. He was taken to the village of Bodman, on the lake of Constance, where he was subjected to severe fasting. He was afterwards transferred to the island of Stein, on the Rhine, where he died, Nov. 16, 759. He had filled his office during forty years, and his death proved a severe loss to the convent, as his successor was a willing instru- ment in the hands of its enemies. Othmar's remains were brought to St. Gall in 769, and are said to have worked miracles there. He was canonized in the 9th century by Salomo I, bishop of Constance (839-871), which canonization was afterwards confirmed by the Church of Rome. Othmar's biography was written al- most a century after his death bj^ Gozbertus Diaconus. It is exclusively based on tradition. It was afterwards revised by abbot Walafrid Strabo of Reichenau, and con- tinued by Iso of St. Gall. We have the latter work complete, but that of Gozbert only with the interpola- tions of Walafrid. See Walafridi Strabi Liber de vita S. Olmari, in Pertz, 3fon. Germ. SS. ii, 41-47 ; Isonis IMagistri Be miraculis eiusdem libri ii, p. 47-54 (ibid.) ; Ekkehardi Rhjthmide S. Otmaro, p. 54-58 (ibid.) ; Rat- perti Casus S. Galli, cap. ii, p. 62-63 (ibid.) ; Ahbatum S. Gain catalofjiis, ed. D. Ildefons. ab Arx, p. 35 (ibid.) ; Gozberti Diaconi Continuatio libri ii de miraculis S, Galli per Walafridum emendata, cap. xi-xv, p. 23-24 (ibid.) ; Ann. San(/all. maior. in Pertz, Mon. Germ, i, 73, note d, and p. 74; Trudp. Neugart, Cod. dipl. Alam. etc. (1791, 4to); Traditiones moiiasf. S. Galli; Ildephons. von Arx, Gesch. d. Kantons St. Gallen (1810, 2 vols.) ; Rettberg, Kirchengesch. Deutschlands, ii, 107 sq. ; He- ber, Lebenshilder aus der altdeutschen Kirche vor Boni- facius, in Marriott, Wahrem Protestanten (1855, vol. iv, pt. 2-3); Nagel, Gesch. d. Kl. St. Gallen, etc., in the Programm des Pddagogiums zu Halle, 1852 ; Heber, Die vorkarolingiscken christlichen Glaubenshelden am Rhein u. deren Zeit (Frankf. ad IM. 1858, p. 248 sq.) ; Wetzer u. Welte, Kirchen-Lexikon, vii, 802, 803 ; Her- zog, Real-Encyklop. x, 736, (J. H.W.)
Oth'iii (Heb. Othni', iSri'. my lion; Sept. '03t/i v. r. Fo^i'i), the first named of six sons of Shemaiah; a mighty man of valor, made a porter in the tabernacle service (1 Chron. xxvi, 7). B.C. cir. 1013.
Oth'niel (Heb. OthnieV, ^Xijn?, lion of God; Sept. FoSoi'if'/X), the first judge or regent of the He- brews after the death of Joshua. He was the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb (but see Rosennuiller, Schol, in Jos, p. 295 sq.), of the tribe of Judah. See Caleb ; • Kenaz. Othniel displayed extraordinary valor in seiz- ing the city of Debir, or Kirjath-sepher, for which ex- ploit he was rewarded by the gift of Achsah, the daugh- ter of Caleb, in marriage. Afterwards he was made the instrument of delivering the Hebrews from the severe bondage in which they had been held for eight years by the INIesopotamians. During the forty years of his ad- ministration (B.C. 1567-1527) the Hebrews remained faithful to Jehovah their (iod and king, and consequent- ly prospered (Josh, xv, 16-19; Judg.i, 11-15; iii, 8-11 ; 1 Chron. iv, 13 ; xxvii, 15). See Judges.
Otho or Otto, St., of Bamberg, a noted Pomeranian prelate, and the evangelistof that now Prussian province, was born about 1062, and was descended of a noble but not wealthy Suabian family. He received a learned education, according to the fashion of those times. Providence brought him to Poland, where he became private tutor of the sons of some of the noblest families. Thus he became known to the duke Wladislav Herr-