I 175. HINCMAR OF RIIE1MS. 751
him the especial favor of Louis the Pious. This interest lie used to advance the cause of reform in the monastery of St. Denis, which had become lax in its discipline, and when the Synod of Paris in 829 appointed a commission to bring this about lie heartily co-operated with it, and entered the monastery as a monk. In 830, Hilduin was banished to New Corbie, in Saxony, for participation in the conspiracy of Lothair against Louis the Pious. Hincmar had no part in or sympathy with the conspiracy, yet out of love for Hilduin he shared his exile. Through his influence with Louis, Hilduin was pardoned and re-instated in his abbey after only a year's absence. Hiucmar for the next nine or ten years lived partly at the abbey and partly at court. He applied himself diligently to study, and laid up those stores of patristic learning of which he afterwards made such an effective use. In 840 Charles the Bald succeeded Louis, and soon after took him into his permanent service, and then began that eventful public life which was destined to render him one of the most famous of churchmen. After his ordina tion as priest in 844, Charles the Bald gave him the oversight of the abbeys of St. Mary's, at Compiegne, and of St. Germer's, at Flaix. He also gave him an estate,1 which he made over to the hospice of St. Denis, on his elevation to the archiepiscopate. In December, 844, Hincmar took a prominent part in the coun cil at Verneuil, and in April of the following year at the council of Beauvais he was elected by the clergy and people of Rheims to be their archbishop. This choice being ratified by Charles the Bald, and the permission of his abbot being received, he was consecrated by Rothad, bishop of Soissons, archbishop of Rheims and metropolitan, May 3, 845.
No sooner had he been established in his see and had secured
from Charles the restitution of all property that belonged to it,
than trouble broke out. His diocese had fallen into more or
less disorder in consequence of the ten years which had elapsed
1 August 12, 844. See Scbrors, I. c. p. 26.
752 FOURTH PEKIOD. A. D. 590-104^9.
between Ebo's deposition and his election. Hincmar's first trouble came from Ebo, who contested Hincmar 's election on the ground that he was still archbishop. But the council of Paris in 846 affirmed Hincmar's election, and, in 847, Leo IV. sent him the pallium. The first difficulty being overcome, a second presented itself. For a few months in 840 Ebo had oc cupied his old see by force, and during this time had ordained several priests. Hincmar degraded them and the council of Soissons in 853 approved his act. But naturally his course was opposed. The leader of the malcontents was Wulfad, one of the deposed priests. The matter was not disposed of until 868, when Pope Hadrian decided practically in favor of the deposed priests, for while exonerating Hincmar of all blame, at the same time he confirmed the election of Wulfad (866) as arch bishop of Bourges.
Another trouble came from Rothad, bishop of Soissons, who had consecrated him, and who was one of his suffragans. Rothad had deposed a priest for unchastity and the deposition was confirmed by an episcopal council. Hincmar took the ground that Rothad, being only a suffragan bishop, had no right of deposition, and also no right to call a council. He also brought formal charges of disobedience against him and de manded the re-instatement of the deposed priest. Rothad per sistently refusing compliance was then himself deposed (861). Both parties appealed to the pope, who at last (January 21, 865) decided in Rothad's favor and re-instated him.1
In 863 Hincmar refused to give his assent as metropolitan to the elevation of Hilduin, brother of Giinther of Cologne, to the bishopric of Cambrai. Hilduin had been nominated to this posi tion by Lothair, but Hincmar said that he was unfit, and the pope approved of his action.
His longest and hardest fight was with his nephew and name sake, Hincmar,. Kshop of Laon. The latter was certainly very 1 Hefele, IV- 292.