TOUL, COUNCILS OF

A series of local councils held in Toul, France. (1) About 550 the bishops of Austrasia were convoked by King Theodebald to a council at Toul, whose bishop had complained to him against certain nobles. The archbishop of Reims claimed that the bishop should have appealed to him, not the King, and refused to attend; the council is known only from his correspondence. (2) In 859 Savonnièes, a royal villa near Toul, was the site of a council of the Frankish Church, attended by bishops from 12 provinces. remigius of lyon attempted to have his position on predestination, as expressed at valence (855) and just revised at langres (859), approved by the council; but the matter was deferred and settled at Tuzey (860). (3) callistus ii sent a cardinal legate to investigate reports that Gottfrid, Archbishop of Trier (1124–27), was guilty of simony. At mid-Lent, March 13, 1127, the legate and three bishops met in council at Toul for a preliminary hearing. Many accusers appeared, but since none were Gottfrid's peers (i.e., fellow bishops), the legate decided that the archbishop need only purge himself of infamy at a council at Worms three months later (May 15). There he did not attempt compurgation, but swore he was innocent and the next day resigned. Various diocesan synods were held also, e.g., 838, 1123, 1359, 1515.

Bibliography: c. j. von hefele, Histoire des conciles d'après les documents originaux, tr. and continued by h. leclercq, 10 v. in 19 (Paris 1907–38) 3.1:164–165 (for c. 550); 4.1:217–220; 4.2:1338–42, 1384–86 (for 859); 5.1:667 (for 1127).

[r. kay]