Radboud of Utrecht

Image of Bishop Radboud in the Broerenkerk in Zwolle

Saint Radbod (or Radboud) (before 850 – 917) was bishop of Utrecht from 900 to 917.

He was a descendant of the last King of the Frisians. He spent his youth with his uncle Gunther, Archbishop of Cologne. After that, he served at the court of Charles the Bald.

When he was appointed as bishop of Utrecht in 900, the city was in ruins after a number of Norman raids. Like his predecessors, he was seated instead at Deventer.

He died in Ootmarsum in 917. His feast day is 29 November.

In the city of Nijmegen, the Netherlands, a university and a hospital are named after him: Radboud University Nijmegen and University Medical Center St Radboud, the latter being a part of the medical faculty of the university.

Further reading

• F. Rädle, "Bischof Radbod von Utrecht", Die deutsche Literatur des Mittelalters: Verfasserlexikon, 2e ed.; dl. 7: 962-965 (with a survey of Radboud's published writings)
• B. Ahlers, Die ältere Fassung der Vita Radbodi (Frankfurt-Bern, 1976)
• M. Carasso-Kok, Repertorium van verhalende historische bronnen uit de Middeleeuwen (Den Haag, 1981); kritisch overzicht van aan Radboud toegeschreven werken (nrs. 8, 18, 52, 53, 62, 80, 88, 89, 352) en van de heiligenlevens over Radboud (nr. 75)
• Vita Radbodi/ Het leven van Radboud, toegelicht, bezorgd en vertaald door Peter Nissen en Vincent Hunink (Nijmegen 2004)
• A. G. Weiler, "Sint Radboud, bisschop van Utrecht [Deventer] van 899/900 tot 917. Pastor, geleerde, historicus, dichter en componist", Trajecta, tijdschrift voor geschiedenis van het katholiek leven in Nederland; 12 (2003) 97-115
• René Veenman, "Radbouds Over de zwaluw", in: Madoc; 19 (2005): 194-203