GOTTSCHALK, got'shalk, or FULGENTILTS (c. 805-c. 868). A prominent figure in a theo logical controversy of the ninth century. He was the son of Berneo, a Saxon count, and was placed by his parents at an early age in the monastery of Fuda. At the approach of manhood he tried to secure release from his vows, but failed owing to the opposition of his abbot, Rabanus Maurus (q.v.). He was permitted to remove to the monastery of Orbais in the diocese of Soissons, and there devoted himself to the writings of Saint Augustine, and became an enthusiastic believer in the doctrine of predestination, even going be yond his master, and holding to a predestina tion to condemnation as well as to salvation. In 837-838 he went to Italy, partly for the pur pose of spreading his views. It was there he met Bishop Noting, who was so scandalized by Gott schalk's views that he called upon Rabanus to assist in suppressing the heretical opinions. In 839 Gottschalk became priest, and then had the right to preach. This gave him a great advan tage. In 845-848 he was again in Italy, and for two years was the guest of Eberhard, Count of Friuli. Rabanus, now Archbishop of Mainz, warned the Count against Gottschalk as a dan gerous heretic, and he turned him out of doors. Gottschalk then wandered into Germany, preach ing everywhere. Rabanus accused him of neg
lecting the distinction between foreknowledge and foreordination; on the other hand, he him self refused to recognize any difference between predestination to punishment and predestination to sin. At a synod held in Mainz in 848, and pre sided over by Rabanus, Gottschalk presented a written explanation in defense of his views; he was, however, very summarily found guilty of heresy, and handed over to his ecclesiastical supe rior, Hincmar of Rheims, to he dealt with as his crime might deserve. He was again condemned in an assembly at Quircy in 849—this time not only as a heretic, but also as a despiser of authority, and as a disturber of the Church's peace—and sentenced to he whipped severely and rigorously imprisoned. The place selected for his captivity was the Monastery of Hautvilliers, in the Diocese of Rheims, and here he languished throughout the remainder of his life, a period of twenty years, notwithstanding the efforts of in fluential friends and his own pitiful appeals. He died October 30. 868 or 869, and was buried in unconsecrated ground. Fragments of his works were published by Migne, 'Patrol. Lat., cxxi. Consult his life by Borrasch (Thorn, 1868), and Gaudard (Saint Quentin, 1888).