BENOIT
BENTHAMISM was made imperial architect by Emperor Henry III and. as such, supervised the construction of numer- ous castles and churches in the empire. When the Rhine, which flowed close to the Cathedral of Speyer. threatened to imdermine the foimdation of that building, Benno saved the majestic structure by changing the course of the river. In 1047 he became teacher at the Benedictine school of Goslar (Hanover) and. shortly after, was made head master of the cathedral school at Hildesheim. In 1051 he accom- panied .zelin. bishop of that see, on the emperors Hungarian campaign and upon his retimi was made provost of the Cathedral of Hildesheim and arch- priest at Goslar. In 1069 Benno was consecrated Bishop of Osna- bruck. then vacant through the death of Benno I. During the conflict between Gregory ^11 and Henry IV. Benno for a long time sided with the emperor, ^"hen. at the SjTiod of Wonns. in 1076. Gregory ^^I was deposed. Benno. like most other German bishops, signed the formula of deposition and incurred eccle- siastical excommunication. With some other well- meaning excommimicated bishops, Benno hastened to Italy, where the pope freed them from the ban at Canossa. before Henrj- himself arrived there to feign repentance. After the emperor's second excom- munication, Benno tried to bring about a reconcilia- tion, but. seeing the insincerity of the emperor, gave up in despair and retired to the monastery of Iburg. which he had founded in 1070. In a Uttle house near the monastery he lived according to the rule of the monks during the week, while on Simdays and holydays he assisted at his cathedral in Osnabruck. Benno's piety and justice made liim much beloved by his flock. Strunck (.Westphalia Saucta. Pader- lx)m. 1S55) aiid Heitemeyer (Die Heihgen Deutsch- lands, Paderbom. 1SS9) include him in the list of saints. Kerler (Die Patronate der Heiligen, LTm, 1905) says that he is invoked against grasshoppers, because he once dispersed them bj' his prayers. Thtex. ilUthea. rfes hist. Vereins zu 'Osr^h^uck' IX, 1-243; Wattexbach, GfJichichisqiieUen im Mitulalter (Berlin. 1S94^. II. iiL The most important s.>iirce is Vita Bennonis. by NoRBERT, a contemporarv of Benno and third ,bbot of Itjurg <10So-Ill
