Raban was appointed principal of the monastery’s school. In his work he was at first assisted
by Samuel, his fellow-pupil at Tours, but when the latter was elected bishop of Worms Raban
carried on the school alone. The new abbot, Ratgar, quickly degenerated into a tyrant with an
architectural mania. He begrudged the time spent in study and instruction. Accordingly he chose
very effective measures to break up the school. He took the books away from the scholars and even
from their principal, Raban Maur.^1219 In 807 the monastery was visited with a malignant fever, and
a large proportion of the monks, especially of the younger ones, died, and many left. Thus by death
and defection the number was reduced from 400 to 150, but those who remained had to work all
the harder. It was probably during this period of misrule and misery that Raban made his journey
to Palestine, to which, however, he only once alludes.^1220 On December 23, 814, he was ordained
priest.^1221
In 817 Ratgar was deposed and Raban’s friend Eigil elected in his place.^1222 With Eigil a
better day dawned for the monastery. Raban was now unhampered in teaching and able once more
to write. The school grew so large that it had to be divided. Those scholars who were designed for
the secular life were taught in a separate place outside the monastery. The library was also much
increased.
In 822 Eigil died and Raban was elected his successor. He proved a good leader in spiritual
affairs. He took personal interest in the monks, and frequently preached to them. He paid particular
attention to the education of the priests. He compiled books for their especial benefit, and as far as
possible taught in the school, particularly on Biblical topics. The principal of the school under him
was Canadidus, already mentioned as the biographer of Eigil.^1223 His most famous pupils belong
to this period: Servatus Lupus, Walahfrid Strabo (826–829) and Otfrid. He showed his passion for
collecting relics, which he enshrined in a very costly way. He also built churches and extended the
influence of Fulda by colonizing his monks in different places, adding six affiliated monasteries
to the sixteen already existing.
In the spring of 842 Raban laid down his office and retired to the "cell" on the Petersberg,
in the neighborhood of Fulda. There he thought he should be able to end his days in literary activity
undisturbed by the cares of office. To this end he called in the aid of several assistants and so worked
rapidly. But he was too valuable a man to be allowed to retire from active life. Accordingly on the
death of Otgar, archbishop of Mainz (April 21, 847), he was unanimously elected by the chapter,
the nobility and the people of Mainz his successor. He reluctantly consented, and was consecrated
June 26, 847. In October of that year he held his first synod in the monastery of St. Alban’s, Mainz.
It was a provincial council by command of Louis the German. Among the notables present were
his suffragans, Samuel of Worms, his former fellow-teacher, Ebo of Hildesheim, Haymo of
Halberstadt, his fellow-student under Alcuin, and also Ansgar of Hamburg, who had come to plead
for the Northern mission. This synod renewed the command to the priests to preach. In this act
Raban is recognized. On October 1, 848, a second synod was held at Mainz, which is memorable
(^1219) In a poem (Migne, CXII. col. 1600) addressed to Ratgar, he gently pleads for the return of his books and papers. In
another longer poem he describes the defection caused by Ratgar’s tyranny (ibid. col. 1621).
(^1220) In his comment on Joshua xi. 8 (Migne, CVIII. col. 1053, l. 38).
(^1221) Migne, CVII. col. 15.
(^1222) See p. 700.
(^1223) See. p. 701.