• Born: Between 770 and 780, Orléans, Loiret, Orleanais/Centre, France
• Died: Jun 834, Battle of Touraine, Loire Valley, France

  Research Notes:

Some secondary sources show Eudes as the son of Hadrian, comte d'Orléans, and Waldrat von Hornbach, this from Levillain, who identifies Eudes, with Odo, son of Adrianus [Udalrichinger] and his wife Waldrada. [Levillain, L. 'Les Nibelungen historiques et leurs alliances de famille' Annales du Midi 49 (1937) 337-407, 50 (1938) 5-66, 31-43]. However, to quote Medlands: "This seems unlikely to be correct as the name Guillaume/Wilhelm (brother of Eudes Comte d’Orléans) does not appear at all in the Udalrichinger family, although it is possible that the name could have been introduced from their mother’s family. A possible clue about the origins of Eudes's mother is provided by the Vita Hludowici Imperatoris which records the blinding of "Heribertus Bernhardi frater" and his exile with "Hodo consobrinus illius". The previous passage in the Vita records the confiscation of Orléans from Eudes Comte d'Orléans. It is possible that he was the same person as "Hodo", although if this is correct the precise nature of the relationship between him and Héribert has not been established. Assuming that Héribert was the son of Guillaume de Toulouse and his first wife Cunigundis... , and assuming also that "consobrinus" is used in the text in its strict sense, Cunegundis and the mother of Eudes Comte d'Orléans would have been sisters." ¹

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His birth date is estimated on the assumption that he was already mature when named for the first time in 810/11, but bearing in mind his active participation in the 834 battle in which he was killed. The Annales Fuldenses record that "Odo legatus imperatoris…orientalium Saxonum præsidium" was captured by "Wilzis" in 810. Einhard's Annales record "Uodo comes" as one of the signatories of peace with the Vikings in 811.

He became Comte d'Orléans after the territory was forfeited by Matfried: the Miracula Sancti Bernardi records that "Matfrido, comite quondam Aurelianensi" was deprived of his honours "culpam inertiæ" and "Odo" appointed in his place, presumably dated to [828]. From that time, Eudes and his brother Guillaume were the most powerful supporters of Emperor Louis "le Pieux" against his son Lothaire, whose rebellion was supported by Matfried. The Vita Hludowici Imperatoris records that "Aurelianensem urbem" was taken from "Hodone" and restored to "Mathfrido" [in 830].

The Annales Bertiniani record that "Odo et Willelmus frater eius" were among those killed fighting "Lantbertum et Matfridem" in 834. Merlet suggests that the battle took place in Touraine. The Annales Xantenses record that "Uodo comes et Theodo abbas" were killed in 834. The Annales Fuldenses record the rebellion of "Mahtfredo et Lantberto" in 834 and the battle in which "Udo comes Aurelianensium et Theodo abbas sancti Martini Turonensis" were killed. The Chronicle of Adémar de Chabannes records that "Odo Aurelianorum comes" was killed fighting "Lamberto Nannetensi comite". The Miracula Sancti Bernardi names "Odonem fratremque illius Guillelmum, comitem Blesensium, Teutonem denique abbatem Sancti Martini, Guidonem comitem Cenomanensem" among those killed in battle against Lambert Comte de Nantes. The Chronica Rainaldi records that "Odo comes Aurelianensium, Willelmus frater eius comes Blesensium, Guido comes Cenomanensium" died in battle fighting "Lambertum" in 835. It is more likely that this battle took place in 834, assuming that it is correct that Count Lantbert was established in Italy later that year. ²