Eilika (954 – 1020)

954

Eilika was born in the northern district of Schwaben in Bavaria. She was the daughter of the Marktgraf Berchthold I. and is supposed to be the aunt of the emperor Heinrich II. and the Queen Gisela of Hungary. She married Heinrich of Nordgau and entered the convent Niedernburg in Passau after his death.

since 1010

She became the first Abbess known by name in the convent Niedernburg

April 19, 1010

The emperor Heinrich II. presented four endowment documents to Niedernburg Abbey, with the following content:
1)The abbey was elevated to an Imperial Abbey which means that the abbey was directly under the emperor. Moreover the abbey became independent with all the rights and possessions.
2) Bestowal of the district between Ilz and the small river Rotel in the Austrian Mühlviertel and in addition to that the district from the Danube to the border of Bohemia. The district measured “20 walking hours long and 12 walking hours wide”. Names like Frauenberg or Frauenwald recall the abbey of Niedernburg’s former ownership.
3)Bestowal of important rights: At first the bohemian toll, that is the right to introduce custom duties on the so called Golden Steig, and market taxes in the district of Niedernburg. They also had the right to introduce a water toll on the trade on the Inn river. The abbey was allowed to practice own jurisdiction and administrative law.

Under the leadership of Eilika the abbey, which had followed the less formal Kanonissen rules, was placed under the severer rules of Benediktus. From now on the abbey was named "Uralt kaiserliches Benediktinerinnenstift.

7.5. (23.9.) 1020

Eilika died in the abbey Niedernburg. Commemoration and name day is May 7. You can find her grave in the side aisle of the abbey Niedernburg right behind the grave of Gisela.