The origin: the monastery of the queen
Monastic foundations promoted in the late Longobard period
Ever since the times of King Agilulf and Queen Theodelinda, founders of the monastery at Bobbio, on the hills of Emilia, there is knowledge of the activity of the Longobard notables in promoting monastic institutions. That undertaking became more and more in evidence in the late Longobard period. In this period there are a great many examples of the bonds and the fervent activity of the Cividale noblemen in favour of monastic foundations. King Ratchis took refuge in the monastery of Montecassino in 749 after having left the throne of the kingdom in the hands of his brother Aistulf. Aistulf’s brother-in-law, Duke Anselm, founded the important monastery of Nonantola. Towards the middle of the 8th century, the brothers Erfo, Anto and Marco, rich noblemen from Cividale, created a male monastery at Sesto al Reghena and a female one at Salt, a short distance from Cividale, in their estates in Friuli. Erfo was also involved in the development of the Monastery of San Salvatore on Monte Amiata, in Tuscany, where he was abbot.
The first abbess of the Monastery at Salt was the mother of the three brothers, Piltrude. The monastery at Salt disappeared towards the end of the 9th century and the nuns moved into the Monastery of Santa Maria in Valle in Cividale, taking with them their devotion to the first abbess, demonstrated right up to the present day by the so-called Tomb of Piltrude which was in the presbytery of the Temple. This gave rise to the legend of Piltrude as founder also of the monastery in Cividale. There are important signs of the interest of Friuli nobility for monastic complexes.