The oldest monastery of the Alps, at the narrows of the Rhone where the Great Saint Bernard road enters the Valais.
In 1128 Count Amadeus III of Savoy, its lay advocate, replaced the secular canons with Augustinian canons; since then the Savoy counts have been its protectors and benefactors. The abbey holds lordships at Salvan (recovered in 1138) and Bagnes (the provostry, 1143) and estates round the Chablais and Lake Geneva, while the town and its castle belong to Savoy.
Who holds it
- Title
- Abbot of Saint-Maurice
- Since
- Not pinned
- Confidence
- low
The abbey has been ruled by Augustinian canons since 1128 and by an abbot since 1147; the abbot on 1 January 1200 is not named in the sources read.
What it holds
- Salvan: lordship recovered in 1138
- Bagnes: the provostry and valley lordship (1143)
- Estates in the Chablais and round Lake Geneva
How it was acquired
Royal Burgundian endowment; recovery of Salvan (1138) and Bagnes (1143) after the Savoyard reform.
How things stand that morning
Held under Savoyard protection.
Wealth
Pilgrims to the relics of the Theban Legion; pasture of Bagnes; the road traffic through Saint-Maurice.
Threats
- Dependence on Savoy
- The bishop of Sion's claims in the valley
Advocates and rivals
The counts of Savoy (Thomas I) as advocates and patrons; the bishop of Sion as diocesan.
Places of note
- Abbey of Saint-Maurice: Abbey and shrine of the Theban Legion
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Holdings from HLS; abbot not pinned.
On the map: Salvan and Bagnes are drawn as modern municipalities (Val de Bagnes includes Volleges); the town of Saint-Maurice was Savoy's and is not drawn.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.