Amadeus of Lausanne ( – 27 August 1159) was a Cistercian monk, abbot of Hautecombe Abbey and the twenty-third Catholic Bishop of Lausanne. Life Early life Amadeus was born around 1110 in the castle of Chatte, west of Grenoble. His father was Count Amadeus the Elder of Clermont, Count of Hauterives (Drôme) in France and a member of the royal family of Franconia. After his wife's death in 1119, he left this world with 16 of his vassals and entered the Cistercian monastery of the abbey of Bonnevaux. His son, Amadeus, received his first education in Bonnevaux. In 1121 young Amadeus moved to the Benedictine monastery of Cluny, and his father also spent some time in Cluny to look after his son's education. Amadeus senior founded a number of monasteries: Léoncel, Mazan Abbey, and Montpeyroux. He was also involved with the founding of Tamié Abbey. He returned to Bonnevaux, where he died around 1150. He is considered "Blessed" and his memorial day is January 14. The son soon moved on to the court of Emperor Henry V in order to learn life as a knight and prepare for an aristocratic career. After Henry's death in 1125, and unsatisfied with court life, Amadeus chose to enter a Cistercian monastery, this time choosing the famous Clairvaux Abbey, then led by Bernard of Clairvaux. Abbot of Hautecombe In 1139 he was sent to Hautecombe Abbey in Savoy to serve as its abbot; 200 monks came under his responsibility. One of his most momentous decisions was to move the community from its location to a new site on the shores of the Lac du Bourget. “Through him, the monastery achieved a high level of spiritual perfection and temporal prosperity.” Bishop of Lausanne Pope Lucius II elevated Amadeus to the bishopric of Lausanne in 1144. The abbot was reluctant to accept, but was consecrated on January 21, 1145. He was often met with opposition, once having to flee the city because of violent residents. It was a difficult diocese, and in a letter he tells of how his vestments were stained red by the blood of a murdered man while the bishop tried in vain to protect him. He met with the guardian bailiff of the city, Berthold IV, Duke of Zähringen to arrange cooperative relations. Amadeus' service as a bishop led to a period of spiritual and administrative stability for the region. Amadeus was