Fridugisus

Fridugisus, also known as Fredegisus or Fredegis of Tours, was an Anglo-Saxon monk, teacher, and writer who lived in the late 8th and early 9th centuries. Born in England towards the end of the 8th century, he died in Tours around 834. He was a pupil of the renowned scholar Alcuin, first at York and later at the court of Charlemagne in Aachen. Fridugisus was one of the distinguished scholars in the *Schola palatina*, where he was known by the name Nathaniel and held the position of deacon. Around 796, when Alcuin became abbot of Marmoutier Abbey in Tours, Fridugisus appears to have stayed at the emperor's court. However, in 804, he succeeded Alcuin as the abbot of Marmoutier Abbey, maintaining his connections with Charlemagne. Fridugisus was respected for his learning and participated in theological debates, notably with Agobard of Lyon. He composed several poems and wrote a treatise titled *De nihilo et tenebris* (On Nothing and Darkness), which explored philosophical questions about nothingness and darkness, using a dialectical method that foreshadowed scholasticism.