Radboud began his studies under the care of his maternal uncle Günther, Archbishop of Cologne, from 850 until his deposition in 863.

After that Radboud continued his studies at the court school of the Western Frankish king Charles the Bald (843- 877), whose chaplain he became.

In 899 Radboud was elected bishop of the diocese of Utrecht with the permission of Emperor Arnulf of Carinthia (887-899).

Radboud fell ill on a mission trip in Drenthe and died in Ootmarsum in November 917 before these plans could be executed.

He described the life of the Anglo-Saxon missionaries Boniface (in prose), Suitbert and Lebuïnus (both in a sermon and in verses), as well as St. Amalberga (?)

[4] During the Middle Ages, the veneration of Saint Radboud remained limited to the diocese of Utrecht.