Citizendia

Saint Balthild
Statue of St. Bathilde, Queen of the Franks
Born626 or 627
DiedJanuary 30, 680
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church
Canonizedc. Events By Place Byzantine Empire The Byzantines defeat the Avars and Slavs, who were besieging Constantinople Events By Place Byzantine Empire December 12 — Battle of Nineveh: Emperor Heraclius defeats the Persians ending Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Events By Place Europe The Bulgars subjugate the country of current-day Bulgaria. Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints 880 by Pope Nicholas I
Major shrineAbbey of Chelles outside of Paris
FeastJanuary 30[1]
Saints Portal

Saint Balthild, also known as Bathilde d'Ascagnie, Batilde, Bathylle, Bathild, Bathildis, or Bathilda (626 or 627 – January 30, 680), was the wife and queen of Clovis II, king of Burgundy and Neustria (639 – 658). See Interstate 880 for the American Freeway Events By Place Europe Oldest known mention of the city of Pope A shrine, from the Latin scrinium (‘box’ also used as a desk like the French bureau) was originally a container usually made of precious materials used Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Events By Place Byzantine Empire The Byzantines defeat the Avars and Slavs, who were besieging Constantinople Events By Place Byzantine Empire December 12 — Battle of Nineveh: Emperor Heraclius defeats the Persians ending Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Events By Place Europe The Bulgars subjugate the country of current-day Bulgaria. Clovis II (637&ndash 27 November 655 or 658 succeeded his father Dagobert I in 639 as King of Neustria and Burgundy. The following is a list of the Kings of Burgundy. Kings of the Burgundians The Burgundians had left Bornholm c The territory of Neustria or Neustrasia, meaning "new land" originated in 511 made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel, Events By Place Europe Clovis II succeeds Dagobert I as king of the Franks in Neustria and Burgundy Events By place Europe The Union of Slavic Tribes falls apart after King Samo 's death Her name comes from the Old English and means "bold battle". Two traditions, independent and conflicting, trace her career. One is a hagiography which was intended to further her successful candidature for sainthood. Hagiography ( is the study of Saints. A hagiography, from Greek (hağios (ἅγιος "holy" or "saint" and graphē (γραφή The other is a record of chroniclers, confirmed by a chance archaeological find in an East Anglian field. East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. [2]

Both traditions represent her as an Anglo-Saxon of elite birth, perhaps a relative of King Ricberht of East Anglia, the last pagan king there. Ricberht is thought to have been King of East Anglia from 627 to 629 following his murder of Eorpwald of East Anglia. Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world Ricberht was ousted by his Christian rival Sigeberht, who had spent time in the Frankish court. Sigeberht of East Anglia (also known as Saint Sigebert) was King of East Anglia from c 629 to c634 He was established as the rightful heir to the throne with Frankish help. Balthild was sold into slavery as a young girl and served in the household of Erchinoald, mayor of the palace of Neustria to Clovis. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another Erchinoald (also Erkinoald and in French, Erchenout) succeeded Aega as the Mayor of the palace of Neustria in 641 and Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval Title and Office, also called Majordomo, from the Latin title Maior domus ("superior The territory of Neustria or Neustrasia, meaning "new land" originated in 511 made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel,

Contents

The hagiographic tradition

According to Vita S. Bathildis[3] Balthild was beautiful, intelligent, modest, and attentive to the needs of others. Erchinoald (whose wife had died) was attracted to Balthild and wanted to marry her, but she did not want to marry him. She hid herself away and waited until Erchinoald remarried. Next, King Clovis noticed her and, sometime in 649, asked for her hand in marriage. Events By Place Europe Reccaswinth succeeds his father Chindaswinth as king of the Visigoths. Balthild was nineteen when she became queen. Different versions of this story suggest Clovis was somewhere between the ages of twelve and sixteen at the time.

Even as queen, she remained humble and modest. She is famous for her charitable service and generous donations. From her donations, the abbeys of Corbie and Chelles were founded (and likely others such as those of Jumièges, Jouarre, and Luxeuil). Corbie is a commune of the Somme département, in northern France. The Abbey of Chelles (Notre-Dame-des-Chelles was founded by Saint Balthild, widow of King Clovis II of Neustria Circa 658 Jumièges is a commune of the Seine-Maritime département, in Normandy, France. Jouarre is a French commune located in the Seine-et-Marne département, in the Île-de-France région Luxeuil-les-Bains is a town and commune of eastern France, in the Haute-Saône département. She also provided support to Saint Claudius of Besançon and his abbey in the Jura Mountains. Saint Claudius of Besançon (Saint Claude sometimes called Claude the Thaumaturge (ca The Jura Mountains are a small Mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of [4][5] She bore her husband three children, all of whom became kings: Clotaire, Childeric, and Theuderic. Chlothar III (or Chlotar, Clothar, Clotaire, Chlotochar, or Hlothar, giving rise to Lothair; 652 &ndash 673 was the eldest Childeric II (c 653 &ndash 675 was the king of Austrasia from 662 and of Neustria and Burgundy from 673 until his death making him sole King of Theuderic III (or Theuderich, Theoderic, or Theodoric; in French, Thierry) (654 – 691 was the king of Neustria (including

When Balthild's husband died between 655 and 658, Clotaire, the eldest son and heir to the throne, succeeded at age five. Events By Place Europe November 15 — Northumbrian king Oswiu defeats Mercian king Penda in the Events By place Europe The Union of Slavic Tribes falls apart after King Samo 's death Balthild served as the queen regent until he came of age in 664, when she was forced into a convent. Events By Place Asia Arab armies conquer Kabul. Kuo Wu Tsung of Tang comes to Japan As queen, she was a capable stateswoman. She abolished the practice of trading Christian slaves and even sought the freedom of children sold into slavery. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth As the story goes, after Balthild's three children were of age and "established in their respective territories" (Clotaire in Neustria, Childeric in Austrasia, and perhaps Theuderic in Burgundy), Balthild entered the abbey and gave up her royal rank. Austrasia (rarely Austria, both meaning "eastern land" formed the north-eastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising She dedicated the rest of her life to serving the poor and the infirm.

Balthild died on January 30, 680. She is buried at her foundation, the Abbey of Chelles outside of Paris. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Her Vita was first written soon after her death, probably by one of the community of Chelles. The Vita Baldechildis/Vita Bathildis reginae Francorum in Monumenta Germania Historica, Scriptores Rerum Merovincarum 2, like most of the vitae of royal Merovingian-era saints, provides some useful details for the historian. The Merovingians (also Merovings) were a Salian Frankish dynasty that came to rule the Franks in a region (known as Francia in Latin Her official cult began when her remains were transferred from the former abbey to a new church, in 833, under the auspices of Louis the Pious. Louis the Pious (778 &ndash 20 June 840) also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781 and co-Emperor Balthild was canonised by Pope Nicholas I about 200 years after her death. Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints Pope

The chronicles and the seal

In the context of seventh-century culture it is clear that Balthild was simply the outright gift of Erchinoald to Clovis as a bedfellow,[6] though her hagiography emphasizes her chastity as a slave. Other Merovingian queens who arose from servile status are Fredegund, mother of Clothaire II; Bilichild, wife of Theudebert of Austrasia; and possibly Nanthild, mother of Clovis II. During the minority of Clotaire III she had to deal with the attempted coup of Grimoald, the major domo of Austrasia, but enjoyed the continued support of her former master Erchinoald. Grimoald, Grimald, Grimoart, Grimwald, Grimuald, or Grimbald may refer to Grimoald I of Benevento, duke

By some chroniclers' accounts[7] she was a ruthless ruler, in continuing conflict with the bishops; she seems to have been responsible for the assassination of several. [8] The vita of Saint Eligius by his companion Dado reports (ch. Eligius may refer to Eligius Franz Joseph von Münch-Bellinghausen (1806-1871 known als Friedrich Halm Austrian dramatist poet and short-story writer 32), "Then his widowed queen with her boys obtained the reign for a few years. She was afterward removed by law and left the principate to her sons. . . "[9] She was frustrated in her desire to have Eligius entombed at her monastery of Chelles (Eligius, vita, II. 37). By an apparition of Eligius (II. 41) was convinced to strip off her gold and jewelled ornaments, "keeping nothing except gold bracelets. "

Her gold seal matrix, which was originally attached to a ring, was uncovered in 1999 by a metal detector in a field a few miles east of Norfolk's county town, Norwich. Metal detectors use Electromagnetic induction to detect Metal. History Roman The Romans had their regional capital at Venta Icenorum on the river to the south which is near modern-day Caistor St Edmund It has two sides. The official side shows her face and her name BALDAHILDIS in Frankish lettering. The private side shows naked figures, doubtless Balthild and Clovis, in a frank erotic position beneath a cross. One seal identified official documents; the other, apparently, private ones. The seal matrix is conserved in the Norwich Castle Museum. ( Norwich Castle was built in 1067 when William the Conqueror (c It is surmised that the seal matrix was returned to her kin after her death. [10]

Notes

  1. ^ Attwater, Donald and Catherine Rachel John. The Penguin Dictionary of Saints. 3rd edition. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. ISBN 0140513124.
  2. ^ David Keys, "Erotic royal seal shows Anglo-French entente", The Independent, 15 June 2003
  3. ^ Vita Sanctae Bathildis, probably written by a nun of Chelles, and translated and paraphrased in Sainted Women of the Dark Ages pp 264ff. (ref. ).
  4. ^ Saint-Claude (Municipality, Jura, France)
  5. ^ Saint Claude
  6. ^ Joanna Story, Carolingian Connections: Anglo-Saxon England and Carolingian Francia, C. 750-870 (2003) p. 32.
  7. ^ Eddius Stephanus of Ripon, vita of Wilfrid.
  8. ^ Bede reported that Aunemundus, bishop of Lyon, was assassinated at her instigation in 658. Bede (ˈbiːd (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin Beda (beda (c
  9. ^ Medieval Sourcebook
  10. ^ British Archaeology April 2001, p. 26.

References

External links

Further reading

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic