Saint Guntram, king of Orléans

Guntram

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint Guntram (c. 532, Soissons – 28 January 592) (also called Gontram, Gontran, Gunthram, or Gunthchramn) was the king of Burgundy from 561 to 592. He was a son (third eldest, second eldest surviving) of Chlothar I and Ingunda. On his father's death (561), he became king of a fourth of the kingdom of the Franks, and made his capital at Orléans.

He had something of that fraternal love which his brothers lacked and the preeminent chronicler of the period, Gregory of Tours, often calls him good king Guntram, as noted here, where Gregory discusses the fate of Guntram's three marriages:

"The good king Guntram first took a concubine Veneranda, a slave belonging to one of his people, by whom he had a son Gundobad. Later he married Marcatrude, daughter of Magnar, and sent his son Gundobad to Orléans. But after she had a son Marcatrude was jealous, and proceeded to bring about Gundobad's death. She sent poison, they say, and poisoned his drink. And upon his death, by God's judgment she lost the son she had and incurred the hate of the king, was dismissed by him, and died not long after. After her he took Austerchild, also named Bobilla. He had by her two sons, of whom the older was called Clothar and the younger Chlodomer.[1]"

As implied above, Guntram had a period of intemperance. He was eventually overcome with remorse for the sins of his past life, and spent his remaining years repenting of them, both for himself and for his nation. In atonement, he fasted, prayed, wept, and offered himself to God. Throughout the balance of his prosperous reign he attempted to govern by Christian principles. According to Gregory, he was the protector of the oppressed, caregiver to the sick, and the tender parent to his subjects. He was open-handed with his wealth, especially in times of plague and famine. He strictly and justly enforced the law without respect to person, yet was ever ready to forgive offences against himself, including two attempted assassinations. Guntram munificently built and endowed many churches and monasteries. Gregory of Tours relates many miracles performed by the king, both before and after his death, some of which he claims to have witnessed himself.

In 567, his elder brother Charibert I died and his lands (the Kingdom of Paris) were divided between the surviving brothers: Guntram, Sigebert I, and Chilperic I. They shared his realm, agreeing at first to hold Paris in common. Charibert's widow, Theudechild, proposed a marriage with Guntram, the eldest remaining brother, though a council held at Paris as recently as 557 had outlawed such tradition as incestuous. Guntram decided to house her more safely, though unwillingly, in a nunnery at Arles.

In 573, he was caught in a civil war with his brother Sigebert I of Austrasia and in 575, called upon the aid of their brother Chilperic I of Soissons. He reversed his allegiance later—due to the character of Chilperic, if we may give him the benefit of the doubt in light of Gregory's commendation—and Chilperic retreated. He thereafter remained an ally of Sigebert and his wife and sons until his death. When Sigebert was assassinated later that year (575), Chilperic invaded the kingdom, but Guntram sent his general Mummolus (always Guntrams main weapon, for he was the greatest general in Gaul at the time) to remove him and Mummolus defeated Chilperic's general Desiderius and the Neustrian's forces retreated from Austrasia.

In 577, Chlothar and Clodomir, his two surviving children, died of dysentery and he adopted as his son and heir, Childebert II, his nephew, Sigebert's son, whose kingdom he had saved two years prior. However, Childebert did not always prove faithful to his uncle. In 581, Chilperic took many of Guntram's cities and in 583, he allied with Childebert and attacked Guntram. This time Guntram made peace with Chilperic and Childebert retreated. In 584, he returned Childebert's infidelity by invading his land and capturing Tours and Poitiers, but he had to leave to attend the baptism of Chlothar II, his other nephew, who now ruled in Neustria. Supposed to take place on the feast of Saint Martin, July 4, in Orléans, it never did and Guntram turned to invade Septimania. Peace was soon made.

Guntram and Childebert II, from the Grandes Chroniques de France.

In 584 or 585, one Gundowald claimed to be an illegitimate son of Chlothar I and proclaimed himself king, taking some major cities in southern Gaul, such as Poitiers and Toulouse, which belonged to Guntram. Guntram marched against him, calling him nothing more than a miller's son named Ballomer. Gundowald fled to Comminges and Guntram's army set down to besiege the citadel. They couldn't take it, but didn't need to: Gundowald's followers gave him over and he was executed.

In 587, Fredegund attempted to assassinate him, but failed. He went, on November 28, to Trier to make a treaty with Childebert; Brunhilda, his sister-in-law, Sigebert's wife, whose ally he had always been; Chlodosind, Childebert's sister; Faileuba, Childebert's queen; Magneric, bishop of Trier; and Ageric, bishop of Verdun. This was called the Treaty of Andelot and it lasted until Guntram's death.

Also in 587, Guntram compelled obedience from Waroch, the Breton ruler of the Vannetais. He forced the renewal of the oath of 578 in writing and demanded 1,000 solidi in compensation for raiding the Nantais. In 588, the compensation was not yet paid, as Waroch promised it to both Guntram and Chlothar II, who probably had suzerainty over Vannes.

In 589 or 590, Guntram sent an expedition against Waroch under Beppolem and Ebrachain, mutual enemies. Ebrachain was also enemy of Fredegund, who sent the Saxons of Bayeux to aid Waroch.[2] Beppolem fought alone for three days before dying, at which point Waroch tried to flee to the Channel Islands, but Ebrachain destroyed his ships and forced him to accept a peace,[3] the renewal of the oath, and the giving up of a nephew as a hostage. This was all to no effect. The Bretons maintained their independent-mindedness.

In 589, Guntram made a final advance on Septimania, to no avail. He fought against the barbarians who menaced the kingdom and quelled an uprising of his niece Basina at a Poitevin nunnery with the aid of many of his bishops (590).

He died at Chalon-sur-Saône in 592, and his kingdom passed to his adopted son Childebert II. He was buried in the church of Saint Marcellus, which he had founded in Chalon. Almost immediately Guntram was proclaimed a saint by his subjects and his feast day is celebrated by the Catholic Church on March 28. The Huguenots, who scattered his ashes in the 16th century, left only his skull untouched in their fury. It is now kept there in a silver case.

Notes

1. ^ Medieval Sourcebook: Gregory of Tours: History of the Franks
2. ^ Howorth, 310.
3. ^ Gregory, X, 9.
Sources

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gontran

   * Howorth, Henry H. "The Ethnology of Germany. Part 3: The Migration of the Saxons." The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 7. (1878), pp 293–320.

* Dahmus, Joseph Henry. Seven Medieval Queens. 1972.
* Gregory of Tours. The History of the Franks, Volume II: Text. trans. O. M. Dalton. Clarendon Press: 1967.
* History of the Franks: Books I-X. translated by Ernest Brehaut. Available at Medieval Sourcebook.

Guntram

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the Straussian opera, see Guntram (opera).

Saint Guntram (c. 532 – 28 January 592) (also called Gontram, Gontran, Gunthram, or Gunthchramn) was the king of Burgundy from 561 to 592. He was a son (third eldest, second eldest surviving) of Chlothar I and Ingunda. On his father's death (561), he became king of a fourth of the kingdom of the Franks, and made his capital at Orléans.

He had something of that fraternal love which his brothers lacked and the preeminent chronicler of the period, Gregory of Tours, often calls him good king Guntram, as noted here, where Gregory discusses the fate of Guntram's three marriages:

The good king Guntram first took a concubine Veneranda, a slave belonging to one of his people, by whom he had a son Gundobad.

Later he married Marcatrude, daughter of Magnar, and sent his son Gundobad to Orléans.

But after she had a son Marcatrude was jealous, and proceeded to bring about Gundobad's death. She sent poison, they say, and poisoned his drink. And upon his death, by God's judgment she lost the son she had and incurred the hate of the king, was dismissed by him, and died not long after. After her he took Austerchild, also named Bobilla. He had by her two sons, of whom the older was called Clothar and the younger Chlodomer.[1]

As implied above, Guntram had a period of intemperance. He was eventually overcome with remorse for the sins of his past life, and spent his remaining years repenting of them, both for himself and for his nation. In atonement, he fasted, prayed, wept, and offered himself to God. Throughout the balance of his prosperous reign he attempted to govern by Christian principles. According to Gregory, he was the protector of the oppressed, caregiver to the sick, and the tender parent to his subjects. He was open-handed with his wealth, especially in times of plague and famine. He strictly and justly enforced the law without respect to person, yet was ever ready to forgive offences against himself, including two attempted assassinations. Guntram munificently built and endowed many churches and monasteries. Gregory of Tours relates many miracles performed by the king, both before and after his death, some of which he claims to have witnessed himself.

In 567, his elder brother Charibert I died and his lands (the Kingdom of Paris) were divided between the surviving brothers: Guntram, Sigebert I, and Chilperic I. They shared his realm, agreeing at first to hold Paris in common. Charibert's widow, Theudechild, proposed a marriage with Guntram, the eldest remaining brother, though a council held at Paris as recently as 557 had outlawed such tradition as incestuous. Guntram decided to house her more safely, though unwillingly, in a nunnery at Arles.

In 573, he was caught in a civil war with his brother Sigebert I of Austrasia and in 575, called upon the aid of their brother Chilperic I of Soissons. He reversed his allegiance later—due to the character of Chilperic, if we may give him the benefit of the doubt in light of Gregory's commendation—and Chilperic retreated. He thereafter remained an ally of Sigebert and his wife and sons until his death. When Sigebert was assassinated later that year (575), Chilperic invaded the kingdom, but Guntram sent his general Mummolus (always Guntrams main weapon, for he was the greatest general in Gaul at the time) to remove him and Mummolus defeated Chilperic's general Desiderius and the Neustrian's forces retreated from Austrasia.

In 577, Chlothar and Clodomir, his two surviving children, died of dysentery and he adopted as his son and heir, Childebert II, his nephew, Sigebert's son, whose kingdom he had saved two years prior. However, Childebert did not always prove faithful to his uncle. In 581, Chilperic took many of Guntram's cities and in 583, he allied with Childebert and attacked Guntram. This time Guntram made peace with Chilperic and Childebert retreated. In 584, he returned Childebert's infidelity by invading his land and capturing Tours and Poitiers, but he had to leave to attend the baptism of Chlothar II, his other nephew, who now ruled in Neustria. Supposed to take place on the feast of Saint Martin, July 4, in Orléans, it never did and Guntram turned to invade Septimania. Peace was soon made.

In 584 or 585, one Gundowald claimed to be an illegitimate son of Chlothar I and proclaimed himself king, taking some major cities in southern Gaul, such as Poitiers and Toulouse, which belonged to Guntram. Guntram marched against him, calling him nothing more than a miller's son named Ballomer. Gundowald fled to Comminges and Guntram's army set down to besiege the citadel. They couldn't take it, but didn't need to: Gundowald's followers gave him over and he was executed.

In 587, Fredegund attempted to assassinate him, but failed. He went, on November 28, to Trier to make a treaty with Childebert; Brunhilda, his sister-in-law, Sigebert's wife, whose ally he had always been; Chlodosind, Childebert's sister; Faileuba, Childebert's queen; Magneric, bishop of Trier; and Ageric, bishop of Verdun. This was called the Treaty of Andelot and it lasted until Guntram's death.

Also in 587, Guntram compelled obedience from Waroch, the Breton ruler of the Vannetais. He forced the renewal of the oath of 578 in writing and demanded 1,000 solidi in compensation for raiding the Nantais. In 588, the compensation was not yet paid, as Waroch promised it to both Guntram and Chlothar II, who probably had suzerainty over Vannes.

In 589 or 590, Guntram sent an expedition against Waroch under Beppolem and Ebrachain, mutual enemies. Ebrachain was also enemy of Fredegund, who sent the Saxons of Bayeux to aid Waroch.[2] Beppolem fought alone for three days before dying, at which point Waroch tried to flee to the Channel Islands, but Ebrachain destroyed his ships and forced him to accept a peace,[3] the renewal of the oath, and the giving up of a nephew as a hostage. This was all to no effect. The Bretons maintained their independent-mindedness.

In 589, Guntram made a final advance on Septimania, to no avail. He fought against the barbarians who menaced the kingdom and quelled an uprising of his niece Basina at a Poitevin nunnery with the aid of many of his bishops (590).

He died at Chalon-sur-Saône in 592, and his kingdom passed to his adopted son Childebert II. He was buried in the church of Saint Marcellus, which he had founded in Chalon. Almost immediately Guntram was proclaimed a saint by his subjects and his feast day is celebrated by the Catholic Church on March 28. The Huguenots, who scattered his ashes in the 16th century, left only his skull untouched in their fury. It is now kept there in a silver case.

Forrás / Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guntram

Guntram

Main

king of Burgundy

French Gontran

born c. 532

died March 28, 592 or 593

Merovingian king of Burgundy who strove to maintain a balance of power among his warring relations.

Guntram received the kingdom of Orleans, including Burgundy in the quadripartite division of the lands of his father, Chlotar I, which took place on the king’s death in 561, and added further territory when his brother, Charibert of Paris, died in 567 or 568. Well endowed with the political skills of prudence and duplicity, he strove to prevent either of his two remaining brothers, Chilperic I and Sigebert I, from gaining too great a power, allying now with the one, now with the other. After the death of Sigebert of Austrasia in 575 he protected the interests of the young Childebert II, Sigebert’s son, against the aggressive Chilperic, and recognized Childebert as his heir. When Childebert nevertheless allied with Chilperic against him, he bought off the young king by the cession of territory (583) and confirmed him as his adopted son—action the more necessary since he was also faced by a Byzantine-sponsored usurper, Gundoald, whom he was then able successfully to overcome. The death of Chilperic in 584 left Guntram master of the scene; he protected the young Chlotar II, Chilperic’s heir, and Fredegund, Chlotar’s mother, but also settled remaining differences with Childebert by the Treaty of Andelot (587). Himself attacked by the Lombards in the 570s, he turned his attention to the south in his last years but was twice unsuccessful against the Visigoths.

Guntram had a good reputation among churchmen. In 585 he issued an edict calling for a stricter observance of Christian life, and his contemporary, bishop Gregory of Tours, so much admired him that he even considered the King able to perform miracles.

Forrás / Source:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/249549/Guntra

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guntram

Saint Guntram (c. 532 – 28 January 592) (also called Gontram, Gontran, Gunthram, or Gunthchramn) was the king of Burgundy from 561 to 592. He was a son (third eldest, second eldest surviving) of Chlothar I and Ingunda. On his father's death (561), he became king of a fourth of the kingdom of the Franks, and made his capital at Orléans.

He had something of that fraternal love which his brothers lacked and the preeminent chronicler of the period, Gregory of Tours, often calls him good king Guntram, as noted here, where Gregory discusses the fate of Guntram's three marriages:

   The good king Guntram first took a concubine Veneranda, a slave belonging to one of his people, by whom he had a son Gundobad. Later he married Marcatrude, daughter of Magnar, and sent his son Gundobad to Orléans. But after she had a son Marcatrude was jealous, and proceeded to bring about Gundobad's death. She sent poison, they say, and poisoned his drink. And upon his death, by God's judgment she lost the son she had and incurred the hate of the king, was dismissed by him, and died not long after. After her he took Austerchild, also named Bobilla. He had by her two sons, of whom the older was called Clothar and the younger Chlodomer.[1]

As implied above, Guntram had a period of intemperance. He was eventually overcome with remorse for the sins of his past life, and spent his remaining years repenting of them, both for himself and for his nation. In atonement, he fasted, prayed, wept, and offered himself to God. Throughout the balance of his prosperous reign he attempted to govern by Christian principles. According to Gregory, he was the protector of the oppressed, caregiver to the sick, and the tender parent to his subjects. He was open-handed with his wealth, especially in times of plague and famine. He strictly and justly enforced the law without respect to person, yet was ever ready to forgive offences against himself, including two attempted assassinations. Guntram munificently built and endowed many churches and monasteries. Gregory of Tours relates many miracles performed by the king, both before and after his death, some of which he claims to have witnessed himself.

In 567, his elder brother Charibert I died and his lands (the Kingdom of Paris) were divided between the surviving brothers: Guntram, Sigebert I, and Chilperic I. They shared his realm, agreeing at first to hold Paris in common. Charibert's widow, Theudechild, proposed a marriage with Guntram, the eldest remaining brother, though a council held at Paris as recently as 557 had outlawed such tradition as incestuous. Guntram decided to house her more safely, though unwillingly, in a nunnery at Arles.

In 573, he was caught in a civil war with his brother Sigebert I of Austrasia and in 575, called upon the aid of their brother Chilperic I of Soissons. He reversed his allegiance later—due to the character of Chilperic, if we may give him the benefit of the doubt in light of Gregory's commendation—and Chilperic retreated. He thereafter remained an ally of Sigebert and his wife and sons until his death. When Sigebert was assassinated later that year (575), Chilperic invaded the kingdom, but Guntram sent his general Mummolus (always Guntrams main weapon, for he was the greatest general in Gaul at the time) to remove him and Mummolus defeated Chilperic's general Desiderius and the Neustrian's forces retreated from Austrasia.

In 577, Chlothar and Clodomir, his two surviving children, died of dysentery and he adopted as his son and heir, Childebert II, his nephew, Sigebert's son, whose kingdom he had saved two years prior. However, Childebert did not always prove faithful to his uncle. In 581, Chilperic took many of Guntram's cities and in 583, he allied with Childebert and attacked Guntram. This time Guntram made peace with Chilperic and Childebert retreated. In 584, he returned Childebert's infidelity by invading his land and capturing Tours and Poitiers, but he had to leave to attend the baptism of Chlothar II, his other nephew, who now ruled in Neustria. Supposed to take place on the feast of Saint Martin, July 4, in Orléans, it never did and Guntram turned to invade Septimania. Peace was soon made.

In 584 or 585, one Gundowald claimed to be an illegitimate son of Chlothar I and proclaimed himself king, taking some major cities in southern Gaul, such as Poitiers and Toulouse, which belonged to Guntram. Guntram marched against him, calling him nothing more than a miller's son named Ballomer. Gundowald fled to Comminges and Guntram's army set down to besiege the citadel. They couldn't take it, but didn't need to: Gundowald's followers gave him over and he was executed.

In 587, Fredegund attempted to assassinate him, but failed. He went, on November 28, to Trier to make a treaty with Childebert; Brunhilda, his sister-in-law, Sigebert's wife, whose ally he had always been; Chlodosind, Childebert's sister; Faileuba, Childebert's queen; Magneric, bishop of Trier; and Ageric, bishop of Verdun. This was called the Treaty of Andelot and it lasted until Guntram's death.

Also in 587, Guntram compelled obedience from Waroch, the Breton ruler of the Vannetais. He forced the renewal of the oath of 578 in writing and demanded 1,000 solidi in compensation for raiding the Nantais. In 588, the compensation was not yet paid, as Waroch promised it to both Guntram and Chlothar II, who probably had suzerainty over Vannes.

In 589 or 590, Guntram sent an expedition against Waroch under Beppolem and Ebrachain, mutual enemies. Ebrachain was also enemy of Fredegund, who sent the Saxons of Bayeux to aid Waroch.[2] Beppolem fought alone for three days before dying, at which point Waroch tried to flee to the Channel Islands, but Ebrachain destroyed his ships and forced him to accept a peace,[3] the renewal of the oath, and the giving up of a nephew as a hostage. This was all to no effect. The Bretons maintained their independent-mindedness.

In 589, Guntram made a final advance on Septimania, to no avail. He fought against the barbarians who menaced the kingdom and quelled an uprising of his niece Basina at a Poitevin nunnery with the aid of many of his bishops (590).

He died at Chalon-sur-Saône in 592, and his kingdom passed to his adopted son Childebert II. He was buried in the church of Saint Marcellus, which he had founded in Chalon. Almost immediately Guntram was proclaimed a saint by his subjects and his feast day is celebrated by the Catholic Church on March 28. The Huguenots, who scattered his ashes in the 16th century, left only his skull untouched in their fury. It is now kept there in a silver case.