Studies in Sixth-Century Gaul
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GREGORY OF TOURS AND THE WOMEN IN HIS WORKS Studies in Sixth-Century Gaul Erin Thomas Dailey Submitted in Accordance with the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds School of History February, 2011 ii The candidate confirms that the work submitted is his own and that the appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. 2011 The University of Leeds Erin Thomas Dailey iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful for the opportunity to thank all of those who contributed to this study on Gregory of Tours and the women in his works. First I must mention my deep gratitude to my supervisor, Ian Wood, whose kind and eager assistance was invaluable in every part of this project. I must also thank the School of History in the University of Leeds, which not only accepted this project but also provided funding in the form of a generous bursary. Several people have cordially read and commented on this study in part or in total, and so I would like to offer my deepest thanks to Helmut Reimitz, Paul Fouracre, Stephen Werronen, Sheryl McDonald, Carl Taylor, Meritxell Perez Martinez, Michael Garcia, Nicky Tsougarakis, and Henna Iqbal. I must also mention Sylvie Joye, who provided me with several useful materials in French, and Danuta Shanzer, who provided me with her latest research on the Burgundian royal family. Of course, all of the errors in this study are my own, and there would surely have been many more if not for the generous assistance of everyone mentioned. I must also thank Richard Gerberding for the enduring gift of first exposing me to Merovingian history and its most illustrious historian - it has truly been a joy to dedicate several years of study to Gregory of Tours and his world. Furthermore, these acknowledgements would not be complete without mentioning the support and guidance given to me by my mother and father, who have made it possible for me to pursue my hopes of attaining a doctoral degree in history. iv ABSTRACT As one of the most prolific authors of the sixth-century, Gregory of Tours has long been a figure of interest in studies on Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Gregory's works are difficult sources to use, in large part because of his skill as an author, as well as his ability to manipulate his material in accordance with his greater literary aims. Much of what Gregory wrote, and much of what he chose not to write, resulted from his own relationship with the political and ecclesiastical leadership of Merovingian Gaul. Therefore, it has proved necessary to identify Gregory's historical context, as well as his opinions on contemporary issues, before utilising his works for scholarly purposes. While much work has been done in this regard, it has tended to focus more on various male figures - kings, bishops, magnates, and the like - rather than on the women in his works, even though several women feature prominently in both his writings and his life. This study opens with an examination of the influence that Gregory's own mother had upon him, and the way she left her mark on his works. It then analyses Gregory's opinions on various political leaders, such as the famous queens Brunhild and Fredegund, before turning to his ideas about gender, female sanctity, and laywomen. Along the way, opportunities are taken to examine certain historical issues, from the question of polygamy amongst the Merovingian royalty to the matter of cultural divisions with Gaul, in light of Gregory's information. Hopefully, this study will demonstrate the insights that become possible once the thematic content of Gregory's works is properly understood, and once the women in his works are given the dedicated attention of an in-depth study. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... 111 Abstract. ....................................................................................................................................... iv Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................ vii-ix Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1-18 I: Widows and Widowhood ............................................................................................... 19-55 Armentaria ........................................................................................................................... (19-29) Bad Widows: Theudogild, Goiswinth, and Sophia ............................................................... (29-39) Good Widows: Ultrogotha, Ingoberg, and Chlothild ........................................................... (39-50) The Blessing of Widows ........................................................................................................ (50-54) Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ (54-55) II : Royals, Morals, and Marriage ....................................................................................... 56-99 Chlothild and Clovis: Introducing a Theme ............................... :......................................... (57-64) Bad Marital Policy: Chlothar, Guntram, and Charibert.. .................................................... (64-72) Sigibert and Chilperic: Contrasting Examples ..................................................................... (72-76) The Criteria for a Worthy Royal Bride ................................................................................. (77-83) Merovingian Polygamy? ...................................................................................................... (84-98) Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ (98-99) III: Brunhild and Fredegund - A Literary Analysis ................................................... 100-138 Introducing the Queens .................................................................................................... (102-105) Treatment of Bishops ........................................................................................................ (105-114) Treatment of servants ...................................................................................................... (114-122) Treatment of Offspring ..................................................................................................... (122-131) Sorcery, Sacrilege, and the Plot of Septimima .................................................................. (131-137) Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ (137-138) vi IV: Brunhild, Fredegund, and the Writing of the Historiae ....................................... 139-174 Gregory, Brunhild, and the Austrasian Court ................................................................. (141-147) The Composition of the Historiae ..................................................................................... (147-152) The Merovech Affair ......................................................................................................... (152-158) The Conspiracies of 587 and 590 ...................................................................................... (158-165) Fredegund and the Content of the Historiae .................................................................... (165-173) Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... (174) V: Sanctity, Chastity, and Femininity........................................................................... 175-196 Chastity and a Third Gender ............................................................................................ (176-183) Monegund and the Virago ................................................................................................ (183-191) Women and Ecclesiastical Authority ............................................................................... (l91-195) Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ (195-196) VI: Enclosure and Access to Monastic Shrines ........................................................... 197-217 Enclosure and Prohibited Miracles .................................................................................. (198-202) Gregory and Exclusion ..................................................................................................... (202-206) Cultural Differences within Gaul .................................................................................... (206-211) Enclosure and Scandal at Sainte-Croix ............................................................................ (211-216) Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ (216-217) Conclusion......................................................................................................................... 218-226 Bibliography .....................................................................................................................