In the Latin Life of Lady *Balthild (queen of the Franks, ob. 680, S02359), the author reports that the saint gave special privileges to the 'senior basilicas' in Gaul, dedicated to *Dionysius (bishop and martyr of Paris, S00349), *Germanus (bishop of Paris, ob. 576, S01166), *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), *Anianus (bishop of Orléans, ob. 453, S01206), and *Martin (bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050). Written in Gaul/Francia, possibly at the monastery at Chelles (near Paris), 680/90.
E07074
Literary - Hagiographical - Lives
The Life of Lady Balthild (Vita domnae Balthildis, BHL 905, CPL 2090) (E06266)
(9) Preterire enim non debemus, quod per seniores basilicas sanctorum domni Dionisii et domni Germani vel domni Medardi et sancti Petri vel domni Aniani seu et sancti Martini, vel ubicumque eius perstrinxit notitia, ad pontifices seu abates suadendo pro zelo Dei praecepit et epistolas pro hoc eis direxit, ut sub sancto regulari ordine fratres infra ipsa loca consistentes vivere deberent. Et hoc libenter adquiescerent, privilegium eis firmare iussit, vel etiam emunitates concessit, ut melius eis delectaret pro rege et pace summi regis Christi clementiam exorare.
'Chapter 9
We certainly must not pass over [the fact] that throughout the senior basilicas of Lord Denis, Lord Germanus, Lord Medard, St Peter, Lord Anian, and St Martin or wherever her precept reached, she ordered the bishops and abbots, by persuading them for the zeal of Christ, and sent them letters to this effect, that the monks dwelling in these places ought to live under a holy regular order. And in order that they would freely acquiesce in this, she ordered a privilege to be confirmed for them and she also conceded them immunities so that she might better entice them to exhort the clemency of Christ, the highest king, for the king and for peace...'
Text: Krusch 1888, 493-4.
Translation: Fouracre and Gerberding 1996, 125.
Cult building - independent (church)
Cult building - monastic
Non Liturgical ActivityAwarding privileges to cult centres
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits
Monarchs and their family
Source
Version 'A' of the Life (used here) survives in several manuscripts dating from the tenth century onwards. It is apparently the work of a contemporary, writing only shortly after the saint's death in 680: there is a reference in ch. 19 to the Life's events occurring 'in our times,' while the minimal posthumous narrative (featuring only one miracle) suggests a hasty composition. If we take the author's remark about Balthild's still-ruling progenies in ch. 3 as a reference to her own children, the work cannot post-date the death of King Theuderic III in 690 (Fouracre and Gerberding, 1996, 114-15).Discussion
We can identify these 'senior basilicas' as Saint-Denis (see E06133, where the 'immunity' is given in the name of Balthild's son Chlothar III), Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Saint-Médard de Soissons, Saint-Pierre-le-Vif (Sens), Saint-Aignan d'Orléans, and Saint-Martin de Tours.Bibliography
EditionVita S. Balthildis, ed. B. Krusch, MGH Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum, II (1888), 475-508.
Translation and commentary
P. Fouracre and R.A. Gerberding, Late Merovingian France: History and Hagiography, 640-720 (Manchester, 1996), 97-132.
Further reading
E. Ewig, 'Das Privileg des Bischofs Berthefrid von Amiens für Corbie und die Klosterpolitik der Königen Balthild,' Francia, I (1973), 63-114.
Benjamin Savill
16/02/2019
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00036 | Peter, the Apostle | Petrus | Certain | S00050 | Martin, ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397 | Martinus | Certain | S00168 | Medard, bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560 | Medardus | Certain | S00349 | Dionysius/Denis, bishop and martyr of Paris, and his companions Rusticus and Eleutherius | Dionisius | Certain | S01166 | Germanus, bishop of Paris, ob. 576 | Germanus | Certain | S01206 | Anianus/Annianus, bishop of Orléans, ob. 454 | Anianus | Certain | S02359 | Balthild/Balthildis, queen of the Franks, ob. 680 | Certain |
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