History of the FranksGregory, Bishop of Tours, Saint
History
History of the Franks
Gregory, Bishop of Tours, Saint
France -- Church history -- To 987; France -- History -- To 987; Franks -- History -- To 768
[BM] P. =95=, c. 41. The Lombards entered Italy from the northeast
in 568. Their first invasion of Gaul from Italy and the defeat of
the patrician Amatus took place in 569. The most complete account of
these events is given by Paul the Deacon, _Historia Langobardorum_,
Lib. II, edition by Bethmann und Waitz (Mon. Germ. Hist.), 1878.
[BN] P. =96=, l. 31. The Saxons had accompanied the Lombards in their
original invasion of Italy. They were now proposing to return to
their former homes by another route.
[BO] P. =98=, l. 6. =Ex hoc quasi honoratus habitus.= “Being regarded
in consequence of this as in a sense _honoratus_.” _Honoratus_ here
seems to be used in a general meaning rather than in the technical
one of a man who holds or has held high office. Cf. Du Cange, _Art.,
Honorati_.
[BP] P. =98=, l. 14. Verg. _Aen._ III, 56, 57.
[BQ] P. =98=, l. 17. =Judex loci.= The _vicarius_ or subordinate of
the Count.
[BR] P. =99=, l. 29. This omen pointed to Sigibert’s death.
[BS] P. =100=, l. 20 f. The idea of conveying property by will
was foreign to the Franks and was not received into their law,
which regarded the family rather than the individual. On the other
hand conveying property by will was a regular practice among the
Gallo-Roman population. The church was often made a legatee, a
practice due in part to the desire to have its interest involved in
the carrying out of the will. Therefore in the conflicts that arose
in regard to succession to property the interests of the church and
of the state were naturally opposed.
[BT] P. =105=, l. 35. Orosius, V, 8.
[BU] P. =106=, l. 13. After Clothar’s death in 561 Charibert I became
master of Tours. When he died in 567 Tours was allotted to Sigibert,
who had however to drive Clovis, son of Chilperic, away before he
took possession. In 573 Chilperic again took possession but was
obliged to retire. Sigibert then held the city until his death in
575, after which Chilperic took it and held it to 584, when it passed
into the hands of Gunthram and after three years, by the treaty of
Andelot, into those of Childebert II.
[BV] P. =106=, l. 15. Merovech’s mother was Audovera (p. 90).
[BW] P. =108=, l. 9. Theodobert, son of Chilperic and Audovera.
Gregory tells us nothing of the manner of his death. Cf. pp. 90,
114-118.
[BX] P. =108=, l. 21. The nails were probably large spikes. Iron was
scarce and the people of Mans could make use of it in many ways,
especially for making knives. It may be remembered in this connection
how the barbarians tore out the clamps which the Roman masons used
to hold the stones together, as in the case of the _Porta Nigra_ at
Trèves.
[BY] P. =108=, l. 31. St. Martin’s church was “550 paces” from the
city of Tours (p. 36). Each of these “paces” is 4 ft. 10.248 in. and
the whole distance slightly over half a mile.
[BZ] P. =108=, l. 25. =Regio morbo=, jaundice.
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