Reflections fot Oct 7

It is easy to understand why Gregory of Tours’s The History of the Franks has become an essential reading for all medievalist historians. Over the span of his tenure, the Bishop interacted with numerous kings, queens, and fellow clergymen. His duty was first to God, and second to Saint Martin’s. Gregory was very hesitant to committing himself to mortals, least of all to impious officials. He was obliged to hold services, give council to royalty, participate on disciplinary tribunals, and generally safeguard the interests of the church against any encroachments. In The History, Gregory publishes not only a history, but also a memoir of sorts. The memoir depicts many of the frustrations he reluctantly endured as head Bishop – defrocking false profits, providing sanctuary to wanted criminals, and converting the “heathens”. His role amongst fellow Bishops is arguably the most interesting of Gregory’s duties.

Mediating the frequent squabbles between fellow Bishops, many clergymen sought his allegiance time and time again. I had no idea that the Bishops were so competitive. From what I have gathered from The History, these men-of-the-clothe would backstab anyone if given an incentive. Often enough, kings would accuse various Bishops of plotting coup d'état or even assassinations. King Chilperic accused Bishop Praetextatus of such crimes, and King Guntram later accused Bishop Theodore likewise. Whenever secular and clerical authority clashed, Gregory often worked as a referee between the sides. As far as I can tell, kings did have the authority under canon law to punish traitorous Bishops, but only after consolidating with a tribunal of clergymen. Common punishments for such betrayals included revoking the right to communion, exile, or imprisonment.

Providing the monarch with council was clearly an important function of the Bishop. Along with advising kings on matters regarding canon law, Gregory also provided spiritual guidance. On the cover of The History, a painting depicts Bishops placing a king into a cauldron and boiling him to death. This occurrence never happened, but was a “vision” Gregory experienced from God. The unfortunate king was Chilperic, the brother of King Guntram. So, with the aid of such “visions”, Gregory often gave council to the various royalties. And of course, when a ruler was approaching his/her mortal departure, that was when Gregory really got busy. For example, the aging Queen Ingoberg wanted to “set things right” before she passed on. She called on Gregory, and together they divided up her wealth and designated portions for the Tours Cathedral, the St. Martin monastery, and the Le Mans Cathedral. Apparently, the Queen was very fearful of God (Gregory’s words). I can only imagine that donating large sums of money to “the church” provided her with some solace before her death.