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History of the Franks
St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927
Book 3, 4. Of the Thuringian Kings
At this time three brothers ruled together over the Thuringians: Baderic, Hermanfrid, and Berthar. Hermanfrid overcame his brother Berthar by force of arms and slew him. At his death he left an orphan daughter, Radegund, with sons, of whom I shall hereafter speak. Hermanfrid’s wife was a wicked and cruel woman named Amalaberg, who sowed the seeds of civil war between the brothers. For her lord, coming one day to the banquet, found half the table unlaid, and inquiring of his wife what this meant, received the answer: ‘He who suffereth himself to be robbed of half his kingdom should have half his table bare.’ Roused by this and by like incitements, he rose up against his brother and sent secretly messengers to King Theuderic inviting him to attack him in these terms: ‘If thou slay him, we will divide his kingdom in equal parts.’ Theuderic was well pleased at the message, and marched to meet him with his army. They joined forces and exchanged pledges of good faith; after which they set out to war. They encountered Baderic and destroyed his army, beheading him with the sword; the victory thus won, Theuderic returned home. But Hermanfrid, at once forgetting his plighted word, failed to fulfil his promise to King Theuderic, whence great enmity arose between them.