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History of the Franks
St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927
Book 5, 1. Of the Reign of Childebert the Younger, and of His Mother
At the time when King Sigibert was slain at Vitry, Queen Brunhild was dwelling with her children at Paris. When the news was brought to her, and in the tumult of her grief and anguish she knew not what she did, Duke Gundovald took Childebert, her little son, and bore him away in secret, snatching him from imminent death. Then he assembled the peoples over which his father had reigned, and proclaimed him king, his years being as yet hardly five: it was Christmas Day when Childebert began to reign. Now in the first year of his reign1 King Chilperic came to Paris, seized Brunhild and banished her to Rouen, took possession of the treasures which she had brought to Paris, and ordered her daughters to be detained at Meaux. At this time Roccolen came to Tours with the men of Maine, took plunder, and committed many crimes. I shall shortly relate after what manner he was smitten and slain by the power of the holy Martin for all the evil which he wrought.2
Notes
- A.D. 576.
- Below, ch. 4.