Saint Clotilde

Life story

Clotilde was a daughter of Chilperic II of Burgundy, born around 474. She married Clovis I in the 490s, soon after her father's death; the early sources are limited, so no closer date is possible. They had four sons, Ingomir, Chlodomer, Childebert and Clotaire, and a daughter also named Clotilde; Ingomir died in infancy.

By tradition Clovis was baptised at Reims in 496 (some scholars say as late as 508) by Bishop Remigius, with about 3,000 Franks, after a battle with the Alemanni. The story that she urged him to this, and the details of the battle, are traditional, and the sources are mainly hagiographic. Gregory of Tours says she urged her sons to avenge her parents on the Burgundians; the Catholic Encyclopedia calls this a legend and suggests she may have worked for peace.

Clovis died in 511. After Clovis died and two of her grandsons were killed by their uncles, she moved to Tours and lived near the tomb of Saint Martin. She died on 3 June 545, thirty-four years after Clovis, and was buried in the church of the Holy Apostles (later Sainte-Geneviève) beside Clovis and her older children. Her feast is 3 June (4 June in France).

Works and witness

• Married Clovis I in the 490s
• Had five children, one of whom died young
• By tradition, helped bring Clovis to baptism in 496
• Lived at Tours near the tomb of Martin after her widowhood
• Died on 3 June 545

Saints from the same country

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint Louis IX of France, Saint Joan of Arc, Saint Francis de Sales

References

• Catholic Encyclopedia, "St. Clotilda" (newadvent.org/cathen/04066a.htm)
• Britannica, "Saint Clotilda"

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.