[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":24},["ShallowReactive",2],{"zoom:p4ch8z4:en":3},{"period":4,"chapter":14,"zoom":17},{"id":5,"title":6,"titleEn":6,"titleEs":7,"range":8,"rangeEn":8,"rangeEs":8,"cover":9},"p4","Early Middle Ages","Alta Edad Media","476 → 987",{"fileName":10,"filePageUrl":11,"imageUrl":12,"sourceLabel":13},"François Louis Dejuinne 08265 baptême de CLovis.JPG","https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fran%C3%A7ois%20Louis%20Dejuinne%2008265%20bapt%C3%AAme%20de%20CLovis.JPG","/assets/p4-haut-moyen-age-cover.png","Wikimedia Commons",{"id":15,"title":16},"p4ch8","The Mayors of the Palace: Power Shifts (639–687)",{"id":18,"title":19,"chapterId":15,"html":20,"hasEn":21,"isFallback":22,"seoDescription":23},"p4ch8z4","Balthild: The Former Slave Who Became Queen of the Franks","\u003Cp>One of the most remarkable figures of the 7th century is \u003Cstrong>Balthild\u003C/strong>, wife of King \u003Cstrong>Clovis II\u003C/strong> and regent of the Frankish kingdom during the minority of her son.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Her destiny is exceptional. According to medieval sources, she was born in \u003Cstrong>Anglo-Saxon England\u003C/strong>, probably into a noble family. Captured during a raid or sold by traffickers, she was brought to Gaul as a \u003Cstrong>slave\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>She was bought by \u003Cstrong>Erchinoald\u003C/strong>, powerful mayor of the palace of Neustria. Her beauty, intelligence, and piety impressed the court.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>👑 From servant to queen\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>Around \u003Cstrong>649\u003C/strong>, King \u003Cstrong>Clovis II\u003C/strong> married Balthild.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>This union is remarkable: it is rare for a Merovingian king to marry a woman of servile origin. But Balthild quickly earned the respect of aristocrats and clergy.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>She gave several heirs to the king:\u003C/p>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Chlothar III\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Childeric II\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Theuderic III\u003C/strong>\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\u003Cp>These sons would all reign successively over the Frankish kingdoms.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>⚖️ Regency and government\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>When \u003Cstrong>Clovis II died in 657\u003C/strong>, his sons were still very young.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Balthild became \u003Cstrong>regent of the kingdom\u003C/strong>, with the support of certain mayors of the palace and influential bishops.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>During this period, she led several important policies:\u003C/p>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>she supported the foundation of many \u003Cstrong>monasteries\u003C/strong> (Corbie, Chelles, Jumièges…)\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>she favoured the \u003Cstrong>influence of the Church\u003C/strong> in government\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>she tried to \u003Cstrong>limit the slave trade of Christian slaves\u003C/strong>, notably by forbidding their sale abroad\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\u003Cp>These measures gave her a strong reputation for justice and piety.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>⛪ A queen who became a saint\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>Around \u003Cstrong>664\u003C/strong>, Balthild voluntarily withdrew from power.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>She entered the \u003Cstrong>monastery of Chelles\u003C/strong>, near Paris, which she had founded herself. She lived there simply until her death around \u003Cstrong>680\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Very quickly, her memory was venerated as that of a \u003Cstrong>saintly queen\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Her life remains one of the most extraordinary of the Middle Ages: that of a \u003Cstrong>slave who became queen and then saint\u003C/strong>, a symbol of the alliance between the Merovingian monarchy and the Church.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>🧠 Key takeaways\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Balthild\u003C/strong> is the wife of \u003Cstrong>Clovis II\u003C/strong> and the mother of several Merovingian kings.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>Of Anglo-Saxon origin, she was likely a \u003Cstrong>slave before becoming queen\u003C/strong>.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>She ruled as \u003Cstrong>regent\u003C/strong> after Clovis II’s death.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>She supported \u003Cstrong>monasteries\u003C/strong> and limited some forms of slavery.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>She ended her life at \u003Cstrong>Chelles\u003C/strong> and was canonised.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n",true,false,"One of the most remarkable figures of the 7th century is Balthild , wife of King Clovis II and regent of the Frankish kingdom during the minority of her son.",1778543116098]