Baring-Gould’s sources: Gallican and Roman Martyrologies. Authorities: — A life by S. Yenantius Fortunatus, a contemporary and friend of S. Radegund; S. Gregory of Tours, in his History of the Franks; another life, by the nun Baudonivia, the disciple of the Saint.] The gentle and holy queen who won for herself the love of her contemporaries in France, and the veneration of posterity, was a Thuringian princess, the daughter of Berthar, who divided with his brothers, Baderic and Hermannfried, rule over the Thuringian Germans. Hermannfried, greedy of a larger dominion, attacked Berthar, overthrew and killed him. Radegund and her brother were taken by their victorious uncle, and brought up in his court. Theodoric, son of Clovis, who claimed sovereignty over Thuringia, resented the ambition of Hermannfried, or deemed it an excuse for rendering his sovereignty more real and less nominal over the wooded, wild, and distant Thuringia. In or about 529 he sent his son Theodebert, at the head of an army, to chastise Hermannfried. The young prince executed his commission with zeal and spirit. A battle was fought on the Unstrut, which ended in the complete route of the Thuringians, and the flight of Hermannfried. Theodebert, accompanied by his uncle Clothair, pursued their advantage, and took Erfurt, the capital. Radegund and her brothers fell into the hands of the captors. They were very young, Radegund quite a child.1 Clothair left his nephew to complete the subjugation of Thuringia, and returned with the captives to Soissons; Radegund was placed in the royal villa Aties on the Somme to be educated. There she spent her childish years, happy in keeping the church tidy and clean, sweeping it herself, and taking away the dust of the altar in her handkerchief. It is uncertain in what year Clothair sent to have Radegund brought to Vitry to become his wife. The prospect was a sad one for the young girl — for Clothair was rude, voluptuous and cruel. She fled down the river in a boat by night, but was taken and brought to Soissons and married to the king.
It is not possible to distinguish the order of the marriages of Clothair, and we cannot tell whether Radegund was his first wife, or whether she followed others. But it is plain from what is known of the conduct of Clothair, that he must have given the fair-haired German bride every reason for alienation and separation. One of his wives was Indegunda. “My lord,” said she, “hath made of his handmaid what seemed to him good; and now, to crown his favours, let my lord deign to hear what his handmaid demandeth. I 1 “ Virguncula," Greg. Turon.
pray you be graciously pleased to find for my sister, Aregund, your slave, a husband rich and powerful, so that I be rather exalted than abased thereby, and be enabled to serve you still more faithfully.” At these words Clothair mounted' his horse, rode off to the country house where Arcgund lived, saw her, admired her, and married her. Then he returned to Indegund, and said to her, “ I have laboured to obtain for thee the favour thou didst so sweetly solicit, and, on looking for a man of wealth and capability worthy to be united to thy sister, I could find none better than myself; know, therefore, that I have taken her to wife, and I trow it will not displease thee.” “What seemeth good in my master’s eyes pleases me,” answered Indegund, “ only let thy servant abide still in the king’s grace.” On the death of his brother Chlodomir, Clothair married his widow, Guntheuga, and took possession of his brother’s possessions. He married also Gunesind, who bore him Chram; also Waldetrada the betrothed of Theodebald,1 and daughter of Waccho, king of the Lombards [a Germanic people who ruled much of Italy from 568 to 774]. He seized along with Waldetrada on the possessions of his ' nephew; but being rebuked by the clergy, and the princess not suiting his fancy, he cast her off, and she married Garibald, Duke of Bavaria.
Since Gregory of Tours [bishop and historian of the Franks (d. 594)] gives us no clue as to the succession of these wives, it'is not possible to fix the date of the marriage of Radegund. After six years of union, Clothair had ' her brother murdered in cold blood, fearing lest he should claim the sovereignty of Thuringia, and assert his independence. Radegund had endured the infidelities of her coarse, voluptuous husband, but this last cruel stroke was more than she could endure. She fled from court to Noyon, where she appealed to S. Medard, the bishop, to release her from the hated' union, and consecrate her to God. He refused, ' 1 Son of Theodobert, brother of Clothair. August mindful of the Apostolic precept, “ Let not her who is married seek to be released.” But she burst into the sanctuary, wrapped in a monastic habit and veil, and going to the foot of the altar, charged the bishop, “ If thou delayest to consecrate me, thou fearest man rather than God, and He will demand my soul at thy hands.” S. Medard was staggered. He believed that her blood would be on his head should she fail of her salvation through his refusal. He extended his hand, laid it on her head, and consecrated her a deaconess. She retired to Sais, near Loudun, in Poitou, where she led a mortified life. Clothair made a faint effort to recover her. It was reported that he Was on his way to Sais, resolved to take her to him by force. She fled to the church of S. Hilary, at Poitiers, and wrote a letter entreating him to allow her liberty to follow her own desires. Clothair, who had found her presence a restraint, had already solaced himself for her absence by forming a new alliance, and he good-humouredly sent her money to spend on building a convent. With this she erected the Abbey of S. Cross, at Poitiers.
She now spent her time in that way most congenial to her tastes, in nursing the sick, serving the poor, and starving herself.
She sent an embassy to Constantinople to the Emperor Justin II., with a request that he would favour her with a portion of the true cross. The emperor readily agreed to her request, and Radegund heard of the approach of her messengers with the precious relic. She hasted in excitement to the Bishop of Poitiers, called Meroveus. He coldly received her, and declined to go forth, in full pontificals with all. his clergy to meet and solemnly transport the relic to her convent church. He probably doubted its genuineness. The citizens, or at least those of position and authority, agreed to refuse permission to its introduction within the walls. Radegund appealed in a pathetic letter to Sigebert, the king. He sent orders to S. Euphronius, Archbishop of Tours, who was not troubled with the scruples that embarrassed Meroveus, to place himself at the disposal of the queen. Meroveus mounted his horse and rode to his country house. Beiore the king’s peremptory order the opposition of the citizens melted away. The gates were thrown open, and the revered fragment was transported with the utmost pomp and solemnity to the monastic church. Venantius Fortunatus, the friend of Radegund, wrote for the occasion the famous hymn “Vexilla regis,” and it was sung for the first time on this joyful occasion. S. Radegund died on August 13, 587, and was buried by S. Gregory, Bishop of Tours, who has given us so many details of her history in his History of the Franks [the Germanic people who ruled Gaul and gave France its name], and Glory of Confessors.
The body of S. Radegund was burnt by the Calvinists in 1562, but some fragments were preserved. In 1852 her gold ring was discovered by a labourer, inscribed with her name; it is now in private possession.