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Histoire des Francs
Tableau saisissant d'une epoque trouble et ensanglantee, du developpement de l'Eglise comme unique puissance civilisatrice entrainant la conversion des peuples guerriers, jusqu'au recit de la vie des premiers apotres et saints gaulois (depositaires de la civilisation greco-latine), cette oeuvre essentielle, aussi importante pour l'Histoire de France que pour l'histoire religieuse, est enfin reeditee dans son integralite. Apres une breve introduction consacree a l'histoire universelle, d'Adam a saint Martin, commence le recit des faits historiques en Gaule, ou l'invasion des Vandales et des Huns alterne avec l'Histoire de l'Eglise. A partir du Livre V, Gregoire relate les evenements dont il a lui-meme ete le temoin. L'Histoire des Francs prend alors un caractere personnel et realiste, qui emporte avec maestria l'adhesion du lecteur.
356 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 590
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About the author
Gregory of Tours
110 books14 followersFrankish prelate and historian Saint Gregory of Tours produced a valuable history of the sixth-century Franks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory...
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June 26, 2019“A great many things keep happening, some of them good, some of them bad”.
I got this while studying something that had nothing to do with the Franks, in London. I'd travel back in the evening and would often stop in a pub off Villiers Street a curious place partly under the station - it had an extension on the other side of the street, if I was clever enough I could arrive after the various city types had gone home, drink a pint, and read a bit of Gregory of Tours before catching a train from Charing Cross back into Kent.
As a Gallio-Roman the ghost of that Bishop of Tours would probably have preferred wine to be drunk in his memory as I read of the plotting, scheming and infighting of the long-haired Kings of France. Possibly that might have aided my recall. Beer addled, my abiding memory is of how the monarchical legitimacy bestowed by having long hair worked to the advantage of the quarrelling kings since any potential rival claimant would have to hide themselves for long enough for their hair to grow before being able to declare themselves King while enemies could be disposed of by giving them a vicious and unrelenting haircut.
This is probably a sign that I'm overdue for a reread, one of the curiosities is that most of us, in or out of pubs or other drinking places if asked would be absolutely certain that there was no Roman empire and therefore no Romans in central France in the sixth century. Gregory would have been certain of the opposite, he was a Roman, his family were Romans, his friends were Romans, they just had to live in this strange world of the Franks, observing the actions of the vengeful Saints, whose slumbers in their tombs one should never, ever disturb.
I got this while studying something that had nothing to do with the Franks, in London. I'd travel back in the evening and would often stop in a pub off Villiers Street a curious place partly under the station - it had an extension on the other side of the street, if I was clever enough I could arrive after the various city types had gone home, drink a pint, and read a bit of Gregory of Tours before catching a train from Charing Cross back into Kent.
As a Gallio-Roman the ghost of that Bishop of Tours would probably have preferred wine to be drunk in his memory as I read of the plotting, scheming and infighting of the long-haired Kings of France. Possibly that might have aided my recall. Beer addled, my abiding memory is of how the monarchical legitimacy bestowed by having long hair worked to the advantage of the quarrelling kings since any potential rival claimant would have to hide themselves for long enough for their hair to grow before being able to declare themselves King while enemies could be disposed of by giving them a vicious and unrelenting haircut.
This is probably a sign that I'm overdue for a reread, one of the curiosities is that most of us, in or out of pubs or other drinking places if asked would be absolutely certain that there was no Roman empire and therefore no Romans in central France in the sixth century. Gregory would have been certain of the opposite, he was a Roman, his family were Romans, his friends were Romans, they just had to live in this strange world of the Franks, observing the actions of the vengeful Saints, whose slumbers in their tombs one should never, ever disturb.
March 21, 2025
Just a bit of casual light reading for my 'Barbarian Kingdoms' module....
So, I read this slowly but surely, and I was pleasantly surprised! This is Gregory's "history" (not so sure he is impartial), mainly of the land of the Franks. The past Merovingian Gaul (France) is summed up in a series of wars and assassinations and scandals and all in all, just a lot of death. But, aside from the repetitiveness, I really enjoyed reading this.
“This attempt at reconciliation by soothing talk was not a success, and in the end Fredegund silenced both sides by the axe.”
Whilst I would STRONGLY recommend not reading this in one go, reading this gradually alongside other reads in my opinion made it far more enjoyable. There is a barrage of names and histories and description, so after a while it can become overwhelming. However, when it was segmented more, I really appreciated the experience. I became aware of the two rival queens, Fredegund and Brunhild, who have a CRAZY rivalry that spanned decades, and also the often brutal but effective route to establishing order, and I learned about what set the stage before the Carolingians and eventually Charlemagne took the stage and formed one of the most well-known kingdoms since the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
Gregory of Tours' writing can be dry, but it is also stripped back and efficient. It conveys clearly what is happening, and focuses on the centre of the event, without going on constant tangents. I picked this up to provide contact for one of my modules at university, and it really ticked that box for me!
3.75/5 STARS
So, I read this slowly but surely, and I was pleasantly surprised! This is Gregory's "history" (not so sure he is impartial), mainly of the land of the Franks. The past Merovingian Gaul (France) is summed up in a series of wars and assassinations and scandals and all in all, just a lot of death. But, aside from the repetitiveness, I really enjoyed reading this.
“This attempt at reconciliation by soothing talk was not a success, and in the end Fredegund silenced both sides by the axe.”
Whilst I would STRONGLY recommend not reading this in one go, reading this gradually alongside other reads in my opinion made it far more enjoyable. There is a barrage of names and histories and description, so after a while it can become overwhelming. However, when it was segmented more, I really appreciated the experience. I became aware of the two rival queens, Fredegund and Brunhild, who have a CRAZY rivalry that spanned decades, and also the often brutal but effective route to establishing order, and I learned about what set the stage before the Carolingians and eventually Charlemagne took the stage and formed one of the most well-known kingdoms since the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
Gregory of Tours' writing can be dry, but it is also stripped back and efficient. It conveys clearly what is happening, and focuses on the centre of the event, without going on constant tangents. I picked this up to provide contact for one of my modules at university, and it really ticked that box for me!
3.75/5 STARS
May 18, 2016
Nothing like a little primary source material from the early Middle Ages to liven up your reading. It's all here--a doubting priest quoting Scripture against the resurrection of the dead, a queen trying to choke her arrogant daughter by closing a jewel chest on her neck, wicked nuns allying with cutthroats and dragging their abbess through the street, saints who work miracles of healing but also punish with painful deaths those who rob their churches, a deacon who longs to emulate Simon Stylites in a climate that's unfortunately a bit cold for the whole sitting-outside-on-a-pillar thing, and a Frankish king who really thinks he can make the church accept Arianism.
A fascinating picture of a time infused with expectancy for the supernatural, with sincere piety and extraordinary mercy mixed up with brutality (sometimes in the same person), as seen through the eyes of a humble bishop of Tours.
A fascinating picture of a time infused with expectancy for the supernatural, with sincere piety and extraordinary mercy mixed up with brutality (sometimes in the same person), as seen through the eyes of a humble bishop of Tours.
June 22, 2019
Histoire des Francs
By Grégoire de Tours (538-594)
The 5th and 6th Century was the darkest of the dark middle ages in the land of Gaul.
The Roman Empire was crumbling, and the void after the Roman Rule gave place for invading barbarian populations from the east and north.
Vandals, Aleman’s, Goths, Saxons, Thuringia’s, Huns and others raided the cities and their surrounding countries brutally and violently, killing or enslaving the populations, burning homes and churches and stealing and robbing anything they could get hold of.
One of these roaming populations were the Francs.
Gregory of Tours was a Catholic bishop who recorded the historical events as he saw them as an eyewitness. These reports are the only remaining writings from the period.
He wrote in the Latin language which was also his native tongue.
He lived at the time of the Christening and (self) crowning of CLOVIS, the first Franc King who had succeeded to submit almost all the French Cities to his rule.
He was simply the most ruthless of all the warriors; he had killed all the rival kings and even sons and other close family members as soon as he saw them dangerous to his tyrannic dominance.
After his death, his sons, grandsons and descendants continued in the same way and established over time what has become France today.
Bishop Gregory objectively describes the ambiguous implication of the Christian religion in bringing these barbaric rulers to accept the Christian way of legislation and to live by its rules.
This was an almost impossible task and cost countless innocent lives and turned hundreds if not thousands, religious men and women into martyrs.
It seems today surprising that so many miracles had been attributed to Gods Will and intervention
It must also seem to have been a necessity to produce some pretended, if not always tangible proof of Gods Power to convince such a brutal, ruthless population to turn to a more civilized way of interaction and social behaviour.
In the first chapters, the book appears to be excessively bent on religious history and matters, but as from chapter five, actual historical events appear and follow page after page in a rapid manner. Battles, fights, murders, intrigues, betrayals, tortures, rape and incest are the ordinary every day in those times.
Historical reality proves to be well beyond anything a modern author of fiction could imagine.
By Grégoire de Tours (538-594)
The 5th and 6th Century was the darkest of the dark middle ages in the land of Gaul.
The Roman Empire was crumbling, and the void after the Roman Rule gave place for invading barbarian populations from the east and north.
Vandals, Aleman’s, Goths, Saxons, Thuringia’s, Huns and others raided the cities and their surrounding countries brutally and violently, killing or enslaving the populations, burning homes and churches and stealing and robbing anything they could get hold of.
One of these roaming populations were the Francs.
Gregory of Tours was a Catholic bishop who recorded the historical events as he saw them as an eyewitness. These reports are the only remaining writings from the period.
He wrote in the Latin language which was also his native tongue.
He lived at the time of the Christening and (self) crowning of CLOVIS, the first Franc King who had succeeded to submit almost all the French Cities to his rule.
He was simply the most ruthless of all the warriors; he had killed all the rival kings and even sons and other close family members as soon as he saw them dangerous to his tyrannic dominance.
After his death, his sons, grandsons and descendants continued in the same way and established over time what has become France today.
Bishop Gregory objectively describes the ambiguous implication of the Christian religion in bringing these barbaric rulers to accept the Christian way of legislation and to live by its rules.
This was an almost impossible task and cost countless innocent lives and turned hundreds if not thousands, religious men and women into martyrs.
It seems today surprising that so many miracles had been attributed to Gods Will and intervention
It must also seem to have been a necessity to produce some pretended, if not always tangible proof of Gods Power to convince such a brutal, ruthless population to turn to a more civilized way of interaction and social behaviour.
In the first chapters, the book appears to be excessively bent on religious history and matters, but as from chapter five, actual historical events appear and follow page after page in a rapid manner. Battles, fights, murders, intrigues, betrayals, tortures, rape and incest are the ordinary every day in those times.
Historical reality proves to be well beyond anything a modern author of fiction could imagine.
February 9, 2017
This was to have been my doctoral dissertation back so many years ago. Norman Cantor was the chairman of my committee and he wanted a "world-view of Gregory of Tours". He was a medieval cultural historian back in the 70s. I read all around the "History" but never actually read the book itself. This has been a trip down memory lane for me. I remember thinking way back then, "I don't have anything new to say about this guy. The French and German medievalists have worked him over for about 300 years." I gave up and went to Law school. I will never regret having studied so hard and researched so much on what must be considered a personal failure. What I learned from my immersion in a different time and culture has affected my life dramatically. It has set me apart in many ways from my peers. It has increased the loneliness, but also deepened my understanding of a civilization desperately close to barbarism. My studies have shown me how easy it is to lose the Culture that is the lifeblood of a Society. That is the meaning of Gregory of Tours work. I only wish I had been perceptive enough way back in my youth to have understood that. I would also have needed the courage to have spoken the truth. That is much to ask of a callow young man.
September 17, 2024
Gibbon underestimated this and thought Gregory prolix and unreliable, but I would rather read earthy and colourful Gregory over buttoned up prig Gibbon any day. The only time the narrative is less than captivating is when Gregory goes into great detail about his theological disputes with various heretics. But even here, there is something endearing about his quiet pride in his debating skill, and – unlike many contemporary media outlets – he is careful to give a fair hearing to his opponents.
The Merovingians were an extraordinarily cruel and violent lot. King Lothar murders his own little nephews as they plead for their lives – this episode is especially hard to read. Lothar’s son Chilperic I is even worse, murdering his wife to marry his mistress Fredegund – who even exceeds him in cruelty and violence (there is a jaw dropping scene where Fredegund smashes the lid of a heavy jewellery box on the neck of her own daughter as she roots around inside it, though she doesn’t succeed in her aim of murdering her. But Fredegund does succeed in having many others bumped off – often in inventively horrible ways. She makes Queen Cersei in Game of Thrones seem moderate and restrained). Chilperic’s brother Guntram is perhaps the best of a bad lot – at least Gregory thinks so – but even he is not averse to ordering unjust killings when he is in a bad mood.
One of the confusing things about this period is how kingdoms are subdivided between sons and then merged by conquest or inheritance or subdivided again. So there are frequently multiple Merovingian kings of different parts of what is now France at the same time, usually regarding one another with justified suspicion or at open warfare. This can be very confusing and I often referred to the handy genaological table printed in the introduction.
Despite the horror, I loved the vivid colour and immediacy of all of this and developed a warm admiration for Gregory. These times were dark and savage and the Merovingians were cruel barbarians with just a veneer of Christianity. Gregory knew how close Europe was to falling into the abyss. And yet Europe survived, and prospered, and although the wick of civilisation smoked and sputtered, the likes of Gregory ensured it was not extinguished. The distance between the apparently settled world of late antiquity and the seething chaos of barbarism was not great. We are not Merovingians – thank goodness. But it seems to me that we are closer to chaos and barbarism now than we have been at any prior point in my own lifetime, and I can see parallels – alas – between Gregory’s time and our own.
The Merovingians were an extraordinarily cruel and violent lot. King Lothar murders his own little nephews as they plead for their lives – this episode is especially hard to read. Lothar’s son Chilperic I is even worse, murdering his wife to marry his mistress Fredegund – who even exceeds him in cruelty and violence (there is a jaw dropping scene where Fredegund smashes the lid of a heavy jewellery box on the neck of her own daughter as she roots around inside it, though she doesn’t succeed in her aim of murdering her. But Fredegund does succeed in having many others bumped off – often in inventively horrible ways. She makes Queen Cersei in Game of Thrones seem moderate and restrained). Chilperic’s brother Guntram is perhaps the best of a bad lot – at least Gregory thinks so – but even he is not averse to ordering unjust killings when he is in a bad mood.
One of the confusing things about this period is how kingdoms are subdivided between sons and then merged by conquest or inheritance or subdivided again. So there are frequently multiple Merovingian kings of different parts of what is now France at the same time, usually regarding one another with justified suspicion or at open warfare. This can be very confusing and I often referred to the handy genaological table printed in the introduction.
Despite the horror, I loved the vivid colour and immediacy of all of this and developed a warm admiration for Gregory. These times were dark and savage and the Merovingians were cruel barbarians with just a veneer of Christianity. Gregory knew how close Europe was to falling into the abyss. And yet Europe survived, and prospered, and although the wick of civilisation smoked and sputtered, the likes of Gregory ensured it was not extinguished. The distance between the apparently settled world of late antiquity and the seething chaos of barbarism was not great. We are not Merovingians – thank goodness. But it seems to me that we are closer to chaos and barbarism now than we have been at any prior point in my own lifetime, and I can see parallels – alas – between Gregory’s time and our own.
May 18, 2019
This is not yet French but Merovingian history, a barbarian state, post-Roman, violent, and one that fits closely to a description of a “failed state” but which somehow survived 250 years. The author, bishop of Tours, has a pessimistic view of Clovis, and the decline of his sons and grandsons who succeed him. His history deals with the sixth Century.
By the middle of this extraordinary history I decided to leave it at that because it’s such a tour de force to continue but nevertheless the ending of Book V got so full of exotic tales that I would not believe them if I wasn’t reading history by a respectable author that I decided to continue reading.
It’s the major original written record of the sixth Century Merovingian history but it’s simply very difficult for an average amateur history reader myself. It’s a curious history because the facts are extraordinary. We are told at the end of Book I “Here ends the first book, which covers five thousand, five hundred and ninety-six years from the beginning of the world down to the death of Martin.” Later on we hear that “From the Passion of the Lord until the death of Saint Martin four hundred and twelve years passed. (p. 99) There is no chronological data at the end Books II and III but at the end of Book IV there is lots of it: “From the death of Theudebert to the death of Sigebert were twenty nine years. This makes five thousand, seven hundred and twenty-four years in all . (p. 249) There is much more at the end of the tenth Book. The dates don’t add up. A footnote on p. 604 explains that all the figures were given in roman numerals which are often miscopied by scribers.
That is not the more troubling part of this writing. Gregory has a habit of breaking off a story in the middle by saying he will continue it later which maybe a hundred pages further that we will hardly connect to the beginning, such as in the history of two wicked bishops Salonius and Sagittarius. He describes their ignominious carousing and suddenly writes “In the end the wrath of God descended on their heads; but about this I will tell you later on.” (p. 287). This is continued on pages 421 to 424.
I sampled a random selection of some forty pages counting a few of the bizarre events in this random selection and found between pages 338 and 381:
Tortures: (6) pages 338, 363, 365, 366, 380, 381
Murders, executions, martyrdom: (11) pages 341, 344, 345, 348, 349, 360, 367, 370, 378, 379
Miracles: (3) pages 339, 346, 352, 353
Loss of lives in battles: (6) 344, 346, 348, 349, 360, 361
This is by no means a section of this history thick with such acts. The 600 plus pages is replete with them. These are barbarians to whom killing their family means little. The motivation is usually power. They kill even children who may become contenders when they grow. A king often kills his wife to take other wives. Queen Clotilde orders killing her grandchildren instead of just humiliating them by cutting their hair.
Plunder is the most common reward of warfare. King Clothar is wary of fighting well equipped Saxons but his army threatens to kill him if they don’t fight them. Assassinations and attempts are quite frequent. Torture is frequent and inventive. Late sixth Century has two competing queens Fredegunde whose list of conniving viciousness is too long to count. She has queen Brunhild captured by her son and torn apart by horses.
Hilaire Belloc made a proper comment about the Merovingians as: “that vast valley of dead men crowned.” Danton: a study (1899)
By the middle of this extraordinary history I decided to leave it at that because it’s such a tour de force to continue but nevertheless the ending of Book V got so full of exotic tales that I would not believe them if I wasn’t reading history by a respectable author that I decided to continue reading.
It’s the major original written record of the sixth Century Merovingian history but it’s simply very difficult for an average amateur history reader myself. It’s a curious history because the facts are extraordinary. We are told at the end of Book I “Here ends the first book, which covers five thousand, five hundred and ninety-six years from the beginning of the world down to the death of Martin.” Later on we hear that “From the Passion of the Lord until the death of Saint Martin four hundred and twelve years passed. (p. 99) There is no chronological data at the end Books II and III but at the end of Book IV there is lots of it: “From the death of Theudebert to the death of Sigebert were twenty nine years. This makes five thousand, seven hundred and twenty-four years in all . (p. 249) There is much more at the end of the tenth Book. The dates don’t add up. A footnote on p. 604 explains that all the figures were given in roman numerals which are often miscopied by scribers.
That is not the more troubling part of this writing. Gregory has a habit of breaking off a story in the middle by saying he will continue it later which maybe a hundred pages further that we will hardly connect to the beginning, such as in the history of two wicked bishops Salonius and Sagittarius. He describes their ignominious carousing and suddenly writes “In the end the wrath of God descended on their heads; but about this I will tell you later on.” (p. 287). This is continued on pages 421 to 424.
I sampled a random selection of some forty pages counting a few of the bizarre events in this random selection and found between pages 338 and 381:
Tortures: (6) pages 338, 363, 365, 366, 380, 381
Murders, executions, martyrdom: (11) pages 341, 344, 345, 348, 349, 360, 367, 370, 378, 379
Miracles: (3) pages 339, 346, 352, 353
Loss of lives in battles: (6) 344, 346, 348, 349, 360, 361
This is by no means a section of this history thick with such acts. The 600 plus pages is replete with them. These are barbarians to whom killing their family means little. The motivation is usually power. They kill even children who may become contenders when they grow. A king often kills his wife to take other wives. Queen Clotilde orders killing her grandchildren instead of just humiliating them by cutting their hair.
Plunder is the most common reward of warfare. King Clothar is wary of fighting well equipped Saxons but his army threatens to kill him if they don’t fight them. Assassinations and attempts are quite frequent. Torture is frequent and inventive. Late sixth Century has two competing queens Fredegunde whose list of conniving viciousness is too long to count. She has queen Brunhild captured by her son and torn apart by horses.
Hilaire Belloc made a proper comment about the Merovingians as: “that vast valley of dead men crowned.” Danton: a study (1899)
July 23, 2019
Gregory of Tours "History of the Franks" begins and ends with a chronology of the world starting with the birth of Adam and finishing n 591 when Gregory (installed as Bishop of Tours for 18 years) concludes his history with the sentence: "That makes 5814 years since the beginning of time."
The purpose of reading this book is to into the medieval mind. One discovers that the Middle Ages arrived in France much ahead of anywhere else in the Roman Empire. Procopius' (500-570) writes his history of the reign of Justinian the Great in the style of classical Greece. One could even say the same of Anna Comnena (1083-1153) whose "Alexiad" (the history of her father Alexis 1st of Byzantium) is still written in the manner of classical antiquity. It appears to be the French who led us into the Dark Ages.
"L'Histoire des francs" de Grégoire de Tours commence et finit la chronologie du monde. L'An zéro est marqué par la création du monde et la naissance d'Adam. Le tout se termine en 591 quand Grégoire installe comme (évêque de Tours depuis 573) complète sa chronique des rois de francs. La dernière phrase du dernier des livres de l'œuvre est "Ca fait cinq mille cent quatorze ans."
On lit ce livre afin de rentrer profondément dans l'esprit de l'homme médiéval. On constate que le Moyen Âge s'installe en France bien avant l'Est de l'Empire. Procope (500-570) un contemporain de Grégoire de Tours écrit l'histoire de la règne de Justin le Grand (1527-1565) dans le style de l'antiquité classique. Plus que cinq cents ans plus tard, Anna Comnène (1083-1153) écrit " L’Alexiade" une chronique de père, l’empereur Alexis Ier Comnène de Byzance dans le même style de l'antiquité classique. Il faut reconnaitre que les francais étaient le pionniers de la pensée médiévale.
The purpose of reading this book is to into the medieval mind. One discovers that the Middle Ages arrived in France much ahead of anywhere else in the Roman Empire. Procopius' (500-570) writes his history of the reign of Justinian the Great in the style of classical Greece. One could even say the same of Anna Comnena (1083-1153) whose "Alexiad" (the history of her father Alexis 1st of Byzantium) is still written in the manner of classical antiquity. It appears to be the French who led us into the Dark Ages.
"L'Histoire des francs" de Grégoire de Tours commence et finit la chronologie du monde. L'An zéro est marqué par la création du monde et la naissance d'Adam. Le tout se termine en 591 quand Grégoire installe comme (évêque de Tours depuis 573) complète sa chronique des rois de francs. La dernière phrase du dernier des livres de l'œuvre est "Ca fait cinq mille cent quatorze ans."
On lit ce livre afin de rentrer profondément dans l'esprit de l'homme médiéval. On constate que le Moyen Âge s'installe en France bien avant l'Est de l'Empire. Procope (500-570) un contemporain de Grégoire de Tours écrit l'histoire de la règne de Justin le Grand (1527-1565) dans le style de l'antiquité classique. Plus que cinq cents ans plus tard, Anna Comnène (1083-1153) écrit " L’Alexiade" une chronique de père, l’empereur Alexis Ier Comnène de Byzance dans le même style de l'antiquité classique. Il faut reconnaitre que les francais étaient le pionniers de la pensée médiévale.
July 21, 2011
L'histoire des Francs se résumait pour moi à Clovis et au vase de Soissons. J'ai voulu en connaître davantage, et le livre de Grégoire de Tours, évêque de cette même ville au VIème siècle a comblé ma curiosité. En ces temps là, l'empire romain d'occident a laissé la place à une mosaïque de royaumes barbares, issus des grandes invasions du IVème siècles. En Gaule cohabitent donc des gallo-romains, chrétiens sous l'autorité d'un clergé, et des barbares (le terme employé n'est pas encore péjoratif). Après une histoire universelle centrée sur les antiquités juives et l'histoire romaine, Grégoire relate l'ascension de Clovis, les circonstances de sa conversion au catholicisme, sa conquête progressive de la Gaule, en particulier au détriment des Wisigoth Arrien, puis sa mort, et les diverses fortunes de ces successeurs. Mais l'auteur s'arrête aussi sur une foule de détails et d'anecdotes trés instructifs sur la vie quotidienne de ces temps là, que son ton sincère et bonhomme rendent agréable. Mais d'un coté, les moeurs des élites Franques inspirent du dégout: vanité, envie, duplicité, cruauté. La force mise au service de mentalités d'enfants vicieux commet des horreurs. Et de l'autre coté, la superstition des gallo-romains inspirent de la pitié, tant elle prend des formes extrêmes, avec en particulier le trafic macabre des restes humains des saints, qui pullulent à cette époque. Pour autant, la tristesse de ce tableau moral n'empêche pas l'interêt du lecteur amateur d'érudition d'être piqué par la richesse et la variété des scènes que cet évêque a heureusement arraché à l'oubli.
December 23, 2012
Thorpe's translation is infamously (and sometimes humorously) tinted (tainted?) with an air of British pretension and distaste. Just put your pinky out when you read the footnotes. It's the only easily accessible complete translation of Gregory, though (CURSED BE UNTO HE WHO PRINTS ONLY SELECTIONS OF MY WORK notwithstanding). I read the Thorpe with the Latin original up on my laptop and compared anything that seemed sketchy. My Latin isn't great anymore, but some of Thorpe's interpretations vis-a-vis Gregory's plainish Latin were pretty hyperbolic.
I could write a whole big thing about Gregory's view of history (oh, wait, I *have*), but I won't here. Dude was pretty seriously worried that it was / just about to be the end days. If he wore a t-shirt, it would say, "Ask me about the inherent cruelty of women." You can read his Histories -- and this thing should actually be called Ten Books of History -- for all kinds of things: the plague, astronomical events, fratricide, evil stepmothers, intestinal prolapse, the social and physical effects of alcoholism, miracles ....
I could write a whole big thing about Gregory's view of history (oh, wait, I *have*), but I won't here. Dude was pretty seriously worried that it was / just about to be the end days. If he wore a t-shirt, it would say, "Ask me about the inherent cruelty of women." You can read his Histories -- and this thing should actually be called Ten Books of History -- for all kinds of things: the plague, astronomical events, fratricide, evil stepmothers, intestinal prolapse, the social and physical effects of alcoholism, miracles ....
September 10, 2022
Gregory of Tours' history is a dense work, full of numerous narratives and characters. Gregory's history contains Christian tales of miracles, descriptions of omens and natural events, stories of Christian martyrs, dialogues of church debates, lives of holy men, lives of the nobility, lives of eccentric peasants, frequent Bible verses and references, and complex international relations between numerous tribes and nations including the Lombards, Visigoths, Ostrogoths and Huns, not to mention Gregory's personal biography and interpretation of events.
Book I begins with the a pronouncement by the author, the Bishop of Tours, of Gregory's faith. That he is a Frankish Catholic clergyman who follows the Nicene Creed, and abhors heresy like those of the “wicked” Arian sect among other heresies. The Narrative history begins with a brief epitome of the Biblical Old Testament and New Testament, and the subsequent spread of the Christian Religion into Gaul. Next Gregory covers the history of Christianity in Gaul and some of the major events in Roman-Gallo relations. Book One ends with the death of Saint Martin of Tours in AD 397.
Book 2, AD 397-511, covers the beginnings of the Merovingian dynasty. Book Two ends with the death of King Clovis in 511, after his conquest of large tracts of land in modern-day France. Also narrated is Clovis's conversion to Christianity by his wife Clotilde.
Book 3, AD 511-548, follows the four male inheritors of King Clovis who equally divide his realms at his death in AD 511. These four kings, Theodoric I, Lothar I, Childebert, and Chlodomer, quarrel and fight for supremacy of the Frankish realm. Despite their disputes, the four brothers can occasionally work together against an outside threat, such as successful cooperation against the Burgundians in 523. Eventually Clothar becomes the most powerful King in the Frankish realm. Book Three ends with the death of king Theudebert I in 548. He is a grandson of Clovis and son to king Theodoric I, who died in 534 bequesting his kingdom to Theudebert. The kingdom after 548 falls to Theudobald I until 555.
Book 4, AD 548-575. The two remaining sons of Clovis die; King Childebert in 558 and King Clothar in 561. The last years of his life see the entire realm of the Franks ruled by Clothar. At the time of his demise in AD 561 (like Clovis before him), the Kingdom is divided equally between four sons of Clothar and again the kingly sons quarrel for control of the entire Kingdom. A truce between the brothers is maintained until after the death of King Charibert I (son of Clothar) in 567. Clothar's remaining sons, Kings Sigibert, Guntram, and Chilperic, fight for the supremacy of the kingdom, with King Sigibert showing the strongest military force. Book Four ends with the killing of King Sigbert in AD 575. Gregory of Tours blames Fredegund, the wife of King Chilperic, for this assassination. The death leaves King Chilperic as the dominant king. Fredegund has long held a grudge against King Sigibert and his wife Brunhilda.
Book 5, AD 575-581. This book begins the part of the narrative where the author (Bishop Gregory of Tours) has much personal knowledge about the events in the Frankish Kingdom. This book and the ones hereafter, are considerably longer and more detailed than previous, whilst covering a smaller amount of time. This book also contains Gregory's impressions of ecclesiastical issues he saw in person and had some bearing on. This book describes a possible debate that Gregory had with a rival Arian church leader. Book 5 also introduces Childebert II, the son of recently slain King Sigibert, and of the still living Brunhilda. Childebert is taken along with Brunhilda under the protection of King Gunthram, brother and sometime rival of King Chilperic.
Book 6, AD 581-584. The young Childebert betrays his alliance with his adoptive uncle King Gunthram, the king who had protected Childebert and his mother after his father Sigibert's death. Now Childebert forms an alliance with his uncle, King Chilperic, who had often been an enemy of King Sigibert. Later, King Chilperic is murdered under mysterious circumstances in AD 584.
Book 7, AD 584. Fredegund assumes regency for her young son Clothar II. In the future Clothar will be king of all Franks until his death in 619, but that is beyond Gregory's narrative which end in roughly AD 593. Fredegund and her son are under the protection of King Gunthram. She remains in power until her death in AD 597. Also in this book is the rebellion of Gundovald and its failure. Gundovald claimed to be a lost illegitimate son of dead King Chlothar I. Many of the Frankish nobles and the Byzantine emperor Maurice gave some support to this rebellion; however, it is swiftly crushed by King Guntram.
Book 8, AD 585.
Book 9, AD 586-587. The Treaty of Andelot is signed in AD 587 between King Guntram, Brunhilda, and King Childebert II. The treaty is a close pact of alliance, wherein Childebert is formally adopted as Guntram’s heir. Brunhilda also formally allies with Guntram and comes under his protection.
Book 10, AD 587-591. Around 589, Basina the daughter of King Chilperic I and Clotilda, daughter of King Charibert lead a brief revolt from a nunnery. The 18 Bishops of Tours are named and described. Book Ten ends with a summary of Gregory's previous written works.
The Historia Francorum is made up of ten books. Books I to IV initially recount the world's history from the Creation (as was traditional); but move quickly on to the Christianization of Gaul, the life and times of Saint Martin of Tours, the conversion of the Franks and the conquest of Gaul under Clovis, and the more detailed history of the Frankish kings down to the death of Sigebert I in 575. At this date Gregory had been bishop of Tours for two years.
Book I begins with the a pronouncement by the author, the Bishop of Tours, of Gregory's faith. That he is a Frankish Catholic clergyman who follows the Nicene Creed, and abhors heresy like those of the “wicked” Arian sect among other heresies. The Narrative history begins with a brief epitome of the Biblical Old Testament and New Testament, and the subsequent spread of the Christian Religion into Gaul. Next Gregory covers the history of Christianity in Gaul and some of the major events in Roman-Gallo relations. Book One ends with the death of Saint Martin of Tours in AD 397.
Book 2, AD 397-511, covers the beginnings of the Merovingian dynasty. Book Two ends with the death of King Clovis in 511, after his conquest of large tracts of land in modern-day France. Also narrated is Clovis's conversion to Christianity by his wife Clotilde.
Book 3, AD 511-548, follows the four male inheritors of King Clovis who equally divide his realms at his death in AD 511. These four kings, Theodoric I, Lothar I, Childebert, and Chlodomer, quarrel and fight for supremacy of the Frankish realm. Despite their disputes, the four brothers can occasionally work together against an outside threat, such as successful cooperation against the Burgundians in 523. Eventually Clothar becomes the most powerful King in the Frankish realm. Book Three ends with the death of king Theudebert I in 548. He is a grandson of Clovis and son to king Theodoric I, who died in 534 bequesting his kingdom to Theudebert. The kingdom after 548 falls to Theudobald I until 555.
Book 4, AD 548-575. The two remaining sons of Clovis die; King Childebert in 558 and King Clothar in 561. The last years of his life see the entire realm of the Franks ruled by Clothar. At the time of his demise in AD 561 (like Clovis before him), the Kingdom is divided equally between four sons of Clothar and again the kingly sons quarrel for control of the entire Kingdom. A truce between the brothers is maintained until after the death of King Charibert I (son of Clothar) in 567. Clothar's remaining sons, Kings Sigibert, Guntram, and Chilperic, fight for the supremacy of the kingdom, with King Sigibert showing the strongest military force. Book Four ends with the killing of King Sigbert in AD 575. Gregory of Tours blames Fredegund, the wife of King Chilperic, for this assassination. The death leaves King Chilperic as the dominant king. Fredegund has long held a grudge against King Sigibert and his wife Brunhilda.
Book 5, AD 575-581. This book begins the part of the narrative where the author (Bishop Gregory of Tours) has much personal knowledge about the events in the Frankish Kingdom. This book and the ones hereafter, are considerably longer and more detailed than previous, whilst covering a smaller amount of time. This book also contains Gregory's impressions of ecclesiastical issues he saw in person and had some bearing on. This book describes a possible debate that Gregory had with a rival Arian church leader. Book 5 also introduces Childebert II, the son of recently slain King Sigibert, and of the still living Brunhilda. Childebert is taken along with Brunhilda under the protection of King Gunthram, brother and sometime rival of King Chilperic.
Book 6, AD 581-584. The young Childebert betrays his alliance with his adoptive uncle King Gunthram, the king who had protected Childebert and his mother after his father Sigibert's death. Now Childebert forms an alliance with his uncle, King Chilperic, who had often been an enemy of King Sigibert. Later, King Chilperic is murdered under mysterious circumstances in AD 584.
Book 7, AD 584. Fredegund assumes regency for her young son Clothar II. In the future Clothar will be king of all Franks until his death in 619, but that is beyond Gregory's narrative which end in roughly AD 593. Fredegund and her son are under the protection of King Gunthram. She remains in power until her death in AD 597. Also in this book is the rebellion of Gundovald and its failure. Gundovald claimed to be a lost illegitimate son of dead King Chlothar I. Many of the Frankish nobles and the Byzantine emperor Maurice gave some support to this rebellion; however, it is swiftly crushed by King Guntram.
Book 8, AD 585.
Book 9, AD 586-587. The Treaty of Andelot is signed in AD 587 between King Guntram, Brunhilda, and King Childebert II. The treaty is a close pact of alliance, wherein Childebert is formally adopted as Guntram’s heir. Brunhilda also formally allies with Guntram and comes under his protection.
Book 10, AD 587-591. Around 589, Basina the daughter of King Chilperic I and Clotilda, daughter of King Charibert lead a brief revolt from a nunnery. The 18 Bishops of Tours are named and described. Book Ten ends with a summary of Gregory's previous written works.
The Historia Francorum is made up of ten books. Books I to IV initially recount the world's history from the Creation (as was traditional); but move quickly on to the Christianization of Gaul, the life and times of Saint Martin of Tours, the conversion of the Franks and the conquest of Gaul under Clovis, and the more detailed history of the Frankish kings down to the death of Sigebert I in 575. At this date Gregory had been bishop of Tours for two years.
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September 30, 2020read for class.
September 24, 2024
shoutout to the nuns who went into armed rebellion bc they wanted to play board games and wear cute outfits!! wild wild wild!!
January 13, 2024
Though it has many fascinating details, especially for a practicing Catholic, this history is a tough read. Never have I seen an author apologize so often for his lack of style. Roman authors, like Livy do, but it is mock-modesty.
The chaos that prevailed at this time makes Game of Thrones seem mild.
The chaos that prevailed at this time makes Game of Thrones seem mild.
October 3, 2019
Times are bad now. They used to be worse.
But then again, I'm seeing a lot fewer signs and wonders/portents than Gregory of Tours. Interestingly, though, the number of witch hunts appears to have remained constant.
But then again, I'm seeing a lot fewer signs and wonders/portents than Gregory of Tours. Interestingly, though, the number of witch hunts appears to have remained constant.
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September 16, 2022This took me foreeeever to read, but fascinating nonetheless. I didn't even try to keep the various kings and barbarians and factions straight, I just took it as the zeitgeist of sixth-century Gaul. From which I learned:
If you were noble or rich and charged with a crime, you just had to swear you didn't do it and everyone could say "Oh, OK" and they would let you go and then be shocked when you crimed some more.
If you were anyone else and charged with a crime, they would torture you until you confessed and then either kill you or chop off your hands and feet.
You could also invade and burn cities and kill or enslave everyone, and if you got called out on it you could apologize and swear you wouldn't do it again. And when you did it again -- yes, everyone would be TOTALLY SHOCKED. This happened constantly.
The Christian nobility spent a lot of time murdering their own relatives.
Churches were packed full of people hanging out to avoid being arrested.
If you didn't get accused of a crime and tortured to death, and your city didn't get invaded and everyone "put to the sword," and a wedding party (!) didn't march through and rob and kill a bunch of people on the way to the wedding -- you got to die of famine or disease epidemics.
Everyone in proto-France had either Roman names or comically Germanic ones like Ferdegund and Chilperic.
Jews are looked down upon but not persecuted as vigorously as I would have expected. Gregory debates Jewish guys in several anecdotes (in his version, of course he crushes them with logic) but they are allowed to own property and generally live their lives much less harassed than they would be later. He's actually more worked up about the Arian Heresy!
Gregory seems like quite a likeable guy, although credulous about miracles and rains of blood and so forth. His humanity comes through the centuries remarkably clearly.
My sense of what Europe was like after the fall of Rome and before the high Middle Ages when people had kind of worked out more stable, albeit tyrannical, governmental structures was pretty foggy, and this book illuminated a lot of that. Wow, things sucked ...
If you were noble or rich and charged with a crime, you just had to swear you didn't do it and everyone could say "Oh, OK" and they would let you go and then be shocked when you crimed some more.
If you were anyone else and charged with a crime, they would torture you until you confessed and then either kill you or chop off your hands and feet.
You could also invade and burn cities and kill or enslave everyone, and if you got called out on it you could apologize and swear you wouldn't do it again. And when you did it again -- yes, everyone would be TOTALLY SHOCKED. This happened constantly.
The Christian nobility spent a lot of time murdering their own relatives.
Churches were packed full of people hanging out to avoid being arrested.
If you didn't get accused of a crime and tortured to death, and your city didn't get invaded and everyone "put to the sword," and a wedding party (!) didn't march through and rob and kill a bunch of people on the way to the wedding -- you got to die of famine or disease epidemics.
Everyone in proto-France had either Roman names or comically Germanic ones like Ferdegund and Chilperic.
Jews are looked down upon but not persecuted as vigorously as I would have expected. Gregory debates Jewish guys in several anecdotes (in his version, of course he crushes them with logic) but they are allowed to own property and generally live their lives much less harassed than they would be later. He's actually more worked up about the Arian Heresy!
Gregory seems like quite a likeable guy, although credulous about miracles and rains of blood and so forth. His humanity comes through the centuries remarkably clearly.
My sense of what Europe was like after the fall of Rome and before the high Middle Ages when people had kind of worked out more stable, albeit tyrannical, governmental structures was pretty foggy, and this book illuminated a lot of that. Wow, things sucked ...
March 25, 2020
The history of the franks ( first called the histories ) by Gregory of Tours was written in the very late 6th century . At that time , the post -roman barbarian kingdoms had “romanised” and cemented their rule over their regions of dominion. Gregory of tours in his histories describes the first Merovingian kings starting with Clovis; his account of Clovis is somewhat biased towards a Christian perspective . But , this account is particularly interesting from a view of being the first proper medieval history. Procopius was very much in awe of the classical histories and wrote in their style . Gregory wrote very much like his dark age successors , bleakly and turgidly . Overall , a top primary source for any early medieval student .
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May 5, 2016Much of this work deals with Gregory's own time and context, but the author ambitiously begins with the creation of the world and consults other historians for the first part of the book. Gregory covers the monarchical politics of his day, but although he offers a lively account the various barbarian kings seem more or less interchangeable. Of more interest (to me, anyway) are the clerics and saints who feature in the book's ecclesiastical and hagiographical sections. Holy men perform miracles; scheming priests and bishops are undone; nuns at St Radegund's convent rebel; and Arian heretics are confounded (Gregory puts considerable weight on the argument that Arianism must be wrong because of Arius's supposed death from a rupture while on the toilet). Gregory - dubbed "the Herodotus of the Barbarians" - also keeps an eye on the Christian east, including information about Persian conquests and an earthquake in Antioch provided by an Armenian Bishop who had made his way to Tours. In one surprisingly moving passage, Gregory recalls children lost to an outbreak of bubonic plague.
Book One contains some interesting apocryphal material: Zoroaster is identified as "Chus son of Ham", while pyramids are interpreted as granaries built by Joseph.
Book One contains some interesting apocryphal material: Zoroaster is identified as "Chus son of Ham", while pyramids are interpreted as granaries built by Joseph.
July 30, 2016
Absolutely not an easy read. In the Dutch translation there's a preface of more than a 100 pages to sketch the world of Gregory of Tours. It's a must read to get a better understanding of Gallo-Roman world at the end of the Western Roman Empire and the beginning of the early Middle Ages.
Important to realize is that there weren't any nations in Western Europe. Society was based on Christianity, the power of the Father and the Son, the authority of the Bible and the awaiting of the Last Judgement.
That is what Gregory of Tours is describing in his History. He starts with the creation of the world: Adam and Eve, the early Bible books, the New Testament, The Roman Empire and doing so he can tell about the world he living in: German warlords who fight each other, the Merovingian dynasty with Clovis, the first barbaric warlord who become a christian king.
In the preface there is a nice metaphore, comparing Gregory's time with a large waiting room in a train station or on the airport. People come (are born) and go (die), but all of them are waiting for the Dies Irae.
Important to realize is that there weren't any nations in Western Europe. Society was based on Christianity, the power of the Father and the Son, the authority of the Bible and the awaiting of the Last Judgement.
That is what Gregory of Tours is describing in his History. He starts with the creation of the world: Adam and Eve, the early Bible books, the New Testament, The Roman Empire and doing so he can tell about the world he living in: German warlords who fight each other, the Merovingian dynasty with Clovis, the first barbaric warlord who become a christian king.
In the preface there is a nice metaphore, comparing Gregory's time with a large waiting room in a train station or on the airport. People come (are born) and go (die), but all of them are waiting for the Dies Irae.
September 27, 2019
“A great many things keep happening, some good, some bad.”
Some good anecdotes and stuff, but man, hard to keep track of it all. Glad I read Mary Douglas's Thinking in Circles beforehand to explain the ring composition stuff, but even then. The ecclesiastical parts are boring especially the theological arguments but the miracles are funny if you pretend to be really credulous while you're reading them. The Merovingian infighting is where it's at.
Some good anecdotes and stuff, but man, hard to keep track of it all. Glad I read Mary Douglas's Thinking in Circles beforehand to explain the ring composition stuff, but even then. The ecclesiastical parts are boring especially the theological arguments but the miracles are funny if you pretend to be really credulous while you're reading them. The Merovingian infighting is where it's at.
October 12, 2021
It is impossible to review Gregory of Tours' The History of the Franks without thinking of Eusebius' The History of the Church: From Christ to Constantine which came before (an is one of Gregory's sources) and the Venerable Bede's An Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Part I which came after. I believe Gregory's book, as a history, compares favourably with Bede's and outpaces that of Eusebius from the perspective of raw-historical writing and enjoyability without being dominated by theological interests.
The History of the Franks fills the gap between the fall of the Classical Era and the rise of the Middle Ages. But Gregory of Tours is not a transitory figure. He doesn't view his role as transitory (except in the sense that all life on earth is transitory) but is proud of his ancestral (senatorial) roots and also accepts the Frankish rule as a fact ordained by God for the benefit of the Christian Church.
Gregory is far from a neutral observer, but at the same time his humility allows him a remarkable level of detachment from his personal allegiances, opinions and bias. Periodically he condemns truly heinous crimes passionately, but his self-imposed distance as an historian prevents the books from reading as a theological text. His sense of humour, like Bede's, periodically shines through the self-imposed mask and his ability to analyze historical actions and the motivation of the actors is surprisingly deep. In one of the most famous passages at the close of book II:
Gregory's proximity to the ruling family and his position as Bishop does not preclude him from idolizing his those around him and his criticism of the Merovingian rulers, some fellow Bishops or Abbots and general barbaric behaviour is well-documented and stinging. Fredegund (Chilperic's widow and the mother of Lothar II) is a particularly heinous individual, full of autonomy and sovereignty...and evil that makes Game of Thrones seem mild. Women as well as men are portrayed as autonomous actors to their benefit or disadvantage.
The ten books give wonderful insight into the lives of what is traditionally known as the darkest of the dark-ages, the period between the fall of Rome and the Carolingian Renaissance. The saints stories are an inspirational break from the constant warfare and violence of the secular rulers (and some ecclesiastical rulers).
The ten books are long and the introduction by Lewis Thorpe is extensive. But anything less would be a violation of Gregory's own plead at the close of the tenth book, "Never permit these books to be destroyed, or to be rewritten, or to be reproduced in part only with sections omitted, for otherwise... you [will] emerge in confusion" (Book X.31)
The History of the Franks fills the gap between the fall of the Classical Era and the rise of the Middle Ages. But Gregory of Tours is not a transitory figure. He doesn't view his role as transitory (except in the sense that all life on earth is transitory) but is proud of his ancestral (senatorial) roots and also accepts the Frankish rule as a fact ordained by God for the benefit of the Christian Church.
Eusebius, Severus and Jerome mingled together in their chronicles the wars waged by kings and the holy deeds of martyrs. I have composed my book in the same way, so that the onward march of the centuries and the succession of the years down to our own times may be studied in their entirety. So far I have been following the chronicles of the authors whom I have named; and now, according to the will of God, I will describe for you what happened next. (Book II intro)
Gregory is far from a neutral observer, but at the same time his humility allows him a remarkable level of detachment from his personal allegiances, opinions and bias. Periodically he condemns truly heinous crimes passionately, but his self-imposed distance as an historian prevents the books from reading as a theological text. His sense of humour, like Bede's, periodically shines through the self-imposed mask and his ability to analyze historical actions and the motivation of the actors is surprisingly deep. In one of the most famous passages at the close of book II:
'How sad a thing it is that I [Clovis] live among strangers like some solitary pilgrim, and that I have none of my own relations left to help me when disaster threatens!' He said this not because he grieved for their deaths, but because in his cunning way he hoped to find some relative still in the land of the living whom he could kill.
Gregory's proximity to the ruling family and his position as Bishop does not preclude him from idolizing his those around him and his criticism of the Merovingian rulers, some fellow Bishops or Abbots and general barbaric behaviour is well-documented and stinging. Fredegund (Chilperic's widow and the mother of Lothar II) is a particularly heinous individual, full of autonomy and sovereignty...and evil that makes Game of Thrones seem mild. Women as well as men are portrayed as autonomous actors to their benefit or disadvantage.
The ten books give wonderful insight into the lives of what is traditionally known as the darkest of the dark-ages, the period between the fall of Rome and the Carolingian Renaissance. The saints stories are an inspirational break from the constant warfare and violence of the secular rulers (and some ecclesiastical rulers).
The ten books are long and the introduction by Lewis Thorpe is extensive. But anything less would be a violation of Gregory's own plead at the close of the tenth book, "Never permit these books to be destroyed, or to be rewritten, or to be reproduced in part only with sections omitted, for otherwise... you [will] emerge in confusion" (Book X.31)
August 7, 2023
This is truly the most amazing book I've ever read.
Never before have I been so entirely unable to predict where a paragraph is going by the way it starts.
To give just one example. We start with a man walking in the woods, who is then attacked by a swarm of flies, which drives him insane, and turn out to have been sent by Satan. The man, now claiming to be Jesus, gathers a following and sends a group of naked dancers into the local cathedral to proclaim his coming.
Every page is filled with portents, violence, miracles, and bizarre happenings.
Yet among all this strangeness we see that some things have not changed since AD600. Gregory begins his chronicle with the statement, so relatable to us living through Covid-times: "A great many things keep happening, some of them good, some of them bad."
He laments the state of children these days, the decline of learning, and the feeling that the world is soon to end - all sentiments I'm sure have been spoken by every generation before and since.
It's hard to tell how much of this book is fact, how much fiction, and how much a genuine attempt to explain confounding events. Nevertheless it is a wild read from start to finish.
Never before have I been so entirely unable to predict where a paragraph is going by the way it starts.
To give just one example. We start with a man walking in the woods, who is then attacked by a swarm of flies, which drives him insane, and turn out to have been sent by Satan. The man, now claiming to be Jesus, gathers a following and sends a group of naked dancers into the local cathedral to proclaim his coming.
Every page is filled with portents, violence, miracles, and bizarre happenings.
Yet among all this strangeness we see that some things have not changed since AD600. Gregory begins his chronicle with the statement, so relatable to us living through Covid-times: "A great many things keep happening, some of them good, some of them bad."
He laments the state of children these days, the decline of learning, and the feeling that the world is soon to end - all sentiments I'm sure have been spoken by every generation before and since.
It's hard to tell how much of this book is fact, how much fiction, and how much a genuine attempt to explain confounding events. Nevertheless it is a wild read from start to finish.
March 24, 2021
Читала в російському перекладі, і це чудова історія майже з перших рук, forgive me the pun. В часи Григорія Турського єпископи мали значний вплив, і автор не тільки порядкував у власному господарстві і писав житія святих, але і вплутувався в місцеві розборки, хто справжній король і де чиї землі. В результаті маємо хроніку методів тогочасного рейдерства і цілу галерею колоритних історичних постатей. Мені більше всього запам'яталося повстання в жіночому монастирі, де боролися за посаду абатиси, і високі стосунки в правлячих сімействах, бо там часто вирішували питання за принципом "краще прибити, а далі видно буде". Можна провести паралелі.
March 3, 2020
A harrowing and depressing read, but a necessary corrective to any instinct we might have to soft-pedal the gloominess and chaos of the period.
August 29, 2021
At times stunning in its rich details, at time boring - in its rich details.
This is a contemporary witness account of the 6th century AD. Larded with incredible stories of miracles as often as with credible stories of greed and cruelty and misfiring politics. Between the lines society comes into view, with f.i. slavery as a normal occurrence, and the pest. The amount of times strange lights are seen flying through the night skies are enough to make one wonder.
Not an easy read.
The flood of details and players is quite staggering.
This is a contemporary witness account of the 6th century AD. Larded with incredible stories of miracles as often as with credible stories of greed and cruelty and misfiring politics. Between the lines society comes into view, with f.i. slavery as a normal occurrence, and the pest. The amount of times strange lights are seen flying through the night skies are enough to make one wonder.
Not an easy read.
The flood of details and players is quite staggering.
January 15, 2019
I am absolutely addicted to Gregory. As virtually our only insight into the Merovingian world, his word forms so much of our understanding of the culture. Every single episode is highly detailed, and while it cannot be read so much as a piece of literature, it can still be enjoyed as one. I highly recommend to anyone with an interest in medieval history, as Gregory is a truly funny man, and a very important one at that.
July 30, 2014
A very interesting read that discusses religion and politics in ancient France. It is a bit skimpy on the details in parts, but considering the quality of record keeping at the time, it's an important book.
June 25, 2015
Found an inspiration to Game of Thrones (the literature, not the media)
March 11, 2021
I was drawn to this book because I’m fascinated by the different manifestations of Christianity in different times and places. In this case, the 6th-c. bishop and saint Gregory of Tours gives an account of the political and religious landscape of the territory that would eventually become France. The book is somewhat reminiscent of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People, although significantly longer and a bit tougher to get through. Two things are immediately apparent upon reading. First, that it was a brutal and unforgiving age—warfare, plague, natural disasters, mob violence, assassinations, slavery, mutilations, torture, and societal unrest dominate the volume. Secondly, that St. Gregory viewed history through a supernatural lens that seems wholly exotic and foreign to most moderns. His is a world of a primitive but robust Catholicism. The devil is a figure that acts in history and affects it. Gregory’s accounts are sprinkled with references to monastics, night vigils, visions, fasts, holy shrines and tombs, signs of the Cross, litanies, the miraculous powers of saints, asceticism, celibacy, martyrdom, lonely hermits, a profound zeal for relics, exorcisms and witchcraft, powerful bishops, divine interventions and healings, excommunications and damnations, and the frequent rebukes of (especially Arian) heretics. Portents are a frequent topic of mention, and oddities in weather, the heavens, and nature demonstrate a palpable fear of God’s impending judgments. St. Gregory ambitiously starts his history with the Creation and maintains a traditional view that the world is about 6,000 years old—and likely fast approaching its end. I read Lewis Thorpe’s Penguin edition which I found to be readable and well-edited.
March 6, 2025
Reading a book over a millenium old, you are bound to trip over stilted language, outdated references, and even a style foreign to the world of text chats and video calls. Gregory of Tours' "History of the Franks", though, offers a fascinating and surprisingly enjoyable window into Merovingian France and the contours and colors of that society. There is much prattling on about Christian doctrine, but that is the exception, as Gregory relates the enormously entertaining political history of the Merovingians, particularly the dueling factions of Chilperic (of Neustria/West France), Sigibert (Austrasia/East France), and Guntram (Burgundy). Modern histories like to posit grand theories, ideologies, or ideas as the prime movers of history. Gregory, like Shakespeare and countless other writers, presents a version of history bent by personalities, petty power grabs, simmering resentments, and human foibles.
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