Fredegarius: FREDEGARII SCHOLASTICI CHRONICUM CUM SUIS CONTINUATORIBUS, SIVE APPENDIX AD SANCTI GREGORII EPISCOPI TURONENSIS HISTORIAM FRANCORUM.
Fredegarius•FREDEGARII SCHOLASTICI CHRONICUM CUM SUIS CONTINUATORIBUS, SIVE APPENDIX AD SANCTI GREGORII EPISCOPI TURONENSIS HISTORIAM FRANCORUM.
Abbo Floriacensis1 work
Abelard3 works
Addison9 works
Adso Dervensis1 work
Aelredus Rievallensis1 work
Alanus de Insulis2 works
Albert of Aix1 work
HISTORIA HIEROSOLYMITANAE EXPEDITIONIS12 sections
Albertano of Brescia5 works
DE AMORE ET DILECTIONE DEI4 sections
SERMONES4 sections
Alcuin9 works
Alfonsi1 work
Ambrose4 works
Ambrosius4 works
Ammianus1 work
Ampelius1 work
Andrea da Bergamo1 work
Andreas Capellanus1 work
DE AMORE LIBRI TRES3 sections
Annales Regni Francorum1 work
Annales Vedastini1 work
Annales Xantenses1 work
Anonymus Neveleti1 work
Anonymus Valesianus2 works
Apicius1 work
DE RE COQUINARIA5 sections
Appendix Vergiliana1 work
Apuleius2 works
METAMORPHOSES12 sections
DE DOGMATE PLATONIS6 sections
Aquinas6 works
Archipoeta1 work
Arnobius1 work
ADVERSVS NATIONES LIBRI VII7 sections
Arnulf of Lisieux1 work
Asconius1 work
Asserius1 work
Augustine5 works
CONFESSIONES13 sections
DE CIVITATE DEI23 sections
DE TRINITATE15 sections
CONTRA SECUNDAM IULIANI RESPONSIONEM2 sections
Augustus1 work
RES GESTAE DIVI AVGVSTI2 sections
Aurelius Victor1 work
LIBER ET INCERTORVM LIBRI3 sections
Ausonius2 works
Avianus1 work
Avienus2 works
Bacon3 works
HISTORIA REGNI HENRICI SEPTIMI REGIS ANGLIAE11 sections
Balde2 works
Baldo1 work
Bebel1 work
Bede2 works
HISTORIAM ECCLESIASTICAM GENTIS ANGLORUM7 sections
Benedict1 work
Berengar1 work
Bernard of Clairvaux1 work
Bernard of Cluny1 work
DE CONTEMPTU MUNDI LIBRI DUO2 sections
Biblia Sacra3 works
VETUS TESTAMENTUM49 sections
NOVUM TESTAMENTUM27 sections
Bigges1 work
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Bonaventure1 work
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Buchanan1 work
Bultelius2 works
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Caesar3 works
COMMENTARIORUM LIBRI VII DE BELLO GALLICO CUM A. HIRTI SUPPLEMENTO8 sections
COMMENTARIORUM LIBRI III DE BELLO CIVILI3 sections
LIBRI INCERTORUM AUCTORUM3 sections
Calpurnius Flaccus1 work
Calpurnius Siculus1 work
Campion8 works
Carmen Arvale1 work
Carmen de Martyrio1 work
Carmen in Victoriam1 work
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Cassiodorus5 works
Catullus1 work
Censorinus1 work
Christian Creeds1 work
Cicero3 works
ORATORIA33 sections
PHILOSOPHIA21 sections
EPISTULAE4 sections
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Claudian4 works
Claudii Oratio1 work
Claudius Caesar1 work
Columbus1 work
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Commodianus3 works
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Cotta1 work
Dante4 works
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de Ave Phoenice1 work
De Expugnatione Terrae Sanctae per Saladinum1 work
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Decretum Gelasianum1 work
Descartes1 work
Dies Irae1 work
Disticha Catonis1 work
Egeria1 work
ITINERARIUM PEREGRINATIO2 sections
Einhard1 work
Ennius1 work
Epistolae Austrasicae1 work
Epistulae de Priapismo1 work
Erasmus7 works
Erchempert1 work
Eucherius1 work
Eugippius1 work
Eutropius1 work
BREVIARIVM HISTORIAE ROMANAE10 sections
Exurperantius1 work
Fabricius Montanus1 work
Falcandus1 work
Falcone di Benevento1 work
Ficino1 work
Fletcher1 work
Florus1 work
EPITOME DE T. LIVIO BELLORUM OMNIUM ANNORUM DCC LIBRI DUO2 sections
Foedus Aeternum1 work
Forsett2 works
Fredegarius1 work
Frodebertus & Importunus1 work
Frontinus3 works
STRATEGEMATA4 sections
DE AQUAEDUCTU URBIS ROMAE2 sections
OPUSCULA RERUM RUSTICARUM4 sections
Fulgentius3 works
MITOLOGIARUM LIBRI TRES3 sections
Gaius4 works
Galileo1 work
Garcilaso de la Vega1 work
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Gellius1 work
Germanicus1 work
Gesta Francorum10 works
Gesta Romanorum1 work
Gioacchino da Fiore1 work
Godfrey of Winchester2 works
Grattius1 work
Gregorii Mirabilia Urbis Romae1 work
Gregorius Magnus1 work
Gregory IX5 works
Gregory of Tours1 work
LIBRI HISTORIARUM10 sections
Gregory the Great1 work
Gregory VII1 work
Gwinne8 works
Henry of Settimello1 work
Henry VII1 work
Historia Apolloni1 work
Historia Augusta30 works
Historia Brittonum1 work
Holberg1 work
Horace3 works
SERMONES2 sections
CARMINA4 sections
EPISTULAE5 sections
Hugo of St. Victor2 works
Hydatius2 works
Hyginus3 works
Hymni1 work
Hymni et cantica1 work
Iacobus de Voragine1 work
LEGENDA AUREA24 sections
Ilias Latina1 work
Iordanes2 works
Isidore of Seville3 works
ETYMOLOGIARVM SIVE ORIGINVM LIBRI XX20 sections
SENTENTIAE LIBRI III3 sections
Iulius Obsequens1 work
Iulius Paris1 work
Ius Romanum4 works
Janus Secundus2 works
Johann H. Withof1 work
Johann P. L. Withof1 work
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John of Garland1 work
Jordanes2 works
Julius Obsequens1 work
Junillus1 work
Justin1 work
HISTORIARVM PHILIPPICARVM T. POMPEII TROGI LIBRI XLIV IN EPITOMEN REDACTI46 sections
Justinian3 works
INSTITVTIONES5 sections
CODEX12 sections
DIGESTA50 sections
Juvenal1 work
Kepler1 work
Landor4 works
Laurentius Corvinus2 works
Legenda Regis Stephani1 work
Leo of Naples1 work
HISTORIA DE PRELIIS ALEXANDRI MAGNI3 sections
Leo the Great1 work
SERMONES DE QUADRAGESIMA2 sections
Liber Kalilae et Dimnae1 work
Liber Pontificalis1 work
Livius Andronicus1 work
Livy1 work
AB VRBE CONDITA LIBRI37 sections
Lotichius1 work
Lucan1 work
DE BELLO CIVILI SIVE PHARSALIA10 sections
Lucretius1 work
DE RERVM NATVRA LIBRI SEX6 sections
Lupus Protospatarius Barensis1 work
Macarius of Alexandria1 work
Macarius the Great1 work
Magna Carta1 work
Maidstone1 work
Malaterra1 work
DE REBUS GESTIS ROGERII CALABRIAE ET SICILIAE COMITIS ET ROBERTI GUISCARDI DUCIS FRATRIS EIUS4 sections
Manilius1 work
ASTRONOMICON5 sections
Marbodus Redonensis1 work
Marcellinus Comes2 works
Martial1 work
Martin of Braga13 works
Marullo1 work
Marx1 work
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May1 work
SUPPLEMENTUM PHARSALIAE8 sections
Melanchthon4 works
Milton1 work
Minucius Felix1 work
Mirabilia Urbis Romae1 work
Mirandola1 work
CARMINA9 sections
Miscellanea Carminum42 works
Montanus1 work
Naevius1 work
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Nemesianus1 work
ECLOGAE4 sections
Nepos3 works
LIBER DE EXCELLENTIBUS DVCIBUS EXTERARVM GENTIVM24 sections
Newton1 work
PHILOSOPHIÆ NATURALIS PRINCIPIA MATHEMATICA4 sections
Nithardus1 work
HISTORIARUM LIBRI QUATTUOR4 sections
Notitia Dignitatum2 works
Novatian1 work
Origo gentis Langobardorum1 work
Orosius1 work
HISTORIARUM ADVERSUM PAGANOS LIBRI VII7 sections
Otto of Freising1 work
GESTA FRIDERICI IMPERATORIS5 sections
Ovid7 works
METAMORPHOSES15 sections
AMORES3 sections
HEROIDES21 sections
ARS AMATORIA3 sections
TRISTIA5 sections
EX PONTO4 sections
Owen1 work
Papal Bulls4 works
Pascoli5 works
Passerat1 work
Passio Perpetuae1 work
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Tome I: Panaugia2 sections
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Paulus Diaconus4 works
Persius1 work
Pervigilium Veneris1 work
Petronius2 works
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FABVLARVM AESOPIARVM LIBRI QVINQVE5 sections
Phineas Fletcher1 work
Planctus destructionis1 work
Plautus21 works
Pliny the Younger2 works
EPISTVLARVM LIBRI DECEM10 sections
Poggio Bracciolini1 work
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DE CHOROGRAPHIA3 sections
Pontano1 work
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ELEGIAE4 sections
Prosperus3 works
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Pseudoplatonica12 works
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Quintilian2 works
INSTITUTIONES12 sections
Raoul of Caen1 work
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HISTORIARUM LIBRI QUATUOR4 sections
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Ritchie's Fabulae Faciles1 work
Roman Epitaphs1 work
Roman Inscriptions1 work
Ruaeus1 work
Ruaeus' Aeneid1 work
Rutilius Lupus1 work
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EPISTULAE TRES AD OVIDIANAS EPISTULAS RESPONSORIAE3 sections
Sallust10 works
Sannazaro2 works
Scaliger1 work
Sedulius2 works
CARMEN PASCHALE5 sections
Seneca9 works
EPISTULAE MORALES AD LUCILIUM16 sections
QUAESTIONES NATURALES7 sections
DE CONSOLATIONE3 sections
DE IRA3 sections
DE BENEFICIIS3 sections
DIALOGI7 sections
FABULAE8 sections
Septem Sapientum1 work
Sidonius Apollinaris2 works
Sigebert of Gembloux3 works
Silius Italicus1 work
Solinus2 works
DE MIRABILIBUS MUNDI Mommsen 1st edition (1864)4 sections
DE MIRABILIBUS MUNDI C.L.F. Panckoucke edition (Paris 1847)4 sections
Spinoza1 work
Statius3 works
THEBAID12 sections
ACHILLEID2 sections
Stephanus de Varda1 work
Suetonius2 works
Sulpicia1 work
Sulpicius Severus2 works
CHRONICORUM LIBRI DUO2 sections
Syrus1 work
Tacitus5 works
Terence6 works
Tertullian32 works
Testamentum Porcelli1 work
Theodolus1 work
Theodosius16 works
Theophanes1 work
Thomas à Kempis1 work
DE IMITATIONE CHRISTI4 sections
Thomas of Edessa1 work
Tibullus1 work
TIBVLLI ALIORVMQUE CARMINVM LIBRI TRES3 sections
Tünger1 work
Valerius Flaccus1 work
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FACTORVM ET DICTORVM MEMORABILIVM LIBRI NOVEM9 sections
Vallauri1 work
Varro2 works
RERVM RVSTICARVM DE AGRI CVLTURA3 sections
DE LINGVA LATINA7 sections
Vegetius1 work
EPITOMA REI MILITARIS LIBRI IIII4 sections
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HISTORIAE ROMANAE2 sections
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Vico1 work
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AENEID12 sections
ECLOGUES10 sections
GEORGICON4 sections
Vita Agnetis1 work
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DE ARCHITECTVRA10 sections
Waardenburg1 work
Waltarius3 works
Walter Mapps2 works
Walter of Châtillon1 work
William of Apulia1 work
William of Conches2 works
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HISTORIA RERUM IN PARTIBUS TRANSMARINIS GESTARUM24 sections
Xylander1 work
Zonaras1 work
Cum aliquid unius verbi proprietate non habeo quod proferam, nisi praestitum ab Altissimo fuerit, et dum quaero implere sententiam, longo ambitu vix brevis viae spatium consummo, vernaculum linguae hujus verbi interpretator absurde resonat; si ob necessitatem aliquid in ordine sermonum mutavero, ab interpretis videor officio recessisse. Itaque beati Hieronymi, Ydacii, et cujusdam Sapientis, seu et Isidori, imoque et Gregorii chronicas a mundi origine diligentissime percurrens, usque decedente regno Guntramni, his quinque chronicis hujus libelli, nec plurima praetermissa singillatim congruentia stylo inserui, quod [Al., quae] illi solertissime absque reprehensione condiderunt. Cum haec ita se habeant, necessarium duxi veritatem diligentius insequi, et ob id in prioribus his chronicis, quasi quodam futuro opere, omnium mihi regna et tempora praenotavi.
Since I have nothing to put forward with the propriety of a single word unless it be granted by the Highest, and while I seek to fill out the sense I accomplish with a long circuit scarcely the space of a short path, the vernacular interpreter of this tongue of mine sounds forth absurdly; if by necessity I change anything in the order of words, I seem to have departed from the interpreter’s duty. Therefore, having most diligently run through the chronicles of blessed Jerome, Ydacius, and a certain Sapien[t], or even Isidore, and lastly Gregory, from the origin of the world down to the ceasing of the reign of Guntram, I have, with these five chronicles of this little book, and not passing over very many things, inserted singly the congruences in style which [Al., quae] they most skilfully composed without reproach. Since these things stand thus, I deemed it necessary to pursue the truth more diligently, and accordingly in the earlier of these chronicles, as in a kind of work to come, I have beforehand noted for myself the kingdoms and times of all.
Now, placing those times in the present style, and I have joined together the deeds which the several peoples performed in the most curious order; which the most prudent men, whom I mentioned above, in these chronicles (this word is a Greek name, which in Latin is interpreted gesta temporum) compiled, composing very strictly, like a most pure spring flowing forth abundantly. I had also wished that such eloquence of diction might be granted to me, so that it might be at least somewhat like theirs. But it is drunk with greater relish where there is not a certain perenniality of water.
The world is already growing old, and therefore the keenness of prudence in us grows tepid, nor can anyone of this age, nor does anyone presume to be like the preceding orators [Al., prudentibus]. I, however, as rusticity and the extreme of my understanding prevailed, have very eagerly undertaken to set forth these same books, as far as I could in brevity, and to adapt them. Let no one reading here doubt that the name of each single book returns to the author; he will find everything standing in truth.
For when the volume of Gregory's book had been completed, I did not remain silent about writing in the volume of this little book the deeds of the times — whatever I could find written anywhere, and whatever afterward became known to me — the acts of kings and the wars which nations waged, by reading and hearing at the same time, or even by seeing, all which I ascertained from testimony; but most curiously, as much as I could, I strove to insert everything, beginning to write from the same time at which Gregory's end, and his deeds, ceased and fell silent, when he wrote that Chilperic had ended life.
XIII. De Agone sublimato in regno Italiae super Langobardis, et de defectione solis.
On Beppelino and Ebrehario, dukes.
XIII. On Agone exalted in the kingdom of Italy over the Langobards, and on the defection of the sun.
On Fredegunda, that she invaded Paris, and fought against Theudebert.
18. On the death of Quintrio.
XXIII. De Foca qualiter Mauricium imperatorem interfecit, et imperium assumpsit.
On the finding of the body of Saint Victor.
23. On Foca, how he killed Maurice the emperor, and assumed the empire.
Concerning Bertoald the elder of the house.
26. Concerning the victory of Theuderic against Chlothar.
On the goodness of Claudius of the major house.
29. On the death of Vulti the patrician.
On the legates of Berteric sent to the kings.
32. On the martyrdom of Saint Desiderius.
Concerning King Agone and his queen Theudelinda.
35. Concerning the queens Brunichilde and Belichilde.
XXXVIII. De pugna Theuderici et Theudeberti, et Auster recepto.
On the injury of King Theuderic, which he suffered among the Alsatians.
38. On the battle of Theuderic and Theudebert, and Auster having been recovered.
XLIII. De internecione Herponis ducis.
Concerning the fact that Chlotharius received the kingdom of Burgundy and Auster, and killed the sons of Theuderic.
43. Concerning the slaughter of Duke Herpo.
On the abolition of the Lombards' tributes.
46. On the death of Queen Berethrudis.
On the beginning of the reign of Samo among the Wends.
49. On Adaloald, king of the Lombards.
On the demise of Chrodoald.
53. On Dagobert, that he took a queen, and his kingdom is increased.
On the reign of Charibert, son of Chlothar.
58. On the entrance of Dagobert into Burgundy, and his goodness.
Concerning King Charibert, when he received his grandson Sigibert.
63. Concerning the rule of Heraclius.
On the beauty and usefulness of Heraclius.
66. On the beginning of the Saracen infestation against the empire.
LXIX. De Charoaldo rege Langobardorum, quod Tasonem occidit, et ipse rex moritur.
On the scandal and slaughter of the Franks with the Wends.
69. On Charoald, king of the Langobards, who killed Taso, and the king himself died.
On Aubedone, sent on a legation to Chrotarius in Italy.
72. On the Huns slain in Bavaria.
LXXV. De regno Sigiberti in Auster.
Concerning the fact that Dagobert approached Magontiacum (Mainz) with an army, marching against the Winidi.
75. On the kingdom of Sigibert in the South.
Concerning Radulf the rebel duke.
78. Concerning the army sent, by the command of Dagobert, from Burgundy into Wasconia.
On Aegana the elder of the household, and his goodness.
81. On the rule of Constans, and the devastation wrought by the Saracens.
On the death of Aeganis, and the killing of Count Aginulf.
84. On Erchenoald the elder of the house.
Concerning Grimoald, and Otto, son of Beron.
87. Concerning the battle of Sigibert with Radulf in Thuringia.
Concerning Flaocado, how he is made major domus.
90. On the death of Willibad, and the death of Flaocad.
XCIII. De obitu Chlotharii, et quod Theodoricus frater successit in regno, et Childebertus in Austria regnum accepit.
That Chlotharius, his son, was raised to the kingdom, and concerning Ebroin, mayor of the palace.
93. On the death of Chlotharius, and that Theodoric, his brother, succeeded to the kingdom, and Childebert received the kingdom in Austrasia.
XCVI. Quod Ebroinus a Luxovio exiens Leudesium interfecit, et sanctum Leudegarium gladio perimi jussit.
On the death of Childeric and Queen Bilichild, and that Leudesius, son of Erchenoald, was made major domus.
96. That Ebroin, departing from Luxovium, killed Leudesius, and ordered Saint Leudegarius to be put to death by the sword.
XCIX. De obitu sancti Audoini, et obitu Waradonis; et qualiter Bertharius major domus efficitur.
On the death of Ebroin, and that the Franks make Waradonem mayor of the palace, and Ghislemarus his son supplanted him.
99. On the death of Saint Audoin, and the death of Waradon; and how Bertharius is made mayor of the palace.
CI. De obitu Theuderici, et de Chlodoveo filio ejus elevato in regno; et quod, eo mortuo, Childebertus frater ejus resedit in regno, et de Grimoaldo filio Pippini majore domus, et bonitate ejus.
CII.
100. How Pippinus with the Austrasians in the town of Virmandensis, which is named Textricium, fought against Theuderic and Bertharius.
101. On the death of Theuderic, and of Chlodoveo his son elevated to the kingdom; and that, upon his death, Childebert his brother sat in the kingdom, and concerning Grimoald, son of Pippin, major domus, and his goodness.
102.
CIII. Quod Pippinus Halpaidam duxit uxorem, et habuit ex ea filium nomine Carolum.
That Pippin fought against Radbod and conquered him.
103. That Pippin took Halpaida as wife, and had by her a son named Charles.
CV. De Raganfrido majore domus; et qualiter Carolus de custodia Plicthrudis, auxilio Dei, liberatus est.
104. On the death of Childebert and Grimoald; and that Dagobert, son of Childebert, succeeded to the kingdom, and on the death of Pippin, and of Theudoald, the major domus; and on the battle in Cotia against Theudoald.
105. On Raganfrid, the major domus; and how Charles, by the aid of God, was freed from the custody of Plicthrudis.
CVIII. Qualiter Carolus cum [Id est, contra] Saxonibus, Bajoariis, et cum Eudone duce adversus Abdirama regem Sarracenorum pugnavit et vicit.
How Charles the duke raised Chlothar to the kingdom, when Chilperic, who had slipped away in flight to Raganfrid, was received by Eudo, duke of Aquitaine, and, upon his death, he established Theuderic as king.
108. How Charles fought and prevailed with [that is, against] the Saxons, the Bavarians, and, with Eudo the duke, against Abdiram, king of the Saracens.
109. How the duke himself subdued Burgundy, and routed the Saracens who were in Avignon; how he came to Narbonne, and slew the Saracens with their king by the mouth of the sword, and fought with the Fresons beyond the sea.
War against the Saxons, then into the Suevi.
114. The cothurnus of the Wascones suppressed.
Carlomannus embraces the monastic life.
117. Saxons, then Bavarians overcome by Pippin.
118. The Saxons defeated. The death of Griphon.
Expedition against the Langobards, who are overcome by Pippin.
121. Another expedition against the Langobards.
Pippinus and Constantine, the emperors, join friendships, then they are violated.
124.
Expedition against Waifarius, duke of Aquitaine.
125. Another expedition against Waifarius.
The war between Pippin and Waifar continued.
128. The Franks put the Wascones to flight.
Waifarius, defeated again and again, cannot obtain peace.
131. Pippin devastates Aquitaine.
Remistanus crosses over to Waifarius's party.
134. Remistanus, captured, is punished with death.
The embassy of the Saracens to Pippin.
135. Waifar being slain, Aquitaine is subjected to Pippin.
ANNO DLXXXIII. I. Guntchramnus rex Francorum cum jam annos [Al., anno] 23 Burgundiae regnum, bonitate plenus, feliciter regeret, cum sacerdotibus utique sacerdotis ad instar se ostendebat, et cum leudis erat aptissimus, eleemosynam pauperibus large tribuens, tantae prosperitatis regnum tenuit, ut omnes etiam vicinae gentes amplissimas de ipso laudes canerent.
ANNO 583. I. Guntchramnus king of the Franks, when already for [Al., anno] 23 years he happily ruled the kingdom of Burgundy, full of goodness, and with the priests indeed he showed himself after the likeness of a priest, and he was most apt with his leudes, generously giving alms to the poor, held so prosperous a realm that all even the neighboring peoples sang very great praises of him.
AN. DLXXXIV. Anno 24 regni sui divino amore ecclesiam beati Marcelli, ubi ipse pretiosus requiescit in corpore, suburbano Cabillonensi, sed quidem tamen Sequanum est territorium, mirifice et solerter aedificari jussit, ibique monachis congregatis monasterium condidit, ipsamque ecclesiam rebus plurimis ditavit. Synodum quadraginta episcoporum fieri praecepit, et ad instar institutionis monasterii sanctorum Agaunensium, quod temporibus Sigismundi regis ab Avito et caeteris episcopis, ipso principe jubente, fuerat confirmatum, hujus synodi conjunctione monasterii sancti Marcelli Guntchramnus institutionem formandum curavit.
AN. 584. In the 24th year of his reign Guntchramnus, king of the Franks, in a spirit of divine love ordered the church of Blessed Marcellus, where his precious body itself reposes, to be wondrously and skillfully built in the suburban Cabillonensian — although indeed it is Sequanian territory — and there, with monks assembled, founded a monastery, enriching the church with very many goods. He commanded that a synod of forty bishops be held, and, after the pattern of the foundation of the monastery of the holy Agaunenses, which in the time of King Sigismund had been confirmed by Avitus and the other bishops with the prince himself ordering it, by the conjunction of this synod Guntchramnus took care that the institution of the monastery of Saint Marcellus be formed.
II. Hoc anno Gundoaldus cum solatio Mummoli et Desiderii mense Novembri partem regni Guntchramni praesumpsit invadere, et civitates evertere. Guntchramnus Leudegiselum comitem stabuli, et Aegilanem patricium cum exercitu contra ipsos direxit. Gundoaldus terga vertens, Conbanem civitatem latebras dedit, et inde de rupe a Bosone duce praecipitatus interiit.
2. In this year Gundoaldus, with the support of Mummolus and Desiderius, in the month of November undertook to invade part of the kingdom of Guntchramn, and to overthrow cities. Guntchramn set Leudegiselus, count of the stable, and Aegilanus the patrician, with an army against them. Gundoaldus, turning his back, took the city of Conbanem as a refuge, and thence was hurled from a cliff by Duke Boson and perished.
III. Cumque Guntchramno perlatum fuisset, eo quod frater suus Chilpericus esset interfectus, festinans perrexit Parisius, ibique Fredegundem cum filio Chilperici Chlothario ad se venire praecepit; quem in Rioilo villa baptizari jubet, et eum de sancto lavacro excipiens in regnum patris firmavit.
III. When it had been reported to Guntchramnus that his brother Chilperic had been slain, he hastened to Paris, and there commanded Fredegund and Chilperic’s son Chlothar to come to him; whom at the villa Rioilo he ordered to be baptized, and, taking him from the holy bath, he confirmed him in his father’s kingdom.
VI. Eo anno nimia inundatio fluminum in Burgundia fuit, ut eorum terminos nimium transcenderent. Ipsoque anno Syagrius comes Constantinopolim jussu Guntchramni in legatione pergit, ibique fraude patricius ordinatur. Coepta quidem est, sed ad perfectionem haec fraus non peraccessit.
6. In that year there was an excessive inundation of the rivers in Burgundy, so that they passed beyond their bounds. And in that same year Syagrius the comes went to Constantinople on an embassy by the command of Guntchramn, and there by fraud was appointed patrician. The deceit was indeed begun, but this fraud did not reach completion.
VII. Guntchramnus se cum Childeberto, pacem firmans Andelao, conjunxit. Inibi mater, et soror, et conjux Childeberti regis pariterque fuerunt; ibique speciali convenientia inter domnum Guntchramnum et Childebertum fuit conventum, ut regnum Guntchramni post ejus discessum Childebertus assumeret.
VII. Guntchramnus joined himself with Childebert, confirming peace with Andelao. There his mother, and his sister, and the wife of King Childebert were together; and there, by special agreement between Lord Guntchramnus and Childebert, it was arranged that Childebert would assume Guntchramnus’s kingdom after his death.
VIII. Ipsoque tempore Rauchingus, et Boso Guntchramnus, Ursio, et Bertefridus optimates Childeberti regis, eo quod eum tractaverint interficere, ipso rege ordinante interfecti sunt. Sed et Leudefridus Alamannorum dux in offensam antedicti regis incidit, etiam et latebram dedit.
8. At that same time Rauchingus and Boso, Guntchramnus, Ursio, and Bertefridus, the nobles of King Childebert, because they had plotted to kill him, were put to death by the king’s own order. But Leudefridus, duke of the Alamanni, likewise fell into offence against the aforesaid king, and took to a hiding place.
Uncilenus was appointed duke in his stead. In that year Richaridus, king of the Goths, embracing the Christian religion with divine love, was himself first baptized. After these things he commanded all the Goths, who then held the Arian sect, to gather at Toletum, and ordered that all Arian books be presented to him: which, having been placed in one house, he ordered to be consumed by fire, and caused all the Goths to be baptized into the Christian law.
IX. Eo anno uxor Anaulfi imperatoris Persarum, nomine Caesara, virum relinquens, cum quatuor pueris, totidemque puellis ad beatum Johannem episcopum Constantinopolim veniens, se unam esse de populo dixit, et baptismi gratiam ab antedicto beato Johanne expetiit. Cumque ab ipso Pontifice fuisset baptizata, Augusta Mauricii imperatoris eam de sancto suscepit lavacro; quam cum vir suus imperator Persarum per legationes saepius repeteret, et Mauricius imperator uxorem ipsius esse nesciret, tunc Augusta videns eam pulcherrimam, suspicatur ne ipsa esset quam legati quaerebant, dicensque eis: Mulier quaedam de Persis huc venit, dixitque se unam esse de populo; videte eam, forsitan ipsa est quam quaeritis. Quam legati videntes, proni in terram adoraverunt, dicentes ipsam esse eorum dominam, quam quaerebant.
9. In that year the wife of Anaulf, emperor of the Persians, named Caesara, leaving her husband, came to blessed John, bishop of Constantinople, with four boys and as many girls, and said that she was one of the people, and sought the grace of baptism from the aforesaid blessed John. And when she had been baptized by the Pontiff himself, the Augusta of Emperor Maurice received her from the holy laver; which woman, when her husband the emperor of the Persians repeatedly demanded her back by legations, and Emperor Maurice did not know that she was his wife, then the Augusta, seeing her most beautiful, suspected that she might be the one the legates sought, and said to them: "A certain woman of the Persians has come here, and says she is one of the people; see her, perhaps she is the one you seek." Which the legates, seeing her, fell prostrate to the ground and adored, saying that she was their lady whom they sought.
Afterwards Caesara says to them: If my husband should wish to become a Christian, and to receive the grace of baptism, I will gladly return to him. For in no wise will I ever go back to him otherwise. The envoys, announcing this to the emperor of the Persians, immediately he sent a legation to Emperor Mauricius, that Saint John should come to Antioch, and that, with him himself administering the baptism, he would be willing to receive it.
Then Emperor Maurice ordered a most vast apparatus to be made at Antioch: there the emperor of the Persians was baptized with sixty thousand Persians, and over two weeks by John and the remaining bishops of Persia were baptized to the fullness of the number written above. That emperor Bishop Gregory of Antioch received from the ablution. Emperor Anaulfus, asking Emperor Maurice to give him bishops with sufficient clergy, that he might establish them in Persia, so that all the Persians might be brought to the grace of baptism.
AN. DXC. XI. Anno 30 regni suprascripti principis, tunica Domini nostri Jesu Christi, quae eidem in passione sublata est, et a militibus qui eum custodiebant, est sortita, de qua David propheta dicit: Et super vestimenta mea posuerunt sortem (Joan. XIX, 24; Ps. XXI, 19), inventa est prodente Simone filio Jacob, qui per duas hebdomadas multis cruciatibus affectus, tandem profitetur ipsam tunicam in civitate Zafad procul a Hierosolyma in arca marmorea positam esse.
AN. 590. 11. In the 30th year of the reign of the aforesaid prince, the tunic of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was taken from him in the Passion and from the soldiers who guarded him was cast by lot, of which the prophet David says: And they cast lots upon my garments (John 19:24; Ps. 21:19), was found by the disclosure of Simon, son of Jacob, who, after being afflicted for two weeks with many torments, at last confessed that the tunic itself had been placed in a marble chest in the city of Zafad, far from Jerusalem.
Which Gregory of Antioch and Thomas of Jerusalem, and John Constantinopolitanus, bishops, with many other bishops, keeping a three-day fast, thereafter fittingly with the marble ark, having been made light, as if it were of wood, on foot in orderly fashion led it to Jerusalem with most holy devotion, and placed it with triumph in the place where the Lord’s cross is adored. In that year the moon was darkened. In that year a war arose between the Franks and the Britons upon the river Vicinonia.
XII. Beppelenus dux Francorum factione Hebracharii, itemque ducis, a Britannis interficitur. Unde post Hebracharius ad summam paupertatem de rebus suis spoliatus pervenit.
12. Beppelenus, duke of the Franks, of the faction of Hebracharius, and likewise the duke, is killed by the Britons. Whence afterwards Hebracharius, having been despoiled of his goods, came to the utmost poverty.
XVII. Eo anno Fredegundis cum filio Chlothario rege Parisius vel reliquas civitates ritu barbaro occupavit, et contra filios Childeberti regis Theudebertum et Theudericum movit exercitum loco nominato Latofao. Castra uterque ex adverso ponentes, Chlotharius cum suis super Theudebertum et Theudericum irruens, eorum exercitum graviter trucidavit.
17. In that year Fredegundis, with her son Chlotharius as king, occupied Paris and the remaining cities in a barbarous manner, and against the sons of King Childebert, Theudebert and Theuderic, moved an army to the place called Latofao. Each placing their camps opposite one another, Chlotharius with his men rushing upon Theudebert and Theuderic, grievously slaughtered their army.
XIX. Eo anno Brunichildis ab Austrasiis ejecta est, et in Arciacensi Campania a quodam homine paupere singula reperitur. Secundum ejus petitionem ipsam ad Theudericum perducit.
19. In that year Brunichildis was driven out by the Austrasians, and in the Arciacense Campania she was found by a certain poor man. At her request he conducted her to Theuderic.
AN. DC. XX. Anno 5 regni Theuderici, iterum signa quae anno superiore visa fuerant, globi ignei per coelum currentes, et ad instar multitudinis hastarum ignearum ad occidentem apparuerunt. Ipsoque anno Theudebertus et Theudericus reges contra Chlotharium regem movent exercitum, et super fluvium Aroannam, nec procul a Doromello vico, praelium confligentes junxerunt. Ibique exercitus Chlotharii gravissime trucidatus est.
AN. 620. In the 5th year of the reign of Theuderic, again the signs which had been seen the previous year—fiery globes running through the sky, and, like a multitude of fiery spears, appearing to the west. In that same year Theudebert and Theuderic, kings, moved an army against King Chlothar, and, engaging in battle above the river Aroanna, not far from the village Doromel, they joined conflict. There the army of Chlothar was most grievously slaughtered.
And with those who remained there, having been turned to flight, they plunder and lay waste the pagi and towns of the bank of Sigona, which had surrendered themselves to Chlotharius. Cities broken, a very great number of captives are thence led off by the army of Theuderic and Theudebert. Chlotharius, pressed, whether he would or not, by the bond of an agreement confirmed that the part between Sigona and Liger up to the Ocean Sea and the boundary of the Britons should belong to Theuderic; and along Sigona and Isara the whole Duchy of Dentelin up to the Ocean Sea Theudebert would receive.
XXII. Eo anno corpus sancti Victoris qui Salodoro cum sancto Urso passus fuerat, a beato Aeconio pontifice Mauriennense invenitur. Quadam nocte in sua civitate ei revelatur per somnium, ut surgens protinus iret ad ecclesiam, quam Sedeleuba regina in suburbano Genavensi construxerat, in medio ecclesiae designato loco, ubi sanctum corpus adesset.
22. In that year the body of Saint Victor, who had suffered at Salodoro with Saint Ursus, was found by Blessed Aeconius, bishop of Maurienne. One night in his city it was revealed to him in a dream that, rising immediately, he should go to the church which Queen Sedeleuba had built in the Genevan suburb, to the place appointed in the middle of the church where the holy body lay.
When he had hastened to Geneva, together with the blessed bishops Rusticius and Patricius, keeping a three-day fast, a light appeared through the night where that glorious and splendid body lay; which these three pontiffs, in silence and with tears and prayers, found buried with the stone lifted and placed in a silver ark, and they discovered its face ruddy as of one alive. There Prince Theuderic was present, and granting many things to that church, he confirmed most of Warnacharius’s estate there. From the very day on which it was found, the holy tomb has, the Lord granting, continually shown wondrous virtues with uninterrupted constancy.
XXIII. Eo anno Focas dux et patricius reipublicae, victor a Persis rediens, Mauricium imperatorem interfecit, et loco ipsius imperium assumpsit.
23. In that year Phocas, duke and patrician of the republic, returning victorious from the Persians, killed Emperor Maurice, and in his stead assumed the imperial power.
They depose the bishop of Vienne, and at the instigation of Aridius, bishop of Lyon, and Brunichilde, Domnolus was substituted in his sacerdotal place; Desiderius, however, was thrust back into a certain island in exile. In that year the sun was obscured. At that same time Berthoaldus, of Frankish stock, was mayor of the palace of Theuderic, measured in character, wise, and cautious, brave in battle, and keeping faith with all.
AN. DCIV. Anno 9 regni Theuderici nascitur ei filius de concubina, nomine Corbus. Cum jam Protadius genere Romanus vehementer ab omnibus in palatio veneraretur, et Brunichildis stupri gratia eum vellet honoribus exaltare; defuncto Wandalmaro duce, in pago Ultra-Jurano et Scotingorum Protadius patricius ordinatur instigatione Brunichildis.
AN. 604. In the 9th year of Theuderic's reign a son is born to him by a concubine, named Corbus. Since Protadius, of Roman stock, was already greatly venerated by all in the palace, and Brunichild, for the sake of illicit passion, wished to exalt him with honours; upon the death of Wandalmarus the duke, in the district beyond the Jura and of the Scotingorum, Protadius was appointed patrician at Brunichild's instigation.
XXV. Bertoaldus a Theuderico [Al., ad Theudericum] directus, cum trecentis tantum viris illis partibus properavit; cumque ad Arelao villam venisset, et venationem inibi exerceret, haec comperiens Chlotharius, filium suum Meroveum et Landericum majorem domus cum exercitu ad Bertoaldum premendum direxit; et maximam partem inter Sigonam et Ligerem pagos et civitates de regno Theuderici praesumpsit contra pactum pervadere. Bertoaldus haec audiens, cum sustinere non praevaleret, terga vertens, Aurelianis ingreditur, ibique a viro beatissimo Austrino episcopo suscipitur.
25. Bertoaldus, sent by Theuderic [Al., ad Theudericum], with only three hundred men hastened into those parts; and when he had come to the villa of Arelao, and was exercising the hunt there, Chlotharius, learning these things, directed his son Meroveu and Landericus, the major of the household, with an army to press upon Bertoaldus; and he presumptuously undertook to pass through the greater part of the pagi and cities between Sigona and the Liger from the kingdom of Theuderic in violation of the pact. Bertoaldus, hearing this, since he was not able to prevail in resisting, turned his back and entered Aurelianis, and there was received by the most blessed man, Bishop Austrinus.
But Landericus delayed to do these things. Adding, Bertoaldus said: While you do not dare to act, next time our lords, for those things which you do, will join to battle. Let us both put on, you and I, vermicled garments, and go before the others to where the meeting of the contest will be; there both my advantage and yours will appear, promising before God to one another to stand by the truth of this promise.
XXVI. Cumque hoc in die festi sancti Martini antistitis actum fuisset, Theudericusque haec comperisset, quod a Chlothario pars regni sui contra pactum fuerat pervasa, nativitate Domini protinus cum exercitu Stampas per fluvium Loa pervenit, ibique obviam Meroveus filius Chlotharii regis, cum Landerico et magno exercitu venit. Cum esset arctus pervius ille, ubi Loa fluvius transmeatur, vix tertia pars exercitus Theuderici transierat, initum est praelium; ibique Bertoaldus secundum placitum aggreditur, vocitans Landericum.
26. And when this had been done on the day of the feast of Saint Martin the bishop, and Theuderic had learned these things, namely that a part of his kingdom had been overrun by Chlothar contrary to the pact, he at once, at the Nativity of the Lord, arrived with an army at Stampas across the river Loa; and there Meroveus, son of King Chlothar, came out to meet him with Landeric and a great army. When that narrow passage by which the river Loa is crossed was (and scarcely a third part of Theuderic’s army had passed), battle was begun; and there Bertoald attacked as agreed, calling Landeric.
But Landericus did not dare, as he had promised, to engage in so great a contest. There Bertoaldus, having advanced far ahead of the others, was slain by Chlotharius’ army with his men: nor, unwilling to escape thereafter, for he had perceived that he was to be degraded from his rank and honor by Protadius. There Meroveus, son of Chlotharius, was captured, Landericus turned to flight, and a great multitude of Chlotharius’ army were cut down by the sword in that battle.
Who, although exceedingly astute and vigorous in all things, yet showed a cruel iniquity toward persons, granting too much to the fiscus, cleverly striving to wrench the fiscus from the goods of persons to fill it, and to enrich himself. Whomsoever he found noble by birth he endeavoured wholly to humiliate, so that none could be found who might assume the rank which he had seized. By these and other acts, vexing many with excessive sagacity, he made nearly all in the kingdom of Burgundy his enemies.
When Brunichildis, with unstinting assiduity, continually admonished her grandson Theuderic to move the army against Theudebert, saying: As if Theudebert were not the son of Childebert but of some gardener; and Protadius, likewise assisting him with counsel, at last by Theuderic’s command the army was set in motion. Which, when at a place named Caraciaco Theuderic had pitched camp with the army, he was urged by his leudes to enter into peace with Theudebert. Protadius alone urged that battle be joined.
Theudebertus was not far off, remaining there with his army. Then the whole host of Theuderic, finding the occasion, fell upon Protadius, saying it was better that one man should die than that the whole army be put in peril. Protadius sat in King Theuderic’s tent, playing at the board with Peter the archiatrist, when the army now had surrounded him on all sides, and Theuderic’s leudes restrained him from going thither; he sent Uncilenus to announce the word of his command to the army, that they should withdraw from the ambushes (insidiis) of Protadius.
Uncilenus immediately, announcing to the army, said: "Thus the lord Theuderic orders that Protadius be put to death." Rushing upon him, cutting into the king’s tent with their swords on every side, they kill Protadius. Theuderic, confused and compelled, made peace with his brother Theudebert, and each army, uninjured, returned to its own quarters after the death [Al., caedem] of Protadius.
AN. DCVI. XXVIII. Anno 11 regni Theuderici subrogatur major domus Claudius, genere Romanus, homo prudens, jucundus in fabulis, strenuus in cunctis, patientiae deditus, plenitudine consilii abundans, litterarum studiis eruditus, fide plenus, amicitiam cum omnibus sectans.
AN. 606. 28. IN THE 11TH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF THEUDERICUS IS APPOINTED MAYOR OF THE PALACE CLAUDIUS, OF ROMAN STOCK, A PRUDENT MAN, PLEASANT IN CONVERSATION, VIGOROUS IN ALL THINGS, GIVEN TO PATIENCE, ABUNDANT IN THE FULLNESS OF COUNSEL, LEARNED IN LETTERS, FULL OF FAITH, SEEKING FRIENDSHIP WITH ALL.
XXIX. Vulfus patricius, idemque, Brunichilde instigante consilio, qui in mortem Protadii consenserat, Fauriniaco villa, jubente Theuderico occiditur; et in patriciatum ejus Richomeris, Romanus genere, subrogatur. Eodem anno natus est de concubina Theuderici filius, nomine Meroveus, quem Chlotharius de sancto lavacro suscepit.
29. Vulfus the patrician, the same man, at the instigation of Brunichilde in counsel, who had consented to the death of Protadius, is slain at the villa Fauriniacum by the order of Theuderic; and to his patriciate Richomer, of Roman stock, is appointed in his stead. In the same year a son was born of Theuderic's concubine, named Meroveus, whom Chlotharius received at the holy bath.
XXX. Eodem anno Theudericus Aridium episcopum Lugdunensem, Rocconem et Aepporinum comestabulum ad Bettericum regem Spaniae direxit, qui exinde Ermenbergam filiam ejus Theuderico matrimonio sociandam adducerent. Ibique datis sacramentis, ut a Theuderico ne unquam a regno degradaretur, ipsamque accipiunt, et Theuderico Cabillono praesentant, quam ille gaudens diligenter suscepit.
30. In that same year Theuderic sent Aridius, bishop of Lugdunum, and Rocconem and Aepporinum, his comestabulum, to Bettericus, king of Spain, who thence were to bring Ermenberga, his daughter, to be joined in marriage to Theuderic. And there, the oaths having been given so that she might not ever be degraded from the kingdom by Theuderic, they received her and presented her to Theuderic Cabillonus, whom he received gladly and with care.
XXXI. Bettericus haec indignans legationem ad Chlotharium direxit: legatus Chlotharii cum Betterici legato ad Theudebertum perrexit. Iterum Theudeberti legati cum Chlotharii et Betterici legatariis ad Agonem regem Italiae accesserunt, et unanimiter hi quatuor reges cum exercitu undique super Theudericum irruerunt, ut regnum ejus auferrent, et eum morte damnarent, eo quod tantam de ipso reverentiam ducebant.
31. Bettericus, indignant at these things, sent a legation to Chlothar: the envoy of Chlothar, together with Bettericus’s envoy, went to Theudebert. Again the envoys of Theudebert, with the legates of Chlothar and Bettericus, approached Agon, king of Italy, and unanimously these four kings, with their army on every side, rushed upon Theuderic to take away his kingdom and condemn him to death, because they held such great reverence concerning him.
XXXII. Eo anno Theudericus, consilio Aridii episcopi Lugdunensis perfidi utens, et persuasu aviae suae Brunichildae sanctum Desiderium de exsilio regressum lapidare praecepit : ad cujus sepulcrum mirae virtutes a die transitus sui Dominus integra assiduitate ostendere dignatur. Per quod credendum est, pro hoc malo gesto regnum Theuderici et filiorum suorum fuisse destructum.
32. In that year Theuderic, using the perfidy of Aridius, bishop of Lugdunensis, and by the persuasion of his grandmother Brunichilda, ordered the holy Desiderius, returned from exile, to be stoned: at whose sepulchre the Lord deigns to show wondrous virtues with entire constancy from the day of his passing. By which it must be believed that, for this evil deed, the kingdom of Theuderic and of his sons was destroyed.
XXXIII. Eo anno, mortuo Betterico, Sisebodus successit in Spaniae regnum, vir sapiens et per totam Spaniam laudabilis valde, pietate plenissimus. Nam et adversus manum publicam fortiter dimicavit.
33. In that year, on the death of Betteric, Sisebodus succeeded to the kingdom of Spain, a wise man and throughout all Spain very praiseworthy, most full of piety. For he also fought bravely against the public band.
He brought the province of Cantabria under the kingdom of the Goths, which the Franks had once held. A duke, named Francio, who had held Cantabria in the time of the Franks, had for a long time filled the tribute due to the Frankish kings. But when Cantabria had been recalled to the imperial portion, it was preoccupied by the Goths, as is read above, and Sisebodus wrested many cities on the seashore from the Roman empire, and destroyed them even to their foundation.
And when the Romans were slaughtered by Sisebodus’s army, Sisebodus, full of piety, would say: "Alas me miserable, in whose time will such an effusion of human blood occur!" He freed from death whomever he could encounter. The kingdom of the Goths in Spain was confirmed along the sea's shores as far as the Pyrenean mountains.
XXXIV. Ago rex Langobardorum accepit uxorem, Grimoaldi et Gundoaldi germanam, nomine Theudelindam, ex genere Francorum, quam Childebertus habuerat desponsatam. Cum eam consilio Brunichildae postposuisset, Gundoaldus cum omnibus rebus secum germanam Theudelindam in Italiam transtulit, et in matrimonium Agoni tradidit.
34. Ago, king of the Langobards, took as wife the sister of Grimoald and Gundoald, named Theudelinda, of the Frankish stock, whom Childebert had had betrothed. When he had set her aside by the counsel of Brunichild, Gundoald with all his possessions brought his sister Theudelinda into Italy with him, and gave her in marriage to Ago.
Gundoaldus, of the noble people of the Langobards, took a wife, by whom he had two sons, by these names, Gundebert and Charibert. King Ago, son of King Authari, by Theudelinda had a son named Adoaldus [Al. Odoaldum], and a daughter named Gundoberg. While Gundoaldus was excessively beloved by the Langobards, by the faction of King Ago and Theudelinda, since they already held him in jealousy [Al. in zelum], when he was seated on the faldstool to purge his belly, he was wounded by an arrow and died.
AN. DCVIII. XXXV. Anno 13 regni Theuderici, cum Theudebertus Bilichildem habebat uxorem, quam Brunichildis a negotiatoribus mercaverat, et esset Bilichildis utilis, et a cunctis Austrasiis vehementer diligeretur, simplicitatem Theudeberti honeste comportans, nihil se minorem a Brunichilde esse censeret, sed saepius per legatos Brunichildem despiceret, dum ab ipsa increpabatur, quod ancilla Brunichildae fuisset, tandem his et aliis verbis, legatis discurrentibus, ab invicem vexarentur, placitum inter Colerensem et Suentensem fitur, ut has duas reginas pro pace inter Theudericum et Theudebertum conjungerent ad colloquendum.
AN. 608. 35. In the 13th year of the reign of Theuderic, when Theudebert had Bilichild as his wife, whom Brunichild had bought from merchants, and Bilichild was useful to the latter and was greatly beloved by all the Austrasians, honourably preserving Theudebert’s simplicity, she judged herself in no way inferior to Brunichild, but more often disparaged Brunichild by means of envoys; and as she was rebuked by Brunichild for having been Brunichild’s handmaid, at length, with these and other words and the envoys running about, they harassed one another, and a settlement was made between Colerensem and Suentensem, that these two queens should be joined for peace between Theuderic and Theudebert in order to confer.
AN. DCIX XXXVI. Anno 14 regni Theuderici, beati Columbani creverat jam passim fama in civitatibus sive in universas Gallias et Germaniae provincias: eratque omnium rumore laudabilis, omnium cultu venerabilis, in tantum, ut Theudericus rex ad eum saepe Lussovium veniret, et orationum suarum suffragia omni cum humilitate deposceret. Ad quem saepissime cum veniret, coepit vir Dei eum increpare, cur concubinarum adulteriis misceretur, et non potius legitimi conjugii solaminibus frueretur; ut regalis proles ex honorabili regina procederet, et non potius ex lupanaribus videretur emergere.
AN. 609. 36. In the 14th year of the reign of Theuderic, the blessed Columban had now grown in fame everywhere in the cities and throughout the provinces of Gaul and Germany: and he was, by the rumor of all, praiseworthy, by the veneration of all, to such a degree that King Theuderic often came to him at Lussovium, and with all humility besought the succor of his prayers. To whom, whenever he came, the man of God very often began to rebuke him why he was mingled in the adulteries of concubines, and did not rather enjoy the consolations of a lawful marriage; so that royal offspring might proceed from an honorable queen, and not seem to emerge from brothels.
And when already the king's speech obeyed the command of the man of God, and he vowed to separate himself from all illicit women, the mind of Brunichild, grandmotherly and second as it were to Jezebel, was approached by an ancient serpent, and, stirred against the man of God, she is roused by the sting of pride, because she perceived that Theuderic would obey the man of God. For she feared that if, the concubines having been cast off, she were to set up the queen of the palace, she would cut away the measure of her dignity and honour. It happened therefore that on a certain day the blessed Columbanus came to Brunichild.
For he was then at the villa Brucariacum. And when she perceived him to come into the court, she brought to the man of God the sons of Theuderic, whom she had from adulterous unions; and when he had seen them, he asked what they desired. To whom Brunichild said: They are the king’s sons; fortify them with your blessing.
But he said: "By no means — know that those shall take up the royal scepters; they have come forth from brothels." She, raging, orders the little ones to depart. The man of God, leaving the royal hall, while he leapt over the threshold, caused a crash from terror, yet this did not curb the fury of the wretched woman, and then she prepares to plot ambushes.
He orders the neighbors of the monastery by messengers that to none of them be a way opened beyond the monastery’s bounds, nor that lodging be granted to his monks or any succour given. Seeing that the royal minds were stirred against him, the blessed Columbanus hastens to them, that by his admonitions they may break the miserable spur of pertinacity. For at that time they were at the public villa at Spinsia.
When he had come there with the sun now setting, they announce to the king that a man of God was there, and that he wished not to be lodged in the king’s houses. Then Theuderic said that it was better to honor the man of God with suitable aids than to provoke the Lord to wrath by the offense of his servants. He therefore orders it to be prepared with royal care opportune [Al. opportuna], and to be directed to the servant of God.
Having abominated these, he said: "It is written: The gifts of the wicked are an abomination to the Most High" (Proverbs 15:8). For it is not fitting that the mouths of the servants of God be polluted with his foods, who not only denies access to his own [Al. sua], but even to the dwellings [Al. habitacula] of others the approach of the servants of God. Having said these things, all the little vessels were broken into fragments, and the wines and strong drinks were poured out on the ground, and the rest were scattered separately.
Having been pacified by promises he returned to the monastery, but the pledged rights of the vadimonium not long kept were violated: the increments of miseries are exercised, and adulteries beyond the usual by the King are contrived. When these things were heard, blessed Columbanus sent letters to him full of lashes (i.e. bitter rebukes), and threatened excommunication if, by delaying, he would not be willing to be amended. At this, again moved, Brunichildis stirs up the king’s mind against Saint Columbanus and intends to disturb by every effort; she entreats the court nobles, all the great men, that they unsettle the king’s mind against the man of God; and, having set about soliciting the bishops, to disparage his religion and to stain the state of the rule which he had imposed on his monks to be kept.
Therefore the royal courtiers, complying with the persuasions of the wretched queen, disturbed the king’s mind against the man of God, urging him—compelled—to go and test the religion. Thus the king came to the man of God Lussovius, and complaining with him why he was departing from the customs of his fellow provincials, and would not allow access to all Christians within the more secret enclosures. Blessed Columbanus, therefore, as he was bold and vigorous in spirit, replying to the king who objected with such things, answered: that he had no custom of opening the entrance of the dwellings of God’s servants to secular men and to those alien in religion.
But having suitable and fitting places prepared for this, so that the arrival of all guests may be received. To this the king: "If," he said, "you wish to take the gifts of our largitas and a supplement of solace, the entrance of all will be open in all places." The man of God answered: "If you attempt to violate what up to now has been bound under the cords of regular discipline [Al. constructum], I will not be sustained by your gifts, nor by any aids whatsoever from you."
And if you have come into this place for that cause, to destroy the coenobia of the servants of God, and to stain the regular discipline, know that your kingdom will be ruined utterly, and with all the royal stock will perish [Al. demersurum]. Which afterwards the event proved. For now, with a rash attempt the king had entered the refectory. Therefore, terrified by these words, he quickly retreated outside.
After these things the king is pressed by the harsh reproaches of the man of God. Against whom Theuderic said: "Do you hope that I will confer upon you the crown of martyrdom? Know that I am not of such madness as to permit this great wickedness, but know that I will prepare for you useful measures of sounder counsel, so that he who renounces all worldly customs should strive to retrace his steps by the way he came." The courtiers at once, with one accordant voice, burst forth with vows that they would not have in those places one who will not associate with all.
To this the blessed Columbanus says that he will not leave the monastery’s septs unless he is violently dragged away. The king therefore departed, leaving behind a certain nobleman named Baudulfum. He, having remained, drove the man of God from the monastery, and led him toward the town by Vesontionem to be exiled, until by royal sentence it should be decided what the king wished.
After these things the man of God perceiving that he was oppressed by no guards and suffered molestation from no one—for all saw in him the power of God blazing, and therefore all were separated from injuring him, lest they be partners in his faults—therefore on the Lord’s day he climbed to the summit of the steep peak of that mountain, for so the site of the town is disposed, the density of houses lying on the sunken (Al. diffuso) side of the sloping mountain, thrusting forth its heights into lofty summits, which, on every side cut off by the channel of the river Dova girdling it, in no way opens a road to those approaching; and there he waits until mid-day, to see if anyone will forbid the way of returning to the monastery. And when no one opposed him, he himself with his men returned through the middle of the town to the monastery. This heard, Brunichildis and Theudericus, namely that he had returned from exile, were incited by the sharper goads of anger, ordering Count Bertharius to search more closely for men with a garrison, and likewise to detain Baudulf, whom I mentioned above.
When they came there, they found blessed Columbanus placed in the church, devoted to psalmody and prayer with the whole congregation of brothers; and so they address the man of God: We beseech you that you obey both royal and our commands, and depart by that road by which you first came into these places. But he said: For I do not think that it pleases the Creator to turn back again to what was once natal, merely because of the fear of Christ left behind. And since they in no way perceived the man of God to yield to them, having left behind certain men in whom the fierceness of spirit was stronger, Bertharius departed.
But those who remained exhorted the man of God to have mercy on them, who had been unhappily left to undergo such a task, and to consider their peril; for if they did not violently drag him away, they would incur the danger of death. But he said that he had already oftentimes declared that, unless he were torn away by force, he would not depart. Those men, hemmed in by a twofold danger and with fear pressing on them from every side, touched the pallium by which he was clothed; others, falling prostrate on their knees with tears, begged that he forgive them for the fault of so great a crime, since they had obeyed not their own desires but the royal commands. Seeing therefore that danger would follow if he satisfied his own sternness, the man of God departed with all lamentation and sorrow, with guards appointed who would not leave him until he was driven from his dominion's realm.
Among whom the first was Ragumundus, who conducted him as far as the Namnetes. Thus, having been expelled from Theuderic’s kingdom, he resolved again to return to the island Hibernia. But as no pontiff may at all undertake a journey unless by the permission of the Most High; he himself, however, desiring Italy, building a monastery in the place called Bobio of holy conversation, full of days he passed to Christ.
Whence a settlement between these two kings was set up at the fortress Saloissa, so that it should be decided by the judgment of the Franks. Thereupon Theuderic approached with only ten thousand men. But Theudebert, with a great army of the Austrasians, there seeking to engage in battle, attacked; and when Theuderic was surrounded on all sides by the army of Theudebert, Theuderic, forced and driven, terrified by fear, bound the Alsatians to Theudebert’s side by the tie of the agreement; likewise the Suggentenses and the Turones and the Campanenses, whom he had oftentimes been reclaiming, seemed to have been lost as well.
They each returned to their own seats. In these days the Alamanni hostilely entered the Aventicensian district of Ultra-Jurano, plundering the very district, and Abbelinus and Herpinus, counts, with others of the same district and their companions with an army proceeded to meet the Alamanni. Each phalanx joined its wings for battle; the Alamanni overcame the Trans-Jurans, slew many of them with the sword, and put them to the ground; they burnt the greater part of the Aventicensian territory with fire; they led into captivity a very great multitude of men; and having returned with the booty they proceeded to their own homes.
AN. DCXI. Anno 16 Theuderici, Theudericus legationem ad Chlotharium direxit, indicans se contra Theudebertum, eo quod frater suus non esset, hostiliter velle aggredere, si Chlotharius in solatio Theudeberti non esset; ducatum Dentelini, quem contra Theudebertum cassaverat, si Theudericus Theudebertum superaret, Chlotharius supra memoratum Dentelini ducatum in suam ditionem reciperet. Hac convenientia a Theuderico et Chlothario, legatis intercurrentibus, firmata, Theudericus movet exercitum.
AN. 611. In the 16th year of Theuderic, Theuderic sent an embassy to Chlotharius, indicating that he intended to act hostilely against Theudebert because his brother was not present, if Chlotharius were not in the protection/solace of Theudebert; the duchy of Dentelin, which he had annulled against Theudebert, if Theuderic should overcome Theudebert, Chlotharius would take the above‑mentioned duchy of Dentelin into his dominion. These agreements, confirmed by Theuderic and Chlotharius with envoys intervening, having been settled, Theuderic moved his army.
Theudebertus, turning his back and coming through the territory of Mettense, having crossed the Vosges, arrived at Cologne in flight. Theudericus, pursuing from the rear with the army, was met by the blessed and apostolic man Leonisius, bishop of the city of Magancensis, mindful of Theuderic’s advantage and hating Theudebert’s folly; coming to Theuderic he said: "Complete what you have begun; it is fitting that you seek the cause of this affair sufficiently for your own advantage."
A rustic tale is told, that when a wolf had climbed up into the mountain, and when his sons had already begun to hunt, he calls them to himself on the mountain, saying: How far your eyes prevail in seeing into each quarter, you have no friends, save a few who are of your stock. Therefore accomplish what you have begun. Theudericus, passing through the Ardenne with his army, reached Tolbiacum.
Theudebert, with the Saxons, Thuringians and other peoples whom from beyond the Rhine, or from every side, he had been able to assemble, marched against Theuderic to Tolbiacum, and there again the battle was joined. It is reported by the Franks and other peoples that from ancient time perhaps never before had a battle been conceived thus. For there so great a slaughter was made by both armies, that the phalanxes, on entering the contest and fighting against one another, had nowhere for the corpses of the slain to lie prostrate, but the dead stood amid the corpses of others, arrayed as if living.
But with the Lord going before, Theuderic again overcame Theudebert, and from Tolbiacum as far as Cologne Theudebert’s army was cut down by the sword. He covered the places along the shore of the land, and on that very day entered Cologne, and received there all Theudebert’s treasures. And directing Bertharius the chamberlain beyond the Rhine behind Theudebert, who diligently pursuing Theudebert, when he was already fleeing with only a few, had captured him, Bertharius presented him taken to the sight of Theuderic at Cologne, stripped of his royal garments — Theudebert despoiled — and his horse with the royal harness; all this was granted to Bertharius by Theuderic.
Theudebertus, bound, is handed over to Cabillon; his son, named Meroveus, a little boy, seized by order of Theuderic by a certain man and struck with a foot against a stone, had his brain burst from his head and lost his life. Chlotharius restored the duchy of Dentelin intact to his dominion in accordance with Theuderic's arrangement. On account of this matter, Theuderic, since he now would rule the whole South, moved, stirred by excessive indignation, his army against Chlotharius.
AN. DCXIII. Anno 18 regni sui de Auster et Burgundia movere praecepit, legationem prius dirigens, ut se Chlotharius de jam dicto ducatu Dentelini omni modo removeret; alioquin noverit se exercitu Theuderici undique regnum Chlotharii impleturum. Quod verbum, quemadmodum legati nuntiarant, probavit eventus.
AN. 613. In the 18th year of his reign he ordered that he move against Auster and Burgundy, first dispatching a legation, so that Chlotharius would in every way remove himself from the aforementioned duchy of Dentelin; otherwise let him know that with Theuderici’s army from every side he would fill Chlotharius’ kingdom. That declaration, as the envoys had announced, the event proved.
XXXIX. Ipso quoque anno jam exercitus contra Chlotharium aggrediebat, cum Theudericus Mettis profluvio ventris moritur. Exercitus protinus rediit ad proprias sedes.
39. In that same year the army was already advancing against Chlothar, when Theuderic died at Metz of a flux of the belly. The army at once returned to their own quarters.
XL. Chlotharius, factione Arnulfi et Pippini, vel caeterorum procerum Auster ingreditur. Cumque Antonnacum accessisset, et Brunichildis cum filiis Theuderici Warmaciae resideret, legatos, his nominibus, Chadoindum et Herponem, ad Chlotharium direxit, contestans ei ut se de regno Theuderici, quod filiis reliquerat, removeret. Chlotharius respondebat, et per suos legatos Brunichildi mandabat, judicio Francorum electorum, quidquid praecedente Domino a Francis inter eosdem judicabitur, pollicetur sese implere.
40. Chlotharius, by the faction of Arnulf and Pippin, or of the other nobles, enters Austrasia. And when he had approached Anton(n)acum, and Brunichild with the sons of Theuderic was residing at Warmacia, he sent legates, by these names, Chadoindus and Herponus, to Chlotharius, beseeching him that he remove her from the kingdom of Theuderic, which she had left to his sons. Chlotharius answered, and through his own legates commanded Brunichild, promising that he would perform whatever should be decided by the judgment of the Franks elect, whatever might be adjudged among them with the Lord presiding.
Brunichildis sent Sigibert the elder, son of Theuderic, into Thuringia, with whom she appointed Warnacharius as mayor of the palace and Alboenus with the other nobles, to draw together the peoples who are beyond the Rhine, so that they might resist Chlotharius. She set a spy behind their backs, that Alboenus with the others might kill Warnacharius, because he wished to transfer himself into Chlotharius’s kingdom. That spy, having been seized, Alboenus hurled to the ground, broken.
He was discovered by Warnacharius’s boy: on a board smeared with wax he himself was again secured. With this little indictment read aloud, Warnacharius, seeing that he had danger of life, began thereafter to ponder how the sons of Theuderic might be crushed and Chlotharius chosen to the kingdom. The peoples who had been drawn together there he, by secret counsel, caused to be absent from the support of Brunichildis and Theuderic’s sons; thence, having returned with Brunichildis and Theuderic’s sons, they made for the Burgundies, and with messengers sent running throughout the whole south they strove to set the army in motion.
XLI. Burgundiae farones vero, tam episcopi quam caeteri leudes, timentes Brunichildem, et odium in eam habentes, cum Warnachario consilium inientes tractabant, ut neque unus ex filiis Theuderici evaderet, sed, eis omnibus oppressis, et Brunichildem delerent, et regnum Chlotharii [Al. Chlothario] expeterent, quod probavit eventus. Cumque jussu Brunichildae et Sigiberti filii Theuderici exercitus de Burgundia et Auster contra Chlotharium aggrederetur.
41. The Burgundian farones, both bishops and the other leudes, fearing Brunichilde and bearing hatred against her, taking counsel with Warnacharius plotted that not one of Theuderic’s sons should escape, but that, with all of them overwhelmed, they would destroy Brunichilde and seek the kingdom of Chlotharius [Al. Chlothario], as the event proved. By the command of Brunichilde and of Sigibert, Theuderic’s son, forces from Burgundy and Auster advanced against Chlotharius.
XLII. Veniensque Sigibertus in Campaniam territorii Catalaunensis super fluvium Axonam, ibique Chlotharius obviam cum exercitu venit, multos jam de Austrasiis secum habens factione Warnacharii majoris domus, sicut jam olim tractaverat, consentientibus Aletheo patricio, Roccone, Sigoaldo et Eudelane ducibus. Cumque in congressu certaminis debuissent cum exercitu confligere, priusquam praeliari coepissent, signa dantes, exercitus Sigiberti terga vertens redit ad proprias sedes.
42. And Sigibert coming into the Campania of the Catalaunian territory above the river Axona, and there Chlotharius met him with an army, already having many of the Austrasians with him by the faction of Warnacharius of the great house, as he had once before plotted, Aletheus the patrician, Roccon, Sigoald and Eudelan, dukes, assenting. And when at the encounter of the contest they ought to have engaged with the army, before they had begun to fight, having given the signals, Sigibert’s army, turning its backs, returned to its own seats.
Chlotharius, gradually as had been agreed, following with his army in the rear, reached the river Arar, the Saogonna. With Theuderic’s three sons captured — Sigibert, Corbo, and Meroveo, whom he himself received from the spring — Childebert, fleeing, mounted and never afterwards returned. The army of the Austrasians returned unharmed to their own seats.
By the faction of Warnacharius, major of the household, together with most of the other chiefs of the kingdom of Burgundy, Brunichildis was led out by Herpone the comestabulo of the pagus Ultra-Juranus from the villa Urba, brought forth along with Theudelane, sister of Theuderic, and presented to Chlotharius at the village Rionava on the river Vincenna. Sigibertus and Corbus, sons of Theuderic, were slain by the command of Chlotharius. Meroveus was secretly conducted by Chlotharius’s order into Neptric, embracing him with affection because he had received him from the holy bath (lavacro).
Ingobodo is entrusted to Graffio, where he lived for many years. Chlotharius, when he was presented to Brunichildis in his presence, and bearing excessive hatred against her, reckoning that by her ten kings of the Franks had been slain, that is, Sigibertus and Meroveus, and his father Chilpericus, Theudebertus and his son Chlotharius, likewise Meroveus son of Chlotharius, Theudericus, and three sons of the same who had been presently extinguished, orders that for three days she, afflicted with diverse torments, be first led on a camel through the whole army sitting; after these things to have the hair of her head, one foot, and one arm bound to the tail of the most vicious horse; and there with spurs and the swiftness of the run she is torn limb from limb. Warnacharius is substituted as major domus in the kingdom of Burgundy, the oath having been accepted by Chlotharius, so that he might never be degraded in the times of his life.
In the south Rado likewise assumed this degree of honor. The whole kingdom of the Franks was established, as it had been ruled by the former Chlothar, and with all its treasures was submitted to the dominion of Chlothar the younger, which he held happily for sixteen years, keeping peace with all neighboring peoples. This Chlothar, given to patience, learned in letters, fearing God, a great donor to churches and priests, bestowing alms on the poor, showed himself kind to all and full of piety.
XLIII. Cum anno 30 regni sui Burgundiae et Auster regnum arripuisset, Herponem [Al. Herpinum] ducem, genere Francum, loco Eudelani in pago Ultra-Jurano instituit: qui dum pacem in ipso pago vehementer arripuisset sectari, malorum nugacitatem reprimens, ab ipsis pagensibus, instigante parte adversa, consilio Alethei patricii et Leudemundi episcopi et Herponis comitis, per rebellionis audaciam Herpo dux interficitur. Chlotharius cum in Alsatia villam, Marolegiam cognomento, cum Bertethrude [Al. Bertrude] regina accessisset, pacem sectatus, multos inique agentes gladio trucidavit.
43. When in the thirtieth year of his reign he had seized the kingdom of Burgundy and Auster, he appointed Herpon [Al. Herpinus] as duke, a Frank by birth, in the place of Eudelan in the pagus of Ultra-Jura: who, while he had vigorously exacted peace in that very pagus, repressing the frivolity of evils, was slain by those same pagans, at the instigation of the opposing party, by the counsel of Aletheus the patrician and Leudemund the bishop and Herpon the count — by the audacity of rebellion Duke Herpo was put to death. Chlotharius, when he had come into Alsace to the villa called Marolegium, with Queen Bertethrude [Al. Bertrude], seeking peace, slew with the sword many who were acting unjustly.
XLIV. Leudemundus quidem episcopus Sedunensis ad Bertethrudem reginam veniens secretius, consilio Alethei verba ignominiosa dixit, quod Chlotharius eodem anno omnimodis migraret de saeculo, ut thesauros, quantum poterat, secretissime ad Sedunis suam civitatem transferret, eo quod esset locus tutissimus, et Aletheus esset paratus, suam relinquens uxorem, Bertethrudem reginam accipere eo quod esset regio genere de Burgundionibus, ipse post Chlotharium posset regnum assumere. Regina Bertethrudis cum haec audisset, verita ne veritas subsisteret, in lacrymas prorumpens abiit in cubiculum.
44. Leudemundus, indeed bishop of Sedunum, coming secretly to Queen Bertethrude, with the counsel of Aletheus spoke ignominious words, that Chlotharius in that same year would in every way depart from the world, so that he might, as much as he could, transfer his treasures most secretly to Sedunum, his city, because it was the safest place, and Aletheus would be ready, leaving his wife, to take Queen Bertethrude since she was royal by birth of the Burgundians, and he himself, after Chlotharius, could assume the kingdom. When Queen Bertethrude had heard these things, fearing that the truth would not remain concealed, she burst into tears and withdrew to her chamber.
Leudemundus, perceiving that he had peril from such words, hastily by night made his way to Sedunis. Thence, secretly in flight, he came to Lussovium to Lord Austasium the abbot. After these things he was excused for these faults by the abbot himself together with Lord Chlotharius, and returned to his own city.
XLV. Langobardorum gens quemadmodum tributa duodecim millia solidorum ditioni Francorum annis singulis dissolvebant, referam; vel quo ordine duas civitates, Augustam et Siusium cum territoriis a parte Francorum cassaverant, non abscondam. Defuncto Clep ipsorum principe, duodecim duces Langobardorum duodecim annis sine regibus transigerunt.
45. I will relate how the Lombard people annually paid a tribute of 12,000 solidi to the dominion of the Franks; nor will I hide in what order they despoiled two cities, Augusta and Siusium, with their territories on the Frankish side. Upon the death of Clep, their prince, twelve dukes of the Lombards passed twelve years without kings.
At that very time, as is read written above, they burst through places into the kingdom of the Franks; for that presumption in the settlement they handed over the cities of Augusta and Susa with the whole of their territory and people to the parts of Guntchramn. After these things they sent an embassy to Emperor Maurice; those twelve dukes appointed individual legates, seeking peace and the patronage of the empire. And likewise they appointed twelve other legates to Guntchramn and Childebert, so that, having the patronage and defence of the Franks, they might pay twelve thousand solidi each year in tribute to these two kings, cutting off the valley called Ametegis from the parts of Guntchramn, so that these legates, wherever it seemed more fitting, might secure patronage for themselves.
After these things, with whole devotion they chose the patronage of the Franks. And no delay: with the permission of Guntchramn and Childebert the Lombards exalted Autharius the duke above them into kingship. Another Autharius, likewise a duke, with his entire duchy submitted himself to the dominion of the empire and remained there, and King Autharius paid annually the tributes which the Lombards had pledged to the Franks.
AN. DCXVII. Anno 34 regni Chlotharii, legati tres nobiles ex gente Langobardorum Agiulfus, Pompegius, et Gauto, ab Agone rege ad Chlotharium regem destinantur, petentes ut illa duodecim millia solidorum, quae annis singulis Francorum aerariis dissolvebant, debuissent cassari, exhibentes ingeniose secretius tria millia solidos, ex quibus Warnacharius mille, Gundelandus mille, et Chucus mille acceperunt: Chlothario vero triginta sex millia solidorum insimul exhibebant. Quare consilio suprascriptorum, qui occulte exeniati fuerant, Chlotharius ipsa tributa a parte Langobardorum cassavit; et amicitiam perpetuam cum Langobardis sacramentis et pactis firmavit.
AN. 617. In the 34th year of the reign of Chlothar, three noble envoys of the people of the Langobards, Agiulfus, Pompegius, and Gauto, are sent by King Ago to King Chlothar, seeking that those twelve thousand solidi, which they paid each year to the Frankish treasury, should be removed; secretly and ingeniously presenting three thousand solidi, of which Warnacharius received one thousand, Gundelandus one thousand, and Chucus one thousand, and to Chlothar they together presented thirty-six thousand solidi. Wherefore by the counsel of the aforesaid, who had been secretly bribed, Chlothar annulled the tributes on the part of the Langobards; and he confirmed perpetual friendship with the Langobards by oaths and pacts.
The Sclavi had already begun to rebel against the Avars, by the cognomen Chunos, and against their king Gaganus. The Winidi, the Befulci, had long been allied to the Chuni from antiquity, so that when the Chuni in an army attacked any nation, the Chuni, their host gathered before the camp, stood ready, while the Winidi fought; if indeed they prevailed to victory, then the Chuni undertook to take the spoils; but if the Winidi were overcome, supported by the aid of the Chuni they recovered their strength. Therefore the Befulci were called after the Chuni, because, being clothed in a twofold contest in engagement and making battles, they went before the Chuni to winter each year among the Selavs; they took the wives of the Selavs and their daughters to their couches; the Selavi paid tributes and other exactions to the Chuni.
The sons of the Chuni, whom they had begotten as wives and daughters of the Winidi, at last, not being able to endure this malice and oppression and denying the domination of the Chuni, as I have remembered above, began to rebel. When the Winidi had attacked the Chuni in the field, Samo the merchant, of whom I spoke above, went with them in the army, and there his usefulness was such that it was marvelous, and a great multitude of Chuni were cut down by the sword of the Winidi. Seeing the advantage brought by Samo, the Winidi chose him as their king over themselves, and he reigned happily for 35 years.
XLIX. Ipsoque anno 40 Chlotharii, Adaloaldus rex Langobardorum filius Agonis regis, cum patri suo successisset in regno, legatum Mauricii imperatoris, nomine Eusebium, ingeniose ad se venientem benigne suscepit. Inunctus in balneo nescio quibus unguentis ab ipso Eusebio persuadebatur; et post hanc unctionem nequidquam aliud, nisi quod ab Eusebio hortabatur, facere poterat.
49. In that very year of Chlothar the fortieth, Adaloald, king of the Langobards, son of King Agon, having succeeded his father in the kingdom, kindly received a legate of Emperor Maurice, named Eusebius, who came to him with artful address. Having been anointed in the bath with certain ointments by Eusebius himself, he was thus persuaded; and after this unction he could do nothing else, to no purpose, except what was urged by Eusebius.
Having been persuaded by him to decree the murder of all the chiefs and more noble men in the kingdom of the Langobards, and that, with those same men slain, he would deliver himself with the whole people of the Langobards to the empire of Maurice. When he had already cut down twelve of them with the sword, no crimes being present, the rest, seeing that their lives were in peril, chose L. Charoaldus, duke of Turin, who had the sister of King Adaloald for a wife, named Gundeberga, all the elders and most noble of the Langobard people conspiring with one counsel, to be raised to the kingship. Adaloaldus, having taken poison, died.
LI. Gundeberga regina cum esset pulchra aspectu, benigna in cunctis, et pietate plenissima, Christiana, eleemosynis larga, praecellente bonitate ejus, diligebatur a cunctis. Homo quidam, nomine Adalulfus, ex genere Langobardorum, cum in aula palatii assidue ad obsequium regis conversaretur, quadam vice ad reginam veniens, cum in ejus staret conspectu, Gundeberga regina eum sicut et caeteros diligens, dixit honestae staturae Adalulfum fuisse formatum. Ille haec audiens ad Gundebergara secretius ait, dicens: Formam status mei laudare dignata es, stratui tuo jube me subjungere.
51. Queen Gundeberga, being beautiful of aspect, kind to all, and most full of piety, a Christian, liberal in alms, her goodness excelling, was loved by everyone. A certain man named Adalulf, of the Lombard stock, since he constantly frequented the palace hall in attendance on the king, once coming to the queen and standing in her sight, Queen Gundeberga, loving him as the others, said that Adalulf had been formed of a comely stature. He, hearing these things, spoke to Gundeberga more privately, saying: “You have deigned to praise the form of my person; bid your bed that I may join myself to it.”
She, stoutly refusing, and spitting upon his face in contempt. Adalulfus, seeing that he was in peril of his life, ran immediately to King Charoald, asking that he might secretly disclose what he had to suggest. Being admitted, he said to the king: My lady, your queen Gundeberga, at Duke Taso’s place, spoke secretly for three days that she might kill you by poison, and exalt him to herself as husband in the kingdom.
King Charoald, believing these lies, thrust Gundeberga into exile in one tower of Caumellus castle. Chlotharius, sending envoys to King Charoald, inquiring concerning what cause the queen, mother of the Franks, had been humbled so as to be driven back into exile, replied as if these mendacious words stood for truth.
Then one of the legates, named Ansoald, not as if commanded but of his own accord, said to Charoald: You could free this cause from blasphemy [That is, bl?me]; order that the man who reported such words to you be armed, and let another advance on behalf of Queen Gundeberga; and let them, armed for single combat, clash, so that by the judgment of God, with the two fighting, it may be known whether Gundeberga is innocent of the reputation of this fault, or perhaps guilty. And when these things pleased King Charoald and all the chief men of his palace, he ordered Adalulf to enter the armed contest, and, the cousins of Gundeberga — Gundeberga and Aribert — rushing forward on her behalf, a man named Pitto, armed, attacked Adalulf. And when they had fought in the contest, Adalulf was killed by Pitto.
AN. DCXXIV. LII. Anno 41 Chlotharii regis, cum Dagobertus jam utiliter regnaret in Auster, quidam ex proceribus de gente nobili Ayglolfinga, nomine Chrodoaldus, in offensam Dagoberti cadens, instigantibus beatissimo viro atque pontifice Arnulfo, et Pippino majore domus, seu et caeteris prioribus [Al., primoribus] sublimatis in Auster, eo quod esset ipse Chrodoaldus rebus plurimis ditatus, caeterorum facultatum cupiditate pervasor, superbiae deditus, elatione plenus, nec quidquam boni in ipso reperiebatur.
AN. 624. 52. In the 41st year of King Chlothar, when Dagobert was already ruling usefully in Auster, a certain one of the magnates of the noble house Ayglolfinga, named Chrodoald, falling into offence against Dagobert, by the instigation of the most blessed man and pontiff Arnulf, and Pippin the elder of the household, and also the other chiefs raised up in Auster, because Chrodoald himself was enriched by many things, greedy for the faculties or possessions of others, given to pride, full of elation, and nothing good was found in him.
And when Dagobert now wished to kill him for his crimes, Chrodoald turned his back to Chlotharius, that he might deign to obtain life for himself with his son. When Chlotharius had seen Dagobert, among other addresses he begged life for Chrodoald. Dagobert promising that if he amended that which he had ill done, Chrodoald would not have peril of life; but with no delay remaining, when Chrodoald had come with Dagobert to Treveris [Al., reversus], he was killed by the command of Dagobert: Bertharius, a man of Scarponensis, with sword drawn at the door [Al., postitium] of the chamber, cut off his head.
After the nuptials, on the third day a grave dispute arose between Chlotharius and his son Dagobert. For Dagobert sought to receive into his dominion all that pertained to the kingdom of the Austrasians, which Chlotharius vehemently denied, declaring that he would grant him nothing of this. Twelve Frankish chiefs were chosen by these two kings, that by their arbitration this matter might be settled, among whom lord Arnulf, bishop of Metz, was chosen with the remaining bishops, who most kindly, as became his holiness, spoke between father and son for the concord of peace; finally, by the bishops, or by the most wise noble chiefs, the father was reconciled to the son; and restoring to him the solidatum which he had hoped for toward the kingdom of the Austrasians, he retained to his own dominion only that which lay on this side of the Loire or in parts of the Province.
His son Godinus, imbued with levity of mind, took his stepmother Bertana as wife that year: whereupon King Chlotharius, moved against him by excessive fury, ordered Arnebert the duke, who had Godinus’s sister as wife, to slay him with his army. Godinus, seeing the peril of his life, turned his back and with his wife proceeded to King Dagobert in Auster, and, terrified by royal fear, took refuge in the church of Saint Aprus. Dagobert, by legates, often entreated King Chlotharius for his life: at last it was promised by Chlotharius that Godinus’s life be spared, nevertheless [Al. tantum] on the condition that he abandon Bertana, whom he had taken as wife contrary to the institutions of the canons.
And when he had departed and had returned to the kingdom of Burgundy, Berta at once went to Chlothar, saying: If Godinus is presented to the sight of Chlothar, he will wish to kill the king himself. Godinus, by Chlothar’s command, is brought through the principal places of the saints — Lord Medard at Soissons and Lord Denis at Paris — to give those sacraments by that precaution, so that he should always owe fidelity to Chlothar, and that a suitable place might be found by which, separated from his own, he could be slain. Chramnulf, one of the magnates, and Waldebert the domestic, bidding Godinus to repair to the Aurelian church of Saint Anian, and to Tours to the thresholds of Saint Martin, so that he might there yet fulfill that sacrament.
And when this was so, in the suburb of Carnotis, Chramnulfus directing and sending across, at the hour of the midday meal he had come to a certain villa, and there Chramnulfus and Waldebertus burst upon him with an army and put him to death; and those who still resisted with him, some they killed, and others, stripped and turned to flight, they left behind. In that year Palladius and his son Sidocus, bishop of Aelosani, accused by Duke Aighynan of having been privy to the rebellion of the Wascons, were thrust back into exile. Boso, son of Audolenus, of the pagus Stampinsi, by order of Chlotharius was killed by Duke Arnebert, he being charged with rape with Queen Sighilde.
In that year Chlotharius was joined with the proceres and leudes of Burgundy at Trecassis, after he had asked them whether, Warnacharius now dead, they would wish to raise another to his rank of honor. But all, unanimously denying that they in no wise wished to choose a maior domus, earnestly seeking the king’s favor, came to terms with the king.
AN. DCXXVII. LV. Anno 44 regni Chlotharii, cum pontifices et universi proceres regni sui, tam de Neuster quam de Burgundia, Clippiaco ad Chlotharium pro utilitate regia et salute patriae conjunxissent, ibique homo, nomine Ermenharius, qui gubernator palatii Chariberti filii Chlotharii erat, a pueris Aegynanis genere Saxonorum optimatis interficitur, pene fuerat exinde nimia multorum strages secuta, nisi, patientia Chlotharii interveniente simul et haec curante, fuisset repressum. Aegyna jubente Chlothario in Monte-Mercori resedit, plurimam secum habens multitudinem pugnatorum.
AN. 627. 55. In the 44th year of the reign of Chlotharius, when the pontiffs and all the magnates of his kingdom, both from Neustria and from Burgundy, had joined at Clippiac to Chlotharius for the kingly advantage and the safety of the fatherland, there a man named Ermenharius, who was governor of the palace of Charibert, son of Chlotharius, was killed by the Aegynani youths, of the Saxon stock and among the nobles; a great slaughter of many would almost have followed thereafter, had it not been checked by the forbearance of Chlotharius intervening and likewise attending to these matters. At Aegyna’s command Chlotharius took up position on Mount Mercori, having with him a very great multitude of warriors.
Brodulfus, the uncle of Charibert, collecting an army on every side, intended to rush upon Charibert himself. Chlotharius specially commanded the Burgundefarones that whoever, by his party, wished to escape his judgment should be crushed by their pressure and forces. By that pact and the royal command both were pacified.
Dagobert, seeing that his father was dead, ordered all the leudes whom he ruled in Auster to be advanced into the army: he directed those sent into Burgundy and Auster to choose that they should owe him the regimen. And when he had come to Rhemis and proceeded to the Suessiones, all the pontifices and leudes from the kingdom of Burgundy there were known to have delivered themselves to him. But also many of the Neustrasii pontifices and proceres seemed to have sought the kingdom of Dagobert.
LVII. Cumque regnum Chlotharii tam Neptrico quam Burgundiae a Dagoberto fuisset praeoccupatum, captis thesauris et suae ditioni redactis, tandem misericordia motus, consilio sapientium usus, citra Ligerem et limitem Spaniae, qui ponitur partibus Wasconiae, seu et montis Pyrenaei pagos, et civitates, quod fratri suo Chariberto ad transigendum, ad instar privato habitu, ad vivendum potuisset sufficere, noscitur concessisse Pagum Tholosanum, Catorcinum, Agennensem, Petrocoreum et Santonicum, vel quod ab his versus montes Pyrenaeos excluditur, hoc tantum Chariberto regendum concessit, quod et per pactionis vinculum strinxit, ut amplius Charibertus nullo tempore adversus Dagobertum de regno patris repetere praesumeret. Charibertus sedem Tholosae eligens, regnat in parte provinciae Aquitanicae.
57. And when the kingdom of Chlothar, both Neptric and of Burgundy, had been preoccupied by Dagobert, with treasures seized and brought under his dominion, at last, moved by mercy and using the counsel of the wise, on this side of the Loire and the boundary of Spain — which is placed in the parts of Gascony, or even the districts of the Pyrenean mountain — and the towns which might have sufficed for his brother Charibert to live on in private habit and to manage, it is recorded that he granted the pagus of Toulouse, Catorcinum, Agen, Petrocoreum and Saintonge, or that which is excluded from these toward the Pyrenean mountains; to Charibert he conceded only this much to rule, which he also bound by the tie of an agreement, that Charibert should at no time presume to demand again against Dagobert their father’s kingdom. Charibert, choosing the seat of Toulouse, reigns in part of the province of Aquitaine.
With such fear the pontiffs and proceres standing in the kingdom of Burgundy, and indeed the other leudes, had been shaken by the coming of Dagobert, that he was admired by all. He had very largely bestowed joy upon the poor who enjoyed justice. And when he came to the city of the Lingones, justice prevailed so greatly among all his leudes, both the lofty and the poor, that it was believed to be altogether pleasing to God: where no bribe intervened, nor favouring of persons, but only justice ruled, which the Most High loved.
Then, having advanced on Divio, and staying at Imo and Latona for several days, he had set with such intent to administer justice to the whole people of his kingdom. Filled with desire for this benevolence he neither took sleep in his eyes nor was sated with food, thinking most intently that all, having received justice, might return from his sight joyful. On the same day on which he determined to hasten from Latona to Cabillonum, before it was light, entering the bath, he ordered Brodulf, the uncle of his brother Charibert, to be put to death; Brodulf was slain by the dukes Amalgarius and Arnebert, and by the patrician Willibad.
And with Cabillonum, where by the love of justice which he had begun to perfect Dagobert directed his intent, after passing through Augustodunum and Antissioderum he proceeded through the city of the Senones to Paris, and there leaving Gomatrude the queen at the villa Romiliaco, where he had taken her in marriage, and taking Nantechild, one of the girls from the household service, he raised her to be queen. Up to that same time from the beginning when he had begun to reign, by the counsel first of the most blessed Arnulf, bishop of the city of Metz, and by the aid of Pippin, mayor of the palace, he ruled the royal government in the South with such prosperity that he enjoyed praise from all peoples in vast array. Indeed necessity of advantage had so strongly shaken fear that they already, with devotion, seized to surrender themselves to his dominion; so that even the peoples who dwell around the border of the Avars and the Slavs sought him eagerly, that he might go forth successfully behind them, and he confidently pledged that both the Avars and the Slavs and the other nations of peoples up to the public hand should be subjected to his rule.
After the departure of blessed Arnulf, still making use of the counsel of Pippin of the great house and Chunibert, bishop of the city of Cologne, and being strongly admonished by him, he, seized by a love of such prosperity and justice, embraced all the peoples subject to him and, until he reached Paris, as I have mentioned above, ruled so that none of the former kings of the Franks had been more outstanding in his praise.
LX. Revertens in Neptricum, sedem patris sui Chlotharii diligens, assidue residere disposuit. Cum omnis justitiae quam prius dilexerat esset oblitus, cupiditatis instinctu super rebus Ecclesiarum et leudibus, sagaci desiderio, vellet omnibus undique spoliis novos implere thesauros. Luxuriae supra modum deditus tres habebat ad instar Salomonis reginas, maxime et plurimas concubinas.
60. Returning to Neptricum, diligently attending the seat of his father Chlotharius, he determined to reside there continuously. Having forgotten all the justice which he had formerly loved, moved by a lust for the goods of the Churches and by lewd desires, with a keen avarice he wished to fill new treasuries with spoils from every quarter. Excessively given to luxury, he had three queens after the likeness of Solomon, and especially very many concubines.
These queens, however, were Nantechildis, Wlfegundis, and Berchildis. The names of the concubines, because there had been many, grew to be inserted into this Chronicle. Which thing, since it had been most repugnant to his heart, as we remembered above, and the thought of it had withdrawn him from God, yet afterwards — and would that it had been to him a reward of true gain, for he gave alms to the poor exceedingly liberally — if the shrewdness of this matter had not been hindered by the impulse of cupidity, he would, as is believed, have deserved the eternal kingdom.
LXI. Cum leudes sui ejus nequitiam gemerent, naec cernens Pippinus, cum esset cautior cunctis, et consiliosus valde, plenissimus fide, ab omnibus dilectus, pro justitiae amore qua Dagobertum consiliose instruxerat, dum suo usus fuerat consilio, sibi tamen nec quidquam oblitus justitiae, neque recedens a via bonitatis, cum ad Dagobertum accederet, prudenter agebat in cunctis, et cautum se in omnibus ostendebat; zelum [Ch., zelus] Austrasiorum adversus eumdem vehementer suggerebat, ut etiam ipsum cum Dagoberto conarentur facere odiosum, ut potius interficeretur. Sed justitiae amor et Dei timor, quem diligenter amplexus fuerat, ipsum liberavit a malis.
61. When his leudes were lamenting his wickedness, Pippin, seeing these things, being more cautious than all, and very prudent in counsel, most full of faith, beloved by all, for the love of justice by which he had wisely instructed Dagobert while Dagobert had used his counsel, yet himself in no wise forgetful of justice, nor departing from the way of goodness, when he approached Dagobert acted prudently in all things and showed himself cautious in everything; the zeal of the Austrasians urged vehemently against the same, so that they even strove to make him hateful to Dagobert, that rather he should be slain. But the love of justice and the fear of God, which he had diligently embraced, delivered him from evils.
LXII. Charibertus, Aurelianis veniens, Sigibertum de sancto lavacro excepit. Aega vero a caeteris Neptrasiis consilio Dagoberti erat assiduus.
62. Charibert, coming from Aurelian, received Sigibert from the holy bath. Aega, however, by the counsel of the other Neustrians, was a constant attendant upon Dagobert.
In that year the envoys of Dagobert, whom he had sent to the emperor Heraclius, returned to the same man with the names Servatus [Al., Servatius] and Paternus, announcing that they had confirmed a perpetual peace with Heraclius. I will not, however, pass over the acts of the miracle which were done by Heraclius.
LXIII. Heraclius cum esset patricius [Ch. ad. super] universas Africae provincias, et Focas, qui tyrannico ordine Mauricium imperatorem interfecerat, imperiumque rapuerat, nequissime regeret, et modo amentiae thesauros in mare projiceret, dicens quod Neptuno munera daret, senatores cernentes quod vellet imperium per stultitiam destruere, factione Heraclii Focatem apprehensum senatus manibus et pedibus truncatis lapide ad collum ligato in mare projiciunt. Heraclius consensu senatus in imperium sublimatur, cum infestatione Persarum imperium temporibus Mauricii et Focatis imperatorum multae provinciae fuissent vastatae.
63. Heraclius, when he was patrician [Ch. ad. super] over all the provinces of Africa, and Phocas, who in tyrannical fashion had slain Emperor Maurice and usurped the empire, ruled most wickedly, and at one time cast the treasures of the palace into the sea, saying that he gave gifts to Neptune; the senators, seeing that he wished to destroy the empire by folly, through the faction of Heraclius seized Phocas, and the senate, his hands and feet cut off and a stone tied to his neck, cast him into the sea. By the consent of the senate Heraclius was elevated to the empire, while with the Persian incursions during the times of the emperors Maurice and Phocas many provinces had been laid waste.
LXIV. More solito denuo contra Heraclium imperator Persarum cum exercitu surgens, Chalcedonam civitatem nec procul a Constantinopoli, vastantes Persae provinciae [Forsan, provincias] reipublicae, pervenissent, eamque erumpentes incendio concremaverunt. Post haec Constantinopolim sedem imperii propinquantes destruere conabantur.
64. As was their custom, again rising up against Heraclius the emperor, the emperor of the Persians with an army came to the city of Chalcedon not far from Constantinople; the Persians, devastating the provinces [Perhaps, provinces] of the republic, arrived there, and bursting in they consumed it by fire. After these things, drawing near to Constantinople, the seat of the empire, they attempted to destroy it.
Egressing with his army to meet him, with envoys running between, Heraclius asked the Persian emperor, by the name Cosdroe, that these two emperors be joined in single combat, the multitude of each army being suspended far off; and that to whomsoever victory should be granted by the Most High, he should receive the empire of him who was vanquished and the people unharmed. The emperor of the Persians pledged that under these covenants he would come forth to battle in single combat. Heraclius, taking up arms and leaving the battle-array and the phalanx prepared by his men at his back, in single combat, like a new David, advanced to war.
The Persian emperor Cosdroes directed a certain patrician of his, whom he had perceived as the bravest in battle, to fight for him in this engagement against Heraclius. And when each, mounted on horses, these two approached one another for the meeting of the fight, Heraclius said to the patrician, whom he took to be the Persian emperor Cosdroes, saying: "Thus it was agreed that we should contend in single combat; why do others follow behind your back?" The patrician, turning his head to see who came behind him, Heraclius, fiercely urging his horse with his heel and drawing forth his weapon, cut off the head of the Persian patrician.
Cosdroes the emperor, having been defeated and put to shame with the Persians, turning his back on his own men, is killed by them in a tyrannical manner. The Persians, turning their backs, return to their own seats. Heraclius, by naval conveyance with his army, enters Persia, and reduces all of Persis under his dominion, many treasures being captured thence, and seven Aeltiarnites; for about three years Persis, having been laid waste, is subjected to his rule.
LXV. Heraclius imperator erat speciosus conspectu, pulchra facie, status forma dignae mensurae, fortissimus caeteris, pugnator egregius. Nam et saepe leones in arena, et inermis plures singulus interfecit.
65. Emperor Heraclius was handsome to the sight, with a beautiful face, a stature of a form worthy of dignified measure, the most mighty among his peers, an outstanding fighter. For he both often killed lions in the arena, and, unarmed, slew many single-handedly.
Because he was overly learned in letters, he was made an astrologer, by which, perceiving that by divine nod the empire was to be devastated by the circumcised peoples, he sent to Dagobert, king of the Franks, and begged that he command all the Jews of his kingdom to be baptized into the Catholic faith, which Dagobert straightaway fulfilled. Heraclius decreed that the same and such be done throughout all the provinces of the empire; for he did not know whence this calamity would rise against the empire.
LXVI. Agareni, qui et Sarraceni, sicut Orosii [Boh. Eorosii] liber testatur, gens circumcisa a latere montis Caucasi, super mare Caspium, terram, Ercoliae cognomento, jam olim consedentes, cum in nimia multitudine crevissent, tandem arma sumentes, provincias Heraclii imperatoris ad vastandum irruunt: contra quos Heraclius milites ad resistendum direxit.
66. The Agareni, who are also the Sarraceni, as the book of Orosius [Boh. Eorosii] testifies, a people circumcised on the flank of Mount Caucasus, above the Caspian Sea, in the land called Ercolia, long since settled there, when they had grown into excessive multitudes, at last taking up arms, rushed in to devastate the provinces of Emperor Heraclius; against whom Heraclius directed soldiers to resist.
Heraclius, desiring vengeance upon the Saracens, would accept nothing from them. Having gathered from all the provinces of the empire an excessive multitude of soldiers, and sending an embassy to the Caspian Gates which Alexander the Great of Macedon had ordered to be made and shut over the Caspian Sea because of the inundation of most savage peoples who dwelt beyond the summit of the Caucasus, Heraclius commanded those same gates to be opened; and from there he sent 150,000 fighters, hired with gold and with his support, to fight against the Saracens. The Saracens, having two leaders, numbered about 200,000.
And when both armies had likewise pitched their camps not far apart, so that they would enter into battle on the morrow, while they were skirmishing, on that same night by the sword of God Heraclius’ army was struck. In the camp fifty-two thousand of Heraclius’ soldiers were found dead in their quarters; and when on the next day they ought to have gone out to the battle, seeing that the greater part of their army had been killed by divine judgment, they did not dare to engage the Saracens. The whole army of Heraclius returning to their own seats, the Saracens, in the manner in which they had begun, continued constantly to ravage the provinces of Emperor Heraclius.
When they had now drawn near to Jerusalem, Heraclius, seeing that he could not resist their violence, seized with excessive bitterness and grief, pursuing now the Eutychian heresy and abandoning the worship of Christ, having as his wife the daughter of his sister, afflicted by fever he cruelly ended his life. To him succeeded in the imperial rank his son Constantine, in whose time much of the public territory was excessively ravaged by the Saracens.
Dagobertus at once reduced the whole kingdom of Charibert, together with Wasconia, under his rule: he also directed that the treasures of Charibert be brought to Duke Barontus and presented to himself. Whereupon Barontus is judged to have caused a grievous dispendium, acting together with the treasurers [Al., thesauris], and from that he excessively and fraudulently embezzled.
LXVIII. Eo anno Sclav, cognomento Winidi, in regno Samonis negotiantes, Francorum cum plurimam multitudinem interfecissent et rebus exspoliassent, hoc fuit initium scandali inter Dagobertum et Samonem regem Sclavinorum. Dirigensque Dagobertus Sicharium legatarium ad Samonem, petens ut negotiantes quos sui interfecerant, et res quas illi cite usurpaverant cum justitia faceret emendare Samo nolens Sicharium videre, nec ad se eum venire permitteret; Sicharius vestes indutus ad instar Sclavinorum cum suis ad conspectum pervenit, Samoni universa quae injuncta habebat nuntiavit.
68. In that year the Slavs, by the cognomen Winidi, trading in the realm of Samo, after they had slain a very great multitude of Franks and despoiled their goods, this was the beginning of a quarrel between Dagobert and Samo, king of the Slavs. And Dagobert sent Sicharius as his legate to Samo, seeking that the merchants whom his men had killed, and the goods which they had there seized, should be made right with justice; Samo being unwilling to see Sicharius, nor permitting him to come to himself; Sicharius, having put on garments after the manner of the Slavs, with his men came into view, and announced to Samo all that he had been commanded.
But as is the gentility and pride of the perverse, nothing was amended by Samo of what his men had done, except only wishing to institute pleas, so that about these and other intentions, which had arisen between these parties, justice should be rendered to one another. Sicharius, like a foolish legate, spoke words of reproach which he had not been ordered, and threats against Samo, because Samo and the people of his kingdom ought to owe service to Dagobert. Samo, answering, already sauced [Clar., caucius] said: “And the land which we have is Dagobert’s, and we are his, if nevertheless he shall be disposed to preserve friendships with us.”
Sicharius saying, “It is not possible that Christians, servants of God, should place friendships with dogs,” Samo in reply said, “If you are the servants of God, we are the dogs of God; while you continually act against him, we have received leave to rend you with our bites.” Sicharius was driven from Samo’s sight. When he had reported these things to Dagobert.
Dagobert proudly orders from the whole kingdom of the Austrasians to move an army against Samo and the Winidos: where with three troops of the phalanx the army advances upon the Winidos, and likewise the Langobards, by Dagobert’s succor, proceeded hostilely against the Slavs. The Slavs preparing in these and other places in turn, the army of the Alamanni with Chrodobert as leader won victory in the part which it had entered. The Langobards likewise won victory; and the Alamanni and Langobards carried off with them a very great number of captives from the Slavs.
The Austrasians, however, when they beset the camp Wogastisburc, where a large band of brave Winidi had remained, fighting for three days, many there of Dagobert’s army were cut down by the sword, and thence, fleeing in panic and leaving behind all the tents and things which they had, they returned to their own seats. Many times after these things in turn the Winidi burst into Thuringia and the remaining districts, devastating the villages in the kingdom of the Franks. Also Deruanus, duke of the people of the Urbi, who were of the race of the Slavs and had long ago looked to the kingdom of the Franks, surrendered himself to [Al., se et] the kingdom of Samo with his followers.
LXIX. Eo anno Charoaldus rex Langobardorum legatos ad Hisacium patricium secretius mittens, rogat ut Tasonem, ducem provinciae Tuscanae, quo poterat ingenio interficeret. Hujus beneficii vicissitudine tributa, quae Langobardi de manu publica [Id est, imperio] recipiebant, tria centenaria auri annis singulis, unde unum centenarium auri Charoaldus rex partibus imperii de praesenti cassaret.
69. In that year Charoaldus, king of the Lombards, secretly sending envoys to the patrician Hisacius, asked that Taso, duke of the province of Tuscany, be slain by whatever stratagem he could. By the reversal of this favour the tributes which the Lombards received from the public hand [That is, imperio] amounted to three centenary units of gold annually, whereupon Charoaldus the king immediately cancelled one centenary of gold from the parts of the empire.
Hisacius the patrician, hearing this, pondered by what devices he could bring it about, ingeniously entrusting it to Taso; while he was in offence with Charoald he upbraided him about friendships, and yet would himself give aid to Taso against King Charoald. He was forestalled by such a deceit: Taso goes to Ravenna. Hisacius, sending to meet him, through fear of the emperor did not dare to receive Taso armed with his men within the walls of the city of Ravenna.
And when, trusting Taso, having left the arms of his men outside the city, he had entered Ravenna, immediately those who had been prepared rushed upon Taso, and killed him and all his followers who had come with him [Al., erant]. King Charoald annulled one centenary of gold, as he had promised, from the portions of Hisacius and of the empire. Thenceforth only two centenaries of gold are paid each year by the patrician of the Romans to the share of the Lombards.
LXX. Gundeberga regina, eo quod omnes Langobardi eidem fidem cum sacramentis firmaverant, Chrotharium quemdam, unum ex ducibus de territorio, Brixiae ad se venire praecipit, eum compellens ut uxorem quam habebat relinqueret, et eam matrimonio acciperet: per ipsam omnes Langobardi eum sublimabant in regno. Quod Chrotharius libenter consentiens, sacramentis per loca sanctorum firmans ne unquam Gundebergam postponeret, nec de honore gradus aliquid minueret, ipsamque unico amore diligens in omnibus honorem praestaret condigne, Gundeberga attrahente, omnes Langobardorum primates Chrotharium sublimant in regno.
70. Queen Gundeberga, because all the Lombards had confirmed to her their fidelity with sacraments, bade a certain Chrotharius, one of the dukes of the territory, come to Brescia, compelling him to abandon the wife he had and to take her in marriage; through her all the Lombards exalted him in the kingdom. Which Chrotharius willingly consenting, and confirming by sacraments in the places of the saints that he would never set Gundeberga aside, nor in any wise diminish the honor of her rank, and, loving her with singular affection, would render her due honor in all things, Gundeberga drawing him on, all the princes of the Lombards exalted Chrotharius in the kingdom.
When Chrotharius began to reign, he killed many noble Langobards whom he had regarded as contumacious toward him. Chrotharius imposed the severest discipline and fear throughout the whole kingdom of the Langobards, seeking peace. Chrotharius, having forgotten the sacrament he had given to Gundeberga, thrust her back into a single chamber at Ticinum in the palace court, and caused her to live in private habit; for five years she was kept under that seclusion.
LXXI. Quando Deo complacuit, Aubedo legatarius directus a Chlodoveo rege, causa legationis usque Chrotharium regem Langobardorum Papiam, cognomento Ticino, civitatem Italiae pervenisset, cernens reginam, quam saepius in legatione veniens viderat, et ab ipsa benigne semper susceptus fuerat, fuisse retrusam quasi injunctum habens, exinde inter caetera Chrothario regi suggessit, quod illam parentem Francorum quam reginam habuerat, per quam etiam regnum assumpserat, non debuisset humiliare. Exinde reges Francorum et Franci essent ingrati, quam Chrotharius de praesenti reverentiam Francorum habens, jubet egredi foras, et post quinque circiter annos, per totam civitatem et foris Gundeberga regali ordine per loca sanctorum ad orationem aggreditur.
71. When it pleased God, Aubedo, a legate sent directly by King Chlodoveo, on account of his embassy had reached Papiam, called Ticinum, a city of Italy; seeing the queen, whom he had often seen while coming on embassies and by whom he had always been kindly received, and that she had been put back as if by command, thereupon among other things he suggested to King Chrotharius that he ought not to humiliate that kinswoman of the Franks whom he had held as queen and through whom he had also assumed the kingdom. Whence the kings of the Franks and the Franks were ungrateful; and Chrotharius, having at once a reverence for the Franks, ordered her to go forth, and after about five years Gundeberga, in royal array, went through the whole city and the fora to the places of the saints for prayer.
Of the villas and resources of the fisc that she had, Chrotharius ordered them to be restored to her, which she thereafter happily held in royal state, enriched with a rank of dignity and with many resources, until the day of her death. Aubedo, however, was strongly rewarded by Queen Gundeberga. Chrotharius, with an army, despoiled the maritime cities Genava Maritima, Albinganum, Varicottim, Saona, Ubitergium, and Luna, wresting them from imperial authority; he laid them waste, broke them open, burned them with fire, ravaged the people, despoiled them and condemned them to captivity; and destroying their walls down to the foundations, he commanded that these cities be called villages.
LXXII. Eo anno in Abarorum, cognomento Chunorum, regno in Pannonia surrexit vehemens intentio, eo quod de regno certarent, cui deberetur ad succedendum, unus ex Abaris et alius ex Bulgaris; collecta multitudine uterque in invicem pugnarunt. Tandem Abari Bulgaros superant.
72. In that year a vehement dispute arose in the kingdom of the Avars, surnamed the Chunni, in Pannonia, because they contended about the kingship, as to whom it ought to belong to succeed — one from the Avars and another from the Bulgars; with a multitude gathered, each fought against the other. At last the Avars overcame the Bulgars.
With the Bulgars overcome, nine thousand men with their wives and children, driven out of Pannonia, sought Dagobert, asking that he receive them into the land of the Franks to remain. Dagobert ordered that they be received to winter among the Bavarians, provided that he should negotiate with the Franks what should thence be done. And when they had been dispersed through the houses of the Bavarians to winter, by the counsel of the Franks Dagobert commanded the Bavarians that those Bulgars, with their wives and children, each one in his own house, should be put to death in one night, which was forthwith carried out by the Bavarians.
LXXIII. Eo anno quid partibus Spaniae, vel eorum regibus contigerit, non praetermittam. Defuncto Sisibudo, rege clementissimo, cui Sintela ante annum circiter successerat in regnum, cum esset Sintela nimium in suis iniquus, et cum omnibus regni sui primatibus odium incurreret, cum consilio caeterorum Sisenandus quidam ex proceribus ad Dagobertum expetit ut ei cum exercitu auxiliaretur, qualiter Sintellanem degradaret a regno: in hujus beneficii repensionem missorium aureum nobilissimum ex thesauris Gotthorum, quem Thursemodus rex ab Aetio patricio acceperat, Dagoberto dare promisit, pensantem auri pondus quingentos.
73. I will not pass over what befell in that year in the regions of Spain, or to their kings. Upon the death of Sisibudus, a most clement king, to whom Sintela had succeeded about a year before, since Sintela was excessively unjust toward his own and had incurred the hatred of all the leading men of his kingdom, with the counsel of the others a certain Sisenandus of the nobles sought out Dagobert that he might be aided with an army, how he might degrade Sintela from the kingdom: in recompense for this favor he promised to give Dagobert a most noble golden missorium from the treasures of the Goths, which King Thursemodus had received from the patrician Aetius, weighing five hundred pounds of gold.
Upon hearing this, Dagobert, being eager, ordered an army to be summoned from the whole kingdom of Burgundy as aid for Sisenand. And when it had been spread through Spain that the army of the Franks would attack in aid of Sisenand, the entire army of the Goths submitted themselves to the dominion of Sisenand. Abundantius and Venerandus with the Toulousan army likewise joined Sisenand as far as the city Caesaraugusta, and there all the Goths of the kingdom of Spain raised Sisenand to the kingship.
Abundantius and Venerandus, honored with gifts with the Toulousan army, return to their own seats. Dagobert sends a legation to King Sisenand, Duke Amalgarius, and Venerandus, that they should dispatch that missorium which he had promised to him: and when that missorium had been handed over by King Sisenand to the legates, it was seized by the Goths by force, nor did they afterwards permit it to be delivered. Afterwards, the legates dispersed, and Dagobert, receiving two hundred thousand solidi, the value of this missorium, from Sisenand, paid it out.
AN. DCXXXI. LXXIV. Anno 10 regni Dagoberti, cum ei nuntiatum fuisset exercitum Winidorum Thoringiam fuisse ingressum, cum exercitu de regno Austrasiorum de Mettis urbe promovens, transita Ardenna, Magantiam magno cum exercitu aggreditur, disponens Rhenum transire, scaram de electis viris fortibus de Neuster et Burgundia cum ducibus et grafionibus secum habens.
AN. 631. 74. In the 10th year of Dagobert's reign, when it had been reported to him that the army of Winidor had entered Thuringia, he, advancing with an army from the kingdom of the Austrasians from the city of Metz, having passed through the Ardennes, attacked Magantia with a great army, arranging to cross the Rhine, having a troop of chosen brave men from Neustria and Burgundy with dukes and counts accompanying him.
The Saxons send envoys to Dagobert, asking that he remit the tributes which they paid into the possessions of the fisc; they themselves, however, pledge by their zeal and advantage to resist the Winidi, and promise to guard the Frankish frontier in those parts. Which thing Dagobert, having obtained the counsel of the Neustrians, granted to the Saxons who had come to present these petitions. They confirm the sacrament, as was their custom, upon the placated arms [Al. placita] for all the Saxons.
AN. DCXXXII. LXXV. Anno 11 regni Dagoberti, cum Winidi jussu Samonis fortiter saevirent, et saepe transcenso eorum limite regnum Francorum vastandum, Thoringiam et reliquos pagos ingrederentur, Dagobertus Mettis urbem veniens, cum consilio pontificum seu et procerum, omnibusque primatibus regni sui consentientibus, Sigibertum filium suum in Austeris regem sublimavit, sedemque Mettis civitatem habere permisit.
AN. 632. 75. In the 11th year of the reign of Dagobert, when by the command of the Winidi the Samones were fiercely ravaging, and often crossing their boundary to lay waste the kingdom of the Franks, and they entered Thuringia and the remaining pagi, Dagobert, coming to the city of Metz, with the counsel of the pontiffs and also of the nobles, and all the chief men of his kingdom consenting, elevated his son Sigibert as king in the Austeri, and permitted him to have the seat and city of Metz.
He appointed Chunibert, bishop of the city of Cologne, and Adalgisel, duke, to govern the palace and the kingdom. Giving over a treasury sufficient for his son, he exalted him fittingly, as was proper, to this summit, and decreed that whatever had been bestowed upon him should be strengthened one by one by precepts. Thereafter, by their zeal the men of Austrasia are known to have usefully defended the frontier and the kingdom of the Franks against the Winidi.
And all the princes and bishops of the Austrasians, and the other leudes of Sigibert, placing their hands besides, confirmed by oaths that Neustria and Burgundy, with their order consolidated, should pertain to the kingdom of Chlodoveus after the departure of Dagobert; but Austrasia likewise, with its order consolidated, because it was equal both in people and in extent of land, ought to pertain to the kingdom of Sigibert and to be regarded whole; and whatever long had belonged to the kingdom of the Austrasians, King Sigibert would receive to be held under his dominion and would have to rule perpetually, except the duchy of Dentelin, which (that is, which) had been unjustly taken from the Austrasians, should again be joined to the Neustrians and be subjected to the government of Chlodoveus. But the Austrasians, compelled by the terror of Dagobert, appeared to have confirmed these pacts whether willing or not. Which afterwards it is clear were preserved in the times of Kings Sigibert and Chlodoveus.
LXXVII. Radulfus dux illius Chamari, quem Dagobertus Thoringiae ducem instituit, pluribus vicibus cum exercitu Winidorum dimicans, eosque victos vertit in fugam. Hujus victoriae superbia elatus, et contra Adalgiselum ducem diversis occasionibus inimicitias tendens, paulatim contra Sigibertum jam tunc coeperat rebellare.
77. Radulf, duke of that Chamari, whom Dagobert appointed duke of Thuringia, fighting on several occasions with the army of the Winidi and routing them, turned them to flight. Raised by the pride of this victory, and by fostering enmities on various occasions against Duke Adalgiselus, he had by that time gradually begun to rebel against Sigibert.
AN. DCXXXV. LXXVIII. Anno 14 regni Dagoberti, cum Wascones fortiter rebellarent, et multas praedas in regno Francorum, quod Charibertus tenuerat, facerent, Dagobertus de universo regno Burgundiae exercitum promovere jubet, statuens eis caput exercitus, nomine Chadoindum, referendarium, qui temporibus Theuderici quondam regis multis praeliis probabatur strenuus; qui cum decem ducibus cum exercitibus, id est, Arimbertus, Amalgarius, Leudebertus, Wandalmarus, Waldericus, Ermenus, Barontus, Chairaardus ex genere Francorum, Chramnelenus ex genere Romano, Wilibadus patricius ex genere Burgundionum, Aigyna ex genere Saxonum, exceptis comitibus plurimis, qui ducem super se non habebant, in Wasconia cum exercitu perrexissent, et tota Wasconiae patria ab exercitu Burgundiae fuisset repleta, Wascones de inter montium rupibus egressi ad bellum properant.
AN. 635. 78. In the 14th year of the reign of Dagobert, when the Wascones were boldly rebelling and making many plunderings in the kingdom of the Franks, which Charibert had held, Dagobert ordered an army to be advanced from the whole kingdom of Burgundy, appointing as head of the army a man named Chadoindus, a referendary, who in the times of the once king Theuderic had been proved valiant in many battles; who, having gone into Wasconia with ten dukes with their forces, that is, Arimbertus, Amalgarius, Leudebertus, Wandalmarus, Waldericus, Ermenus, Barontus, Chairaardus of the Frankish stock, Chramnelenus of the Roman stock, Wilibadus the patrician of the Burgundian stock, Aigyna of the Saxon stock, excepting many counts who had no duke over them, and when the whole land of Wasconia had been filled by the army of Burgundy, the Wascones issuing forth from among the crags of the mountains hastened to war.
And when they had begun to fight, as is their custom, turning their backs, while they perceived that they were about to be overcome, they fled into the gorges of the valleys and the Pyrenean mountains, giving themselves refuge and placing themselves in the most secure spots among the crags of those same mountains they lurked. The army following behind them with its leaders, having a very great number of Wascon captives overcome, and with many of these slain, plundered all their houses, their peculia [Al., pecuniis] and goods. Finally the Wascones, oppressed or subdued, seeking pardon and peace from the above‑named dukes, promise that they will present themselves to the presence of King Dagobert, and be delivered to his dominion, and fulfil all things enjoined by him.
Happily this army would have been restored to the fatherland without any loss, if Arimbertus the dux, especially with the elders and the more noble men of his army, had not by negligence been killed by the Wascones in the valley Subola y. The army of the Franks, which had advanced from Burgundy into Wasconia, with victory obtained [Al., parta] returned to their own seats. Dagobert, residing at Clippiacum, sends envoys into Britain that the Britons, who had acted ill, might quickly amend and surrender themselves to his dominion; otherwise the army of Burgundy, which had been in Wasconia, ought immediately to have burst into the Britains.
Hearing this, Judacaile, king of the Britons, swiftly rode to Clippiacum with many gifts to Dagobert, and there seeking pardon, he pledged that all things which pertained to his kingdom of Britain that the leudes of the Franks had illicitly committed should be corrected; and he promised moreover that he himself and the kingdom which he ruled, Britain, would be subject to the dominion of Dagobert and the kings of the Franks. Yet he would not sit down with Dagobert at the table or at the meal, because Judacaile was religious and greatly fearing God. And when Dagobert had taken his seat at dinner, Judacaile, coming forth from the palace to the mansion of Dadon the referendary, whom he had known to follow the holy religion, went to the meal; and then on the morrow King Judacaile of the Britons, having bid Dagobert farewell, returned to Britain.
AN. DCXXXVI. Anno 15 regni Dagoberti, Wascones omnes seniores terrae illius cum Aiginane duce ad Dagobertum Clippiacum venerunt, ibique in ecclesia domni Dionysii regio timore perterriti confugium fecerunt. Clementia Dagoberti vitam habent indultam: ibique sacramentis Wascones firmantes, simul et promittentes se omni tempore Dagoberto et filiis suis, regnoque Francorum fideles fore, quod more solito, sicut saepe fecerant, posthac probavit eventus.
AN. 636. In the 15th year of the reign of Dagobert, all the elders of that land, the Wascones, came with Aiginane their duke to Dagobert Clippiacus, and there in the church of Lord Dionysius, terrified by the royal fear, they sought refuge. By the clemency of Dagobert they were granted life: and there, by oaths confirming the Wascones, and at the same time promising that they would at all times be faithful to Dagobert and his sons and to the kingdom of the Franks, which, as was their custom and as they had often done, subsequent events proved.
After a few days, when he felt the peril of his life, he ordered Aegana to come to him swiftly, committing Queen Nantechild and his son Chlodoveus into his hand; feeling that he would soon depart, he found Aegana’s counsel very pleasing, since by his urgency he could vigorously govern the kingdom. These things done, after a few days Dagobert gave up the spirit, and was buried in the church of Saint Denis, which he had previously worthily adorned with gold and gems, and many most precious ornaments, and had worthily ordered to be built around, seeking the precious patronage of that place. So great riches by the same, and many villas and possessions in very many places are gathered there, that he was admired by many.
He had ordered that psallentes there be established after the likeness of the monastery of the saints of Agaunum; but the affability of Abbot Aigulf is known to have resisted that same institution. After Dagobert’s departure his son Chlodoveus, while of tender age, took up his father’s kingdom. And all the leudes of Neustria and Burgundy raised him at the villa Massolac into the kingship.
In the first year of the reign of Chlodoveus, the second, and with the third year of that same reign impending, he duly governs the palace and the kingdom. Aega, however, acting more prudently among the other chief magnates of Neustria, and imbued with the fullness of patience [Al.. of wisdom], was foremost above all. And he was noble of birth, abounding in resources, pursuing justice, learned in words, ready in replies; only he was by many blamed, because he was given to avarice.
LXXXI. Eo anno Constantinus imperator moritur. Constans filius ejus sub tenera aetate consilio senatus in imperio sublimatur.
81. In that year Emperor Constantine died. Constans, his son, while of tender age, by the counsel of the senate was raised to the imperial power.
For above all the whole empire was grievously worn down by the Saracens: even at last Emperor Constans, constrained and compelled, became tributary to the Saracens, so that even Constantinople with a few provinces and islands was reserved to their dominion. For about three years, and it is reported even longer, Constans filled the treasuries of the Saracens each day with a thousand solidi of gold. Finally, Constans, having resumed his forces and recovering the empire somewhat, refused to pay the tributes to the Saracens.
LXXXII. Eo anno Sintela rex Spaniae, qui Sisenando in regno successerat, defunctus est. Hujus filius, nomine Tulga, sub tenera aetate Spaniis petitione patris sublimatur in regno.
82. In that year Sintela, king of Spain, who had succeeded Sisenando in the kingdom, died. His son, named Tulga, while of tender age, was raised to the kingdom by the Spaniards at his father's petition.
The Gothic people are impatient whenever perchance no yoke is upon them. The youth of this Tulga corrupts all Spain in the usual fashion, committing various excessive insolences. At length one of the chiefs, named Chintasindus, with very many Gothic senators gathered and the rest of the people, is raised to the kingdom of Spain; who caused Tulga, degraded, to be tonsured to the burden of the clericate: and when he had established the whole kingdom of Spain under his rule, having learned the morbus [Al. more] of the Goths — that custom they had concerning the degrading of kings, in whose councils he had often been — he ordered that all those among them whom he had recognized as readily given to this vice against kings who had been expelled from the kingdom, as guilty, should be slain one by one, and others condemned to exile, and he delivered their wives and daughters with their goods to his faithful.
It is reported that, in repressing this vice among the primates of the Goths, two hundred were slain: of the mediocres he ordered five hundred to be killed. As long as Chintasindus the Goth had perceived this disease to be subdued, he did not cease to cut down with the sword those whom he held in suspicion. The Goths, however, being subdued by Chintasindus, dared nothing against him, as they were wont to take counsel concerning kings.
A few days earlier Ermenfredus, who had married the daughter of Aegana, killed Count Aenulf in the village of Albiodero at the marketplace. Because of this deed the most grievous plundering of his goods was carried out, by the order and permission of Nantechild, and overwhelmingly by Aenulf’s parents and by the people. Ermenfredus took refuge in Auster Remus at the basilica of Saint Remedius, and there for many days, avoiding this infestation and in fear for the realm, he remained.
LXXXIV. Post discessum Aeganae Erchinoaldus major domus, qui consanguineus fuerat de genitrice Dagoberti, major domus palatii Chlodovei efficitur. Eratque homo patiens, bonitate plenus, cum esset patiens et cautus, humilitate et benigna voluntate circa sacerdotes, omnibusque patienter et benigne respondens, nullaque tumens superbia, neque cupiditate saeviebat: tantum in suo tempore pacem sectans fuit, ut Deo esset placibile.
84. After the departure of Aegana, Erchinoaldus, the major-domo, who was a maternal kinsman of Dagobert, was made mayor of the palace of Chlodovei. He was a patient man, full of goodness; being both patient and cautious, humble and of kindly goodwill toward the priests, answering all things patiently and kindly, swelling with no pride, nor raging from covetousness: seeking peace only in his time, so that he was pleasing to God.
He was wise, and above all of the greatest simplicity, measuredly enriched in affairs, and beloved by all. Therefore, after the passing of King Dagobert, in what order the same treasure was divided among the sons I will not omit; but, the order having been made clear, I will see to it that it be inserted into this volume.
LXXXV. Cum Pippinus major domus, post Dagoberti obitum, et caeteri duces Austrasiorum, qui usque in transitu Dagoberti suae fuerant ditioni retenti, Sigibertum unanimi conspiratione expetiissent, Pippinus cum Chuniberto, sicut et prius amicitiae cultu in invicem collocati fuerant, et nuper sicut et prius amicitia vehementer se firmiter perpetuo conservanda obligant, omnesque leudes Austrasiorum secum uterque prudenter, et cum dulcedine attrahentes, eos benigne gubernantes, eorum amicitiam constringunt, semperque servant. Igitur discurrentibus legatis, partem Sigiberto debitam de thesauris Dagoberti Nantechildae reginae et Chlodoveo regi a Sigiberto requiritur, ad quod reddendum placitus instituitur.
85. When Pippin, mayor of the palace, after Dagobert’s death, and the other chiefs of the Austrasians, who had until the passing of Dagobert been held in his dominion, had by unanimous conspiracy sought Sigibert, Pippin with Chunibert, as before placed in mutual bonds of friendship, and lately as formerly by that same friendship vehemently obliged themselves to preserve it firmly and perpetually, and each prudently and with sweetness drew all the leudes of the Austrasians to his side, governing them kindly, bound them into their friendship and always kept them. Therefore, with envoys dispatched, the share due to Sigibert from the treasures of Dagobert is demanded from Queen Nantechilda and King Chlodoveo, and a placitum is appointed for its restitution.
Chunibertus, bishop of the city of Cologne, and Pippinus, mayor of the palace, with some leading men of Austrasia, having been sent by Sigibert, reached the villa Compendium, and there the treasure of Dagobert, by the command of Nantechilda and Chlodoveus, at the insistence of Aeganus the major-domo was produced and divided by the even balance: yet a third part, of what Dagobert had acquired, was received by Queen Nantechilda. Chunibertus and Pippinus caused that part which belonged to Sigibert to be brought to Metz; it was presented to Sigibert and described. But after the circuit of a year Pippinus died, and his passing produced no small sorrow throughout Austrasia, because he had been beloved by them for the practice of justice and his goodness.
LXXXVI. Otto quidam filius Uronis domestici, qui bajulus Sigiberti ab adolescentia fuerat, contra Grimoaldum superbia tumens, et zelum ducens, eumque despicere conaretur. Grimoaldus cum Chuniberto pontifice se in amicitiam constringens, coeperat cogitare quo ordine Otto de palatio ejiceretur, et gradum patris Grimoaldus assumeret.
86. Otto, a certain son of Uro the domestic, who had been Sigibert’s attendant from youth, swelling then with pride and bearing a zeal, strove to despise Grimoald. Grimoald, binding himself in friendship with Chunibert the pontiff, began to consider in what order Otto should be expelled from the palace, and how he might assume his father’s rank.
An. DCXL. LXXXVII. Cumque anno 8 Sigibertus regnaret, et Radulfus dux Thoringiae vehementer Sigiberto rebellare disposuisset, jussu Sigiberti omnes leudes Austrasiorum in exercitu gradiendum banniti sunt Sigibertus Rhenum cum exercitu transiens, gentes undique de universis regni sui pagis ultra Rhenum cum ipso adunatae sunt.
In the year 640. 87. And when Sigibert was reigning in his eighth year, and Radulf duke of Thuringia had determined vehemently to rebel against Sigibert, by Sigibert’s command all the leudes of the Austrasians were proscribed to march in the army; Sigibert crossing the Rhine with his army, peoples from every quarter of all the pagi of his kingdom beyond the Rhine were gathered together with him.
First, in the place he struck down the son of Chrodoald, named Farum, who had held counsel united with Radulf, he broke Sigibert’s army by slaughter, and killed him; and they assign all the people of this Farum who escaped the sword to captivity. And all the leading men and the army, giving right hands to one another so that no one would grant life to Radulf, made this vow, yet this promise did not produce effect. Sigibert then, crossing into Buchonia with the army, hastened into Thuringia.
Seeing these things, Radulfus, having built a castle fortified with timber on a certain hill above the river Unestrude in Thoringia, gathering an army from every quarter as much as he could, settled there with his wife and children to defend himself: and there Sigibertus, coming with the army of his kingdom, besieged the castle on all sides with his forces; Radulfus, however, prepared resolutely for battle within, remained seated. But this engagement was begun without counsel. It was the youth of King Sigibertus that brought this about, since some on the same day wished to proceed to war and others on the next day, and they did not hold a united plan.
Grimoaldus and Adalegiselus, leaders. Seeing these things, zealous for Sigibert's peril, they guard him on all sides without intermission. Bobo, duke of the Arverni, with part of Adalegisel's army, and Aenovalus, count of Sogiontensis, with his countrymen, and many other bands of the army, straightway proceeded to fight against Radulf at the gate of the castle.
Radulfus, having the confidence of some leaders of Sigibert’s army because they had not wished to rush upon him with force, burst forth from the castle by the gate and, rushing upon Sigibert’s army with his men, wrought so great a slaughter of Sigibert’s forces by Radulfus and his men that it was astonishing. The Magancenses were not faithful in this battle. It is reported that very many thousands of men were there slain by the sword.
Radulfus, victory having been achieved, entered the camp. Sigibertus, seized by a deep bitter sorrow, sitting upon his horse and bursting into tears, bewailed those whom he had lost: and Bobo [Al., Bodo] the duke, and Aenovallaus the count, and the other noble and very brave fighters, and indeed very many bands of the army of King Sigibert, who had together with them in the clash of battle made the attack, were slaughtered in this engagement, while Sigibert looked on. For even Fredulfus the domestic, who was said also to have been a friend of Radulf’s, fell in this fight.
Sigibertus that same night did not remain far from the castle itself in tents with his army. On the next day, seeing that they had prevailed nothing against Radulfus, having sent runners that they might cross the Rhine peacefully again, Sigibertus and his army, by agreement with Radulfus, returned to their own homes. Radulfus, lifted up by pride, counted himself to be king in Thuringia, strengthening friendships with the Winidi and binding the other neighboring peoples by ties of amity.
An. DCXLI. LXXXIX. Anno 4 regni Chlodovei, cumque Nantechildis regina cum filio suo Chlodoveo rege, post discessum Aeganae, Aurelianis in Burgundiae regnum venisset, ibique omnes seniores, pontifices, duces et primates de regno Burgundiae ad se venire praecepit: ibique cunctos Nantechildis singillatim attrahens, Flaochatus, genere Francus, major domus in regnum Burgundiae, electione pontificum et cunctorum ducum, a Nantechilde regina in hunc gradum honoris nobiliter stabilitur, neptemque suam, nomine Ragnobertam Flaochato desponsavit: sponsalia haec nescio qua factione fiuntur.
An. 641. 89. In the 4th year of the reign of Chlodoveus, when Queen Nantechildis with her son King Chlodoveus, after the departure of Aegana, had come to Aurelianis into the kingdom of Burgundy, there she commanded that all the elders, pontiffs, dukes and primates of the kingdom of Burgundy come to her: and there, drawing all to her singly, Flaochatus, of Frankish stock, major domus in the kingdom of Burgundy, by the election of the pontiffs and of all the dukes, was nobly established by Queen Nantechilde in this grade of honour, and she betrothed her niece, named Ragnoberta, to Flaochatus: these betrothals occur by some faction, I know not which.
For Flaochatus and Queen Nantechildis secretly devised another plan, which is believed not to have been pleasing to God, and therefore did not attain its effect. And when Erchinoaldus and Flaochatus, mayors of the palace, had entered into a counsel between themselves as if one, consenting to one another, offering this degree of honor as mutual consolation, they arranged to hold it prosperously. Flaochatus confirmed by letter, and even by oaths, to all the dukes of the kingdom of Burgundy, and likewise to the bishops, that each should forever preserve his degree of honor and dignity, or friendship.
XC. Willebadus cum esset opibus abundans, et plurimorum facultates ingeniis diversis abstollens, ditatus inclyte fuisset, et inter patriciatus gradum, et nimiarum facultatum elationem superbiae esset deditus, adversus Flaochatum tumebat, eumque despicere conabatur. Flaochatus collectis secum pontificibus et ducibus de regno Burgundiae, Cabillono pro utilitate patriae tractandum mense Madio placitum instituit. Ibique et Willebadus multitudinem secum habens advenit.
90. Willebadus, being abundant in wealth, and by various devices depriving many of their faculties, had become renownedly rich, and, given over to the proud exaltation of patrician rank and of excessive means, he was swelling up against Flaochatus and strove to despise him. Flaochatus, having gathered with him bishops and dukes of the kingdom of Burgundy, instituted a meeting to be held at Cabillonum in the month of May to be treated for the utility of the fatherland. And there Willebadus also arrived, having a multitude with him.
Amalbertus, however, the brother of Flaochatus, intervening to make peace, where they by now would have had to clash in the meeting of contest, Willebadus, holding Amalbertus with him, escaped from this peril. With the intervening and other persons interposing, they were separated uninjured. Flaochatus thereafter entered upon a vehement plan for the death of Willehad.
That year Queen Nantechildis died. In that same year, in the month of September, Flaochatus, with King Chlodoveus, and Erchinoald, likewise major domus, and some Neustrian chiefs, advancing from the Parisian region through Senonas and Antissiodorum, came to Augustudunum; and there Chlodoveus ordered the patrician Willebadus to come to him. Willebadus, seeing the unjust plot of Flaochatus and of his brother Amalbert, and of the dukes Amalgarius and Chramnelen, conceived to be laid against his destruction, gathering with him a very great multitude from the bounds of his patriciate, and also the pontiffs, or nobles, and strong men whom he could muster, seized the road for the march to Augustudunum.
To meet them, sent by King Chlodoveus, Erchinoald the mayor of the palace, and Flaochatus, Ermenric the domestic steers his course, because Willebadus was in doubt whether to advance or, by avoiding danger, to retrace his way to his own; so that, being anticipated by Ermenric’s promises, he should go as far as Augustudunum, whom he, believing, honored with fitting [Al., dignis] gifts. He came up behind him to Augustudunum, and there pitched his tents with his men not far from the town. On the same day on which he had arrived there, he had sent Aigilulf, bishop of the city of Valentia, and Gyso, a count, to foresee what was being done at Augustudunum, who were detained in the town by Flaochatus.
On the next day Elaochatus, Amalgarius and Chramnelenus, who had unanimously conspired the counsel for Willebadus’s destruction, hastening them out of the city of Augustudunum, and the other leaders from the kingdom of Burgundy with an army were joined to them. Erchinoald, with the Neustrians whom he had with him, likewise taking up arms, set himself against them for this war. Willebadus, on the other hand, constructing the weapons of battle, gathered together whoever he could; both phalanxes were joined in the encounter of combat for the fight: in that battle Flaochatus, Amalgarius and Chramnelenus, and likewise Wandelbertus, leaders with their men, clashed in combat to fight against Willebadus.
For the other leaders, even the Neustrians, who on every side ought to have surrounded them, holding themselves back looked on, awaiting the outcome, and would not rush upon Willebadus; and there Willebadus is killed: very many of his men are slaughtered with him by the sword. In that contest, first against the others clashed Bertharius, comes palatii, a Frank from the pagus Ultra-Jurano, against Willebadus. Against whom snarling Manaulfus Burgundio, issuing forth from among the others with his men to fight against Bertharius; Bertharius, because he had earlier been a friend to him, saying: "Come under my shield, I will free you from this peril."
And when he had raised his shield to free him, Manaulfus, striking Bertharius in the breast with a staff, and the others who had come with him, surrounding him because Bertharius had gone too far ahead of the rest, Bertharius was grievously wounded. Then Aubedo, son of Bertharius, seeing his father in danger of death, hastened with very swift running to aid his father. Manaulfus, struck in the breast by the staff, fell to the ground; he cut down the others who had struck his father and slew them all.
Thus Bertharius freed his father Bertharius from death, as a faithful son, the Lord assisting. Those leaders, however, who with their army had not wished to fall upon Willebadus, by plundering the tents of Willebadus, of the bishops, and of the others who had come with him, took there very much gold and silver; and other goods and horses [Al., equis] were seized from those who had not wished to fight. These things done, Flaochatus, on the next day advancing from Augustodunum, proceeded to Cabillonum.
Having entered the town, the town on the next day by some chance I do not know is largely consumed by fire. Flaochatus, struck by the judgment of God, tormented by fever, is placed in a skiff and carried by ship down the river Arar, which is also called Saoconna [Al., Sagonna], hastening toward Latona; on the journey, on the eleventh day after Willebadus’s death, he breathed his last; and he was buried in the church of Saint Benignus in the suburb of Dijon. It is believed by many that these two, Flaochatus and Willebadus, because they had given many mutual oaths in places of the Saints to bind their friendship, and each had unjustly oppressed the peoples subject to them by impulse of avarice, and at the same time had stripped them of their goods, were liberated by the judgment of God from the oppression of them by a very great multitude, and that the treachery and lies of them caused each to perish.
XCI. Igitur Chlodoveus filius Dagoberti exgenere alienigenarum reginam accipiens, nomine Baldechildem, prudentem atque elegantem, genuit ex ea filios tres, Chlotharium, Childericum et Theodoricum: habebatque majorem domus palatii virum strenuum atque sapientem, nomine Erchanwaldum. Chlodoveus itaque in regno pacem habuit absque bello.
91. Thus Chlodoveus, son of Dagobert, taking as wife a queen of foreign birth named Baldechild, prudent and elegant, begot by her three sons, Chlothar, Childeric, and Theodoric; and he had as chief of the palace a vigorous and wise man named Erchanwald. Chlodoveus therefore had peace in his kingdom without war.
XCIV. Eo tempore Franci adversus Ebruinum insidias praeparant; contra Theodoricum insurgunt, eumque a regno dejiciunt: crines capitis ejus abscindentes totonderunt, Ebruinumque et ipsum tondunt, et in Burgundiam Luxovium monasterium invitum dirigunt. Propter Childericum in Auster legationem mittunt; una cum Wolfaldo duce venientem, eumque super cunctum regnum suscipiunt.
94. At that time the Franks prepare ambushes against Ebruinus; they rise up against Theodoric and depose him from the kingdom: cutting off the hair of his head they shear him entirely, and they shave Ebruinus himself as well, and unwillingly send him to the monastery Luxovium in Burgundy. On account of Childeric they send an embassy to the south; he coming together with Duke Wolfald, they receive him as ruler over the whole kingdom.
XCV. Erat enim ipse Childericus rex levis atque citatus nimis, gentem Francorum in seditionem mittens, et in scandalum ac derisum; donec odium non modicum inte ipsos crevit usque ad scandalum et ruinam. Quo ingravescente unum Francum nobilem, nomine Bodilonem, ad stipitem tensum caedere contra legem praecipit.
95. For Childeric himself was a light and too hasty king, casting the people of the Franks into sedition, and into scandal and derision; until no small hatred grew even against them to scandal and ruin. As this increased, he commanded one noble Frank, named Bodilon, to be struck down at the stake when bound, contrary to law.
AN. DCLXXIII. Memoratus Bodilo super eum cum reliquis quamplurimis surrexit insidiaturis, et regem in Lauchonia silva, una cum regina ejus praegnante, nomine Bilihilde, quod dici dolor est, interfecit. Vulfoaldus quoque per fugam lapsus evasit, et in Auster reversus est.
AN. 673. The aforesaid Bodilo, together with very many others lying in ambush, rose up against him and killed the king in the Lauchonia wood, together with his queen, pregnant, named Bilihilde, which is a sorrow to tell. Vulfoaldus likewise, slipping away in flight, escaped and returned to the South.
XCVI. Ebruinus audiens has dissensiones, consilio accepto, Francos invicem discordantes, convocatis in auxilium sociis, personis quam plurimis, eum multo comitatu exercituum, a Luxovio coenobio egressus in Franciam regreditur, usque Isram fluvium veniens peraccessit, custodes dormientes interfecit ad Sanctam Maxentiam, atque Isram fluvium transiens, quos ibi invenit de insidiatoribus suis occidit. Leudesius major domus una cum thesauris regis per fugam dilapsus evasit, a Bacivo villa evadens aufugit: ibique adveniente Ebruino, thesauros quos ibi reperit apprehendit.
96. Ebruinus, hearing these dissensions and with his plan adopted, the Franks being at odds among themselves, summoned allies for aid, as many persons as possible, and with a great retinue of armies, having departed from the monastery of Luxovium returned into Francia; coming as far as the Isara river he drew near, slew the sleeping guards at Saint Maxentia, and crossing the Isara river killed there those of his own ambushers whom he found. Leudesius, major domus, together with the king’s treasures, having slipped away in flight escaped, fleeing from the villa of Bacivus; and there, on Ebruinus’ arrival, he seized the treasures which he found there.
Thence departing, coming to the villa Criscecum in Pontio, he treacherously promises fidelity to Leudesius, feigning and deceiving him, a pact being made that, with an oath sworn, he would depart in peace. But Ebruinus, acting deceitfully as he was wont, preparing ambushes for his compatriot, killed Leudesius himself; King Theodoric was restored to the kingdom, and he himself shrewdly recovered his principality. He ordered that the holy bishop Leudegarius, having been cut by the most cruel torments, be slain by the sword.
With the kings dead and the princes entrusted to one another, Ebruino, Martinus and Pippinus are raised up to war against King Theoderic. With the army stirred they moved to the place called Locofao; meanwhile, the engaged forces joined battle, and there, fighting with great contest, a very large part of the people on both sides fell. Having been defeated with their companions Martinus and Pippinus slipped into flight; and Ebruino, having pursued them, wasted the greater part of that region.
Martinus therefore, having entered Lugdunum Clavatum, fortified himself within the walls of that city. And Ebruinus, pursuing him, coming to the villa Erchrecum, sent messengers to Lugdunum Clavatum, Aegilbertus and Reulum, bishop of the city of Reims, that, with faith promised and in uncertainty upon empty chests, they should give false sacraments. In this matter he, trusting them, having departed from Lugdunum Clavatum and coming to Erchrecum with his comrades and associates, was there slain with all his followers.
XCVIII. Ebruinus quoque magis atque profusius crudeliter Francos opprimebat, donec tandem aliquando Ermenfrido Franco minas parat, resque proprias tollere disponit. Consilio cum suis patrato, nocte collecta manu sociorum, per noctem super eum consurgens, Ebruinum interfecit.
98. Ebruinus moreover ever more and more lavishly and cruelly oppressed the Franks, until at last he prepared threats against Ermenfrid the Frank and arranged to seize his own estate; when the plan was accomplished with his men, having gathered a band at night and rising up against him during the night, they killed Ebruinus.
AN. DCLXXXII. Erat id temporis memorato Waradoni filius, valde efficax atque industrius, eruditus in consilio, qui vice patris curam palatii gerebat, nomine Gislemarus, qui ob nimiam calliditatem ac sagacitatem patrem ab honore proprio supplantavit. Quem sanctus Audoenus episcopus saepius ob hoc increpabat, ac subinde ut ad pacem vel patris indulgentiam remearet.
AN. 682. At that time the aforesaid Warado had a son, very efficacious and industrious, learned in counsel, who in the stead of his father bore the care of the palace, by name Gislemarus, who through excessive craftiness and sagacity supplanted his father from his proper honor. Whom Saint Audoenus the bishop often reproved for this, and repeatedly urged to return to peace or to his father's indulgence.
Who refused to hear, and remained in the hardness of heart. There were therefore many discords between Pippin and the aforesaid Gislemarus, very many civil wars. For at the castle Namugo, Gislemarus rising up against the enemy [That is, the army] of Duke Pippin, fraudulently having given a false oath, killed very many of their noble men.
At that same time Warado, aforesaid, the majordomo died. And he had a noble and vigorous matron, named Ansfledis, whose son‑in‑law, named Bercharius, undertook the honor of the major domus of the palace; and he was small of stature, moderate in intellect, fickle and swift, often scorning the friendship and counsels of the Franks. The Franks, indignant at this — Auderamnus, Reulus, and many others — abandoning Bercharius, were joined to Pippin by hostages, they knit friendships, and they incited against Bercharius even the remaining part of the Franks.
With Pippin prevailing with the Austrasians, King Theodoric with Bercharius took to flight; Pippin stood forth victorious, and having pursued them, subdued that region to himself. In the following time the same Bercharius was slain by flatterers, false friends, at the instigation of Ansflede the matron, his mother-in-law. After these things, however, Pippin, receiving King Theodoric with the treasures, and searching through all the house of the palace, returned to the Auster (the South).
CII. Pippinus contra Ratbodum ducem gentilem Frisionum gentis adversus alterutrum bellum intulerunt, castro Dorestate illic belligerantes invicem. Pippinus victor exstitit, fugatoque Ratbodo duce cum Frisionibus qui evaserant, idem Pippinus cum multis spoliis et praeda reversus est.
102. Pippin and Ratbodo, a gentile duke of the Frisian people, waged war against one another, fighting there at the castle Dorestad. Pippin proved victorious, and with Ratbodo driven off and the Frisians who had escaped routed, Pippin returned with many spoils and plunder.
CIII. Igitur praefatus Pippinus aliam duxit uxorem, nobilem et elegantem, nomine Alpheidam, ex qua genuit filium, vocavitque nomen ejus lingua propria Carlum, crevitque puer elegans, atque egregius effectus est.
103. Therefore the aforesaid Pippin took another wife, noble and comely, named Alpheidam, by whom he begot a son, and called his name in his own tongue Carl; the boy grew elegant, and became outstanding.
CIV. Mortuus est his diebus Childebertus rex, et sepultus Cauciaci in basilica sancti Stephani martyris. Regnavit autem annos sexdecim.
104. King Childebert died in these days, and was buried at Cauciaci in the basilica of Saint Stephen the martyr. He reigned for sixteen years.
AN. DCCXIV. Aegrotante quoque Pippino Iobii villa super Mosam fluvium, cum ad eum visitandum idem Grimoaldus venisset, cum ad orationem in basilica sancti Lantberti martyris processisset, a crudelissimo viro impio, Rantgario nomine, interfectus est. Posthaec Theudoaldus filius ejus parvulus, in loco ipsius cum praedicto rege Dagoberto major domus palatii effectus est.
AN. 714. While Pippin was also ill at the villa of Iobius on the river Meuse, and Grimoald had come to visit him, and when he had gone forward to prayer in the basilica of Saint Lantbert the martyr, he was slain by a most cruel, impious man named Rantgarius. After this his little son Theudoald was made mayor of the palace in his stead, together with the aforesaid king Dagobert.
After his death likewise Plectrudis the matron above-mentioned, by her counsel and governance, carried on all things. At length the Franks, mutually turned to sedition, their counsel having been of no avail, with battle joined in the Coatian wood, against Theudoald, and the leudes once of Pippin, and Grimoald, entered into combat. And there a vast army collapsed.
CV. Eodem tempore tunc elegerunt in honorem majoris domatus quemdam Francum, nomine Raganfridum ; commotoque exercitu hostili usque Mosam fluvium properant, cuncta vastantes. Cum Radbodo duce foedus inierunt. His diebus Carlus dux a praefata femina Plechtrude sub custodia detentus, Dei auxilio liberatus est.
105. At the same time they then chose in honor of the mayor of the palace a certain Frank, named Raganfrid; and, with the hostile army stirred up, they hastened as far as the river Meuse, devastating all things. They entered into a treaty with Radbod as leader. In these days Duke Charles, held in custody by the afore‑said woman Plectrude, was by God's aid freed.
The Franks, moreover, established Danihel, once a cleric, in the kingdom as the imperial headship grew, and called him Chilperic. At a subsequent time they marshalled an army and directed it against the aforesaid Charles. On the other hand, the same men invited Radbod as leader when the enemy (that is, the army) of the Frisians was coming.
Against whom the aforesaid man Charlemagne, rising with his exercitus, engaged in combat mutually; but there he suffered no small loss of valiant and noble men, and, seeing his army harmed, he turned his back. Chilperic afterwards and Raganfrid, with a hostile plebe having been gathered, crossed the Arduenna wood, and from another quarter, Radbod waiting as duke, with his exercitus up to the city of Colonia on the Rhine River arrived, laying waste those regions alike. Having received many gifts and treasures from the aforesaid Plechtrude, they returned.
AN DCCXVII. Bellum inierunt die Dominica in Quadragesima, duodecima Kalendas Aprilis, in loco nuncupato Vinciaco, in pago Cameracensi, nimia caede invicem collisi sunt. Chilpericus et Raganfridus devicti, in fugam lapsi terga vertentes evaserunt, quos Carlus persecutus, usque Parisios civitatem properavit.
AN 717. A battle was joined on Sunday in Lent, the twelfth day before the Kalends of April, in the place called Vinciaco, in the district of Cambrai; they clashed with one another with great slaughter. Chilpericus and Raganfridus, defeated, fell into flight and turned their backs and escaped, whom Carlus, having pursued, pressed on as far as the city of Paris.
CVII. Deinde Coloniam urbem reversus, ipsam civitatem cepit reseratam: praefata Plechtrudis thesauros patris sui ei reddidit, et cuncta suo dominio restituit.
107. Then, having returned to the city of Colonium (Cologne), he took the city itself reopened: the afore‑said Plechtrudis restored to him her father’s treasures, and returned all things to his dominion.
CVIII. Per idem tempus rebellantibus Saxonibus, Carlus princeps veniens eos praeoccupavit ac debellavit, victorque revertitur.
108. At the same time, with the Saxons rebelling, Prince Charles came and took them by surprise and routed them, and returned victorious.
AN. DCCXXV. Succiduis diebus, evoluto anni circulo, coadunata agminum multitudine, Rhenum fluvium transiit, Alamannosque et Suavos lustrat, usque Danubium peraccessit, illoque transmeato, fines Baioarenses occupavit. Subacta regione illa, thesauris multis cum matrona quadam, nomine Bilitrude, et nepte sua Sonichilde, regreditur.
AN. 725. In successive days, the circle of the year having been completed, and with a multitude of mustered troops, he crossed the river Rhine, inspected the Alamanni and the Suevi, advanced as far as the Danube, and there having crossed, occupied the Baioarenses borders. That region subdued, with many treasures and with a certain matron named Bilitrude and her niece Sonichilde, he returned.
AN. DCCXXXI. Per idem tempus Eudone duce a jure foederis recedente, quo comperto per internuntios, Carlus princeps, commoto exercitu, Ligerem fluvium transiens, ipso duce Eudone fugato, praeda multa sublata, bis eo anno ab his hostibus populata, iterum remeatur ad propria. Eudo namque dux cernens se superatum atque derisum, gentem perfidam Sarracenorum ad auxilium contra Carlum principem et gentem Francorum excitavit; egressique cum rege suo.
AN. 731. At the same time, Eudo, the duke, having withdrawn from the right of the treaty — which having been discovered by messengers — Charles the prince, moved by his army, crossing the Liger (Loire) river, routed Duke Eudo himself, seized much booty, and, the region having been plundered by those enemies twice that year, returned again to his own. For Eudo the duke, seeing himself overcome and derided, stirred up the treacherous people of the Saracens to come to aid against Charles the prince and the Frankish people; and they went forth with their king.
By the name Abdirama, they crossed the Garonne, reached the city of Bordeaux, with churches consumed by fire and peoples destroyed, advanced as far as Poitiers, where the basilica of Saint Hilary, burned with fire — which it is painful to say — they destined to overturn the house of the most blessed Martin.
AN. DCCXXXIII. Contra quos Carlus princeps audacter aciem instruit, super eosque belligerator irruit, Christo auxiliante, tentoria eorum subvertit, ad praelium stragem conterendam accurrit, interfectoque rege eorum, Abdirama nomine, prostravit exercitum, proterens, dimicavit atque devicit; sicque victor de hostibus triumphavit.
AN. 733. Against whom Prince Carlus boldly drew up his line of battle and rushed upon them as a warrior, Christ aiding; he overturned their tents, hastened to the fight to crush the slaughter, and with their king, called Abdirama, slain, he laid their army low, routed, fought and vanquished; and thus the victor triumphed over the enemies.
AN. DCCXXXII. CIX. Procedente alioquin anno sequente, egregius bellator Carlus princeps regionem Burgundiae sagaciter penetravit, fines regni illius Leudibus suis probatissimis, viris industriis, ad resistendum gentibus rebellibus et infidelibus statuit, pace patrata, Lugdunum Galliae suis fidelibus tradidit.
AN. 732. 109. In the following year, the distinguished warrior Prince Charles sagaciously penetrated the region of Burgundy, and established the bounds of that kingdom with his most approved Leudes, industrious men, to resist the rebellious and unbelieving peoples; peace having been secured, he entrusted Lugdunum of Gaul to his faithful men.
AN. DCCXXXV. In illis quippe diebus Eudo dux mortuus est. Haec audiens praefatus princeps Carlus, inito consilio procerum suorum, denuo Ligerem fluvium transiit, usque Garonnam vel urbem Burdegalensem, vel castrum Blaviam veniens occupavit, illamque regionem cepit ac subjugavit cum urbibus ac suburbanis castrorum.
AN. 735. In those days, indeed, Duke Eudo died. Hearing this, the aforesaid prince Carlus, having taken counsel with his leading men, again crossed the river Liger, came as far as the Garonne or the city of Burdegalensem, or the castle Blavia, and seized and occupied it, and took and subjugated that region with its towns and outlying castles.
Ab Adam, vel initio saeculi usque diluvium anni MMCCXLII; a diluvio usque Abraham, anni DCCCCXLII; ab Abraham usque ad Moysen, anni DV; a Moyse ad Salomonem usque, anni CCCCLXXXIX ; a Salomone usque reaedificationem templi, temporibus Darii regis Persarum, anni DXII; a restauratione templi usque adventum Domini nostri Jesu Christi, anni DXLVIII.
From Adam, or the beginning of the age, until the flood, years 2242; from the flood until Abraham, years 942; from Abraham until Moses, years 505; from Moses until Solomon, years 489; from Solomon until the rebuilding of the temple, in the times of Darius king of the Persians, years 512; from the restoration of the temple until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, years 548.
AN. DCCXXXIII. Itemque quod superius praetermisimus. In gentem dirissimam maritimam Frisionum nimis crudeliter rebellantem, praefatus princeps audacter navali evectione properat, certatim ad mare ingressus, navium copia adunata, Wistrachiam et Austrachiam, insulas Frisionum penetravit, super Burdine fluvium castra ponens; Poponem gentilem, ducem illorum, fraudulentum consiliarium interfecit, exercitum Frisionum prostravit; fana eorum idololatriae contrivit, atque combussit igni.
AN. 733. And likewise that which we omitted above. Into the most savage maritime people of the Frisians, too cruelly rebellious, the aforesaid prince boldly hastened by naval conveyance; eagerly entering toward the sea, with a gathered array of ships he penetrated Wistrachia and Austrachia, the islands of the Frisians, placing his camp above the river Burdine; he killed Popo the gentil (a pagan), their leader and a fraudulent counsellor, routed the Frisian army; he broke their temples of idolatry and burned them with fire.
ANNO DCCXXXIII. Itaque sagacissimus vir Carolus dux, commoto exercitu, ad partes Burgundiae dirigit, Lugdunum Galliae urbem, majores natu atque praefectos ejusdem provinciae suae ditioni reipublicae subjugavit; usque Massiliensem urbem, vel Arelatum suis judicibus constituit; cum magnis thesauris et muneribus in Francorum regnum remeavit in sedem principatus sui.
ANNO 733. And therefore the very sagacious man Charles, duke, having mustered his army, directed it to the parts of Burgundy, and Lugdunum of Gaul the city he brought under his rule, and he subjected the elders by age and the prefects of that same province to his dominion; as far as the city Massilian, or Arelate, he appointed his own judges; with great treasures and gifts he returned into the kingdom of the Franks to the seat of his principality.
AN. DCCXXXVIII. Itemque rebellantibus Saxonibus paganissimis, qui ultra Rhenum fluvium consistunt, strenuus vir Carolus dux commoto exercitu Francorum in loco ubi Lippia fluvius Rhenum amnem ingreditur, sagaci intentione transmeavit. Maxima ex parte regionem illam dirissimam stravit, gentemque illam saevissimam ex parte tributarios esse praecepit, atque quamplures obsides ab eis accepit; sicque, opitulante Domino, victor remeavit ad propria.
AN. 738. And moreover, the most pagan Saxons rebelling, who stand beyond the river Rhine, the valiant duke Charles, with the army of the Franks raised, crossed over with a sagacious design at the place where the river Lippia enters the stream of the Rhine. For the most part he laid waste that exceedingly harsh region, and commanded that that most savage people be in part tributary, and received very many hostages from them; thus, with the Lord aiding, he returned victorious to his own possessions.
AN. DCCXXXVI. Denuo rebellante gente validissima Ismahelitarum, quos modo Sarracenos vocabulo corrupto nuncupant, irrumpentesque Rhodanum fluvium, insidiantibus infidelibus hominibus sub dolo et fraude Mauronto quodam cum sociis suis, Avenionem urbem munitissimam ac montuosam, ipsi Sarraceni, collecto hostili agmine, ingrediuntur; illisque rebellantibus ea regio vastata.
AN. 736. With the very powerful nation of the Ishmaelites rebelling again — whom, by a corrupted appellation, they now call the Saracens — and, bursting across the Rhone river, and with the unbelieving men lying in ambush by the deceit and fraud of a certain Maurontius with his companions, the Saracens themselves, having gathered a hostile host, entered the very strongly fortified and mountainous city of Avignon; and that region was laid waste by those rebels.
AN. DCCXXXVII. At contra vir egregius Carolus dux germanum suum, virum industrium, Childebrandum ducem, cum reliquis ducibus et comitibus, illis partibus cum apparatu hostili dirigit; quique praepropere ad eamdem urbem pervenientes tentoria instruunt. Undique ipsum oppidum et suburbana praeoccupant, munitissimam civitatem obsident, aciem instruunt, donec insecutus vir belligerator Carolus praedictam urbem aggreditur, muros circumdat, castra ponit, obsidionem coacervat, in modum Hiericho cum strepitu hostium et sonitu tubarum, cum machinis et restium funibus super muros et aedium moenia irruunt, urbem munitissimam ingredientes succendunt, hostes inimicos suos capiunt, interficientes trucidant atque prosternunt, et in suam ditionem efficaciter restituunt.
AN. 737. But contrariwise the distinguished man Charles the duke directs his brother, the industrious man Childebrand the duke, with the remaining dukes and counts to those parts with hostile apparatus; and they, arriving very swiftly at the same town, pitch their tents. From all sides they preoccupy the town itself and the suburbs, besiege the very strongly fortified city, draw up their battle-line, until the warlike man Charles, having followed, attacks the aforesaid city, surrounds the walls, pitches camp, accumulates the siege; in the manner of Jericho, with the tumult of enemies and the sound of trumpets, with engines and ropes of nets they rush upon the walls and the ramparts of the buildings, entering they set the strongly fortified city on fire, take their hostile enemies, killing, slaughtering and prostrating them, and effectively restore it into their dominion.
Victor therefore and distinguished warrior, the intrepid Carolus crossed the Rhodanus river with his army, penetrated the bounds of the Goths, proceeded as far as Narbonese Gaul, and besieged that very celebrated city and their metropolis: upon the Adice river he constructed a fortification in a ring in the manner of rams, shut up the king of the Saracens, by name Athima, with his satellites there, and ranged his camps on every side. Hearing this, the elders and princes of the Saracens, who were dwelling at that time in the region of Hispania, with the enemy army gathered together and with another king named Amor, manfully armed with engines against Carolus, rise up and prepare for battle; against whom the aforesaid duke Carolus the triumphant met them, upon the river Birra and in the valley Corbaria Palatio; and with them mutually clashing, the Saracens, defeated and prostrate, seeing their king slain, fled and turned their backs. Those who had escaped, desiring to get away by naval conveyance, swam in a coastal pool of the sea, for they leapt upon one another in mutual exertion.
Soon the Franks, with ships and armed javelins, leapt upon them, choking and killing them in the waters. Thus the Franks, triumphant over the enemies, took great booty and spoils; with a multitude of captives taken, they laid waste the Gothic region with their victorious leader: Charles, utterly destroying the very famous cities Nemausum, Agatem, and Biterris, setting fire to and burning their walls and ramparts; he ravaged the suburbs and camps of that region. With the host of the adversaries defeated, Christ as leader in all things, and the head of the victory of salvation, he returned safely to his region, to the land of the Franks, to the throne of his principate.
AN. DCCXXXIX. Denuo curriculo anni illius mense secundo, praedictum germanum suum cum pluribus ducibus atque comitibus, commoto exercitu, ad partes Provinciae dirigit; Avenionem urbem venientes, Carolus praeproperans peraccessit, cunctamque regionem usque littus maris magni suae dominationi restituit. Fugato duce Mauronto impenetrabilibus, tutissimis rupibus, maritimis munitionibus, praefatus princeps Carolus cuncta sibimet acquisita regna victor regressus est, nullo contra eum rebellante; reversusque in regionem Francorum, aegrotare coepit in villa Verimbrea super Issara fluvio.
AN. 739. Again, in the course of that year, in the second month, he directed his aforesaid brother with several dukes and counts, with the army stirred up, to parts of the Province; arriving at the city of Avignon, Charles hurriedly passed through, and restored the whole region as far as the shore of the great sea to his dominion. Having routed the leader Mauront, by impenetrable, most secure rocks and maritime fortifications, the aforesaid prince Charles returned victorious to all the kingdoms acquired by him, no one rebelling against him; and having returned to the region of the Franks, he began to fall ill at the villa Verimbrea above the river Issara.
AN. DCCXLI. CX. Eo etenim tempore, bis a Roma sede sancti Petri Apostoli beatus papa Gregorius claves venerandi sepulcri, cum vinculis sancti Petri et muneribus magnis et infinitis, legationem, quod antea nullis auditis aut visis temporibus fuit, memorato principi destinavit. Eo pacto patrato, ut a partibus imperatoris recederet, et Romanum consulatum praefato principi Carolo sanciret.
AN. 741. 110. At that time, twice from the Roman see of Saint Peter the Apostle the blessed Pope Gregory destined a legation to the said prince: the keys of the venerable sepulchre, with the chains of Saint Peter and with great and innumerable gifts — a mission such as in no ages before had been heard or seen. And when this plan had been brought about, so that he would withdraw from the emperor’s regions, he might also sanction the Roman consulship upon the aforesaid prince Charles.
The prince himself therefore received the legation with wondrous and magnificent honor, bestowed precious gifts, and, having sent his companions with great rewards, appointed Grimo, abbot of the monastery of Corbie, and Sigibert, a recluse of the basilica of Saint Dionysius the martyr, to Rome to the thresholds of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Accordingly the aforesaid prince, the counsel of his nobles having been sought, divided the kingdoms among his sons. Thus to his firstborn, named Carloman, ...
Eo anno Pippinus dux, commoto exercitu, cum avunculo suo Childebrando duce et multitudine primatum et agminum satellitum plurimorum ad Burgundiam dirigunt, fines regionum praeoccupant. Interim, quod dici dolor et moeror, sollicitat [Al. suscitat] ruinam. In sole et luna et stellis nova signa apparuerunt, seu et paschalis ordo sacratissimus turbatus fuit.
In that year Duke Pippin, the army stirred, with his uncle Childebrand as leader and a multitude of magnates and columns of very many retainers, directed [them] to Burgundy and seized the borders of the regions. Meanwhile, what may be called pain and mourning, sollicitat [Al. suscitat] ruin. New signs appeared in the sun and moon and stars, and even the most sacred Paschal order was disturbed.
Carolus [Vat., Karlus], namely prince of Paris, enriched the basilica of Saint Dionysius the martyr with many gifts; and coming to the villa Carisiacum of the palace above the river Issara, seized by a severe fever he died in peace, with all the kingdoms acquired in his circuit. He ruled both kingdoms twenty-five years, and so passed away on the 11th day before the Kalends of November (October 22), and was buried at Paris in the basilica of Saint Dionysius the martyr.
Meanwhile, the Wascones rebelling in the region of Aquitaine, with Chunoald as leader, son of the late Eudon, Carlomannus and Pippinus, brother princes, having gathered an army, cross the bed of the Loire by the city of Aurilianis, rout the Romans, and advance as far as the city of Beturigas, burning its suburbs with fire. Pursuing their leader Chunoald they put him to flight, devastating everything. They destroy the fort Lucca and utterly overthrow it, seize the guards of that fortress, and there prove victorious.
Dividing the booty among themselves, the inhabitants of that same place led captives with them. Thence having returned about the time of autumn, in the same year they again brought an army beyond the Rhine against the Alamanni. And they pitched measured camps upon the river Danube, in the place called Usquequo.
And coming up to the river which is called Lech, each army sat upon the bank of the river, seeing one another here and there for up to fifteen days; and, equally provoked by the jeers of that people, and stirred by indignation at the danger, they put themselves through deserted and marshy places where the custom of crossing was in no wise present: and by night falling in, with their armies divided, they seized them unawares. And with battle having been joined, the aforesaid duke Odilo, his army having been cut down, scarcely with a few shamefully escaped by fleeing beyond the river Igne. These triumphs being accomplished, not without the loss of many, yet victoriously they returned to their homes.
AN. DCCXLIV. CXIII. Evoluto triennio iterum Carlomannus confinium Saxonorum, ipsis rebellantibus, cum exercitu irrupit; ibique captis habitatoribus, qui suo regno affines esse videbantur, absque belli discrimine feliciter acquisivit, et plurimi eorum, Christo duce, baptismi sacramento consecrati fuerunt.
AN. 744. 113. After the three years had run their course, Carloman again burst into the Saxon frontiers, the latter themselves rebelling, with an army; and there, the inhabitants captured, who seemed to be allied to his kingdom, he successfully acquired without the hazards of war, and very many of them, Christ as leader, were consecrated by the sacrament of baptism.
AN. DCCXLVI. CXV. His transactis, sequente anno, dum Alamanni contra Carlomannum eorum fidem fefellissent, ipse cum magno furore cum exercitu in eorum patriam peraccessit, et plurimos eorum, qui contra ipsum rebelles existebant, gladio trucidavit.
AN. 746. 115. These things having been completed, in the following year, while the Alamanni had deceived their fidelity toward Carloman, he himself, with great fury, having marched with an army into their fatherland, slew very many of them with the sword, those who were found rebellious against him.
AN. DCCXLVII. CXVI. His ita gestis, sequenti curriculo annorum, Carlomannus devotionis causa inexstinctu succensus, regnum una cum filio suo Drogone manibus germani sui Pippini committens, ad limina beatorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli Romam, in monachorum ordine perseveraturus advenit.
AN. 747. 116. These things having been thus done, in the following course of years Carloman, kindled with an unextinguishable devotion, entrusting the kingdom together with his son Drogo into the hands of his brother Pippin, arrived at Rome to the thresholds of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, to persevere in the monastic order.
CXVII. Eodem anno Saxones, more consueto, fidem quam germano suo promiserant mentiri conati sunt. Qua de causa adunato exercitu, eos praevenire compulsus est.
117. In the same year the Saxons, as was their custom, attempted to lie about the faith they had promised to his brother. For this reason, with the army gathered, he was compelled to forestall them.
To whom also the kings of the Winidi or Frisians came together with one mind to give aid. Which thing, when the Saxons saw, driven by their accustomed fear, many of them already slaughtered and sent into captivity, their regions burned and consumed with fire, they sought peace and subjected themselves to the law of the Franks, as had been the ancient custom; and they promised that those tributes which they once had rendered to Chlotar would thenceforth be returned to him in full payment. Many of them, seeing that they could not resist the assault of the Franks, being deprived of their own strength, asked that the sacraments of Christianity be conferred upon them.
AN. DCCXLIX. Qua de re commoto exercitu cum magno agmine apparato eorum patrias peraccessit. Ipsi vero terrore compulsi ultra fluvium Igni cum uxoribus ac liberis eorum fugientes, et memoratus princeps super ripam Igni castra metatus, navale praelium praeparavit, qualiter eos ad internecionem persequeretur.
AN. 749. Whereupon, the army being stirred up and with a great host prepared, he drew near to their homelands. They themselves, driven by terror, crossed beyond the river Igni fleeing with their wives and children, and the aforesaid prince, having ranged his camp upon the bank of the Igni, prepared a naval engagement, that he might pursue them to extermination.
AN. DCCLII. Quo tempore una cum consilio et consensu omnium Francorum, missa relatione, a sede apostolica auctoritate percepta, praecelsus Pippinus electione totius Franciae in sedem regni cum consecratione episcoporum, et subjectione principum, una cum regina Bertradane, ut antiquitus ordo deposcit, sublimatur in regno.
AN. 752. At that time, with the counsel and unanimous consent of all the Franks, after the report had been sent and the authority of the apostolic see received, the most eminent Pippin, by the election of all Francia, was exalted to the seat of the kingdom with the consecration of bishops and the subjection of princes, together with the queen Bertradane, as ancient order demands.
Whence King Pippinus also, anger moved, with the whole army of the Franks put in motion, having again crossed the Rhine, coming into Saxony with great apparatus, there burned their homeland most fiercely with fire, led away captives both men and women with him, after he had made much plunder there, and had laid low very many Saxons there. Which things seeing, the Saxons, moved by penitence, with their usual fear asked the clemency of the king that he would grant them peace, and that they would return oaths and tributes, much greater than they had promised before, and that they would never again be rebels. King Pippinus, Christ being propitious, coming again to the Rhine to the fort whose name is Bonna, with great triumph.
While he was doing these things, a messenger coming to the aforesaid king from the parts of Burgundy reported that the king’s brother, named Grifo, who long before had taken refuge in Wasconia with Prince Waifarius, had been killed by Theodone [Al. Theudoeno], count of Vienne, or by Frederick, count beyond the Jura, while he was seeking the parts of Langobardia and preparing ambushes against the said king, at the city Mauriennæ on the river Arboris. For the very aforesaid counts themselves were likewise slain together in that battle.
CXIX. Per Arduennam silvam cum ipse rex veniens, et Theudone villa publica super Mosella resedisset, nuntius ad eum veniens dixit, quod Stephanus papa de partibus Romae cum magno apparatu et multis muneribus, jam monte Jovis transmeato, ad ejus properaret adventum. Haec audiens rex, cum gaudio et laetitia et ingenti cura recipere eum praecepit, et filio suo Carolo ei obviam ire praecepit, qui usque ad Pontem Ugone, villa publica, ad ejus praesentiam adducere deberet.
119. While the king himself was coming through the Arduenna forest, and Theudon was residing at the public villa on the Mosella, a messenger coming to him said that Pope Stephen from the parts of Rome, with a great retinue and many gifts, having already crossed Mount Jove, was hastening to his arrival. Hearing this, the king ordered that he be received with joy and gladness and great care, and commanded his son Charles to go out to meet him, who should conduct him to his presence as far as the Bridge Ugone, the public villa.
AN. DCCLIV. Ibique Stephanus papa Romensis ad praesentiam regis veniens, multis muneribus tam ipsi regi quam et Francis largitus est, auxilium petens contra gentem Langobardorum et eorum regem Aistulfum, ut per ejus adjutorium ab eorum oppressionibus vel fraudulentia de manibus eorum liberaretur, et tributa et munera, quae contra legis ordinem a Romanis requirebant facere, desisterent. Tunc Pippinus rex praefato Stephano papa apud Parisius civitatem in monasterio sancti Dionysii martyris, cum ingenti cura et multa diligentia, hiemare praecepit.
AN. 754. And there Pope Stephen of Rome, coming into the king’s presence, bestowed many gifts both on the king himself and on the Franks, seeking aid against the people of the Lombards and their king Aistulf, that by his assistance he might be delivered from their oppressions or frauds at their hands, and that the tributes and presents which the Romans were demanding contrary to the order of the law should cease. Then King Pippin commanded the aforesaid Pope Stephen to winter at the city of Paris in the monastery of Saint Denis the martyr, with great care and much diligence.
Sending a legation to Aistulf, king of the Lombards, requesting that, out of reverence for the most blessed apostles Peter and Paul in the regions of Rome, he would not act hostilely there, and that he should not, on account of his petition, carry out superstitious and impious practices or causes contrary to the order of the law, which the Romans had never before done.
CXX. Cumque praedictus rex Pippinus quod per legatos suos petierat non impetrasset, et Aistulfus hoc facere contempsisset, evoluto anno, praefatus rex ad Kalendas Martias omnes Francos, sicut mos Francorum est, Bernaco villa publica ad se venire praecepit. Initoque consilio cum proceribus suis, eo tempore, quo solent reges ad bella procedere, cum Stephano papa, et reliquae nationes, quae in suo regno commorabantur, et Francorum agmina ad partes Langobardiae cum omni multitudine per Lugdunum Galliae et Viennam pergentes, usque Mauriennam pervenerunt.
120. And when the aforesaid king Pippinus had not obtained by his envoys what he had asked, and Aistulf had scorned to do this, after the year had run out the aforesaid king commanded all the Franks, as is the custom of the Franks, to come to him at the public villa Bernaco on the Kalends of March. And having entered into counsel with his nobles, at that time when kings are wont to proceed to wars, they, with Pope Stephen, and the remaining nations that dwelt in his realm, and the bands of the Franks, marching toward the regions of Langobardia with their whole multitude by Lugdunum of Gaul and Vienne, reached as far as Maurienna.
Aistulf king of the Lombards, hearing these things, with his whole Lombard army stirred, coming as far as Clusas, which is called the Seusana Valley, there with his entire army pitched his camp, and with weapons and engines and much apparatus, since he had foully committed deeds against the Respublica [Id est, the emperor] and the apostolic Roman see, he was wickedly striving to defend them. And when the aforesaid king Pippin had returned to Maurienna with his army [Ed., rediisset], and because by reason of the narrowness of the valleys the mountains and crags the said king’s army could in no way pass, yet a few breaking forth through the mountains and narrow places reached as far as the Seusana valley. Seeing these things King Aistulf of the Lombards commanded all the Lombards to arm, and with his whole army boldly advanced against them.
Seeing these things, the Franks, not trusting in their own auxiliaries nor in their own strength to free themselves, invoked God and entreated the blessed apostle Peter as helper. And with battle joined they fought stoutly among themselves; Aistulf, king of the Lombards, seeing his army discomfited, turned his back, and lost almost his entire host which he had brought with him — so many leaders, counts, and indeed all the elders of the Lombard people — in that engagement; and he himself scarcely escaped by sliding down a certain rocky hill, coming to his city Ticinum with few men. Therefore the illustrious king Pippin, the victory having been achieved with God assisting, advanced with his whole army, indeed the multitude of Frankish columns, as far as Ticinum, pitched camp, and wasted on every side all that lay about in a circle: he burned with fire the parts of Italy most of all, laid waste that whole region, plundered all the Lombard camps, and seized and took many treasures of gold and silver and very many other ornaments, and all their tents.
Seeing this, Aistulf, king of the Langobards, since he could in no way escape, sought peace through the priests and leading men of the Franks, making promises to the above‑said king Pippinus that, and perhaps that, whatever he had done against the Roman Church or the Apostolic See contrary to the order of the law, he would atone for by the fullest satisfaction. He there gives oaths and hostages, that he would never withdraw himself from the dominion of the Franks, and would never hereafter come hostilely against the Apostolic See and the Roman republic. The aforesaid king Pippinus, merciful as he was, moved by pity, granted him life and the kingdom, and Aistulf gave many gifts to the partisans of the said king.
For he also bestowed many gifts upon the notables of the Franks. These deeds accomplished, King Pippin escorted the aforesaid Pope Stephen, with his notables and with many gifts, into the districts of Rome with great honor, and restored him unharmed to the apostolic see, where, as before, he had been. These matters concluded, King Pippin, with his army and with many treasures and many gifts, by God's assistance returned to his own domains.
Again coming to Rome with his army, roaming through the territories of the Romans, and ravaging that region, he reached the church of Saint Peter, and burned with fire the houses which he there found most of all. When King Pippin heard this by messengers, moved excessively with fury and anger, he, having mustered the entire army of the Franks, marched again through Burgundy, through the city of Cavalonnum, and thence through Genoa as far as Maurienne. King Aistulf, when he learned of this, again sent the Lombard army to Clusas, that they might resist King Pippin and the Franks, and not permit them to enter parts of Italy.
King Pippinus, with his army, having crossed Mount Cinisio, reached Clusas, where the Lombards strove to resist him, and immediately the Franks in their accustomed manner, as they had been taught, bursting over the mountains and crags, entered King Aistulf’s realm with much anger and fury, and put to death the Lombards whom they found there. The remaining ones who had stayed behind scarcely escaped by flight. King Pippinus, with his nephew Tassilone, leader of the Bavarians, again approached the regions of Italy as far as the Ticinum, and devastating that whole region strongly, he pitched tents around the walls of Ticinum on both sides, so that none could escape thence.
Aistulf, king of the Lombards, seeing these things and now hoping for no escape, coming again at the supplication of the priests and the leading men of the Franks, and begging peace of the aforesaid king, and the oaths (sacramenta) which he had long before given to the same king, and that he had committed a nefarious act against the apostolic see, pledged to amend all by the judgment of the Franks, or of the priests, with the fullest restitution. Therefore King Pippin, moved again by mercy in the usual manner, at the petition of his magnates granted him life and kingdom once more. King Aistulf, by the judgment of the Franks or of the priests, delivered the treasure that was in the Ticino, that is one third, to the aforesaid king, and gave many other gifts greater than he had given before to the domains of King Pippin.
Sacramenta again and hostages he gives, so that henceforth he should never be rebellious or contumacious against King Pippin or the chiefs of the Franks, and the tributes which the Lombards had long paid to the king of the Franks should be paid each year by means of their envoys. The most exalted King Pippin, victor, with great treasures and many gifts, without the event of war, with his whole army unhurt, returned safely to his own seat of his kingdom, and the land rested from battles for two years.
AN. DCCLVII. CXXIII. Dum haec agerentur, rex Pippinus legationem Constantinopolim ad Constantinum imperatorem pro amicitiae causa, et salute suae patriae mittens, similiter et Constantinus imperator legationem praefato regi cum multis muneribus mittens, et amicitias et fidem per legatos eorum vicissim inter se promittunt.
AN. 757. 123. While these things were being done, King Pippin, sending an embassy to Emperor Constantine at Constantinople for the sake of friendship and the safety of his country, and likewise Emperor Constantine sending an embassy to the aforesaid king with many gifts, mutually promised friendship and fidelity to one another through their legates.
After these deeds, and when for two years the land had ceased from skirmishes, the aforesaid King Pippin, sending an embassy to Waifarius, prince of Aquitaine, asked him by his legates that the affairs of the churches of his kingdom which were situated in Aquitaine be restored to him, and that they be preserved under the name of immunity, as they had been formerly, and that judges and collectors should not be sent into the aforesaid church matters (as had not been done for a long time), and that he should render to the aforesaid king the Goths whom long since Waifarius had slain against the order of the law, and should return his men who had taken refuge with that prince Waifarius from the kingdom of the Franks. Waifarius contemned to do all these things which the aforesaid king had enjoined him by his legates. Therefore King Pippin, unwilling and pressed on all sides, gathered an army and advanced into the parts of Aquitaine by the district Trecassinum as far as the city Autisiodorum.
Thence to the river Liger, with the whole army of the Franks, he crossed the Liger at the village Masua in the pagus Autisioderensis; through the pagus Bitorinus he came to Arvernicum, roaming that region, and consumed by fire the greater part of Aquitaine. Waifarius, prince of Aquitaine, through his legates beseeching peace, there gives oaths or hostages, so that all the justices which the aforesaid king Pippinus had commanded him by his legates he should perform when a placitum is instituted. King Pippinus, with his whole army uninjured, returned to his own domains.
While these things were being done, Waifarius, having taken up an unjust counsel, lays plots against Pippin, king of the Franks: he dispatches his army with Unibert, count of Bitorin, and Blandin, count of the Arverni, who a little more than a year earlier had been sent to the aforesaid king Pippin with Bertellanus, bishop of the city of Bitorica, and had so far provoked the king’s spirit to excessive anger; secretly and hostilely, with the other counts, he sent his entire army as far as Cavillonum, and burned that whole region, that is the land of the Augustidunenses up to Cavillonum, with fire, and laid waste all the suburbs of the city of Cavillon, whatever they found there they utterly desolated. They burned the public villa Melciacum with fire, and, with many spoils and booty and no one resisting, returned to their own. When this had been reported to King Pippin, that Waifarius had devastated the greatest part of his kingdom and had broken the oaths he had given him, being excessively moved in anger he ordered all the Franks that they should come hostilely, a placitum having been held, to the Loire.
And with the army moved and the whole multitude, he again advanced as far as Trecas, thence through Autisioderum to the city Nevernum, crossing the river Liger, and came to the castle whose name is Burbone in the pagus Bitorinus. And when he had pitched his camp in a circuit, suddenly he was seized and set upon by the Franks, and he led away with him the men of Waifarius whom he found there, devastating the greatest part of Aquitaine, coming as far as the city Arverna with his whole army; he took and in war captured and burned the castle Claremont, and in that very fire they burned a multitude of people, as many men as women and very many infants. They brought Count Blandinus of that Arvernian city captured and bound into the presence of the king, and many Wascones in that battle were captured and slain.
He encompassed the city with the strongest fortification, so that no one dared to go out or could enter. With machines and every kind of arms he surrounded it with a rampart; with many wounded, very many slain, and the walls broken he took the city, and restored it to his dominion by right of battle, and those men whom Waifarius had sent forth to defend the city he absolved by the clemency of his piety, and the dismissed returned to their homes. He led back with him Unibertum [Al., Umbertum] the count and the other Wascones whom he found there, after oaths had been given; he ordered their wives and children to walk into France, commanded the walls of that Bitorica city to be restored, and sent his counts into the city itself to keep guard.
Thence, coming with the whole army of the Franks as far as the castle called Toarcius: and when he had placed camps all around, the castle itself was taken and set ablaze with wondrous speed. The Wascones whom he found there he led into Francia together with the count himself. King Pippin, Christ as leader, with the whole army of the Franks, and with much prey and spoils, again returned to his own seat.
Pippinus king, God assisting, growing more and more, and ever made stronger in himself; but the power and tyranny of Waifarius decreasing daily. Waifarius the prince always feigns to prepare ambushes against the aforesaid king Pippinus. For he sent Mancionem, a count and his cousin, to the regions of Narbonne with the remaining counts, so that the guards which the aforesaid king had sent to Narbonne, on account of the people of the Saracens, for guarding, might neither enter, nor, if ever they should return again to the fatherland, be able to seize or kill them.
It so happened that Count Australdus and likewise Count Galemanius, with their peers, were returning to their homes, when here Mancio, together with a multitude of the people of the Wascones, rushed upon them; fighting bravely among themselves, the aforesaid Galemanius and Australdus there put Manci o (Mancionem) and all his peers to death, God assisting. Seeing this, the Wascones turned their backs and lost all the equites [That is, horses] which they had there brought; roaming through mountains and valleys, few, however, scarcely escaped in flight. Those same men, however, with much booty, both horses and spoils, returned joyfully to their own.
CXXVIII. Dum his et aliis modis Franci et Wascones semper inter se altercarent, Chilpingus comes Arvernorum, collecto undique exercitu, in pago Lugdunensi in regno Burgundiae ad praedandum [Al. praeliandum] ambulare nitebatur. Contra quem Adalardus comes Cavalonensis, et Australdus idemque comes, cum paribus eorum contra eum venientes, et super fluvium Ligeris fortiter inter se dimicantes, statim Chilpingus comes in eo praelio a supra scriptis comitibus occisus est, et multi qui cum eo venerant, ibidem interfecti sunt.
128. While the Franks and the Wascones were ever wrangling with one another in these and other ways, Chilpingus, Count of the Arverni, having assembled an army on all sides, strove to march in the pagus Lugdunensis in the kingdom of Burgundy to plunder [Alt. to fight]. Against him Adalard, Count of Cavalonensis, and Australdus likewise a count, coming against him with their peers, and fiercely fighting one another above the river Liger, immediately Count Chilpingus in that engagement was killed by the aforewritten counts, and many who had come with him were there slain.
Seeing this, the Wascones turned their backs; scarcely a few, having entered the woods and marshes, escaped. Amanugus, count of Pectavis, while plundering the Turonian district, was slain by the men of Wlfard, abbot of the monastery of blessed Martin, and many who had come there with him fell together with him. The rest who remained, turning their backs, few barely escaped.
While these things were being done, Remistanus, the uncle of Waifar, coming to the aforesaid king, promised many oaths and fidelity to the aforesaid king Pippin, that he ought always to be faithful both to the aforesaid king and to his sons at all times. But King Pippin received him into his dominion, and by bestowing many gifts of gold and silver, and precious garments, equites [that is, horses] and arms, enriched him.
CXXIX. Rex Pippinus castrum, cui nomen est Argentonus in pago Bitorino, a fundamento miro opere in pristinum statum reparare jussit, comites suos ibidem ad custodiendum mittens, ipsum castrum Remistano ad Waifario resistendum, cum medietate pagi Bitorini usque ad Carum, concessit. Videns praedictus Waifarius, princeps Aquitanicus, quod castrum Claremontis rex bellando ceperat, et Bitoricas caput Aquitaniae, munitissimam urbem, cum machinis cepisset, et impetum ejus ferre non potuisset, omnes civitates quae in Aquitania provincia ditionis suae erant, id est Pectavis, Lemodicas, Santonis, Petrecors, Equolisma, et reliquas quamplures civitates et castella, omnes muros eorum in terram prostravit, quos postea praecelsus rex Pippinus reparare jubet, et homines suos ad ipsas civitates custodiendum dimisit.
129. King Pippin ordered the castle called Argentonus in the district of Bitorinus to be repaired from its foundations by wondrous work into its former state, sending his counts there to guard it; he granted the castle to Remistanus to resist Waifarius, together with half of the Bitorine pagus as far as Carum. The aforesaid Waifarius, prince of Aquitaine, seeing that the king had taken by war the castle of Clermont, and had taken Bitorica, the head of Aquitaine, a very strongly fortified city, with siege-machines, and had been unable to withstand his assault, razed to the ground all the walls of the cities which were in the province of Aquitaine under his dominion, that is Pectavis, Lemodicas, Santonis, Petrecors, Equolisma, and many other cities and castles, all their walls he threw down to the ground, which afterwards the august King Pippin ordered to be repaired, and he sent his men to those very cities to keep guard.
After crossing the Loire, proceeding into Aquitaine, he reached as far as Lemodicas, ravaging that whole region, and ordered the public villas that were of the dominion of Waifar to be wholly burned with fire. That entire region, almost desolated and many monasteries plundered, he came as far as Hisandonem, from whence he took and devastated the greater part of Aquitaine, where there were very many vineyards. Hence nearly all Aquitaine, both churches and monasteries, rich and poor who were wont to have wines, he devastated and seized all.
While these things were being done, Waifarius, with a great army and very many of the Wascones who dwell beyond the Garonne, who of old are called the Vaceti, came against the aforesaid king. But immediately, in their usual manner, all the Wascones turned their backs, and very many there were slain by the Franks. The king, seeing this, ordered him to be pursued, and pursuing him until night, Waifarius with the few who had remained scarcely escaped by flight.
In that battle Blandinus, count of the Arverni, whom the aforesaid king had earlier captured and who afterwards had taken refuge with Waifarius, was slain in that engagement. King Pippin, God assisting, proved victorious. The victory achieved once more with great triumph, he again, with a large army of Franks, came to the Liger (Loire) at Denegontium, and thence through the Augustudinense district returned to his own seat unvanquished.
Waifarius, sending an embassy to the aforesaid king, requesting that he restore to him Bitoricas and the remaining cities of the province of Aquitaine, which the aforesaid king had taken from his hand, and thereafter that Waifarius should make them subject to his dominion; that tributes or gifts, which his predecessors, the kings of the Franks, had been wont to exact from the province of Aquitaine, should be paid in yearly portions to the aforesaid king Pippin. But the king, by the counsel of the Franks and his nobles, scorned to do this.
AN. DCCLXVI. CXXXI. Evoluto igitur anno, commoto omni exercitu Francorum, vel plurimum nationum, quae in regno suo commorabantur, usque ad Aurelianis veniens, ibi placitum suum Campo Madio pro utilitate Francorum instituit, tenens, multis muneribus a Francis et proceribus suis ditatus est.
AN. 766. 131. Therefore, the year having run its course, having stirred up the whole army of the Franks, or rather most of the nations who dwelt in his kingdom, he came as far as Aurelianis, and there established his placitum at Campo Madio for the benefit of the Franks; and while holding it he was enriched with many gifts from the Franks and his nobles.
Again, having crossed the Ligere, passing through the whole of Aquitania and coming as far as Aginnum, he devastated that entire region. Seeing this, both the Wascones and the elder men of Aquitania, compelled by necessity, very many came to him, there swearing oaths to him and placing themselves under his dominion. Thus, the whole province of Aquitania [Al. Equitaniae] having been excessively laid waste, with much booty and plunder, through the pagus Petregoricum and Equolisma, now nearly all Aquitania acquired, he returned into Francia that same year with the whole army of the Franks and all his followers.
AN. DCCLXVII. CXXXII. Iterum denuo sequenti anno, commoto omni exercitu Francorum per pagum Trecasinum, inde ad urbem Autisioderum veniens ad castrum quod vocatur Gordinis, cum regina sua Bertradane, jam fiducialiter Ligere transacto, ad Betoricas accessit, palatium sibi aedificare jubet.
AN. 767. 132. Again, in the following year, having set in motion the whole army of the Franks through the pagi of Trecasinus, thence coming to the city Autisioderum, he came to the fortress called Gordinis, with his queen Bertradane; the Loire having already been crossed with confidence, he approached Betoricas and ordered a palace to be built for himself.
Again he ordered that they hold court at Campo Madio, as was the custom, and after a council with his magnates he dismissed the aforesaid Queen Bertrada, with the remaining Franks and his faithful counts, into the said Betorica. The aforesaid king himself set out with the remaining Franks and his leading men to pursue Waifarium. And when the aforesaid king, pursuing Waifarium himself, did not find him, it was already the time of winter, and he returned with the whole army to Betoricas, where he had dismissed the aforesaid Queen Bertrada.
CXXXIII. Dum haec agerentur, Remistanus filius Eudone quondam fidem suam, quam praedicto regi Pippino promiserat, fefellit; et ad Waifarium iterum veniens, ditionis suae se faciens. Quod Waifarius cum magno gaudio eum recepit, et adjutorem sibi contra Francos et praedictum regem eum instituit.
133. While these things were being done, Remistanus, son of Eudon, once broke his faith, which he had promised to the aforesaid king Pippin; and coming again to Waifarius, making himself subject to his dominion. Waifarius received him with great joy, and appointed him as an adjutor to himself against the Franks and the aforesaid king.
The aforementioned Remistanus, being excessively hostile, made an attack against the aforesaid king and the Franks, or against the garrisons which the king himself had left in those very cities, and he plundered and laid waste Betorinum, or Limoticinum, which the king himself had acquired, so much so that no colonist of the land dared to cultivate either the fields or the vineyards. The aforesaid king Pippin remained at Betoricas in the palace with his queen Bertradane throughout the entire winter. Sending his whole army through Burgundy to winter, he reverently celebrated the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ and the holy Epiphany in the city of Betoricas by the counsel of bishops or priests.
AN. DCCLXVIII. CXXXIV. Evoluto igitur eo anno cum in Betoricas resideret, mediante Februario, omnem exercitum suum, quem in Burgundiam ad hiemandum miserat, ad se venire praecepit; initoque consilio contra Remistanum insidias parat, Hermenaldum, Beringarium, Childeradum et Unibertum comitem Betorinum cum reliquis comitibus et Leudibus suis ad ipsum Remistanum capiendum clam mittens, praedictus rex Pippinus cum omni exercitu Francorum iterum ad persequendum Waifarium ire destinavit.
AN. 768. 134. Therefore, when that year had passed, and he was residing at Betoricas, in mid-February he ordered all his army, which he had sent into Burgundy to winter, to come to him; and having entered into counsel, he prepared ambushes against Remistanus, secretly sending Hermenaldus, Beringarius, Childeradus and Unibertus, count of Betorinum, with the remaining counts and his Leudes to seize that same Remistanus, and the aforesaid king Pippinus resolved to go again with the whole army of the Franks to pursue Waifarius.
Queen Bertrada, coming to Aurelianum, and thence by naval conveyance along the river Liger as far as the castle Sellus upon that very river Liger arrived [Al. perveniens]. These deeds having thus been done, it was announced to the king that his envoys, whom long since he had sent to Amormunus, king of the Saracens, had after three years returned to Massilia, having brought with them the embassy of the aforesaid king Amormunus of the Saracens with many gifts. When this had been made known to the king, he directed his own messengers to her, that they might receive that embassy reverently [Ed., qui eos], and conduct her as far as the city of Mettis to winter. Therefore the above‑written counts, who had been sent to seize Remistanus, by divine judgment and by the fidelity of the king captured him, and, bound, brought him to the king’s presence with his wife.
Whom immediately the king ordered to be hanged on the gallows by Unibertus and Ghiselarius, counts of the city of Betorica. The aforesaid king Pippinus advanced as far as the Garonne; there the Wascones, who dwell beyond the Garonne, came into his presence, and gave oaths and hostages to the aforesaid king, that they should always be faithful to the king’s party, and to his sons Charles and Carloman at all times. And many other very numerous peoples, coming to him from the part of Waifarius, submitted themselves and yielded to his dominion.
Thence, coming to his queen at Sellus, he ordered the embassy of the Saracens, which Mettis had sent for the winter, to come to him at the fortress Sellus, and the Saracens themselves there presented the gifts which Amormun had transmitted. Again the king gave gifts to those Saracens who had been sent to him, and commanded that they be led as far as Massilia with much honor. The Saracens, however, returning by sea in naval conveyance, went back to their own places.
CXXXV. Praecelsus rex Pippinus iterum de Sellus castro cum paucis ad persequendum Waifarium eo anno iterum perrexit, et usque ad Santonis mira celeritate primus cum paucis venit. Cum hoc Waifarius audisset, solito more terga vertit.
135. The exalted king Pippin again that year set out from the castle of Sellus with a few men to pursue Waifarius, and with wondrous speed reached Santonis first with a few. When Waifarius had heard this, he turned his back in his accustomed manner.
King Pippinus sent his comites, scaritos, and his leudes into four parts to seek Waifarius. While these things were being done, as they assert, it was done by the king’s counsel: Waifarius, prince of Aquitaine, was slain by his own. The aforesaid King Pippinus, Aquitaine now wholly acquired, made all who came to him of his dominion, as they had been in former times.
CXXXVI. Dum Santonis praefatus rex venisset, et causas pro salute patriae et utilitate Francorum tractaret, a quadam febre vexatus aegrotare coepit, comites suos ac judices ibidem constituit. Inde per Pectavis usque ad Toronis urbem ad monasterium beati Martini confessoris accessit, ibique multam eleemosynam tam ecclesiis quam monasteriis vel pauperibus largitus est, et auxilium beati Martini petens, ut pro ejus facinoribus Domini misericordiam deprecari dignaretur.
136. While the aforesaid king had come to Santonis and was handling matters for the salvation of the fatherland and for the benefit of the Franks, struck by a certain fever he began to fall ill, and there he appointed his counts and judges. Thence he proceeded through Pectavis as far as the city of Toronis to the monastery of Blessed Martin the Confessor, and there bestowed much alms both on churches and on monasteries and even on the poor, and seeking the aid of Blessed Martin, that he might be deemed worthy to entreat the Lord’s mercy for his misdeeds.
Thence advancing with the aforesaid queen Bertrada, and his sons Charles and Carloman, as far as Paris, coming to the monastery of blessed Dionysius the martyr, he there remained for a while; and seeing that he could not escape the peril of life, he ordered all his magnates, leaders and counts of the Franks, as well bishops as priests, to come to him, and there, together with the consent of the Franks and his magnates, or even of the bishops, he divided the kingdom of the Franks, which he himself had held, in equal shares between his aforesaid sons Charles and Carloman while he yet lived. That is: he established the kingdom of the Austrasians for Charles the elder son as king; to Carloman the younger son he handed over the kingdoms of Burgundy, Provence, Gothia, Alsace, and Alamannia. He divided Aquitaine, which the king himself had acquired, between them.
After these deeds King Pippin, after a few days, —as it is painful to say— lost his last day and his life together. And the aforesaid kings Charles and Carloman, his sons, buried him in the monastery of Saint Dionysius the martyr, as he himself wished, with great honor; and he reigned twenty-five years.
CXXXVII. His transactis, praedicti reges Carolus et Carlomannus, unusquisque cum leudibus suis ad propriam sedem regni eorum venientes, instituto placito, initoque consilio cum proceribus eorum, mense Septembri, die Dominico, XIV Kalendas Octobris, Carolus ad Noviomem urbem, et Carlomannus ad Saxonis civitatem, pariter uno die a proceribus eorum et consecratione sacerdotum sublimati sunt in regno.
137. These things completed, the aforesaid kings Charles and Carloman, each coming with their leudes to his proper seat of the kingdom, a placitum being held and a council with their nobles having been convened, in the month of September, on the Lord’s day, the 14th day before the Kalends of October, Charles at the city of Noviomem and Carloman at the Saxon city were on the same day elevated to the kingdom by their nobles and by the consecration of the priests.