Francorum. He maintains that they are independent. Cf. W. Arndt’s preface (30pp.) to edition
mentioned above.
Georgius Florentius, or as he called himself on his consecration Gregorius, after his mother’sgrand-father, the sainted bishop of Langres, was born in Arverna (now Clermont),^998 the principal
city of Auvergne, Nov. 30., 538. His family was of senatorial rank on both sides, and its position
and influence are attested by the number of bishops that belonged to it. His father (Florentius)
apparently died early, and his mother (Armentaria) removed to Burgundy, her native country, but
his uncle Gallus, bishop of Auvergne, who died in 554, and Avitus the successor of Gallus, cared
for his education. He entered the church in discharge of a vow made at the shrine of St. Illidius,
the patron saint of Arverna, during a severe and supposed fatal illness. In 563 he was ordained
deacon by Avitus, and served in some ecclesiastical capacity at the court of Sigebert king of
Austrasia, until in 573, at the unanimous request of the clergy and people of that city, the king
appointed him bishop of Tours. Although loath to take so prominent and responsible a position, he
at last consented, was consecrated by Egidius, archbishop of Rheims, and welcomed by Fortunatus
in an official, which yet had more real feeling in it than such productions usually have, and was a
true prophecy of Gregory’s career.
Tours was the religious centre of Gaul. The shrine of St. Martin was the most famous in
the land and so frequented by pilgrims that it was the source of an immense revenue. In Alcuin’s
day (eighth century) the monastery of Tours owned 20,000 serfs, and was the richest in the kingdom.
Tours was also important as the frontier city of Austrasia, particularly liable to attack. The influences
which secured the position to Gregory were probably personal. Several facts operated to bring it
about. First, that all but five of the bishops of Tours had been members of his family (Euphronius
whom he succeeded was his mother’s cousin), and further, that he was in Tours on a pilgrimage to
the shrine of St. Martin to recover his health about the time of Euphronius’ death, and by his life
there secured the love of the people. Add to this his travels, his austerities, his predominant love
for religion, and his election is explained.^999 Gregory found the position no sinecure. War broke
out between Sigebert and the savage Chilperic, and Tours was taken by the latter in 575. Confusion
and anarchy prevailed. Churches were destroyed, ecclesiastics killed. Might made right, and the
weak went to the wall. But in that dark and tempestuous time Gregory of Tours shines like a beacon
light. The persecuted found in him a refuge; the perplexed a guide; the wicked king a determined
opponent. Vigilant, sleepless, untiring in his care for Tours he averted an attempt to tax it unjustly;
he maintained the sanctuary rights of St. Martin against all avengers; and he put an end to partisan
strifes. His influence was exerted in the neighboring country. Such was his well earned repute for
holiness founded upon innumerable services that the lying accusation of Leudastes at the council
of Braine (580) excited popular indignation and was refuted by his solemn declaration of
innocence.^1000
In 584 Chilperic died. Tours then fell to Guntram, king of Orleans, until in 587 it was
restored to Childebert, the son of Sigebert. The last nine years of Gregory’s life were comparatively
(^998001) The birth-place of Pascal, in the department of Puy de Dome, 220 miles S. by E. from Paris.
(^999) Monod, p. 29.
(^1000) He was charged with having accused Fredegund wife of Chilperic, of adultery with Bertrand, bishop of Bordeaux.
Hist. Franc. V. 49, (Migne, l.c., col. 364).