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Rabanus Maurus SeeHRABANUSMAURUS.

Rabat(al-Ribat al-Fath) The medieval city of Rabat,
the capital of present-day MOROCCO, was located on the
southern side of the mouth of the Bou Regreg River as it
entered the Atlantic Ocean. There were a twin city on the
northern bank, Salé. There may have been a Roman town
earlier; the present city was founded in the 12th century
by the ALMOHADruler Abd al-Mumin (r. 1130–63) as a
base for his invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. The walls
and two gates that he built still stand. The MOSQUEof
Hasan, the most famous monument in the city, was meant
to be the largest in the Islamic world. Building was
started in 1196 after an Almohad victory over Alfonso
VIII the Noble (r. 1158–1214) at Alarcos in SPAIN. At the
death of Abu Yaqub al-Mansur (r. 1184–99) in 1199, con-
struction was stopped, but significant remains are extant,
including the MINARETof Hasan.
The Marinids built the principal mosque in the city
in the 13th century. An important MADRASAwas founded
in 1341 across the river in Salé. Rabat, however, was
always a secondary city for the various dynasties who
subsequently controlled Morocco.
Further reading:Markus Hattstein and Peter Delius,
eds., Islam: Art and Architecture,trans. George Ansell et
al. (Cologne: Könemann, 2000); E. Levi-Provençal and
J. F. Troin, “Ribat al-Fath,” Encyclopedia of Islam8:506–508.

Radegund, Saint (Radegunda)(ca. 520–587) founder
of several monastic and charitable institutions
An important participant in the establishment of female
MONASTICISMin the early Middle Ages, Saint Radegund,
was well represented by contemporary sources: in the

letters of her friend Venantius Fortunatus (ca. 535–ca.

610), a life written by one of her followers, and a descrip-

tion of her by her protector, GREGORY OFTOURS. She was

born in Thuringia, the king’s daughter. On the conquest

of her kingdom by the FRANKSin 531, Radegund at age

12 and her brother, were imprisoned and taken by King

Clothar (r. 511–561), the king of Soissons and later a

Merovingian king of the Franks, to his palace of Athies.

He was an evil man, was completely unfaithful, and had

debased tastes.

At Athies Radegund received an education in Chris-

tianity by studying the Scriptures and their patristic com-

mentaries. From then on she grew more devoted to

PRAYERand the care of the poor. Clothar decided to marry

her because of her beauty and the political advantages of

her royal background. After an unsuccessful attempt at

escape, Radegund was forced into marriage; she became

queen at Soissons in about 540. She continued her pious

foundations and gave herself over to long hours of prayer

and penance, deserting the conjugal bed to pray. Clothar

unhappily nicknamed her the “queen-nun.” His murder

of her brother about 555 and his taunting about their

childlessness drove her to desert him, this time success-

fully, and retreat to Noyon, where she became a nun, was

consecrated a deaconess, and went on a PILGRIMAGE.

RADEGUND AS A NUN

Radegund then moved to Saix, where she founded a house

for the poor and sick and started living a life in common

with the companions who had followed her. She was soon

threatened by Clothar’s efforts to take her back as a wife.

Avoiding him in about 561 she founded a monastery, Saint

Mary’s, at Poitiers, where she lived as a simple nun in her

own cell. She gathered RELICSfor the monastery, including