medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>Two brief questions for the list:
>1) Everything I've read about Radegund indicates that
>she escaped her marriage by becoming a nun. Obviously
>I need to read more scholarly and reputable works. Any
>suggestions?
Please forgive the reek of self-promotion. The biographies of Radegund by
Fortunatus and Baudonivia as well as a poem written in the first person on
The Thuringian War, have been translated in "Sainted Women of the Dark Ages"
by me, John Halborg and Gordon Whatley (Duke University PRess, 1991).
A deaconess is not the same as a nun, though Radegund certainly retired to a
convent. A married person could not legally break her/his marriage vows in
order to enter religious life unless the spouse also undertook vows of
future chastity. Granted that in Chlothar's case, that is to laugh! But at
the crucial moment, he was actively trying to recover his wife and certainly
not willing to give her permission to take vows. A deaconess, on the
other hand, is a religiously consecrated woman but may be married and is not
expected to withdraw from the world. Therefore, if Chlothar had retrieved
his queen she (and the bishop who consecrated her) would not be in violation
of the vows she had taken.
Fortunatus was given to writing flirty little poems to Radegund and to
Agnes, flattering them and making reference to little parties they
apparently enjoyed featuring sweet meats or other little treats. Novelists
are in the business of spicing up life but I see no reason to imagine that
their relationship ever involved anything beyond a pleasant exchange of
compliments.
Jo Ann McNamara
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