medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I don't see any reason to think that Radegund was fond of Clothar. He
killed her family, particularly her brother who had survived the war and the
sources agree that she was most persistent and determined in finding ways to
make her presence obnoxious to him from chilling her entire body on the
floor before hopping into bed to singing hymns as she left the banquet hall
to give the left-over food to the poor. Fortunatus' account of her
spectacular self-tortures suggests that it was the threat of his renewed
interest that drove her to it. On the other hand, she was clearly more
practical and more interested in her public position than the hagiography
suggests. It is only politic to express gratitude to a husband who has so
generously endowed his wife with a life apart from him.
Jo Ann
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
>Reading Jo-Ann's edition of the vitae of Radegund and her commentary
>thereon, I felt that Radegund seemed surprisingly fond of her appalling
>husband - just as long as she didn't have to live with him! In her own
>writings she speaks warmly of his generosity in endowing her religious
>foundation. I wonder whether their relationship was more complex than the
>accounts of Fortunatus and Baudonivia suggest?
>
>Maddy
>
>
>Dr Madeleine Gray, in the foothills of God's golden county of Gwent
>(Department of Humanities and Science
>UWCN Caerleon Campus
>PO Box 179
>Newport NP18 3YG
>Tel: +44 (0)1633.432675
>http://humanities.newport.ac.uk/HIST.html)
>
>' "Education!" said Eyore bitterly. "What is Learning?" asked Eyore. "A
>thing Rabbit knows! Ha!" '
>
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