Clotilda

d. 545

CLOTILDA RECEIVING THE RING OF CLOVIS

Clotilda, also known as Clotilde, was a Burgundian princess who married the Frankish king Clovis and eventually converted him to the Catholic faith. The daughter of King Chilperic II, she was forced into exile when her father was killed by his brother and her mother drowned. She wed Clovis that same year and soon gave birth to five children. She strived relentlessly to lead her husband away from his native paganism, and in 496 he was finally baptised. Clovis passed away in 511, after which Clotilda retired to the Abbey of St. Martin at Tours.

In 523, Clotilda finally avenged the murder of her father by inciting her sons against her cousin King Sigismund of Burgundy, the son of her uncle. This incited the Burgundian War, which led to Sigismund's imprisonment and assassination. Afterwards, she attempted to prevent fighting among her children and grandchildren, but she was unsuccessful, and after her death she was buried at her husband's side.

Key events during the life of Clotilda:

Year	Event
475	Born.
493	Forced into exile following her parents' deaths.
493	Married Clovis I, King of the Franks.
496	Battle of Tolbiac
496	Clovis is baptised at Rheims.
511	Death of Clovis.
523	Burgundian War.
524	Assassination of Sigismund.
545	Died.

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
Clotilda of Burgundy  in	Historic Girls  by  E. S. Brooks
Queen Clothilde and King Clovis  in	Stories from French History  by  Lena Dalkeith
King Clovis Becomes a Christian  in	Old Time Tales  by  Lawton B. Evans
St Clothilde's Banner  in	Stories of the Saints  by  Grace Hall
Clovis, King of the Franks  in	Barbarian and Noble  by  Marion Florence Lansing
First King of France  in	The Story of France  by  Mary Macgregor
Wooing of Clotilde  in	Historical Tales: French  by  Charles Morris

Image Links
Clotilda and the pilgrim  in Historic Girls	Princess Clotilda's journey  in Historic Girls	In full battle aray he came to take leave of Clothilde and his small son.  in Stories from French History
Clotilde Receiving the Ring of Clovis  in Greatest Nations - Germany

Contemporary	Short Biography
Clovis	Founder of the Frankish Kingdom. Converted to Christianity by his wife Clotilda.