The Culture of Churchmen: Education, Theology and Book-Production in the Later Seventh Century

The fates of Praeiectus, Germanus of Grandval and, above all, Leodegar cast a particularly gruesome light over the history of the late-seventh-century Church in Francia, and by extension call into question the state of the Merovingian Church at the time. Yet there was nothing new about the murder of ecclesiastics. In the sixth century Praextextatus of Rouen had fallen to Fredegund's assassins, ¹ and Lupentius, abbot of Javols, seems to have been one of Brunhild's victims. ² Another, in the early seventh century, was Desiderius of Vienne. ³ Thereafter there was Rusticus of Cahors, ⁴ and Foilan, the brother of Fursey. ⁵ Then, in the days of Balthild's regency, Aunemundus of Lyons was executed, as perhaps were eight other bishops. ⁶ One who is known to have died in violent circumstances at this time was Leodegar's own predecessor at Autun. ⁷ Nor did the 670s see the last of the Merovingian martyrdoms. In about the year 700 Lambert of Maastricht was murdered, according to later sources, at the hands of the supporters of Pippin II's bigamous wife, Alpaida. ⁸ Against this background the bloodshed of the 670s seems less remarkable. What was unusual about the martyrdom of Leodegar was the mutilation which preceded his death, and it was probably this which shocked some of Ebroin's own supporters. Essentially, because bishops and abbots were important political figures, they shared the same dangers as any Frankish magnate.