ABSTRACT
In the second half of the sixth century, the Merovingian Franks’ dominance over Gaul moved into its third generation with the grandchildren of Clovis I, and the bishops of Gaul found themselves faced with a set of Merovingian kings and queens who were no longer nominally Christian. Rather, they were increasingly interested in all facets of the church; as powerful men and women, they did not wish to forgo an opportunity to increase their own influence over the lands and peoples of Gaul. Gregory of Tours (ep. 573-c. 594) and the bishops of the second half of the sixth century faced kings who were not content to be merely advised by bishops and to be passively involved in the Christian church. These monarchs wanted to participate in theological debates; they wanted the favor of saints; and they wanted to insert themselves more into the hierarchical organization of the church through participation in ecclesiastical councils. The bishops asserted themselves as the sole authorities over the church and over all spiritual matters in Gaul, but they had as their competition the Merovingian kings and their agents. Episcopal councils and the many works of Gregory of Tours thus reveal an episcopal identity that was defined in reaction to this royal encroachment, which put the bishops on the defensive in conceptualizing their identity. These bishops thus emphasized their distinction from the laity, visually and aurally, particularly through their holiness and power over the holy. They had special bonds with the saints, complete with powers to recover, rediscover, and commemorate the holy dead, particularly the holy episcopal dead. They claimed the power to discern who was holy and who was not. They had special voices that alone could instruct in matters of the faith. By highlighting these distinctions, sixth-century bishops articulated their identity against that of the laity, including its most powerful members: kings.
