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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 5, 38. Of the Persecution of Christians in Spain

In this year¹ there arose a great persecution of the Christians in Spain; many were they who were driven into exile, deprived of their possessions, consumed by hunger, cast into prison, beaten with rods, and done to death by divers tortures. The chief in this wickedness was Goiswinth,² whom King Leuvigild espoused as widow of King Athanagild. But she who had set the mark of humiliation on the servants of God was now herself marked in the sight of all peoples, the divine vengeance pursuing her. For a white cloud covered one of her eyes, and drove from her eyelids the light, of which already her mind had none. By another queen King Leuvigild had two sons, the elder of whom was betrothed to the daughter of King Sigibert, the younger to the daughter of King Chilperic.³ Ingund, daughter of Sigibert, was sent with a great train into Spain, and was joyfully received by her grandmother Goiswinth. This queen did not suffer her to remain long tranquilly in the Catholic faith, but began with persuasive words to entice her to a second baptism into the Arian heresy. But she stoutly resisted, and spoke after this manner: ‘It is enough for me to have been washed once for all from original sin by the baptism that maketh whole, and to have confessed the Persons of the Holy Trinity one and equal. I now confess with my whole heart that this is my faith, nor will I ever go back therefrom.’ At these words the queen, aflame with fury of wrath, seized the girl by the hair of her head and dashed her to the ground; there she spurned her for a long time with her feet, and, all bleeding as she was, had her stripped and plunged in the piscina. But, as there are many to maintain, Ingund never suffered her mind to swerve from our faith.

Now Leuvigild gave Hermangild and Ingund a city⁴ in which to dwell in royal state. But when they had departed thither, Ingund began to enjoin upon her lord that he should forsake the errors of his heresy and recognize the truth of the Catholic law.⁵ For a long time he refused, but was moved at length by her exhortation; he was converted to the Catholic law, and upon his baptism was renamed John. When Leuvigild heard this, he began to seek occasion to bring his son to ruin. But Hermangild learned his intent, and went over to the emperor’s side,⁶ entering into friendly relations with his prefect, whose army was attacking Spain. Then Leuvigild sent envoys to him, saying: ‘Come thou to me, for there be matters for us to confer upon together.’ But his son answered: ‘I go not, since thou art mine enemy because I am a Catholic.’ The king gave thirty thousand pieces of gold to the imperial prefect to withdraw his help, and marched against his son. Hermangild summoned the Greeks, and went forth against his father, leaving his consort in the city. But when Leuvigild came up against him, those who should have supported Hermangild⁷ abandoned him; and seeing that he could not prevail, he fled to a church near by, saying: ‘Let not my father come against me, for it is impious that a father should slay his son, or a son his father.’ When Leuvigild heard this, he sent the prince’s brother⁸ to him, who swore an oath to him that he should not be abased, and said: ‘Go thou and throw thyself at our father’s feet; he will forgive thee all.’ Then Hermangild demanded that his father should be summoned, and when the king entered, prostrated himself at his feet. But Leuvigild raised him up and kissed him, and after soothing him with kind words, conducted him to his camp. There, disregarding his oath, he made a sign to his men, who stripped the prince of his own vesture and put upon him vile raiment. And on his return to Toledo he removed his son’s servants from him, and sent him into banishment attended by only a single slave.

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