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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 6, 11. Of Bishop Theodore, and of Dynamius

At Marseilles, Dynamius, governor of Provence,¹ began to deal treacherously with Bishop Theodore.² While preparing to hasten to the presence of the king,³ the bishop was arrested by the governor and kept a prisoner in the middle of the city; then, after grievous affronts, was at length released. The clergy of Marseilles were in the plot with Dynamius to cast him out of his bishopric. Theodore now betook himself to King Childebert, but by command of King Guntram he was detained on the way, together with the ex-prefect Jovinus.⁴ On receiving this news, the clergy of Marseilles were filled with great joy: the bishop was taken, they said; he was doomed to exile; things had come to such a point that he was never likely to return. They therefore laid hands on the church houses, made inventories of the sacred vessels, opened the strong boxes, pillaged the store-rooms, making free with all the property of the Church as if the bishop were already dead. They uttered various charges against him, which, Christ aiding, were afterwards proved false.

Now Childebert, having made a peace with Chilperic,⁵ sent envoys to King Guntram, calling on him to restore the half of Marseilles which he had given to him after the death of his father.⁶ Should he refuse, let him know that the holding of this part should cost him dear. But Guntram would not, and ordered the roads to be closed, so that none should find a way open to cross his kingdom. When Childebert saw this, he sent to Marseilles Gundulf the ex-domestic, who was of a senatorial family and had risen to the rank of duke. Not daring to traverse Guntram’s territory, Gundulf came to Tours. I received him kindly, and discovered him to be my mother’s uncle; I kept him with me for five days, and after providing him with all that he needed, let him depart. He continued on his way, but was unable to enter Marseilles in face of the opposition offered by Dynamius. Nor was the bishop, who had now joined Gundulf, received again in his church. For Dynamius and the clergy barred the city gates, vied with one another in abuse, and scornfully entreated both of them, the bishop and Gundulf alike. But at length, invited to a parley with the duke, he came out to the church of the holy Stephen, close beyond the walls. The doorkeepers guarding the entrance to the church stood ready to close the doors the moment Dynamius passed in; this they managed to do, and the troop of armed men who were with him were unable to follow. He himself was unaware of this. They conferred of various matters at the altar, then withdrew from it and passed into the sacristy. On the entry of Dynamius into a place where he was deprived of his followers’ support, he was assailed with terrible upbraiding. As he was brought out, his followers crowded noisily round with arms in their hands, but were driven off, and the duke assembled the principal citizens with intent to enter the city with the bishop. Dynamius at the sight sought pardon, presented numerous gifts to the duke, and swore an oath that in future he would be loyal both to bishop and king; whereupon his equipment was restored to him. The gates of the town and the doors of the church were then flung open, and duke and bishop both entered the city with ringing of bells and acclamations, the various official standards being borne before them. Then the clergy who were involved in this misdeed, of whom the abbot Anastasius⁷ and the priest Proculus were the ringleaders, fled to the house of Dynamius, asking a refuge from the man who had set them on. Many of them were released, on finding satisfactory surety, and ordered to present themselves before the king. Gundulf, having thus placed the city once more under the authority of King Childebert, and restored the bishop to his place, returned to the king his master.

But Dynamius forgot the loyalty which he had promised to that king, and sent messengers to King Guntram, to tell him that the bishop was like to lose him the part of the city pertaining to him, and that unless this enemy were driven from Marseilles, he could never hold the city in his power. The king was moved to wrath and impiously commanded that the priest of the most high God should be brought in bonds before him, saying: ‘Let the enemy of my kingdom be thrust forth into exile, that he have no longer the power to do us harm.’ The bishop suspected his danger, and it was no easy matter to get him out of the city. But now came the festival of dedication for an oratory in the country just beyond the walls. He was proceeding to this solemnity, and had issued from the town, when suddenly armed men poured forth with loud cries from an ambush, and surrounded the holy bishop. They cast him down from his horse, put all his companions to flight, bound his servants, beat his clergy, and setting him on a sorry jade, took him away to bring him into the king’s presence, without permitting any of his own people to follow. As they passed Aix, Pientius, bishop of that city, full of compassion for a brother, sent clerics to succour him, and only let him go when he had provided him with all of which he stood in need. While these things were done, the clergy of Marseilles once more opened the church houses, pried into all secret matters, making lists of some things, and carrying off others to their own homes. The bishop was taken before the king, but found not guilty; he received permission to return to his city, where he was welcomed with great honour by the citizens. Out of this matter arose grave enmity between King Guntram and his nephew Childebert. They broke their alliance, and began to lie in wait for each other.

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