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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 9, 29. How the Lombards Sought Peace of Childebert

At the invitation of Sigimund, bishop of Momociacus, King Childebert decided to celebrate the Easter feast in that town. Theudebert, his elder son, was at this time gravely afflicted by a tumour in the throat; but he recovered.

In the meantime the king levied an army, and prepared to accompany it himself into Italy to make war upon the Lombards. This people, upon this news, sent envoys with gifts, bearing the following message: ‘Let there be friendship between us, that we perish not, and let us pay a fixed sum as tribute to thy sovereignty; and whensoever thou shalt have need of us against thy enemies, we shall not be slow to aid thee.’ When Childebert heard this, he sent on the envoys to King Guntram, that they might inform him of the offer which the Lombards made. King Guntram was not opposed to the arrangement and gave his opinion in favour of ratifying peace. King Childebert then commanded his army to remain where it was, and sent his own envoys to the Lombards, prepared, if they kept their promises, to let the men return to their homes. But the event was very different.