Jennifer C. Edwards, Professor of History, Manhattan University
This video introduces a rebellion against the abbess of Sainte-Croix, Poitiers, Frankia in 590 described by Gregory of Tours. Factions of nuns debated who has the right to lead: women born to elite families or anyone from the community. Rebels protested mismanagement and corruption, and took violent action to draw attention to their grievances.
Video
Primary Source Reading
Scandal at Sainte-Croix, from Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks, 9.39-43, 10.15-16.
Adapted from Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks, transl. O. M. Dalton (Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1927), vol. 2, pp. 409-22; and Gregory, Bishop of Tours, History of the Franks, transl. Ernest Brehuat. New York: Columbia University Press, 1944, pp. 236-43, both public domain from HathiTrust.
Further Reading
E. T. Dailey, Radegund: The Trials and Triumphs of a Merovingian Queen (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023).
R. Singer, “Gregory’s forgotten rebel: the portrayal of Basina by Gregory of Tours and its implications,” Early Medieval Europe 30, no. 2 (2022): 185–208.
Reacting to the Past Microgame https://reactingconsortium.org/games/revolting-nuns-590: High School classes might enjoy the Reacting to the Past microgame in development based on this source, Rebellion at Sainte-Croix, 590. This is a sixty-minute role-immersion simulation that would be an excellent introduction to the source. The simulation could be used before or after students read the document, as preparation is not required for the simulation. [This link is to the Reacting to the Past Game Jam 2024 version. A more official version is under consideration for the Reacting Consortium site, and this link can be updated if the microgame is included there.]
Poitiers Walks, Follow this virtual walk around Poitiers, France and its medieval history, with Google Map locations at the bottom of the page. Using Google Maps’ Pegman and Street View, it’s possible to virtually walk this route through Poitiers and even go inside some buildings like the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre. https://poitiershistorywalks.com/?page_id=262
Discussion Questions
- How has Radegund’s history with Frankia’s bishops continued to shape the options for Sainte-Croix’s nuns?
- Why was leaving the abbey the action bishops found most serious and worth punishing? What does this suggest about expectations and opportunities for women in the Middle Ages?
- How do/should people with grievances attract the attention of those with authority to help? What if those methods are employed to uphold traditional power dynamics? What if authorities are not willing to help?
Cite
Edwards, Jennifer C. “Scandale at Sainte-Croix,” Middle Ages for Educators, October 14, 2024. Accessed [date]. https://middleagesforeducators.princeton.edu/scandal-sainte-croix