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ER 1751
Tetricus, bishop of Langres, suffers from apoplexy. Mundericus is ordained in his place, but until Tetricus lives, he serves as the archpresbyter of Tonnerre. Mundericus is exiled and imprisoned due to his conflict with King Guntram, all around AD 561/573. Account of Gregory of Tours, "Histories", Tours (Gaul), AD 573-594.
V.5
 
Interea beatus Tetricus a sanguine sauciatur. Cui cum nulla medicorum fomenta valerent, conturbati clerici et a pastore utpote destituti, Mundericum expetunt. Qui a rege indultus ac tonsoratus, episcopus ordinatur, sub ea specie, ut, dum beatus Tetricus viveret, hic Ternoderinsim castrum ut archipresbiter regerit atque in eo commoraretur, migrante vero decessore, iste succederet. In quo castro dum habitaret, iram regis incurrit. Adserebatur enim contra eum, quod ipse Sigibertho regi adversus fratrem suum Guntchramnum venienti alimenta et munera praebuisset. Igitur extractus a castro, in exilio super ripam Rhodani in turre quadam arta atque detecta retruditur; in qua per duos fere annos cum grandi exitu commoratus, obtinente beato Nicetio episcopo, Lugduno regreditur habitavitque cum eo per duos menses. Sed cum obtinere non posset a rege, ut in loco, unde eiectus fuerat, restitueretur, nocte per fugam lapsus, ad Sigiberti regnum pertransiit et apud Arisitensim vicum episcopus instituetur.
 
(ed. Krusch 1937: 200-201)
V.5
 
Meanwhile, blessed Tetricus [of Langres] had an apopleptic stroke (a sanguine sauciatur). Because no physicians' poultices seemed to work, the clerics, disturbed and as if deprived of a shepherd, asked for Munderic [to be ordained bishop]. After being accepted by the king and tonsured, he was ordained bishop, under this condition, that, as long as blessed Tetricius remained alive, he would rule the fortress of Tonnerre as archpresbyter and stay there, and only succeed his predecessor when he dies. When he was still living in the said fortress, he incurred the king's wrath. He was accused of having brought provisions and gifts to Sigebert when that king was leading an expedition against his brother Guntram. He was dragged out of the fortress and thrown in exile to the narrow and roofless tower on the banks of the river Rhône. He lived there in great distress for almost two years. By the intercession of blessed Bishop Nicetius [of Lyon], he was sent to Lyon, where he lived with Nicetius for two months. But, since he was unable to obtain from the king reinstatement to the post from which he had been removed, he escaped at night, travelled to the kingdom of Sigebert, and was appointed bishop in the region of Alès.
 
(trans. Thorpe 1974: 260, altered by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

It is impossible to determine whether Gregory, by ruling Tonnerre as archpresbyter, understood him being in charge of the church in Tonnerre or commanding the fortress itself.
 
These events took place between 561, the year when both Sigebert and Guntram became kings, and 573, when Bishop Nicetius died. Mundericus was probably exiled near 566/568 when Sigebert attacked Guntram's city of Arles.

Place of event:

Region
  • Gaul
City
  • Langres
  • Lyon
  • Tonnerre
  • Alès

About the source:

Author: Gregory of Tours
Title: The History of the Franks, Gregorii episcopi Turonensis historiarum libri X, Histories
Origin: Tours (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
Gregory of Tours (Gaul) wrote his ten books of Histories (known commonly in English as the History of the Franks) during his episcopal reign in Tours between 573 and 594. The books vary in scope and length. The first book covers 5,596 years from the creation of the world to AD 397, that is the death of Saint Martin of Tours, Gregory`s predecessor in bishopric. The second book deals with the history of Gaul between 397 and 511, the latter being the year of death of King Clovis I. The third and fourth books cover the next 64 years till the death of Austrasian King Sigibert II in 575. Finally, the following six books describe exclusively the sixteen years from 575 to 591. Probably in 594, Gregory added the list of bishops of Tours in the end of the Histories, with brief accounts of their actions.
Edition:
B. Krusch ed., Gregorii Episcopi Turonensis Historiarum Libri X [in:] Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores rerum Merovingiciarum 1.1, Hannover 1884 (repr. 1951): 1­-537.
 
Translation:
Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks, trans. L. Thorpe, London 1974.

Categories:

Food/Clothes/Housing - Type of housing
Food/Clothes/Housing - Hairstyle
Further ecclesiastical career - Bishop
Functions within the Church - Archpresbyter
Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
Reasons for ordination - Pastoral needs of the Christian community
Ecclesiastical administration - Administering Church property
Public law - Secular
Conflict
Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
Relation with - Monarch and royal/imperial family
Former ecclesiastical career - None
Administration of justice - Secular
Administration of justice - Exile
Administration of justice - Imprisonment
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1751, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1751
Record by: Jerzy Szafranowski
last edited: 2019-03-27 22:57:25
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