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ID
ER 1776
The servants of King Chilperic I falsely accuse abbots and presbyters of Limoges of inciting people to burn tax collector`s books. They are tied to stakes and tortured, ca 579. Account of Gregory of Tours, "Histories", Tours (Gaul), AD 579-594.
V.28
 
King Chilperic I imposed new taxes. The people of Limoges rebelled against them, attacked the tax collector Mark and burned his books. The king sent his men to inflict punishment on the guilty.
Ferunt etiam, tunc abbatis atque presbiteros ad stipitis extensus diversis subiacuisse tormentis, calumniantibus regalibus missis, quod in siditione populi ad incendendus libros satellitis adfuissent, acerbiora quoque deinceps infligentes tributa.
 
(ed. Krusch 1937: 234)
V.28
 
King Chilperic I imposed new taxes. The people of Limoges rebelled against them, attacked the tax collector Mark and burned his books. The king sent his men to inflict punishment on the guilty.
It is said that these royal servants (missi) falsely accused the abbots and presbyters of having incited the people to burn the books of the tax collector (satelles), and that they had them tied to stakes and then submitted them to all sorts of torture. Then they demanded even more punitive payments.
 
(trans. Thorpe 1974: 292, altered and summarised by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

These events took place ca the eighteenth year of Chilperic I's reign, that is, 579.
 
Using the term abbots (abbates), Gregory of Tours most likely refers to the presbyters in charge of basilicas and not to monastic superiors.
 

Place of event:

Region
  • Gaul
City
  • Limoges

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:

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
    Described by a title - Abba
      Conflict
        Relation with - Secular authority
          Relation with - Townsman
            Administration of justice - Corporal punishment
              Economic status and activity - Taxes and services
                Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1776, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1776
                Record by: Jerzy Szafranowski
                last edited: 2018-10-01 12:06:46
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