Across time, Allée Bertille whispers tales of a queen. She wasn’t born into royalty. Bathilde’s story is one of remarkable ascent. From slave to queen, her life shaped the Frankish kingdom. This path beneath our feet carries echoes of her legacy.
Bathilde emerged from Anglo-Saxon England. Captured and sold, she arrived in Gaul as a slave. Her initial role was humble. She served the mayor of the palace Erchinoald. Her duty was to pour drinks in his chamber.
Legend suggests Erchinoald wanted to marry her after his wife died. But Bathilde declined. She hid to avoid the marriage. Her humility impressed many. Soon, she caught the eye of King Clovis II. They married around 649. The chronicler Frédegaire described Bathilde as a wise and elegant queen. Tradition says she greatly influenced her husband. She encouraged him to rule firmly.
After Clovis II died, Bathilde became regent from 657 to 664. She ruled in the name of her son Clotaire III. She aimed to prevent the kingdom’s division. She faced opposition from nobles in Austrasia. They wanted their own kingdom back. To maintain peace, Bathilde allowed her other son Childeric II to rule Austrasia.
Bathilde surrounded herself with ecclesiastical advisors. These included bishops Ouen of Rouen and Eloi of Noyon. They also included Chrodobert of Paris and Abbot Genès. She focused on enforcing rules within the clergy. She supported the church. She avoided conflicts and sent missionaries to Germany.
Queen Bathilde outlawed the sale and purchase of slaves. However, she did not force landowners to free them immediately. She decreed that foreign captives for sale became free on Frankish soil. She tried to ban selling children. She also worked to stop selling Christian slaves abroad. Bathilde bought and freed many captives. She freed family heads jailed for tax debts. She fought simony within the clergy.
Bathilde founded royal monasteries. These included Corbie Abbey for monks and Chelles Abbey for nuns. The queen supported various religious establishments. These included the royal abbeys of Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin de Tours. She supported Jumièges Abbey, Luxeuil Abbey and Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire Abbey.
After a power struggle, Bathilde retired to Chelles Abbey around 665. She lived there until her death. She expanded the oratory of Clotilde. She built a new church dedicated to the Holy Cross. She never took monastic vows.
Bathilde died on January 30 around 680 or 681 at about fifty years old. She was buried in the church of the Holy Cross. Her canonization by Pope Nicholas II occurred soon after.
The legacy of Allée Bertille’s namesake is profound. She maintained peace between Austrasia, Neustria, and Burgundy. She fought against slavery. Some claim she ended it in the Frankish kingdoms. Her efforts left an indelible mark.
Today, the Musée Alfred Bonno in Chelles preserves items belonging to Queen Bathilde. These include an embroidered tunic and a cloak. They also have a large dress and a hair tie. These relics connect us to her world. The story of Bathilde on Allée Bertille reminds us of her journey. From humble beginnings she became a powerful queen and a saint. Her actions helped shape the Frankish kingdom.