The Conversion of Clovis

Account 1

At this time the King was yet in the errors of his idolatry and went to war with the Alemanni, since he wished to render them tributary. Long was the battle, many were slain on one side or the other, for the Franks fought to win glory and renown, the Alemanni to save life and freedom. When the King at length saw the slaughter of his people and the boldness of his foes, he had greater expectation of disaster than of victory. He looked up to heaven humbly, and spoke thus:“Most mighty God, whom my queen Clothilde worships and adores with heart and soul, I pledge you perpetual service unto your faith, if only you give me now the victory over my enemies.”

Instantly when he had said this, his men were filled with burning valor, and a great fear smote his enemies, so that they turned their backs and fled the battle; and victory remained with the King and with the Franks. The king of the Alemanni were slain; and as for the Alemanni, seeing themselves discomfited, and that their king had fallen, they yielded themselves to Chlodovocar and his Franks and became his tributaries.

The King returned after this victory into Frankland. He went to Rheims, and told the Queen what had befallen; and they together gave thanks unto Our Lord. The King made his confession of faith from his heart, and with right good will. The Queen, who was wondrously overjoyed at the conversion of her lord, went at once to St. Remi, at that time archbishop of the city. Straightway he hastened to the palace to teach the King the way by which he could come unto God, for his mind was still in doubt about it. He presented himself boldly before his face, although a little while before he [the bishop] had not dared to come before him.

When St. Remi had preached to the King the Christian faith and taught him the way of the Cross, and when the king had known what the faith was, Chlodovocar promised fervently that he would henceforth never serve any save the all-powerful God. After that he said he would put to the test and try the hearts and wills of his chieftains and lesser people: for he would convert them more easily if they were converted by pleasant means and by mild words, than if they were driven to it by force; and this method seemed best to St. Remi. The folk and the chieftains were assembled by the command of the King. He arose in the midst of them, and spoke to this effect:“Lords of the Franks, it seems to me highly profitable that you should know first of all what are those gods which you worship. For we are certain of their falsity: and we come right freely into the knowledge of Him who is the true God. Know of a surety that this same God which I preach to you has given victory over your enemies in the recent battle against the Alemanni. Lift, therefore, your hearts in just hope; and ask the Sovereign Defender, that He give to you all, that which you desire—that He save our souls and give us victory over our enemies.” When the King full of faith had thus preached to and admonished his people, one and all banished from their hearts all unbelief, and recognized their Creator.

When shortly afterward Chlodovocar set out for the church for baptism, St. Remi prepared a great procession. The streets of Rheims were hung with banners and tapestry. The church was decorated. The baptistry was covered with balsams and all sorts of perfumes. The people believed they were already breathing the delights of paradise. The cortege set out from the palace, the clergy led the way bearing the holy Gospels, the cross and banners, chanting hymns and psalms. Then came the bishop leading the King by the hand, next the Queen with the multitude. Whilst on the way the King asked of the bishop,“If this was the Kingdom of Heaven which he had promised him”.“Not so”, replied the prelate;“it is the road that leads to it”.

When in the church, in the act of bestowing baptism the holy pontiff lifted his eyes to heaven in silent prayer and wept. Straightway a dove, white as snow, descended bearing in his beak a vial of holy oil. A delicious odor exhaled from it:which intoxicated those near by with an inexpressible delight. The holy bishop took the vial, and suddenly the dove vanished. Transported with joy at the sight of this notable miracle, the King renounced Satan, his pomps and his works;and demanded with earnestness the baptism; at the moment when he bent his head over the fountain of life, the eloquent pontiff cried,“Bow down thine head, fierce Sicambrian! Adore that which once thou hast burned: burn that which thou hast adored”!

After having made his profession of the orthodox faith, the King is plunged thrice in the waters of baptism. Then in the name of the holy and indivisible Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—the prelate consecrated him with the divine unction. Two sisters of the king and 3000 fighting men of the Franks and a great number of women and children were likewise baptized. Thus we many well believe that day was a day of joy in heaven for the holy angels; likewise of rejoicing on earth for devout and faithful men!

The King showed vast zeal for his new faith. He built a splendid church at Paris, called St. Genevieve, where later he and Clothilde were buried. Faith and religion and zeal for justice were pursued by him all the days of his life. Certain Franks still held to paganism, and found a leader in Prince Ragnachairus but he was presently delivered up in fetters to Chlodovocar who put him to death. Thus all the Frankish people were converted and baptized by the merits of St. Remi.

At this time there came to Chlodovocar messengers from Anastasius, the Emperor of Constantinople, who brought him presents from their master, and letters whereof the effect was, that it pleased the Emperor and the Senators that he [Chlodovocar] be made a“Friend of the Emperor”, and a“Patrician” and“Councilor” of the Romans. When the King had read these letters, he arrayed himself in the robe of a senator, which the Emperor had sent to him. He mounted upon his charger; and thus he went to the public square before the church of St. Martin; and then he gave great gifts to the people. From this day he was always called“Councilor” and“Augustus”.

Account 2

While King Chlodovocar dwelt at Paris he sent secretly to Cloderic, son of Sigibert, king of Cologne, and said unto him:“Behold, your father is old and lame. If he should die, his kingdom would be yours on the strength of our friendship together”. Then it came to pass that Sigebert quitted the city of Cologne and crossed the Rhine to enjoy himself in the forest of Buconia. And as he slept in his tent about noon time, his son sent assassins against him, and caused him to perish, in order to gain his kingdom. The murderer sent messengers to Chlodovocar saying:“My father is dead, even as was enjoined, and I have in my possession both his wealth and his kingdom. Send, therefore, some of your people, and I will freely commit to them whatever you wish of his treasures”.

When Chlodovocar's messengers came, Cloderic opened before them the treasures of his father; but as he thrust his hand deep down in the chest, one of the messengers raised his“Franciska” [the Frankish battle axe] and cleft his skull. Then Chlodovocar straightway presented himself at Cologne, assembled the folk there and spoke to them:“Hear what has befallen. While I sailed upon the river Scheldt, Cloderic, the son of my kinsman, pursued his father, pretending that I desired him to kill him; and while Sigebert fled across the forest of Buconia, Cloderic compassed his death by brigands. Then he himself — at the moment he was opening the treasures of his father — was smitten and slain! I know not by whom. I am in no way an accomplice in these deeds; for I cannot shed the blood of my kinsfolk — something utterly unlawful! But since the thing is done, I give you council; if you are willing, receive me as your king. Have recourse to me and put yourselves under my protection”.

The Ripuarian Franks of Cologne welcomed these words with loud applause, and with the clashing of their shields. They lifted Chlodovocar upon a shield, and proclaimed him king over them.....

Daily did God cause Chlodovocar's enemies to fall into his hand, and increased his kingdom; seeing that he went about with his heart right before the Lord, and did that which was pleasing in His eyes.

一 文献出处

William Stearns Davis, ed.,Readings in Ancient History:Illustrative Extracts from the Sources,2 Vols.,Boston,1912-1913,pp.331-337.

二 文献导读

克洛维（Chlodovocar或Clovis I,465或466~511年）是萨利克法兰克人的部落首领、法兰克王国的创立者。从481年起，克洛维就率众向南对高卢地区进行扩张。486年，他在苏瓦松一役击败罗马在高卢的末代统治者西亚格利乌斯，将势力拓展到索姆河和塞纳河的整个地区，建立了法兰克王国，并且以家族之名将王国命名为墨洛温王朝（486~751年）。

开国后，王室成员曾数次向克洛维提出皈依基督教的建议，借此来巩固统治，但克洛维最初并没在意。据传，496年克洛维征讨莱茵河中部的阿勒曼尼人时受到重创，他向上帝祷告求救，结果敌方内讧，国王被杀，他由此开始信奉上帝，遂带领战争中生还的3000士兵接受基督教洗礼。但实际上，为了有效地控制被征服地区臣民的思想和行为，构建起王权统治的神权支柱，克洛维的皈依乃是理所当然的。皈依基督教后，克洛维的政治地位得到巩固，先后用武力迫使勃艮第王国臣服，击败或驱逐了阿曼尼拉人、西哥特人等，声威大震。晚年为巩固其统治，他剪除了本部落联盟的其他首领和昔日同盟者，并组织人汇编、颁布《萨利克法典》。克洛维逝世后，其诸子开始争夺王位，致使王国一度分裂。

克洛维皈依基督教不仅是法兰克王国历史上的重要事件，也是中古前期西欧政治史的重大事件。它对日后西欧的封建政治、思想文化与社会生活都产生了深远影响，同时也开启了西方基督教文明圈形成、拓展的历史序幕。

记载克洛维皈依基督教的第一篇资料出自《圣但尼修道院编年史》的“法兰克人的国王克洛维”（Chronicle of St. Denis:Chlodovocar, King of the Franks）。圣但尼修道院是法兰克王国的王家修道院，在查理曼时代，这里是西欧重要的学术中心，当时西欧最著名的学者阿尔昆在促成了“加洛林文艺复兴”后，即被查理曼封为该修道院的院长。这里藏有大量的资料与书籍，有不少学问精深的僧侣。这部编年史成书在十三四世纪，记载了法兰克王国的政治史，此外还涉及其他重要的历史内容，如法兰克军队732年与阿拉伯人的普瓦提埃之战、9世纪北方诺曼人的大规模南侵等，很有史料价值。

记载克洛维皈依基督教的第二篇资料出自6世纪法兰克国家历史的主要著作——图尔的格利高里（538~594年）的《法兰克人史》（Gregory of Tours:History of the Franks）。格利高里出身于罗马人的望族家庭，长期担任图尔主教，与法兰克王室关系密切，常常出入国王宫廷，结识朝中显贵。他的《法兰克人史》比较详细地记载了法兰克人对高卢的征服、法兰克王国的统治，以及土地制度、社会生活等。本书第二卷记载了基督教在高卢的传播及其与阿里乌斯教派等异端的论战、496年克洛维率领法兰克战士领受洗礼等方面的情况，撰写中使用了大量的文献材料，包括各种编年史、年代记、传记、信札以及地方大事记等，对于我们了解当时墨洛温诸王权与基督教神权的结合，有着重要的史料价值。

三 延伸阅读

Oman,C.,The Dark Ages 476-918,London,1914.

Wallace-Hadrill,J.M.,The Long-haired Kings,London,1962.

Edward,James,The Origins of France:Clovis to the Capetians,500-1000, London, 1982.

Ian,W.,The Merovingian Kingdoms 450-751,New York,1994.