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 文獻(xiàn)出處

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

二 文獻(xiàn)導(dǎo)讀

克洛維（Chlodovocar或Clovis I,465或466~511年）是薩利克法蘭克人的部落首領(lǐng)、法蘭克王國的創(chuàng)立者。從481年起，克洛維就率眾向南對高盧地區(qū)進(jìn)行擴(kuò)張。486年，他在蘇瓦松一役擊敗羅馬在高盧的末代統(tǒng)治者西亞格利烏斯，將勢力拓展到索姆河和塞納河的整個地區(qū)，建立了法蘭克王國，并且以家族之名將王國命名為墨洛溫王朝（486~751年）。

開國后，王室成員曾數(shù)次向克洛維提出皈依基督教的建議，借此來鞏固統(tǒng)治，但克洛維最初并沒在意。據(jù)傳，496年克洛維征討萊茵河中部的阿勒曼尼人時受到重創(chuàng)，他向上帝禱告求救，結(jié)果敵方內(nèi)訌，國王被殺，他由此開始信奉上帝，遂帶領(lǐng)戰(zhàn)爭中生還的3000士兵接受基督教洗禮。但實際上，為了有效地控制被征服地區(qū)臣民的思想和行為，構(gòu)建起王權(quán)統(tǒng)治的神權(quán)支柱，克洛維的皈依乃是理所當(dāng)然的。皈依基督教后，克洛維的政治地位得到鞏固，先后用武力迫使勃艮第王國臣服，擊敗或驅(qū)逐了阿曼尼拉人、西哥特人等，聲威大震。晚年為鞏固其統(tǒng)治，他剪除了本部落聯(lián)盟的其他首領(lǐng)和昔日同盟者，并組織人匯編、頒布《薩利克法典》。克洛維逝世后，其諸子開始爭奪王位，致使王國一度分裂。

克洛維皈依基督教不僅是法蘭克王國歷史上的重要事件，也是中古前期西歐政治史的重大事件。它對日后西歐的封建政治、思想文化與社會生活都產(chǎn)生了深遠(yuǎn)影響，同時也開啟了西方基督教文明圈形成、拓展的歷史序幕。

記載克洛維皈依基督教的第一篇資料出自《圣但尼修道院編年史》的“法蘭克人的國王克洛維”（Chronicle of St. Denis:Chlodovocar, King of the Franks）。圣但尼修道院是法蘭克王國的王家修道院，在查理曼時代，這里是西歐重要的學(xué)術(shù)中心，當(dāng)時西歐最著名的學(xué)者阿爾昆在促成了“加洛林文藝復(fù)興”后，即被查理曼封為該修道院的院長。這里藏有大量的資料與書籍，有不少學(xué)問精深的僧侶。這部編年史成書在十三四世紀(jì)，記載了法蘭克王國的政治史，此外還涉及其他重要的歷史內(nèi)容，如法蘭克軍隊732年與阿拉伯人的普瓦提埃之戰(zhàn)、9世紀(jì)北方諾曼人的大規(guī)模南侵等，很有史料價值。

記載克洛維皈依基督教的第二篇資料出自6世紀(jì)法蘭克國家歷史的主要著作——圖爾的格利高里（538~594年）的《法蘭克人史》（Gregory of Tours:History of the Franks）。格利高里出身于羅馬人的望族家庭，長期擔(dān)任圖爾主教，與法蘭克王室關(guān)系密切，常常出入國王宮廷，結(jié)識朝中顯貴。他的《法蘭克人史》比較詳細(xì)地記載了法蘭克人對高盧的征服、法蘭克王國的統(tǒng)治，以及土地制度、社會生活等。本書第二卷記載了基督教在高盧的傳播及其與阿里烏斯教派等異端的論戰(zhàn)、496年克洛維率領(lǐng)法蘭克戰(zhàn)士領(lǐng)受洗禮等方面的情況，撰寫中使用了大量的文獻(xiàn)材料，包括各種編年史、年代記、傳記、信札以及地方大事記等，對于我們了解當(dāng)時墨洛溫諸王權(quán)與基督教神權(quán)的結(jié)合，有著重要的史料價值。

三 延伸閱讀

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.