24 Facts About Clotilde

Clotilde is the patron saint of the lame in Normandy and the patron saint of Les Andelys and has been "invoked against sudden death and iniquitous husbands".

Clotilde married Clovis I, the first king of the Franks, in 492 or 493.

Clotilde's story fascinated later generations because it was "the centerpiece of a struggle between the old Catholic, Roman population against the Arianism of the Germanic tribes".

Clotilde was able to convince Clovis to convert to Christianity; the Franks, due to her influence, were Catholics for centuries.

Clotilde is represented as a praying queen and as a nun.

Clotilde built churches, monasteries, and convents, including the Basilica of the Holy Apostles, which later became the Church of Sainte-Genevieve, which she and Clovis built as a mausoleum honouring Saint Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris.

Clotilde's history has been pieced together by Gregory of Tours and Fredegarius, and in certain hagiographies.

Clotilde's history appears in French hagiographies, but most of them were written before Kurth's.

Clotilde's story fascinated later generations because it was "the centerpiece of a struggle between the old Catholic, Roman population against the Arianism of the Germanic tribes", although there is no evidence that Clovis was an Arian sympathizer before his marriage and conversion to Catholicism.

Clotilde had influence over Clovis and actively encouraged him to convert to Catholicism.

Clotilde allowed the baptism of their oldest son, Ingomir, who died in infancy, and of their next son, Clodomir, but he blamed their oldest child's death on Clotilde's faith and resisted her attempts to convert him.

Clotilde's vita describes her daughter's life, who married a Visigothic man named Amalaric, who she unsuccessfully tried to convert to Catholicism and who "cruelly treated".

Clotilde's army was losing, but he appealed to his wife's God for help, promising that if he won, he would accept the Christian faith.

Baring-Gould did not believe that Clotilde did not influence Clovis to fight this war or others in order to revenge her family's death.

The Franks, due to Clotilde's influence, were Catholics for centuries.

Clovis died in 511; Clotilde buried him at the Basilica of the Holy Apostles, which later became the Church of Sainte-Genevieve, which they built together as a mausoleum honouring Saint Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris.

Clotilde adopted her son's three young boys, but was induced to send the children to her other sons, who had the two oldest killed.

Farmer states that Clotilde continued to have a political role in "the violent Merovingian world", mostly through her sons.

Clotilde is represented as a praying queen and as a nun, with a crown on her head or beside her.

Clotilde founded the monastery of St Mary of les Audelya in Touraine and a monastery in Chelles, and built churches, reportedly at Rouen, Lyon, and Les Andelys; The monastery in Chelles was built for nuns, in honour of Saint George; Saint Bathilde of Chelles, the wife of Clovis II, restored it 100 years later.

In 511, Clotilde founded a convent for young noble girls in Les Andelys, where the collegiate church now stands.

One day, the workers complained about the heat and their thirst; in response, Clotilde prayed and water from a nearby fountain "had the power and the taste of wine for the workers".

Clotilde has been depicted in art over several centuries presiding over the baptism of Clovis or as a suppliant at St Martin's shrine.

Clotilde's relics survived the French Revolution and as of 1997, are stored at the Church of Saint Louis of France in Paris.