Saint Balthild - Paris, France
Posted by: 
Metro2
N 48° 50.859 E 002° 20.291
31U E 451445 N 5410731
Saint Balthild (626-680) was also the Queen of Burgundy and Neustria. This was the Frankish Kingdom...so, she is considered to have been a Queen of France.
Waymark Code: WMD38A
Location: Île-de-France, France
Date Posted: 11/12/2011
Views: 19
This sculpture of Balthild depicts her standing and wearing heavy robes. She lifts part of her outfit with her right hand while she holds her book to her bosom with her left. She wears her crown and a necklace with a cross. The marble piece is dated 1848 and signed V. Therasse. It is located in the Jardin du Luxembourg.
Wikipedia (
visit link) informs us:
"King Clovis noticed her and, sometime in 649, asked for her hand in marriage. Balthild was nineteen when she became queen. Different versions of this story suggest Clovis was somewhere between the ages of twelve and sixteen at the time.
Even as queen, she remained humble and modest. She is famous for her charitable service and generous donations. From her donations, the abbeys of Corbie and Chelles were founded (and likely others such as those of Jumièges, Jouarre, and Luxeuil). She also provided support to Saint Claudius of Besançon and his abbey in the Jura Mountains. She bore her husband three children, all of whom became kings: Clotaire, Childeric, and Theuderic.
When Balthild's husband died between 655 and 658, Clotaire, the eldest son and heir to the throne, succeeded at age five. Balthild served as the queen regent until he came of age in 664, when she was forced into a convent. As queen, she was a capable stateswoman. She abolished the practice of trading Christian slaves and even sought the freedom of children sold into slavery. As the story goes, after Balthild's three children were of age and "established in their respective territories" (Clotaire in Neustria, Childeric in Austrasia, and perhaps Theuderic in Burgundy), Balthild entered the abbey and gave up her royal rank. She dedicated the rest of her life to serving the poor and the infirm." She was canonised by Pope Nicholas I around 880.