Born: Unknown (500s), France (assumed)
Died: Unknown (600s)
Country most active: France
Also known as: NA
From Woman: Her Position, Influence and Achievement Throughout the Civilized World. Designed and Arranged by William C. King. Published in 1900 by The King-Richardson Co. Copyright 1903 The King-Richardson Co.:
CHRODIELDE
A. D. Sixth Century
THE VICTIM OF HER OWN IGNOBLE AMBITION
CHRODIELDE was a nun, inmate of the convent founded by Radegonde at Poitiers, who caused the temporary dispersion of this powerful community. Soon after Radegonde’s death, in 587, Chrodielde, who pretended that she was the daughter of the late king Cheribert, induced many of the nuns to take an oath that as soon as she succeeded in forcing the abbess Leubovere to leave the convent, by accusing her of several crimes, they would place her at their head. She then, with more than forty nuns, among whom was Baslne, daughter of Chilperic, went to Tours, where she wished to place her companions under the rare of Gregory, bishop of Tours, while she went to lay her complaint before Gontran, king of Burgundy.
Gregory advised her to return, but in vain; and Chrodielde went to make her petition to the king, who promised to examine into the cause of her dissatisfaction.
Chrodielde would not return to the cloister, but went, with her companions, into the cathedral of St Hilary, while the bishops, whom the king had sent, were investigating the affair. Here she collected around her for her defense, thieves, murderers, and criminals of all kinds, who drove away with violence the bishops who came to disperse them.
Childebert, king of France, sent orders that these disturbances should be repressed by force if necessary; but Chrodielde, at the head of her banditti, made such a violent resistance that it was with difficulty the king’s orders were executed.
The abbess of St Radegonde was tried by the tribunal of bishops on the charges of severity, ill-treatment, and sacrilege, which Chrodielde had preferred against her, and found entirely innocent of everything but too great indulgence. Chrodielde and her followers were excommunicated on account of their violent conduct, and their attack on the convent and the abbess Leubovere, which latter they had drawn through the streets by the hair, and afterwards imprisoned.