Balthild of Chelles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintBalthild |
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A medieval depiction of Balthild
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| Born | 626 or 627 |
| Died | 30 January 680 |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Orthodox Church |
| Canonized | c. 880 by Pope Nicholas I |
| Major shrine | Abbey of Chelles outside of Paris |
| Feast | The new Roman martyrology says her feast day is January 30, as it was celebrated in France. |
Balthild (born around 626 – died January 30, 680), also known as Bathilda, was a powerful queen from a long time ago. She was the queen of Neustria and Burgundy because she married Clovis II, who was the king. After her husband died, she became a regent, meaning she ruled the kingdom while her son was too young to be king. Balthild is remembered for her kindness and for helping many people. She is now considered a saint.
People believe Balthild was originally from England, from a noble family. However, she was sold into slavery when she was young. She was brought to the Frankish kingdom, which is now France.
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Balthild's Amazing Life Story
Balthild was born around the years 626 or 627. She was known for being beautiful, smart, and caring. As a young girl, she was sold into slavery. She worked in the home of Erchinoald, a very important official who helped the king.
Erchinoald wanted to marry Balthild after his wife died. But Balthild did not want to marry him. She hid until he married someone else. Later, King Clovis II noticed her. He was so impressed that he asked her to marry him.
Even after becoming queen, Balthild stayed humble and kind. She was famous for her charity work. She gave a lot of money to help others. Because of her donations, important abbeys (religious communities) like Corbie and Chelles were started. She also helped other abbeys.
Balthild and King Clovis had three sons. All of them later became kings: Clotaire III, Childeric II, and Theuderic III.
When King Clovis died, Balthild's oldest son, Clotaire, became king. Balthild became the queen regent. This meant she ruled the kingdom for her young son. She was a very good leader. She stopped the practice of trading Christian slaves. She worked hard to free children who had been sold into slavery. She worked with another saint, Eligius, to buy and free many slaves.
After some disagreements with another powerful official, Balthild decided to leave politics. She went to live at her favorite abbey, Chelles Abbey, near Paris.
Balthild died on January 30, 680. She was buried at Chelles Abbey. Her life story was written down soon after her death. About 200 years later, Pope Nicholas I officially made her a saint.
The Mystery of Balthild's Seal
In 1999, a special gold seal matrix was found in a field in England. A seal matrix is like a stamp used to make an impression on wax. This one was probably part of a ring.
One side of the seal shows a woman's face and her name, BALDAHILDIS. The other side shows two people, a man and a woman, hugging under a cross.
In Balthild's time, one side of a seal was used for official papers. The other side was for private documents. No one is sure why this seal ended up in England. It might have been a gift. Or someone representing Balthild might have worn it. Some people think it was sent back to Balthild's family after she died. It is now kept at the Norwich Castle Museum.
Balthild's Special Chemise
Balthild had a beautiful chemise, which is a type of loose garment. This special shirt showed her dedication to the church and her status as a queen. It was probably made by Balthild herself or by nuns at Chelles Abbey.
The chemise was made of simple linen. This showed her humility, as linen was a common fabric for ordinary people. But it also had fancy silk decorations. It had a large, jeweled Christian cross. There were also small pictures of people and birds. Around the collar, there were patterns that looked like golden necklaces. These embroidered necklaces were sewn to look exactly like the jewelry Balthild wore as queen. This showed that she had given up her real jewelry for her faith.
There are different ideas about this chemise. Some believe it was a burial shirt placed with Balthild in her tomb. Others think she wore it often during her life at Chelles Abbey, but not when she died. It is hard to know for sure because Balthild's body and dress have been moved several times over the centuries.
Her body and dress were first moved in 833. They were placed behind the altar at Chelles Abbey. This was done to attract Christians on pilgrimages. The dress was later found hidden inside a special container in the 1500s. It was likely hidden to protect it during the French Revolution.
See also
In Spanish: Batilda de Chelles para niños
