Ingund (wife of Hermenegild) facts for kids

Ingund (born around 567 or 568) was a princess from the Frankish kingdom of Austrasia. She was the oldest child of King Sigebert I and Queen Brunhilda. Ingund married Hermenegild, a prince of the Visigoths, and became the first Catholic queen of the Visigoths.

Ingund's Early Life

Ingund's father, Sigebert, became king of Austrasia in 561. This happened after his own father, Chlothar I, passed away.

Ingund was likely named after her grandmother, following a common tradition of the time. She had two younger siblings: a sister named Chlodosind (born around 569) and a brother named Childebert (born in 570).

In 575, King Sigebert was fighting a civil war against his half-brother, Chilperic I, who was king of Neustria. Just when Sigebert was about to win, he was killed. After his death, Queen Brunhilda and her children were in great danger. Childebert, who was only five years old, was especially at risk from Chilperic. A brave leader named Duke Gundovald quickly went to Paris, where Brunhilda and the children lived. He took Childebert and kept him safe among the nobles of Austrasia. When Chilperic arrived in Paris, he captured Brunhilda. He ordered Ingund and Chlodosind to be held in a monastery in Meaux. Ingund would have been only seven or eight years old during this very difficult time.

Marriage to Prince Hermenegild

In 569, Leovigild became a co-ruler of the Visigothic Kingdom in Hispania (modern-day Spain) and Septimania (part of modern-day France). To strengthen his rule, he married Goiswintha, who was the widow of the previous Visigothic King Athanagild. Goiswintha was also Ingund's grandmother. Leovigild had two sons, Hermenegild and Reccared, from an earlier marriage. Around 578, Leovigild arranged for his oldest son, Hermenegild, to marry Ingund. At this time, Ingund's mother, Brunhilda, was acting as regent (a ruler for a young king) for her son Childebert.

Ingund traveled from France to Toledo, the Visigothic capital. She passed through Septimania, a region in Gaul (France) that the Visigoths still controlled. As Ingund went through the town of Agde, she met a Catholic bishop named Phronimius. He warned her not to accept the 'poison' of Arianism, which was a different Christian belief.

In 579, Prince Hermenegild married Ingund. He was an Arian Christian, while she was Catholic. At first, Queen Goiswintha welcomed Ingund warmly. However, the queen was determined that Ingund should be re-baptized into the Arian faith. Ingund, who was still only twelve years old, firmly refused. Perhaps because King Leovigild wanted to make sure his sons would become kings, he sent Hermenegild and Ingund to Seville. They were to rule a part of his kingdom, likely the provinces of Baetica and southern Lusitania.

Hermenegild's Revolt

In Seville, Ingund met Leander, a Catholic monk. Leander came from an important and powerful family in Spain. His two brothers later became bishops, and his sister became an Abbess. Most people in southern Spain were Catholic. Many Visigothic nobles were also Catholic, especially those with Spanish roots. Leander was either already the bishop of Seville when Hermenegild and Ingund arrived, or he became bishop soon after. There is no doubt that Leander had a lot of influence. He likely saw Ingund, a Catholic princess, as a chance to help the Catholic cause. History has many stories of queens influencing their husbands' religious choices.

Hermenegild's territory in Baetica bordered Spania, which were cities in southeastern Spain controlled by the Byzantine Empire. These cities were mostly Latin Christian.

During the 500s, many Catholic clergy (church leaders) moved to southern Spain, often from Africa. This was due to religious persecution. When Hermenegild and Ingund arrived in Seville, they would have found a strong and active group of Catholics.

In the winter of 579–580, Hermenegild declared himself king in Seville. However, he still called his father 'King'. We don't know if Hermenegild truly believed in the Catholic faith at this time. He didn't officially accept Catholicism until 582. But from the start, he seemed to be supported by those who favored the Catholic religion. In 580, Leander even traveled to Constantinople to ask the Byzantine Empire for help for the rebels.

Sometime between 580 and 582, Hermenegild and Ingund had a son. They named him Athanagild, after Ingund's great-grandfather, King Athanagild.

After Ingund's Death

Many historians believe that Ingund's strong Catholic faith deeply influenced her husband, Hermenegild. He eventually converted to Catholicism. This conversion was not just for political reasons. When Hermenegild was forced to choose between giving up his Catholic faith and being executed, he chose to remain Catholic. His revolt showed that the Arian Christian belief was losing its power in Spain.

Soon after Hermenegild and Ingund died, King Leovigild also passed away. His younger son, Reccared, became the new king. Within two years of becoming king, Reccared embraced Catholicism. He then began the important task of uniting the Spanish people under one religion. It is believed that Ingund's spirit and Hermenegild's example had a big impact on Spanish society, especially on King Reccared. Reccared did not support his father's actions against Hermenegild. He even punished the person who executed his brother, showing a strong bond between them. Pope Gregory also confirmed Hermenegild's influence, saying that Reccared followed his "martyr brother" instead of his "faithless father" and converted from the Arian faith.

Images for kids

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  Map showing Baetica and Lusitania, regions in Spain

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  Map showing Byzantine Spain around 580 AD

See also

In Spanish: Ingundis para niños