GUNTRAM, King of the Franks, Saint. - B. around 525, d. 28 March 592. Son of Chlothar I, on his father's death (end of 561), in the partition of the Frankish Kingdom, he received Burgundy, Orléans, Arles, and Marseilles, territories which he later enlarged through conquests and negotiations. In the frequent struggles among the Frankish lords, taking sides now with one and now with another, he managed to secure influence and protection over his brothers' territories as they died one by one, and likewise assumed the guardianship of his nephew Chlothar II, son of Chilperic and Fredegund.

He fought the Goths, often with unfavorable outcome (586 and 589), but with tenacity, as enemies of the Christian religion (because they were Arians). Having remained without children, by the pact of Andelot of 23 Nov. 587 between him and Childebert, G. made the latter his heir.

St. Gregory of Tours, a contemporary and friend, praises him greatly for his charity, for the erection of monasteries and churches, for his zeal in promoting ecclesiastical discipline, especially through councils, and for the respect shown to ecclesiastical authority. He was not, however, immune from grave stains (illicit relations, shedding of blood), but for the era in which he lived G. was certainly an exception. He was buried in the church of the monastery of St. Marcellus at Chalon-sur-Saône, which he had built. Feast day 28 March.

Bibliography4 works

BIBL.: The principal source of his biography is the Historia Francorum of Gregory of Tours, whose relevant passages are reported in Acta SS. Martii, III, Paris 1865, pp. 715-28; Fliche-Martin-Frutz, V, pp. 347-53; cf. Martyr. Hieronymianum, p. 165; Martyr. Romanum, p. 116.

Alberto Ghinato

@incollection{ec6_gontranno_re_franco_santo, author = {Ghinato, Alberto}, title = {Gontranno, re franco, santo}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VI}, pages = {919}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1951}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/gontranno-re-franco-santo} }

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Guntram, King of the Franks, Saint

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