Rethinking an early medieval image of a saint: St. Radegund’s Life by t Hildebert of Lavardin

Abstract

The article discusses a hagiographic image of St. Radegund, created at the turn of the 11th-12th cc. by the bishop Hildebert of Lavardin on the basis of two early medieval Lives. The former ones were written by the poet and bishop Venantius Fortunatus and the nun Baudonivia 500 years earlier than the new spiritual biography. The author of this article reveals the sociocultural and spiritual context for the writing a new Life, shows the image of the Queen-nun created by Hildebert. By combining and rethinking the spiritual biographies by Fortunatus and Baudonivia, Hildebert made the old image of Radegund more relevant for his time. The desire of the holy Queen to lead an ascetic monastic life is combined with a public, secular and political role for the benefit of society. The heroine of the new life is focused not on her personal salvation, but on social activities. Hildebert presented Radegund as an example for the noble ladies of his time.