A letter from Brunhild, queen of Austrasia and Burgundy (584)

Translated letter:

To the glorious, pious, perpetual, illustrious, triumphant and always imperial lord, emperor Maurice, Brunhild queen. The letter directed to our most distinguished son, king Childebert, from the clemency of your most serene sovreignty arrived and we have counselled peace. On account of which, discharging most reverently the offices of greeting with fitting honor to the height of your most tranquil piety, as we promised your legates, the bearers of the presents are directed to your clemency to whom we have committed what should be proffered orally about certain subjects to your serenity. When these have been received most benignly by your serenity and return happily, let us deserve to know by your words/communications what is useful to all the things that have been pledged.

Original letter:

Domino glorioso, pio, perpetuo, inclito, triumphatore ac semper augusto, Mauricio imperatore, Brunichildis regina. Serenissimi principatus vestri clementia ad praecellentissimum filium nostrum, Hildebertum regem, directa pervenit epistula: significamus nos pacis dedisse consilium. Quapropter tranquillissime pietatis vestrae debito tanti culminis honore salutis officia reverentissime persolventes, sicut legatariis partis vestrae promisimus, praesentium latores ad clementiam vestram directi sunt, quibus de certis titulis vestrae serenitatis verbo proferenda conmisimus. His igitur benignissime ad tranquillitati vestrae receptis ac feliciter remeantibus, illud vestris agnoscere mereamur eloquiis, quod prosit rebus omnibus foederatis.

Historical context:

Though the emperor’s letter came to her son, Brunhild’s response makes it clear that she is in charge. She sends back her envoys with directions about arrangements, not covered in the letter. The most delicate matters were usually entrusted to a reliable messenger who presented the written letters and conveyed the rest by word of mouth.

Printed source:

MGH MK Epistolae Austrasicae, ep.26 p.139, also HGF4 ep.50 p.83 (no variations in vocabulary but many in case-endings).

Date:

584