A Frankish princess and sister of King Clovis I, Audofleda married Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths, around 493. This union sealed a major diplomatic alliance between the Franks and the Ostrogoths in the aftermath of the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
Blanchefleur(460 — 510)
Audofleda
6 min read
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- Sister of Clovis I, king of the Franks, and a member of the Merovingian dynasty
- Married Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths, around 493, sealing an alliance between the two peoples
- Mother of Amalasuntha, the future regent of the Ostrogothic kingdom of Italy
- Converted to Catholicism, whereas the Ostrogoths were predominantly Arian
Works & Achievements
A union that sealed the diplomatic alliance between the Franks and the Ostrogoths in the aftermath of the fall of Rome. This marriage made Audofleda an instrument of peace between two barbarian powers.
Audofleda gave birth to Amalasuntha, the future regent and queen of the Ostrogoths. Her daughter received a remarkable Roman education, mastering both Latin and Greek.
As queen, Audofleda embodied the Frankish link in the marriage diplomacy that Theodoric wove with the barbarian kingdoms. She helped sustain a fragile balance of peace in the West.
As queen consort, she took part in the life of a court where Roman heritage and Gothic traditions intertwined. Her position reinforced the prestige of Theodoric's kingdom.
Anecdotes
Audofleda was the sister of Clovis I, the king of the Franks who was baptized at Reims. Yet, by marrying Theodoric, she entered an Ostrogothic family of the Arian faith, a form of Christianity that rivaled her brother's Catholicism. The two kingdoms believed in the same Christ but disagreed about his divine nature.
Audofleda's marriage around 493 was part of a genuine network of alliances woven by Theodoric the Great. The Ostrogothic king also married his own daughters and sisters to other barbarian kings — Visigoths, Burgundians, Vandals — to build a diplomatic peace linking almost all the kingdoms of the former Western Roman Empire.
Audofleda and Theodoric had a daughter, Amalasuntha, who received a careful Roman education and learned Latin and Greek. Having become regent and then queen, Amalasuntha governed the Ostrogoths of Italy — proof that a barbarian princess could receive a culture comparable to that of the Roman elites.
According to the chronicler Gregory of Tours, Audofleda is said to have eventually converted to Arianism, her husband's religion, thus moving away from the Catholic faith of her brother Clovis. This detail shows how deeply religious questions lay at the heart of the politics of the era.
The kingdom of Theodoric, where Audofleda lived, had its capital at Ravenna, in Italy. There Theodoric behaved as an heir of Rome: he preserved the Roman administration, had monuments built, and sought to make Goths and Romans live side by side, all while remaining a barbarian king.
Primary Sources
Theodoric, king of Italy, sought and obtained in marriage the sister of Clovis, Audofleda.
Theodoric took as his wife, brought from Gaul, the sister of Clovis, king of the Franks, named Audofleda.
Theodoric arranged marriages that bound him to neighbouring peoples: he himself married a sister of Clovis, king of the Franks.
The court of Ravenna celebrates royal unions as pledges of peace between the nations.
Key Places
Homeland of Audofleda, sister of Clovis, before her departure for Italy. The Frankish kingdom then stretched across the northern part of former Roman Gaul.
Capital of Theodoric's Ostrogothic kingdom, where Audofleda lived as queen. The city still preserves its 6th-century monuments adorned with mosaics.
City where Clovis, Audofleda's brother, received the Catholic baptism. This place symbolizes the religious choice opposed to the Arianism of the Ostrogothic family.
Site of the 507 battle where Clovis defeated the Visigoths, upsetting the balance that Theodoric's alliances sought to maintain.
Kingdom governed by Theodoric from Italy, where Audofleda spent the greater part of her adult life. Goths and Romans lived side by side there under a single authority.
Typical Objects
An eagle-shaped brooch, adorned with garnets and cloisonné gold, emblematic of Ostrogothic goldsmithing. Aristocratic women used it to fasten their cloaks.
A precious band worn by barbarian queens to signal their dignity. It imitated the insignia of power inherited from the Roman and Byzantine tradition.
A gold coin struck by Theodoric at Ravenna, preserving the effigy of the Eastern emperor. It bears witness to the Ostrogoths' formal respect for Roman authority.
A deed setting out the goods exchanged during a royal union, turning marriage into a diplomatic treaty. The dowry sealed the alliance between two peoples.
Precious tableware used during court feasts at Ravenna. The banquet was a key moment in political life, where wealth and hierarchy were put on display.
A book copied by hand by the court's scholars, a vehicle for the Roman culture that Theodoric wished to preserve. Audofleda's daughter, Amalasuntha, was educated thanks to such texts.
School Curriculum
Vocabulary & Tags
Key Vocabulary
Tags
Daily Life
Morning
At the court of Ravenna, the queen would rise in a palace inspired by Roman residences. Maidservants and attendants helped her dress and adorn herself before the first audiences. The morning might be devoted to prayer and to managing the royal household.
Afternoon
In the afternoon, Audofleda received messengers, noblewomen, or envoys from other kingdoms. A queen played the role of diplomatic intermediary, conveying news and gifts between allied peoples. She also saw to the education of her daughter Amalasuntha.
Evening
Evenings were often marked by banquets, essential moments in Gothic political life. Around tables laden with precious tableware, the king and queen displayed their power before the nobles. Music and storytelling accompanied these feasts.
Food
The court's diet blended Roman and Gothic traditions: bread, roasted meats (pork, game), fish, vegetables, and fruit. Wine, inherited from the Roman culture of Italy, accompanied meals. Honey was used to sweeten the dishes of the elite.
Clothing
Audofleda wore long tunics of linen or fine wool, sometimes of imported silk, fastened with gold fibulae set with garnets. A cloak, jewels, and a diadem signaled her rank as queen. Bright colors and embroidery marked her wealth.
Housing
She resided in the royal palace of Ravenna, a vast dwelling of stone and mosaics heir to Roman architecture. The walls were decorated with frescoes, and hypocaust heating remained in use. The palace housed the royal family, the court, and numerous servants.
Historical Timeline
Period Vocabulary
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Mariage avec Théodoric le Grand
vers 493
Naissance et éducation d'Amalasonthe
vers 495
Participation au réseau d'alliances de Ravenne
vers 493-510
Présence à la cour ostrogothe de Ravenne
vers 493-510
