GREGORY OF TOURS, (Lat. Gregorius Turonensis), originally called GEORGIUS FLOREN TIES (538-94). A celebrated ecclesiastic, the chronicler of Frankish history. He was born in Auvergne, November 30, 538. His family was of high rank, and distinguished for piety, having furnished several bishops to the see of Tours. Gregory was educated under the direction of his uncle, Saint Gallus, Bishop of Clermont, and, after the latter's death, of Saint Avitus, also afterwards Bishop of Clermont. Ordained deacon (563), Gregory left Auvergne and went to the Court of Sigebert, King of Austrasia. In 573 he was elected to the See of Tours, and was conse crated by Giles Archbishop of Rheims. The first years of his episcopacy were a season of (Treat per plexity, owing to the contentions of gian kings. By resisting royal authority on some occasions, he drew upon himself the hatred of Queen Fredegunda of Neustria, and the ire of her husband, King Chilperic. Gregory was ac cused of seditious and other treasonable actions, and summoned before a council of bishops in 530. Here, however, he defended himself with such clearness and vigor that Chilperic ceased to be his foe, and trusted him after wards with many important political missions. No less favored by the King's successors, Gun tram and Childebert II., Gregory did not fail to
use all his influence with the'Court for the amelioration of the position of the Church. His travels had, apart from their political purposes, at the same time the object of everywhere restor ing peace and piety. His last journey seems to have been to Orleans, whither he accompanied the King in 593. He died at Tours, November 17, 594. Gregory's chief work is his Historice Fran corum Libri Decem (Ten Books of Frankish His tory), the first attempt at French history. The style is crude, and the selection of topics and arrangement indiscriminate. There is a German translation in the Geschichtschreiber der deut schen Vorzeit (Berlin, 1887), and an English translation is announced. It has been separately edited by Omont and Colton (Paris, 1887-93). The Miraculorum Libri Vii and other minor writ ings were translated into French by Bordier (Paris, 1857-64). Gregory's complete works are in Migne. Patrol. Lat., lxxi.; the best edition is that by Arndt and Krusch, in the Monumenta Germania: Historica: Scriptores Rerum Merovin gicarum, vol. i. (Hanover, 1885). For his biog raphy, consult: Lobe]] (Leipzig, 1839; 2d ed. 1869) ; also Bonnet, Le Latin de Gregoire dr Tours (Paris, 1890).