Georgius Florentius, known in the Church as Gregory, was born about 538 at Clermont in the Auvergne, into a Gallo-Roman senatorial family that had already given the Church several bishops. He was brought up by his uncle Gallus, bishop of Clermont, and trained in the Scriptures. After a grave illness he went as a pilgrim to the tomb of St Martin at Tours, credited Martin with his recovery, and remained devoted to him for the rest of his life.
In 573 the clergy and people of Tours chose him as their bishop, and he was consecrated with the support of King Sigebert. His city lay between quarrelling Frankish kings. He defended the right of sanctuary at Martin's church, and when King Chilperic had him tried on a charge of slandering Queen Fredegund, he cleared himself by oath. He died on 17 November 594, or perhaps a year earlier.
Gregory of Tours in the library (1 work)
- Gregory of Tours: The History of the Franks — c. 594; translation 1927
The ten books of the bishop of Tours on Gaul and the Frankish kings, from the conversion of Clovis to his own day: the chief source for the sixth-century West.