Vita Radegundis

work by Fortunatus

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

The Vita Radegundis is a biographical work by the poet and bishop Venantius Fortunatus. It details the life of St. Radegunda, a Thuringian princess who became queen consort to the Merovingian king Chlotar I.

Radegunda left her husband to become a nun and later founded a monastery at Poitiers. Fortunatus, impressed by her piety, became a priest and eventually the bishop of Poitiers. His writings, including the Vita Radegundis, are considered transitional between ancient and medieval literature, blending classical influences with a medieval tone. Fortunatus is also known for his hymns, such as "Pange lingua" and "Vexilla regis."12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Venantius Fortunatus
…biographies of saints (including the Vita Radegundis); and 11 books of poems (with an appendix of 34 poems). His early poems are courtly; they include addresses to bishops and officials, panegyrics, an epithalamium, epigrams, and occasional poems. While showing a pleasing facility, their dominant characteristic is a strongly rhetorical flavour.…
Read More
…biographies of saints (including the Vita Radegundis); and 11 books of poems (with an appendix of 34 poems). His early poems are courtly; they include addresses to bishops and officials, panegyrics, an epithalamium, epigrams, and occasional poems. While showing a pleasing facility, their dominant characteristic is a strongly rhetorical flavour.…
Read More