General Notes

(Research):fre&180;degun´?de) , c.545-597, Frankish queen
. The mistress of King Chilperic I  of Neustria, she becam
e his wife after inducing him to murder his wife Galswinth
a (567). Fredegunde and Brunhilda , Galswintha's sister an
d wife of King Sigebert I of Austrasia, were among the lead
ing figures in the long war (561-613) between the Frankis
h kingdoms of Neustria and Austrasia. Fredegunde procured t
he deaths of Sigebert I and of her own stepchildren. Afte
r Chilperic's murder (584) she acted as regent for her so
n Clotaire II . 
 
Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Copyright (c) 2004.