Basina of Thuringia


Basina or Basine was remembered as a queen of Thuringia in the middle of the fifth century, according to much later authors such as especially Gregory of Tours. However, because he described this kingdom as being on the Gaulish side of the river Rhine, it is sometimes thought to be the Civitas Tungrorum.

Biography

She left her husband, king Bisinus and went to Roman Gaul. She herself took the initiative to ask for the hand of Childeric I, king of the Franks, and married him. For as she herself said, "I want to have the most powerful man in the world, even if I have to cross the ocean for him". This remark of hers may have been related to Childeric's successful invasion of the Roman Empire and his attempt to settle a Frankish kingdom on Roman soil.
She is the mother of the man who is remembered as the founder of the Frankish realm and modern France. She and her husband Childeric named their son Chlodovech, but he is better remembered under his Latinized name, Clovis I.
According to the Gesta episcoporum Cameracensium, King Ragnachar and his brother Richar, from the area of Cambrai were related to Basina.

Marriage and children

In 463, Basina married Childeric I, son of Merovech and his wife, and had the following children:
  1. Clovis I.
  2. Audofleda. Queen of the Ostrogoths. Wife of Theodoric the Great
  3. Lanthilde.

    Portrayals

Queen Basina of Thuringia is the central antagonist in the 2005 film, The Brothers Grimm.