Changing places: Chrodobert, Boba, and the wife of Grimoald

The correspondence between Bishop Chrodobert of Tours and Bishop Importunus of Paris reveals a fascinating story of episcopal enmity, sex scandals, and political alliance in the Merovingian kingdoms of the seventh century. These letters also contains some intriguing information on two other crucial episodes in Merovingan history, that is, the compilation and dissemination of the Formulae Marculfi, and the so-called coup of Grimoald. This paper analyses the Chrodobert-Importunus correspondence against its social, cultural and political background, in an attempt to get a better understanding of Merovingian politics and culture in mid seventh century Francia.