Queen Galswintha and King Chilperic
Queen Galswintha was a lady with connections. She was the daughter of Athanagild, the Visigothic King of Hispania and the sister of Brunhilda Queen of Austrasia. In her own right, she was the wife of Chilperic I, the King of Neustria. The two were married in 567.
Queen Galswintha incurred the wrath of Fredegund, the mistress of Chilperic. Fredegund wanted to be much more than just a mistress and therefore plotted a way to take Queen Galswintha’s place. Fredegund was born to a low-ranking family and became the servant to Chilperic’s first wife Audovera. It was then that she caught the eye of Chilperic and he made her his consort. It was under his advice that he divorced his first wife. Unfortunately for Fredegund, Chilperic did not marry her but instead married Galswintha.
In 568, Fredegund strangled her which likely put to rest any idea Chilperic had of taking a third wife that was not Fredegund. Therefore, Fredegund became the third wife of Chilperic and the new Queen. Fredegund used her position to bring about the deaths of many others and she kept Chilperic under her thumb. Brunhilda would not forgive her sister’s death and a feud between the two kingdoms raged for 40 years.
Chilperic I would not escape unscathed either. He was returning from a hunting expedition in 584 when an unknown assailant stabbed him to death. There are some who believe that this death was brought about by Fredegund as well but this conclusion is uncertain since Chilperic I was a very unpopular King and there were many who would have liked to see him dead.