Burgundians

Burgundians THEIR CONVERSION TO CHRISTIANITY. — The Burgundians were one of the warlike tribes of Vandal origin which, in the early part of the fifth century, left their abode in Germany and invaded Gaul. They were heathen; their religious system being governed by a high-priest elected for life, and bearing the title of Sinist. They settled in the country extending upward from Mayence as far as the territory of the Alemanni. They soon became converts to Christianity. Orosius mentions them as all Christians A.D. 417 (Ammian. Marcell. 1. 7, c. 32). Socrates (Hist. Eccl. 1. 7, c. 30) dates their conversion about 430. After the death of their king Gundeuch about 473, Gundobald, one of his sons, having defeated and killed his three brothers, became sole king. He was an Arian, but did not persecute the Catholics. Several conferences took place between the two parties, one of which meetings, held at Lyons A.D. 500, resulted in the conversion of a large number of Arians. The king himself offered secretly to join the Catholic party, but Avitus objecting to this condition, the matter was dropped. Gundobald's son and successor, Sigismund, however, embraced openly the Catholic tenets. A synod was held by his order at Epaone (q.v.) in 517. He died in 524, and Burgundy was shortly afterward annexed to France. — Wetzer und Welte. SEE GERMANY.