Reliquary Medallion Containing A Relic Of Saint Radegund

France, 19th century – Restoration/Louis-Philippe period. Description: Circular silver reliquary medallion containing, under glass, a bone relic attributed to Saint Radegund, displayed on a background of embroidered gold thread and accompanied by an old handwritten label inscribed "Dr. Radegund." The relic is authenticated by an episcopal wax seal affixed to the reverse, guaranteeing the integrity of the reliquary according to ecclesiastical practice. The medallion is protected by two silver covers: - on the front, a shield bearing the arms of France (three fleurs-de-lis) surmounted by a crown and framed by a laurel wreath; - on the back, an engraved cross pattée. The silver mount is hallmarked with a boar's head, indicating French manufacture after 1838, and bears a silversmith's mark. Saint Radegund: Radegund of Poitiers (c. 518–587) was a Thuringian princess who became Queen of the Franks through her marriage to Clotaire I, son of Clovis. After retiring from court, she founded the Sainte-Croix monastery in Poitiers, one of the most important religious centers of the Merovingian kingdom. Tradition recounts that she obtained a relic of the True Cross from Justin II, Emperor of Byzantium, which was kept and venerated in Poitiers for centuries. In the 19th century, some secondary relics associated with this cult were redistributed to churches or private reliquaries, notably mentioned in ecclesiastical writings relating to the church of Sainte-Radegonde in Boussay. Period: 19th century – Restoration / Louis-Philippe (circa 1838–1860) Condition: Very good condition. Episcopal seal intact.