A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Genevieve, Duchess of Brabant
GENEVIEVE, DUCHESS OF BRABANT,
Was born in the year 700. She was married to Siegfreid, and shortly after her marriage (732) her husband was called to the field by his sovereign, Charles Martel. He left his wife in the care of Golo, the captain of his castle. When Golo, who loved Genevieve, saw that she repulsed him, he wrote to the duke that Genevieve had been unfaithful, and would shortly become the mother of an illegitimate child. Siegfried, who put full confidence in Golo, ordered him to have the mother and child killed. But the servants to whose hands the wicked man confided that deed had compassion on the poor innocent woman, and left her in the woods, where a doe supplied her with milk for the child. The animal accompanied her for five years, till one day, on the 6th. of January, 767, pursued by Siegfried, she fled to the cave, where the husband found both his wife and child. An explanation took place, and she became the cherished wife of his bosom.