Prætextatus was a 6th-century bishop of Rouen who served from 549 until his death in 586. Much of his history is known through the writings of Gregory of Tours, who documented his involvement in several important church councils. His life was marked by intense political conflict, including a legal trial involving King Chilperic I and a famous rivalry with Queen Fredegund. These struggles between ecclesiastical authority and Merovingian rulers make him a significant figure for understanding the intersection of church and state during this era.