Paris has been under the protection of St Genevieve for more than 1,500 years. Genevieve was born in Nanterre into a wealthy Gallo-Roman family. In 440, she inherited the family estate and settled in Paris. A devout Christian, Genevieve dedicated herself to God while maintaining important political and economic functions. In 451, she saved Paris from the invasion of the Huns and then worked for the unity of all the Gallo-Romans. She allied herself with the Frankish king Childeric and convinced his successor, Clovis, to be baptised. After her death, the Parisians attributed to her the healing of the sick and invoked her against epidemics and fevers.