List of Frankish kings Totally Explained

Everything about List Of Frankish Kings totally explained

The Franks were originally led by dukes (military leaders) and reguli (petty kings). The Salian Merovingians rose to dominance among the Franks and conquered most of Roman Gaul. They also conquered the Visigoths in 507. The sons of Clovis conquered the Burgundians and Alamanni. They acquired the Provence and made the Bavarii and Thuringii their clients. The Merovingians were later replaced by a new dynasty called the Carolingians in the 8th century. By the end of the 9th century, the Carolingians themselves were replaced throughout much of their realm by other dynasties. The idea of a "King of the Franks" or Rex Francorum gradually disappeared over the 10th and 11th centuries. A timeline of Frankish rulers is difficult since the realm was, according to old Germanic practice, frequently divided among the sons of a leader upon his death and then eventually reunited.

Dukes and reguli

Early rulers

This list of early rulers is incomplete, as our sources leave open many gaps.

Ascaric
Merogais
Mallobaudes
Genobaud
Sunno
Marcomer
Pharamond, son of Marcomer, semi-legendary king
Theudemeres, son of Richomeres, King circa 422
Aegidius
Sigobert the Lame, King 483–507, killed by his son Chloderic the Parricide
Chlodoric the Parricide, son of Sigebert, King 507, dethroned by Clovis

Rulers of the Salians

Clodio, possible son of Pharamond, King at Dispargum and later Tournai (426–447)

Merovech, son of Chlodio, King at Tournai (447–458)

Childeric I, son of Merovech, King at Tournai (458–481)

Clovis I, son of Childeric I, King at Tournai (481–511), later united most of the Franks and Roman Gaul All of the following may have been related to Clovis in some degree and eventually removed by before 509:

Chararic

Ragnachar, probably king at Cambrai from before 486, killed by Clovis

Ricchar, brother of Ragnachar, killed by Clovis at Cambrai

Rignomer, brother of Ragnachar, killed by Clovis at Mans

Merovingian kings of the Franks

All the Franks

Clovis I, 509–511 Clovis I united all the Frankish petty kingdoms as well as most of Roman Gaul under his rule, conquering the Domain of Soissons of the Roman general Syagrius as well as the Visigothic Kingdom of Toulouse. He took his seat at Paris, which along with Soissons, Reims, Metz, and Orléans became the chief residences. Upon his death, the kingdom was split among his four sons:
Soissons

Chlothar I, 511–561 Paris

Childebert I, 511–558

Chlothar I, 558–561 Orléans

Chlodomer, 511–524

Childebert I, 524–558

Chlothar I, 558–561 Reims

Theuderic I, 511–534

Munderic, 533, rival king in the Auvergne

Theudebert I, 534–548

Theudebald, 548–555

Chlothar I, 555–561 Chlothar I eventually inherited all of the Frankish kingdoms after the deaths of his brothers or their successors. After his own death, the kingdom was once again split among his four sons:
Soissons (eventually Neustria)

Chilperic I, 561–584

Chlothar II, 584–629 Paris

Charibert I, 561–567

Chilperic I, 567–584

Chlothar II, 584–629 Orléans (eventually Burgundy)

Guntram, 561–592

Gundoald, 584–585, rival king in Aquitaine

Childebert II, 592–595

Theuderic II, 595–613

Sigebert II, 613

Chlothar II, 613–629 Reims and Metz (eventually Austrasia)

Sigebert I, 561–575

Childebert II, 575–595

Theudebert II, 595–612

Theuderic II, 612–613

Sigebert II, 613

Chlothar II, 613–623 Chlothar II defeated Brunhilda and her grandson, reunifying the kingdom. However, in 623, in order to appease particularistic forces and also to secure the borders, he gave the Austrasians his young son as their own king. His son and successor, Dagobert I, emulated this move by appointing a sub-king for Aquitaine, with a seat at Toulouse, in 629 and Austrasia in 634.
Neustria and Burgundy

Dagobert I, 629–639

Clovis II, 639–658

Chlothar III, 658–673

Theuderic III 673

Childeric II, 673–675

Theuderic III, 675–691 Aquitaine

Charibert II, 629–632

Chilperic, 632

Dagobert I, 632–639 Austrasia

Dagobert I, 623–634

Sigebert III, 634–656

Childebert the Adopted, 656–661

Chlothar III, 661–662

Childeric II, 662–675

Clovis III, 675–676

Dagobert II, 676–679 Theuderic III was recognized as king of all the Franks in 679. From then on, the kingdom of the Franks can be treated as a unity again for all but a very brief period of civil war.

Clovis IV, 691–695

Childebert III, 695–711

Dagobert III, 711–715

Chilperic II, 715–721

Chlothar IV, 717–720, rival king in Austrasia

Theuderic IV, 721–737

interregnum 737–743

Childeric III, 743–751

Carolingians

Mayors of the palace

The Carolingians were initially mayors of the palace under the Merovingian kings, first in Austrasia and later in Neustria and Burgundy. In 687, Pippin of Heristal took the title Duke and Prince of the Franks (dux et princeps Francorum) after his conquest of Neustria in at the Battle of Tertry. This was cited by contemporary chroniclers as the beginning of Pippin's "reign." Between 715 and 716, the descendants of Pippin disputed the succession.

Pippin I of Landen (Austrasia: 623–629 and 639–640)

Grimoald I (Austrasia: 643–656; died 662)

Pippin II of Herstal (Austrasia: 680–714, Neustria and Burgundy: 687–695)

Drogo (Burgundy: 695–708)

Grimoald II (Neustria: 695–714, Burgundy: 708–714)

Theudoald (Austrasia, Neustria, and Burgundy: 714–716)

Charles Martel (Austrasia: 715–741, Neustria and Burgundy: 718–741)

Carloman (Austrasia: 741–747; died 754 or 755)

Pippin III the Short (Neustria and Burgundy: 741–751, Austrasia: 747–751) In 751, Pippin III became the King of the Franks and the office of mayor disappeared. The Carolingians displaced the Merovingians as the ruling dynasty.

Kings of the Franks

Pepin the Short, 751–768

Carloman I, 768–771 (Burgundy, Alemannia, southern Austrasia)

Charles I, called Charlemagne, 768–814 (at first only Neustria, Aquitaine, northern Austrasia), King of the Lombards 774, Emperor 800

Duke of Maine: Charles the Younger, 790–811
Italy: Pepin of Italy, 781–810; Bernard of Italy, 810–817
Aquitaine: Louis the Pious, 781–814

Louis I, called the Pious, Emperor and King of the Franks with Charlemagne 813–814, senior from 814-840

Italy: Lothair I, 817–855
Bavaria: Louis the German, 817–843
Aquitaine: Pepin I, 817–838; Charles the Bald, 838–855, in opposition to Pepin II, 838–851

Louis the Pious made many divisions of his empire during his lifetime. The final division, pronounced at Crémieux in 838, made Charles the Bald heir to the west, including Aqutiaine, and Lothair heir to the east, including Italy and excluding Bavaria, which was left for Louis the German. However, following the emperor's death in 840, the empire was plunged into a civil war that lasted three years. The Frankish kingdom was then divided by the Treaty of Verdun in 843. Lothair was allowed to keep his imperial title and his kingdom of Italy, and granted the newly created Kingdom of Middle Francia, a corridor of land stretching from Italy to the North Sea, and including the Low Countries, the Rhineland (including Aachen), Burgundy, and Provence. Charles was confirmed in Aquitaine, where Pepin I's son Pepin II was opposing him, and granted West Francia (modern France), the lands west of Lothair's Kingdom. Louis the German was confirmed in Bavaria and granted East Francia (modern Germany), the lands east of Lothair's kingdom.
The following table doesn't provide a complete listing for some of the various regna of the empire, especially those which were subregna of the Western, Middle, or Eastern kingdom such as Italy, Provence, Neustria, and Aquitaine.