Mérovingians

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Descendants of the Salian Franks, this dynasty takes its name from Merovech, the ancestor of Clovis. The power of the first Merovingians was limited originally to the kingdoms of Cambrai, ruled by Clodio, and Tournai, governed by Childeric. Clovis (481-511), son of Childeric, soon extended his authority to all of Gaul. His conversion to Christianity under the influence of his wife, the Burgundian princess Clotilda, paved the way for the Gallo-Roman population to recognize and accept him as king. Divided among Clovis's four sons, who continued to expand its borders, the kingdom was united once again under Clotaire I (558-561). His sons in turn subdivided the legacy, but two of them, Chilperic I, king of Neustria wedded to Fredegund, and Sigibert I, king of Austrasia married to Brunhild, embarked on a long and savage conflict that lasted until Clotaire II (613-629) ascended the throne. His son, Dagobert I, reigned until 639. Dagobert's royal treasurer, Saint Eligius, established numerous religious houses and charitable institutions in his diocese of Noyon. Around this time mayors of the palace, who represented the interests of important landowners and royal officials, began to wield increasing power. Mayors of the palace exerted total control over the last Merovingians, impoverished and debauched figureheads known as rois fainéants (" do-nothing kings " ), who were gradually supplanted by the Carolingians. The much-vaunted Trojan origins of the Franks are but a legend that dates back to the seventh century ; it was developed by chroniclers of the Capetian era to enhance the monarchy's prestige.

Vercingétorix d. 46 BC
So there's one of these statues in the middle of the road of this guy Vercingétorix and thanks to my professor I am now able to pronounce his name.  Everyday I walk home and there he is just staring at me with this crazy glazed look in his eyes. I suppose when you've been reduced to a pigeon homing device your mind begins to wonder. I just had to know what was up with this guy.  Apparently he was chieftain of the Gallic tribe of the Arverni whose formidable rebellion against Roman rule was crushed by Julius Caesar. Caesar had almost completed the subjugation of Gaul when Vercingétorix led a general uprising of the Gauls against him in 52 BC. Vercingétorix, named the king of the Arverni and general of the confederates, used guerrilla warfare to harass Caesar's supply lines and cleverly offered to engage Caesar's forces on terrain unfavourable to the Romans. He successfully held the Arvernian hill-fort of Gergovia against an assault by Caesar. Vercingétorix followed up this victory by an attack on the Roman army, the failure of which compelled him to retreat with 80,000 troops to the prepared fortress of Alesia (in east-central France). Caesar, with a force of 60,000 men, laid siege to the fortress and was able to force its surrender after he had defeated the Gauls' reserve army in the field. Vercingétorix was taken to Rome in chains, exhibited in Caesar's triumph (52), and executed six years later.  I guess it's true you can't win 'em all.

Clovis I

Frankish king (481-511), founder of the Merovingian monarchy. He rose from tribal chief to sole leader of the Salian Franks by dint of patience and murder. He won Gaul and SW Germany by fighting the Romans, Alemanni, Burgundians, and Visigoths. His wife, St. Clotilda, encouraged his conversion (496) to Christianity.  He later joined forces with TV evangelist James Bakker, which eventually lead to his demise, or something like that.

Charles Martel

Charles Martel (688?-741), Carolingian ruler of the Frankish kingdom of Austrasia (in present northeastern France and southwestern Germany). Charles, whose surname means “the hammer,” was the son of Pepin of Herstal and the grandfather of Charlemagne. Pepin was mayor of the palace under the last kings of the Merovingian dynasty. After Pepin died in 714, Charles, an illegitimate son, was imprisoned by his father's widow, but he escaped and was proclaimed mayor of the palace by the Austrasians. A war between Austrasia and the Frankish kingdom of Neustria (now part of France) followed, and at the end of it Charles became the undisputed ruler of all the Franks. Although he was engaged in wars against the Alamanni, Bavarians, and Saxons, his greatest achievements were against the Muslims from Spain, who invaded France in 732. Charles defeated them near Poitiers at the Battle of Tours in which the Muslim leader, Abd-ar-Rahman, the emir of Spain, was killed. The progress of Islam, which had filled all Christendom with alarm, was thus checked for a time. Charles drove the Muslims out of the Rhône valley in 739, when they had again advanced into France as far as Lyon, leaving them nothing of their possessions north of the Pyrenees beyond the Aude River. Charles died in Quierzy, on the Oise River, leaving the kingdom divided between his two sons, Carloman and Pepin the Short.

Pepin the Short

Pepin the Short (Pepin III) (714-768), first Carolingian king of the Franks(751-68), son of Charles Martel and father of Charlemange. Succeeding his father as mayor of the palace (741), he ruled Neustria, Burgundy, and Provence, while his brother Carloman (d. 754) received Austrasia and what came to be Thuringia. In 743 the brothers chose Childeric III, a Merovingian, as nominal king of all the Franks. With their help St. Boniface effected far-reaching reforms that strengthened the Frankish church and advanced the conversion of the Saxons. After Carloman had retired (747) to religious life, Pepin, with the consent of the pope, St. Zacharias, forced Childeric into a monastery and had himself proclaimed king (751). In return for recognition by the pope, Pepin defended Rome against the Lombards (754, 756), from whom he wrested the exarchate of Ravenna and other cities. These he ceded to the pope, thus laying the foundation of the Papal States. Pepin also extended his territories and subdued Aquitaine.

Charlemagne

Charlemagne 742-814 King of the Franks, King of the Lombards, and the first Holy Roman Emperor, Charles the Great consolidated a large portion of Europe under his rule, promoted learning, and instituted innovative administrative concepts. more »

Dagobert I

Dagobert I, c.612-c.639, Frankish king, son and successor of King Clotaire II. His father was forced to appoint Dagobert king of the East Frankish kingdom of Austrasia at the request of Pepin of Landen, mayor of the palace, and Arnulf, bishop of Metz, who effectively ruled in Austrasia. After Clotaire's death (629) Dagobert reunited Aquitaine with Austrasia and Neustria and became king of all the Franks. He was, however, forced by popular demand to give (634) Austrasia its own king in the person of his son, Sigebert III. The last of the Merovingians to exercise personal rule, he made himself independent of the great nobles, especially of Pepin of Landen. He extended his rule over the Basques and the Bretons. Dagobert's reign was prosperous; he was a patron of learning and the arts. He founded the first great abbey of Saint-Denis, where he is buried.




samedi, 21 février 2004