A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided...
A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode Twenty-one explains that duke Pippin had become mayor of the palace of Austrasia due to his help overthrowing Brunhild, but his son Grimoald overreached when he put his own son on the throne rather than the legitimate son of the recently deceased king. Grimoald was killed by the king's brother Clovi, who reunited Austrasia and Neustria. Then he died young, and the two kingdoms were divided between his two young sons, enabling the mayors to become the power behind the throne. Grimoald's nephew Pippin II became the mayor of Austrasia, and then won a decisive victory against the Neustrians at Tertry, reuniting Frankia, while a series of weak kings served as figureheads.
Cast of Characters:
Pippin-mayor of the palace of Austrasia, formerly a duke in Austrasia
Grimoald-mayor of the palace of Austrasia, son of Pippin
Sigebert III-king of Austrasia (633-656)
Childebert-king of Austrasia (656-657), adoptive son of Sigebert, son of Grimoald
Clovis II-king of Frankia (657), king of Neustria and Burgundy (639-657), younger brother of Sigebert
Bathild-regent of Neustria and Burgundy for her son Clothar III (657-664), former slave
Clothar III-king of Neustria and Burgundy (657-673), eldest son of Clovis II
Childeric II-king of Frankia (673-675), king of Austrasia (662-675), middle son of Clovis II
Theuderic III-king of Frankia (679-691), king of Neustria and Burgundy (675-691, youngest son of Clovis II
Dagobert II-king of Austrasia (676-679), son of Sigebert III, possibly an imposter
Pippin II-mayor of the palace of Austrasia (680-714), mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy (687-695), nephew of Grimoald
Grimoald II-mayor of the palace of Neustria (695-714), son of Pippin II
Clovis IV-king of Frankia (691-695), older son of Theuderic III
Childebert III-king of Frankia (695-711), younger son of Theuderic III
Dagobert III-king of Frankia (711-715), son of Childebert III
Radbod-king of Frisia (680-719)
Sources:
Christendom: The Triumph of a Religion-Peter Heather
The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians-Peter Heather
The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization-Bryan Ward-Perkins
The Inheritance of Rome-A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham
Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages-Dan Jones
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
The Franks-Edward James
The Merovingian Kingdoms: 450-751-Ian Wood
The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry that Forged the Medieval World-Shelley Puhak
The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe-Pierre Riche, Translated by Michael Idomir Allen
Emperor of the West: Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire-Hywell Williams
Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire that Rescued Western Civilization-Lars Brownsworth
Byzantium: The Early Centuries-John Julius Norwich
Visigothic Spain 409-711-Roger Collins
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin
Image Credit
By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625
