Merovingian Dynasty Of Long Haired Kings

David Tee - AncientPages.com - The demise of the Roman Empire left a power vacuum, not just in Italy but also in the Frankish territory in what is now called France.

A strong leader needed to rise and fill that void before the wrong King took over.

Left: Crowning of a Merovingian king. Credit:François-Louis Dejuinne (1786–1844), Public Domain. Right: Tomb of Clovis I at the Basilica of St Denis in Saint-Denis in Paris, France. Credit: Public Domain

In the Merovingian Dynasty, that leader was Clovis I, whose reign may have overlapped the end of the 5^th century AD and the beginning of the 6^th. But before Clovis could defeat the last Roman army in Gaul, he had to descend from a line of kings who had already started to rule.

The Long Hair Kings

Clovis I was considered the founder of the French state. However, his work was built on those kings who came before.

Unfortunately for him, that history has been lost to time and legend.

Much is said about the great-grandfather, grandfather, and father of Clovis I that has little basis. One example is that the ancestors of Clovis had supernatural power and could heal a person by merely touching them.

These former Frankish kings were also said to grow their hair long. They would lose their power if their hair were cut. Some scholars debate this and wonder if that legend was not added later after the Merovingian line embraced Christianity.

Another long tale that has come down from ancient times is the birth of Merovech, the second Frankish King.  He was half-god and half-human as his mother became pregnant with him after a liaison with the god Neptune.

Like Clovis, Childeric Was Real

Because time has a way of losing historical records, little is known about Clovis' grandfather and great-grandfather, Childeric. He was a Merovingian king and true historical figure that led a very debauchery-type lifestyle. His lifestyle got so bad that he was forced off the throne in favor of Aegidius, a Roman dux.

Map of Merovingian kingdoms. Credit: Ridric, Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Upon Aegidius' assassination, Childeric was reinstalled as King, which led to his son Clovis assuming the throne after his death.

Merovingian Law

According to the Merovingian Law, the family's father was the head and authority over all other family members. This tradition continued down through the Merovingian line even after they had ascended to be the royal family of the Franks.

Also, the King was in charge of the treasures he obtained through the different battles and wars each King fought. He was the one who made sure the prizes were distributed according to those who were his first followers.

Then on a king's death, his property was divided equally among his heirs. Probably, the dynasty lasted as long as it did, for it was not divided but united in wealth and thought.

Also, the Merovingian law was not universal. It applied accordingly to the status of origin of each family. Then each Merovingian King ensured that tradition was followed and balked at creating new laws.

The Decline Of The Dynasty

As with most dynasties, the weaker rulers tend to lose power over time and lose hold of their kingdom. The Merovingians were no different. In the middle of the 7^th century AD, the dynasty's kings were seen as figureheads, while the real power lay with the palace's mayors. When King Theuderic IV died, no king replaced him, and Charles Martell, the mayor of the palace, reigned in his stead. His two sons took over when he died, and no new king ascended the throne.

But because the people were beginning to become suspicious of the growing power of the mayor of the palace, the two sons placed Childeric III on the throne. In 751, Childeric III decided to abdicate and spend the rest of his years in a monastery.

It opened the door for Charles Martell's son, Pepin the Short, to reassume power and end the Merovingian dynasty. The new King considered the Merovingians lazy, incompetent and distorting history.

Updated on June 16, 2022

Written by – David Tee - AncientPages.com Staff Writer

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