Culture of the Merovingian era. Merovingian mystics and occultists Causes of the crisis of the Merovingian dynasty
THE STATE OF FRANCES
The emergence of the state of the Franks
In Gaul, V century. profound socio-economic transformations have taken place. In this richest province of Rome (a territory that almost coincides with the present-day France), a deep crisis manifested itself that gripped the empire. The actions of slaves, peasants, and urban poor became more frequent. Rome could no longer defend its borders from the invasions of foreign tribes, and above all the Germans - the eastern neighbors of Gaul. As a result, most of the country was captured by the Visigoths, Burgundians, Franks (Salic and Ripuar) and some other tribes. Of these Germanic tribes, the Salic Franks ultimately proved to be the most powerful. It took them a little more than 20 years to at the end of the 5th - beginning of the 6th centuries. capture most of the country.
The emergence of a class society among the Franks, which had been outlined in them even before their migration to Gaul, accelerated sharply in the process of its conquest. Each new campaign increased the wealth of the Frankish military-tribal nobility. When dividing the spoils, she got the best land, a significant number of columns, cattle. The nobility rose above the ordinary Franks, although the latter were still personally free and at first did not experience an increase in economic oppression. They settled in their new homeland in rural communities (marks). Mark was considered the owner of all the land of the community, which included forests, heaths, meadows, arable land. The latter were divided into plots, which quickly passed into the hereditary use of individual families.
1. The emergence of the state among the Franks is associated with the name of one of their military leaders - Clovis (481-511) from the Merovingian family. Under his rule, the main part of Gaul was conquered. Clovis's far-sighted political step was the adoption by him and his squad of Christianity on the Catholic model. By this he secured the support of the Gallo-Roman nobility and the Catholic Church that dominated Gaul. By 510, Clovis became the ruler of the lands and the ruler of a single kingdom stretching from the middle reaches of the Rhine to the Pyrenees. He acquires the right to dictate his own laws, levy taxes from the local population, etc. Under him, the Salic truth was recorded - a record of the customary law of the Salic francs. The formation of the Frankish state took place relatively quickly - during the life of one generation. In many ways, this process was facilitated by the wars of conquest and, as a consequence, the rapid class differentiation of Frankish society.
In many ways, this process was facilitated by victorious wars and, as a consequence, the class differentiation of Frankish society. By its type, the "Franks' state is an early feudal monarchy. It carries elements of the old communal organization and institutions of tribal democracy, since it arose in a society that entered the era of feudalism in the process of the decomposition of the primitive communal system, bypassing the stage of slavery in its development. (a combination of slaveholding, tribal, communal, feudal relations) and the incompleteness of the process of creating the main classes of feudal society.
In the history of the Frankish state, two periods can be distinguished, each of which is associated with the reign of a certain dynasty:
from the end of the 5th century until the 7th century - the Merovingian monarchy;
from the VIII century. to the IX century. - the monarchy of the Carolingians.
2. The Merovingian dynasty ruled the Frankish state from 457 to 751. During her reign, the Franks developed feudal relations. In the V - VI centuries. communal, tribal ties still persist, relations of exploitation among the Franks themselves were not developed, the Frankish service nobility, which had formed into the ruling elite during the military campaigns of Clovis, was also small. Salic truth, recorded at the beginning of the 6th century. by order of Clovis, contains indications of the existence of the following social groups among the Franks:
serving nobility - the king's associates;
free francs (community members);
semi-free (litas);
The main differences between them were associated with the origin and legal status of the person or the social group to which he belonged. With the passage of time, belonging to the royal service, the royal retinue, to the emerging state apparatus became a factor influencing the legal differences of the Franks. A feature of the 5th - 6th centuries. in Western Europe is the beginning of the ideological offensive of the Christian Church. The growing ideological and economic role of the church began to manifest itself in its power claims. The church at this time was not yet a political entity and did not have a single organization, but it had already begun to become a large landowner, receiving numerous land donations from both rulers and ordinary people. Religious power is increasingly intertwined with secular power.
During the wars of conquest of the 6th-7th centuries, when a significant part of the Gallo-Roman estates in Northern Gaul passed into the hands of the Frankish kings, the service aristocracy and royal warriors, the processes of feudalization among the Franks developed. Large owner
land, cattle, slaves, colonists (small tenants of the land) becomes a servant noble, bound by vassal dependence on the king, who seized the right to dispose of the conquered land. The nobility is replenished with the Gallo-Roman aristocracy, which went into the service of the Frankish kings. At the same time, the creation of feudal relations accelerated due to the clash between the communal orders of the Franks and the private ownership orders of the Gallo-Romans. In the middle of the VII century. in northern Gaul, a feudal patrimony began to take shape with its characteristic division of land into master's and peasant's. The growth of large landownership was accompanied by strife among landowners, which showed the fragility of the Merovingian kingdom. The royal land fund decreased due to the distribution of land by the kings, and state power was concentrated in the hands of the nobility, who seized all the main positions and, above all, the post of mayordom. Mayord under the Merovingians was the highest official. Initially, he was appointed by the king and headed the palace administration. With the weakening of royal power, his powers expand, and the May-Ord becomes the de facto head of state. At the turn of VII - VIIIBB. this position became the hereditary property of a noble and wealthy family, which marked the beginning of the Carolingian dynasty.
3. The royal and imperial dynasty of the Carolingians replaced the Merovingians in 751, and ceased to exist in the 10th century. The transfer of royal power to the Carolingians was ensured by the successes of Karl Martell, one of the representatives of this family, the former major of the Frankish state in 715-741. He restored the political unity of the kingdom and actually concentrated the supreme power in his hands.
To consolidate state centralization and strengthen the military power of the kingdom, Karl Martell did away with the previous order of donating land to full ownership. Instead, the lands confiscated from the rebellious magnates and monasteries, together with the peasants who lived on them, were transferred to a conditional life-long holding - benefits. The beneficiary - the beneficiary holder - was obliged in favor of the person who handed over the land, to perform service, mainly military, sometimes administrative. Refusal to serve or treason to the king denied the right to the award.
The reform led to the growth of feudal land tenure and the resulting enslavement of the peasants, and also gave impetus to the formation of a system of vassalage - a feudal hierarchical ladder, a special system of subordination: a contractual relationship was established between the beneficiary (vassal) and the person who handed over the land (lord).
With the growth of feudal land tenure, individual lords, large landowners, received immunity - privileges that consisted in the possession of the rights of military, judicial and financial power over the peasants who lived on their lands. The activities of state officials did not extend to the possessions of the feudal lord, who received the immunity letter of the king, and all state powers were transferred to the owner of the estate.
In the process of establishing the power of large landowners over the peasants in Western Europe, the Christian Church, which itself became a large landowner, played a huge role. The mainstay of the dominant position of the church were monasteries, and the secular nobility - fortified castles, which became fiefdoms centers, a place for collecting rent from peasants, a symbol of the power of the lords.
Empire section
Maximum territory of the Carolingian Empire. There are 3 parts with a territorial division of 843, from left to right:
West Frankish Kingdom: Charles II the Bald, King of the West Franks.
Middle Kingdom: Lothair I, king of the Middle Franks, nominal Emperor. This kingdom fell apart in 869.
East Frankish Kingdom: Louis II of Germany, King of the East Franks.
Charles I the Great had several sons, but only one survived his father. This son, Louis the Pious, inherited from his father the entire Frankish empire. Moreover, such sole inheritance was not intentional, but a matter of chance. The Carolingians adhered to the custom of divisible inheritance and, after the death of Louis in 840, after a short civil war, his three sons concluded the so-called Treaty of Verdun in 843, according to which the empire was divided into three parts:
The eldest son of Louis, Lothair I, received the title of Emperor, but in reality he became the ruler of only the Middle Kingdom - the central regions of the Frankish state. His three sons, in turn, divided this kingdom among themselves in the form of Lorraine, Burgundy, and Lombardy in northern Italy. All these lands, which had different traditions, culture and nationalities, would later cease to exist as independent kingdoms, and eventually become Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Lorraine, Switzerland, Lombardy, as well as various departments of France located along the Rhone river basin and the Jura mountain range. ...
The second son of Louis, Louis II of Germany, became king of the East Frankish kingdom. This area later became the basis for the formation of the Holy Roman Empire by adding additional territories from the Middle Kingdom of Lothair to the Kingdom of Germany: most of these lands would eventually turn into modern Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The successors of Louis the German are listed in the list of monarchs of Germany.
Louis' third son, Charles II the Bald, became king of the West Franks and ruler of the West Frankish kingdom. This area, within which the eastern and southern parts of modern France are located, became the basis for subsequent France under the Capetian dynasty. Charles the Bald's successors are listed in the list of monarchs of France.
Subsequently, in 870, according to the Treaty of Mersen, the boundaries of division will be revised, since the western and eastern kingdoms will divide Lorraine among themselves. December 12, 884 Charles III the Fat (son of Louis the German) unites in his hands almost the entire Carolingian Empire, with the exception of Burgundy. At the end of 887, his nephew, Arnulf of Carinthia, deposed his uncle during a rebellion and became king of the Eastern Franks. Karl abdicated and died soon after (January 13, 888). Ed, Count of Paris, was elected ruler of the West Franks and was crowned within a month. At this stage, the West Frankish kingdom contains the lands of Neustria in the west and the region located between the rivers Meuse and Seine. Ten years later, the Carolingian dynasty will be restored to West Francia and they will rule until 987, when the last king of the Franks, Louis V.
As a result, the Frankish state was divided as follows:
The West Frankish kingdom was ruled by Charles the Bald. This kingdom is the forerunner of modern France. It consisted of the following large fiefdoms: Aquitaine, Brittany, Burgundy, Catalonia, Flanders, Gascony, Septimania, Ile-de-France and Toulouse. After 987, the kingdom became known as France, since the representatives of the new ruling dynasty of the Capetian were originally the dukes of Ile-de-France.
The middle kingdom, squeezed between East and West Francia, was ruled by Lothair I. The kingdom formed as a result of the Treaty of Verdun, including the Kingdom of Italy, Burgundy, Provence and western Australasia, was an "artificial" entity with no ethnic or historical community. This kingdom was divided in 869 after the death of Lothair II into Lorraine, Provence (moreover, Burgundy was in turn divided between Provence and Lorraine), as well as northern Italy.
The East Frankish kingdom was ruled by Louis II of Germany. It contained four duchies: Swabia (Alemannia), Franconia, Saxony and Bavaria; to which later, after the death of Lothair II, the eastern parts of Lorraine were added. This division existed until 1268, when the Hohenstaufen dynasty was interrupted. Otto I was crowned on February 2, 962, which marked the beginning of the history of the Holy Roman Empire (idea of \u200b\u200bTranslatioimperii). Beginning in the 10th century, East Francia also became known as the Teutonic Kingdom (Latin regnum Teutonicum) or the Kingdom of Germany, and this name became dominant during the reign of the Salic dynasty. From that time, after the coronation of Conrad II, the title of Holy Roman Emperor was used.
However, later historians came to the conclusion that there was still no such Frankish ruler. In addition, medieval chroniclers wrote that Faramond and subsequent kings of the Franks descended from Trojans who arrived in the territory of Gaul in time immemorial. There are numerous discrepancies - most often the ancestors of the Merovingians were called King Priam or the hero of the Trojan War Aeneas.
Origin of the name
According to legend, one of the ancestors of the kings of the Merovingian dynasty was the leader of the Salic Franks, Merovei, who ruled from about 457. It is to him that the Merovingians owe the name of their dynasty. The fact of its existence is not obvious, but the Merovingians were convinced of its reality and were proud of their descent from it. According to legend, Merovei was born by Chlodion's wife from a sea monster.
Long haired kings
A brief historical overview
More detailed historical information can be obtained from articles about each of the kings of the Merovingian dynasty (see list of kings of France)
Most historians recognize Childeric (about - about), the son of the legendary Merovey, as the first historical leader of the Salic Franks. It was under him that the future territory of the Frankish kingdom began to expand. He fought under the leadership of the Roman general Egidius with the Visigoths and supported the commander Paul in the fight against the Saxons.
But the true founder of the kingdom of the Franks is the son of Childeric Clovis (about -), the grandson of Merovey. He led an active policy of conquest and significantly expanded the possessions of the Franks, becoming the founder of the Frankish Kingdom (lat. Regnum Francorum). Clovis annexed the north of Gaul to his lands, defeating Siagrius in 486, who declared himself "king of the Romans" on the lands between the Loire and the Seine. Then he expanded his kingdom to the upper Rhine, defeating the Alamanns at the Battle of Tolbiak in 496. Around 498, Clovis was baptized and, thanks to this, received the support of the Gallo-Roman nobility and clergy. Throughout his reign, Clovis made numerous raids on the lands of the Visigoths, finally defeating them in 507 at the Battle of Vuje. In addition, during his reign, "Salicheskaya Pravda" was published, and Paris became the capital. Clovis begins the so-called "Merovingian period" in the history of France, which lasted from the end of the 5th century to the end of the 7th century.
According to Germanic tradition, after the death of Clovis, the kingdom was divided between his four sons: Theodoric became king of Reims, Clodomir - Orleans, Childebert - Paris and Clotar - king of Soissons. The fragmentation of the kingdom did not prevent the Franks from joining their efforts for joint actions against the Burgundians, whose state was conquered after a protracted war in 520-530. The annexation of the region of the future Provence, which turned out to be bloodless, also belongs to the time of the sons of Clovis. The Merovingians managed to achieve the transfer of these lands from the Ostrogoths, who were involved in a long war against Byzantium.
After the death of Chlothar II, he was succeeded by his two sons - Dagobert and Charibert. The reign of Dagobert (-) was especially successful, as he managed to briefly strengthen the prestige of royal power and pursue a successful policy of conquest. He managed to annex the lands of the Alemanni to his kingdom, made several campaigns to Italy, Spain and the Slavic lands of Central Europe, and even briefly captured Brittany. But to support the nobility and the clergy, Dagobert had to distribute land, which exhausted the reserves of the state land fund (fiscal). Dagobert died in 639 and was buried in the Basilica of the Abbey of Saint-Denis, which from that moment became the main tomb of the French kings.
Despite the brief strengthening of royal power under Dagobert, more and more power was received by the majordoms (Latin major domus - manager of the palace economy) in all three kingdoms. They were in charge of the revenues and expenses of the royal court, commanded the guards, and acted as representatives of kings to the nobility. The period of inactivity of kings and the actual reign of the mayordoms is usually called the period "Lazy kings".
Nevertheless, the name and sacred status of the Merovingians allowed the heirs of Dagobert to remain in power for some time. For example, Sigebert III, son of Dagobert, was revered by the Franks as a saint. Therefore, the attempt of Mayordom Grimoald the Elder to remove Dagobert II, son of Sigebert, from power ended with the execution of Grimoald. The story of Dagobert II, ousted from power by the mayord (he was sent to Ireland, but he returned), became the starting point of the historical fantasy of M. Bigent, R. Leigh and G. Lincoln about the salvation of the Merovingians.
The fall of the Merovingians dragged on for a century. After the failure of Grimoald, the mayordoms sought to use the sacred status of kings in political struggle: after the defeat of Australasia in the war against Neustria, the powerless Austrasian king was taken to Paris, which meant the loss of independence by Australasia. In the second half of the 7th century, the Frankish state collapsed again, but in the first third of the 8th century it was united by Karl Martell, a powerful victor at the Battle of Poitiers. Despite his successes, Karl did not dare to take the throne. For a long time, the mayord, who took the title of viceroy instead of the throne, chose a different tactic. The throne remained vacant until the sons of Karl Martell erected Childeric III, who had been imprisoned in a monastery before that time.
The Merovingian state was still largely pagan. Equally important is the fact that Christianization did not have the status of state policy in it: the Catholic faith was spread by volunteer missionaries, often from neighboring regions. In the 7th century, such preachers converted pagans who lived in the inner regions of the Frankish state - in the vicinity of Paris, Orleans, etc. The influence of the pope in the Frankish state was almost imperceptible. It is significant that the overthrow of the Merovingians (taking into account past unsuccessful attempts) also required the sanction of the Pope.
Timeline and territories
| Period | Soissons | Paris | Orleans | Metz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | Clovis I | |||
| - | Clothar I | Childebert I | Chlodomir | Theodoric I |
| - | ||||
| - | Theodebert I | |||
| - | Theodebald | |||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| Period | Neustria | Paris | Burgundy | Austrasia |
| - | Chilperic I | Charibert I | Guntramn | Sigebert I |
| - | ||||
| - | Childebert II | |||
| - | Clothar II | |||
| - | ||||
| - | Theodoric II | Theodebert II | ||
| - | Sigebert II | |||
| - | ||||
| Period | Neustria + Burgundy + Austrasia | Aquitaine | ||
| - | Dagobert I | Charibert II | ||
| - | ||||
| Period | Neustria + Burgundy | Austrasia | ||
| - | Clovis II | Sigebert III | ||
| - | ||||
| - | Clothar III | Childeric II | ||
| - | ||||
| - | Theodoric III | Clovis III | ||
| - | Dagobert II | |||
| - | (Mayord Pepin Geristalsky) | |||
| - | Clovis IV | |||
| - | Childebert III | |||
| - | Dagobert III | |||
| - | Chilperic II | |||
| - | Clothar IV (Mayord Karl Martell) | |||
| - | ||||
| - | Theodoric IV (Mayord Karl Martell) | |||
| - | Karl Martell | |||
| Period | Neustria + Burgundy + Provence | Austrasia + Alamania + Thuringia | ||
| - | Mayord Pepin Short | Mayord Carloman | ||
| - | Childeric III | |||
| - | ||||
| - | Pepin the Short became king. End of the Merovingian dynasty. | |||
Merovingians in modern culture
- In the book "The Da Vinci Code" by D. Brown, the Merovingians appear as the descendants of Jesus Christ, which Brown (along with the entire pseudo-historical part of the "Code") borrowed from the book "The Sacred Enigma" by Bigent, Leigh and Lincoln.
- In the film "The Matrix" one of the characters is called Merovingen.
- In A. Martyanov's books "Fafnir" and "World Crisis", the descendants of the Merovingians form a secret society that seeks to regain power. In the cycle "Messengers of Times" the Merovingians appear as the descendants of Jesus and the founders of the dynasty of the Counts of Toulouse, which is the reason for their enmity with the French kings.
see also
Notes
Bibliography
Sources
- The Great Chronicles of France \u003d Grandes Chroniques de France.
- Grigory Tursky. History of the Franks \u003d Historia Francorum. - M.: Nauka, 1987.
- From a letter from King Dagobert regarding a market in the Paris region (629).
- From the letter of King Dagobert to the Resbach monastery (635).
- Markulf. Forms of acts.
- Fredegar's successors. Chronicle \u003d Chronica.
- Salic Truth \u003d Lex Salica. - M.: Sample. a type. them. Zhdanov, 1950.
- Collection of capitulators. (Capitularies, formulas, decrees, decrees, acts and other legislative monuments of the Merovingians adjoining the Salic truth)
- Fredegar.
The mystery of the Merovingian dynasty is even more foggy than the mystery of the Cathars and the Knights of the Temple - reality and fiction are so closely intertwined here.
Descended from the Sycambres, a Germanic tribe better known as the Franks, the Merovingian clan ruled during the 5th and 6th centuries over vast territories that later became France and Germany. Let's not forget that this era was also the era of King Arthur and served as the backdrop for a great romantic cycle about the Grail. Without a doubt, these years, the darkest of that time, which was incorrectly called the "dark Middle Ages", are much less gloomy in our eyes than they were deliberately darkened.
Image of Merovei on coins
Education and culture, as we know, were at that time the monopoly of the Catholic Church, and the information we have about this period comes from her, the Church, sources, the rest disappeared or was destroyed. Sometimes, fortunately, despite the silence or ignorance that surrounded this era for too long, despite the veil, caring
hand thrown over their secret, some detail could seep and reach us. The word, the date suddenly emerged from the shadows, and, thanks to them, it was possible to restore a fascinating reality, so different from what the official history taught us.
The origin of the Merovingian dynasty is fraught with mysteries.
Indeed, the notion of a dynasty usually brings to mind the family or "house" that reigns in the place from which their predecessors disappeared, were expelled, or deposed. Thus, the War of the Scarlet and White Roses in England was marked by a change of dynasties; then, a hundred years later, the Tudors disappeared and the Stuarts ascended the throne, in turn through the houses of Orange and Hanover.
There was nothing like this in the history of the Merovingians - neither usurpation, nor rudeness, nor the extinction of the previous dynasty. It seems that they have always ruled France and have always been recognized as its legitimate kings. Until the day when one of them, whom fate marked with a special sign, gave his name to the dynasty.
Merovingians - one of the most mysterious dynasties in Europe Image of Merovei on coins
The historical reality concerning this Merovey (Merovech or Meroveus) is completely hidden by the legend. This is an almost supernatural character belonging to the great classical myths, even his name testifies to his miraculous origin, for in him there is an echo of the French words "mother" and "sea".
Merovingians - one of the most mysterious dynasties of Europe Merovei
Merovei
According to the chief Frankish chronicler and according to the subsequent legend, Merovey was born of two fathers. Indeed, it is said that, already pregnant, his mother, the wife of King Clodio, went to bathe in the sea; there she was seduced and abducted by a mysterious sea creature - "the beast of Neptune, similar to the Quinotavr", also a mythological animal. Perhaps this creature made the queen pregnant a second time, and when Merovei was born, two different blood flowed in his veins: the blood of the Frankish king and the blood of a mysterious sea monster.
A common legend in antiquity and subsequent European traditions, you say. Of course, but, like all legends, it is far from being completely fictional, but is symbolic and hides a specific historical reality behind its miraculous appearance. In the case of Merovey, this allegory signifies the transfer of foreign blood to him by his mother, or the mixing of dynastic clans, as a result of which the Franks turned out to be associated with another tribe, who came, perhaps, "from overseas." Over the years and with the development of legends, it is, for some reason, turned into a sea creature.
So, Merovei was born, invested with the most extraordinary power, and from that day, whatever the historical reality based on legend, the Merovingian dynasty was surrounded by an aura of magic and the supernatural, which will never leave it.
Merovingians - one of the most mysterious dynasties in Europe Merovingian family tree
Merovingian family tree
According to legend, the Merovingian kings, following the example of their famous contemporary Merlin, were adherents of the occult sciences and all forms of esotericism. However, they were often called kings-"sorcerers" or "miracle workers", for they possessed, as the legend again says, the miraculous power to heal only by the laying on of hands, and the hands hanging on the sides of their robes had the same healing properties. They also had the gift of clairvoyance and extrasensory communication with animals and the forces of nature around them, and were told that they wore a magic necklace around their necks. Finally, they were declared owners of a mysterious formula that protected them and guaranteed longevity - a gift that, however, is not confirmed by History.
On their body there was a birthmark, which testified to their sacred origin and made it possible to immediately recognize them: a red spot in the form of a cross was located either on the heart - a curious anticipation of the Templar coat of arms - or between the shoulder blades.
The Merovingians were also called "kings with long hair". Following the example of the famous Samson of the Old Testament, they actually refused to cut their hair, which contained all their "valor" - the essence and secret of their supernatural abilities.
The reasons for these beliefs are unknown to us, but it seems that they were taken very seriously, at least until 754, when Childeric III was deposed, imprisoned and on the categorical order of the pope, his hair was cut.
Merovingians - one of the most mysterious dynasties in Europe Deposition of Childeric III
Deposition of Childeric III
No matter how ordinary they may seem, these legends are still based on concrete and indisputable phenomena of reality, namely, on those that relate to the special position that the Merovingians occupied during their lifetime. In fact, they were not considered kings in the modern sense of the word, but rather kings-priests, the earthly personification of the omnipotence of God, which the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt were before them. They did not reign by the grace of God, but were its living representatives, the incarnation - a quality usually recognized only for Jesus Christ. Their rituals were more priestly than royal. Thus, the bodies of some Merovingian monarchs were found wearing ritual cuts on their skulls, similar to those seen on the skulls of the ancient great Buddhist priests of Tibet; these cuts allowed the soul to leave the body at the time of death and to enter into contact with the divine world.
In this connection, shouldn't the tonsure of priests be attributed to this ancient Merovingian practice?
Even initiation into Christianity for the Merovingians became as if sent down from above. It was during the invasion of the Huns, and later the Almandians. Once, during the decisive battle with the enemy, when the Alaman offensive was especially fierce, and it seemed that nothing could save the Franks from complete defeat, Clovis, the grandson of Merovey, remembered how his wife Clotilde told him about the Savior, about the Christian faith. .. And right on the battlefield Clovis prayed: "Oh, merciful Jesus! I asked my gods for help, but they turned their backs on me. Now I think that they simply cannot help me. Now I ask you: help me cope with my enemies! I believe you! " As soon as he uttered the last words, the Franks hit the enemy with particular success, and the Alamans were thrown into a panicky retreat. Clovis's conversion to Christianity took place in Reims in 496. Since then, all the kings of France were baptized in this city.
In 1653 a Merovingian grave of great importance was found in the Ardennes; it was the burial place of Childeric I, son of Meroveus, father of Clovis, the most famous representative of the dynasty. The grave contained weapons, treasures, various jewelry and badges that are usually found in royal burials. But in this there were also items related
more to the realm of magic and witchcraft than to royalty: a severed horse head, a bull's head made of gold, and a crystal ball.
Merovingians - one of the most mysterious dynasties in Europe Signet ring of King Childeric, father Clovis
Merovingians - one of the most mysterious dynasties in Europe Image of Childeric I on a coin
Signet-seal of King Childeric's father Clovis
One of the sacred symbols of the Merovingians was the bee, and there were about three hundred such bees made of gold in the tomb of Childeric; the entire contents of the tomb were transferred to Leopold-Wilhelm of Habsburg, military ruler of the Austrian Netherlands and brother of Emperor Ferdinand III.
Merovingians - one of the most mysterious dynasties in Europe Bees from the tomb of Childeric
Bees from the Tomb of Childeric
However, all these treasures would later return to France, and since his coronation in 1804, Napoleon made bees the main decoration of his ceremonial vestments.
Merovingian state
Clovis
According to legend, Saint Remigius, who baptized Clovis, predicted that the rule of his dynasty would last until the End of the World. Despite the overthrow that occurred in 751, this prediction cannot but be considered true. It is known that the Carolingians descended on one of the female lines from the Merovingians. The relationship between the Carolingians and Capetians laid the foundation for the medieval model of the unity of the three dynasties. In its context, the descendants of Clovis were all the kings of France, almost without exception, as well as of many other countries, including the Spanish Bourbons who have retained their power to this day. Some of the rulers of Russia were also descendants of Clovis, in particular, Ivan the Terrible and later representatives of the Romanov dynasty.
The Long-haired Kings became the first dynasty in French history. From pagan times until their fall, the Merovingians wore long hair - an obligatory attribute of the monarch. Their subjects believed that kings possessed special magical powers that personified the well-being of the entire Frankish people. Cutting off hair in those days directly meant the loss of all power. An example of the latter is Chlodald, who later became known as Saint Claude.
The Merovingians are a whole period in the history of medieval France. The representatives of the dynasty significantly expanded the Frankish state, united the tribes under one crown. How long did the Merovingian dynasty rule in France? What were the most prominent representatives of the noble family?
The mythical roots of the French dynasty
In the Middle Ages, many considered the semi-mythical Faramond to be the first ruler of the Franks from the dynasty of "long-haired kings". In later times, historians nevertheless came to the conclusion that such a Frankish ruler did not exist at all. In addition, Faramond, the son of Mrakomir, descended from unknown Trojans who moved to Gaul, and the ancestors of the Merovingians were often called the last Trojan king Priam or the hero of the Trojan war, Aeneas, who came from the royal family of Dardans.
The origin of the noble name
According to a widespread version, which has been confirmed by some historians, one of the ancestors of the French Merovingians was the legendary leader Merovei. He was the son or relative of Chlodion the Long-haired (although, according to one of the legends, he was born by the wife of Chlodion from a sea monster) and ruled the Franks in 447-458. It was to him that the French kings owe their famous name. However, some researchers cannot confirm the fact of the actual existence of Chlodion, the Merovingians themselves did not doubt its reality and their origin.
Brief historical background
How long did the Merovingian dynasty rule in France? The genus traces its history from Childeric, who ruled in 457-481. A brief overview of the reign of the Merovingian dynasty further, then - in more detail about each of the kings.
Most modern historians consider Childeric, the son of the semi-legendary Merovei, to be the first historical leader of the Franks. It was under his rule that the territory of the Frankish state first began to expand. However, the true founder of the kingdom is still considered the son of Childeric Clovis, who annexed the north of Gaul and expanded his possessions to the upper Rhine. He was the first among the representatives of the dynasty to be baptized, published "Salicheskaya Pravda" and made Paris the capital.
After Clovis, the kingdom was divided by his four sons: Clotar became king of Soissons, Clodomir of Orleans, Theodrich of Reims, and Childebert of Paris. The fragmentation of the Frankish kingdom did not prevent the descendants of Clovis from opposing the Burgundians. The bloodless annexation of Provence dates back to the same time.
In the middle of the sixth century, all of France for a short time (from 558 to 561) was united under his rule by Clotar I, but after his death, the kingdom was split into three parts: Austrasia, Neustria and Burgundy. Aquitaine in the southwest was considered the common territory of all
The tradition of dividing the kingdom between sons was characteristic of all Germanic peoples. All male children had to receive their share, so in those days the land was constantly divided. The desire to unite large territories under their rule eventually led to fratricidal wars. For example, after the death of Chlodomir, two of his heirs united, killed the rest and divided France among themselves. But in the Middle Ages, blood feud was widespread, so that the struggle for land very quickly led to new conflicts and secret conspiracies.
An example of the latter is the forty-year war between the wives of the kings of Neustria and Austrasia. The son of Queen Neustria, who enlisted the support of the clergy, landowning magnates and earls, managed to unite the three kingdoms under his rule, overthrowing and brutally executing the Queen of Austrasia. After the death of the king of the land, his sons, Charibert and Dragobert, succeeded. The reign of the latter was especially successful. Dragobert managed to strengthen the monarchy and conduct a successful policy of conquest. He briefly captured Brittany, managed to annex Spain, Italy and the Slavic lands.
Despite the strengthening of the dominion of the kings, more and more power in all three kingdoms received the majordoms. They acted as representatives of the monarchs to the nobility, in charge of the income and expenses of the royal court, and commanded the guards. The period of actual rule of the mayordoms is usually called the time of the "lazy kings".
And yet the Merovingian dynasty in France was able to strengthen for some time. Dragobert's son, Sigebert III, was revered by his subjects as a saint, so the mayordom of Grimoald the Elder, guilty in an attempt to coup d'état and seize power, was then publicly executed.
The fall of the Merovingian dynasty dragged on for a whole century. Mayordoms have tried more than once to actually remove the representatives of the first dynasty of kings from power, but many did not dare to take the throne. Pepin the Short, son of Karl Martell, after enlisting the support of the Pope, was proclaimed ruler of the Frankish kingdom. He cut the last representative of the Merovingian dynasty in France and imprisoned him in a monastery. On this, the rule of the dynasty ended, the Carolingians came to power.
How long did the Merovingian dynasty rule? The first representative of a noble house ascended the throne in 457, the last one was imprisoned in a monastery in 751. Therefore, the Merovingians are a dynasty of Frankish kings who held the reins from the second half of the fifth to the middle of the seventh century.
Childeric I: the ruler of whom little is known
Childeric I is the first king of the Merovingian dynasty, whose existence is confirmed by written and material historical sources. Little is known about the years of Helderik's reign; fragmentary information has been preserved only about some battles and conquests. For example, it is known that the future king fought at the Battle of Orleans in 453, and later became an ally of the Romans.
During the reign of Childeric I, several religions coexisted peacefully on the territory of modern France. There is no more accurate data on the period of the reign of the first real king from the Merovingian dynasty. The ruler died early, at about the age of forty. His grave was discovered in the middle of the seventeenth century near the Church of Saint-Brice. In addition to weapons and jewelry, a signet ring with the inscription "King Childeric" was found in the tomb, which precisely proves the belonging of the burial to this historical character.
Clovis I: one of the greatest politicians of his time
The main source of data on the life and reign of Clovis I was the bishop of the city of Tours. Other sources only repeat the information first described in the annals of Tours. Its author himself - Grigory of Tours - was definitely familiar with people who personally knew Clovis I and his wife, remembered the years of his reign.
Clovis became king at the age of fifteen. Then the tribes of the Franks were scattered, and the young man inherited far from the entire kingdom, but only a small part of the lands centered in Tournai. In the fifth year of his reign, the young king went to war against the weakened State of Syagria. So he received in his possession the rich region of Gaul with the main city of Paris.
In the tenth year of his reign, Clovis began a war with the Thuringians. He fulfilled allied obligations to the ruler of the Ripoir francs. The Franks themselves did not want war, but the Thuringians brutally attacked them. Clovis I quickly defeated the Thuringians, the tribe was finally conquered by the end of the king's reign.
After this victory, the influence of Clovis I among other Germanic kings was so great that the hands of one of his three sisters were repeatedly asked by the rulers of many Germanic tribes. Clovis I himself, who already had an illegitimate son, then married the daughter of the king of the Burgundians.
The chosen one of the king - Clotilde - was a believing Christian and tried to convince her husband to accept this faith too. Clovis treated this with understanding, but did not dare to change his faith. She asked her husband, according to the Christian tradition, to baptize the first child, but the son suddenly died right in the baptismal robes. The second son was also christened, he immediately became very ill. The mother prayed fervently for the child's health. Chlodomir eventually recovered, but his father continued to reject Christianity.
After another victory, which the king won by calling on the name of Christ, Clovis nevertheless accepted the new faith. The baptism provided the king with the support of the clergy and the population. The bishop, who urged the king to leave paganism, turned to him with the words: "To worship what he burned, burn what he worshiped" - this expression became winged.
Subsequently, Clovis I actively continued the expansion of the state. Also under him was written "Salicheskaya Pravda" - the first collection of laws. How many years did the Merovingians rule in the person of this king? The founder of the Frankish state, Clovis I, was in power from 481 (482) to 511, after which the country passed to the heirs. The king died at forty-two years old, dividing the land between his four sons.
Four heirs of Clovis I
The eldest son of King Clovis I Theodoric ruled in Metz and Reims. Many historians consider him the illegitimate son of the king, since Theodoric's mother was a concubine. But, probably, she was the daughter of one of the leaders of the Germanic tribes. However, the marriage of the girl with Clovis I was not ecclesiastical, therefore it was considered invalid. Be that as it may, Theodoric received a large share in his father's inheritance, so that in the eyes of his contemporaries he was a completely legitimate heir.
During the life of his father, the young man came of age and even commanded troops in one of the wars. After the death of Clovis I, he received lands along the Rhine, east of the Rhine, along the Meuse, as well as the Chalon district, Reims, Basel. During his reign, he conquered some more territories.
Chlodomir - the second son of Clovis I - received territories in the Loire basin (Kingdom of Orleans). Clovis' heir ruled for a relatively short time (511-524), he was killed in the war with the Burgundians.
Childebert I received Paris and the surrounding lands. Together with his brothers, he fought with the Burgundians, in which Chlodomir died. The brothers killed the sons of Chlodomir, and divided his kingdom among themselves. Childebert I inherited the regions north of the Loire, Orleans, Bourges and Chartres. The whole life of this king (which was not uncommon in the Middle Ages) was spent in wars and battles.
How long did the Merovingians, the heirs of Clovis I, rule in France? His sons did not rule long in peace and harmony. The younger managed to unite the state for a short time, but at the cost of fratricide and the brutal elimination of their heirs.
The youngest son of Clovis I and Clotilde, Clothar I managed to annex the southern part of the Burgundian state and Astrasia to the kingdom of Soissons received from his father. Clotar I lived quite a long time for his time, he died in the fifty-first year of his reign. After a short unification of the lands, the kingdom was again divided between the four sons of Clothar I.
Time of bloody wars and conspiracies
How long did the Merovingian dynasty rule after that? By the time of the death of Clovis I, the son of the founder of the state, the dynasty had been in power for over a century. According to a long-standing tradition, the heirs of Clovis I divided the state into four parts: Charibert I got the Paris basin, part of Aquitaine and Provence, Sigebert I - the eastern part of France with the capital in Reims, Chilperic I - the Kingdom of Soissons, Guntramnu - Orleans.
It was in this generation that the forty-year war began between Fredegonda and Brünnhilde, the wives of kings Chilperic I and Sigibert I. The complex conflict was simultaneously the result of a conspiracy and territorial ambitions. After a long war, at the suggestion of Brunhilde, the young Sigibert II ascended the throne, but he was quickly replaced by Chlothar II, who ruled for sixteen years.
How long did the Merovingians rule at this time? Despite the fact that bloody wars were constantly waged in the state and secret conspiracies were being prepared, the dynasty was in power. By the death of Chlothar II in 629, the Merovingians had occupied the throne for more than one hundred and seventy years.
Dragobert I's reign
The next king was the son of Chlothar II Dragobert I. During his reign, he was the only king who united the entire Frankish state under his rule. Dragobert I conducted a successful military campaign against the Basques in the southern part of the state, and later went to Gascony. At the same time, on the contact of the territories of the Germanic and Slavic tribes, the Slavic state of Samo was formed. Dragobert I laid siege to the fortress of the ruler Samo, but was defeated. Later, the Slavic people began to make periodic raids on neighboring lands.
How many did the Merovingians rule on their own? The last monarch who independently ruled the Frankish state was Dragobert I. He entrusted his loyal major to protect the widow queen and little Clovis II after his death.
Weakening the power of the dynasty
The Merovingians are a strong dynasty that ruled France for quite some time. But as soon as the mayordoms became close to the throne, the power of the monarchs began to weaken. Clovis II was only five years old when his father died, leaving his son as the ruler of the state, real power was assumed by Major Ega. The grown-up Clovis II himself was a drunkard, a libertine and a glutton, he paid little attention to state affairs, was ill, and periodically lost his memory. The king died in the twenty-fourth year of his life, but managed to leave an heir.
Clotar III became monarch at the age of seven. He ruled under the tutelage of the Queen Mother, who endowed Majordom Ebroin with real power. The boy died at sixteen. After his death, the third Theodoric III became king, then Childeric II.
Childeric II managed to somewhat remove the mayordom from the real power, but in his place came Bishop Leodegarius. After a few years, Childeric was able to independently rule the state, he expelled the bishop and imprisoned him in a monastery, depriving him of all privileges. But a conspiracy was prepared against Childeric - the king, his son and his pregnant wife died on the hunt, and the second son was exiled to the monastery. Then Theodoric III came to power again.
How did the Merovingians rule at the time? The power of the kings weakened, many affairs were in the hands of mayordoms or court bishops. The monarchs themselves were replaced very quickly, many of them were not at all interested in the state.
Fall of the Merovingians and the establishment of Carolingian rule
How many years the Merovingians ruled in France after Dragobert I, so much they endowed their ministers, the mayordoms, with real power. The winner, Karl Martell, unified the Frankish states in the first third of the eighth century. Yet he did not dare to take the throne. Carl Martell's business was continued by his son, Pepin the Short, who suppressed both external and internal enemies. He decided to destroy the real power of the Merovingians, but waited for the encouragement of the Pope. After negotiations with Pope Zechariah, Pepin became king of the Frankish kingdom. The new ruler shaved the last Merovingian and imprisoned him in a monastery.
The Merovingians are the first royal dynasty in France. The rulers managed to unite the Germanic tribes and significantly expand the lands of the Frankish kingdom.
According to legend, one of the ancestors of the kings of the Merovingian dynasty was the leader of the Salic Franks, Merovei, who ruled from about 448 to 457. It is to him that the Merovingians owe the name of their dynasty. Historians question the very fact of its existence, but the Merovingians were convinced that it once was, and were proud of their descent from it.
Its origin is covered with legends. It was believed that the ruler was born of a sea monster. Sometimes Merovey himself is called a monster emerging from the depths of the sea. The legend about his birth is as follows: being pregnant, the mother of Merovey, wife of King Clodio (Chlodion), went to swim in the sea, where she was kidnapped by a sea monster. It was believed that the blood of the Frankish king Chlodion and the sea monster flowed in the veins of Merovey. This legend, when considered rationally, points to an international dynastic marriage. The origin of the king is thus associated with something overseas. Merovingian Frankish empire vassalage
In the eyes of the Franks, the offspring of this dynasty possessed sacred, mysterious power that brought good to the entire people. This was also indicated by one characteristic feature in the external appearance of the Merovingians: they wore long hair, and their haircut meant the loss of the ability to carry a high mission. The Franks believed that the Merovingians possessed sacred and magical powers, which lay in the extremely long hair of their owners. This hairstyle separated them from their subjects, who wore short haircuts, popular in the Roman era, which were considered a sign of the low position of a servant or slave. Cutting off hair was considered the hardest insult for a member of the Merovingian dynasty, in practice it meant the loss of the right to possess power.
The true founder of the kingdom of the Franks is the son of Childeric Clovis (c. 481-511), the grandson of Meroveus. He led an active policy of conquest and significantly expanded the possessions of the Franks, becoming the founder of the Frankish kingdom. Clovis annexed the north of Gaul to his lands, defeating Siagrius in 486, who declared himself "king
Around 498, Clovis was baptized and, thanks to this, received the support of the Gallo-Roman nobility and clergy. Throughout his reign, Clovis made numerous raids on the lands of the Visigoths, finally defeating them in 507 at the Battle of Vuje. In addition, during his reign, "Salicheskaya Pravda" was published, and Paris became the capital. With Clovis begins the so-called "Merovingian period" in the history of France, which lasted from the end of the 5th century to the end of the 7th century.
According to Germanic tradition, after the death of Clovis, the kingdom was divided between his four sons: Theodoric became king of Rheims, Clodomir - Orleans, Childebert - Paris and Clotar - king of Soissons. The fragmentation of the kingdom did not prevent the Franks from joining their efforts for joint actions against the Burgundians, whose state was conquered after a protracted war in 520-530.
In 558, all Gaul united under the rule of Clotar I, who ruled it until his death in 561, but he also had four heirs, which led to a new fragmentation of the state into three parts - Burgundy, Austrasia and Neustria
The tradition of hereditary division of property was among all Germanic peoples: after the death of the king, all his male children were to receive their share, since the kingdom was considered the personal property of the previous ruler. Consequently, the kingdom was constantly fragmented, and the desire to collect as large a territory as possible under its rule led to fratricidal conspiracies and wars. In the end, Fredegonda's son Clotar II (613-628) managed to unite the three kingdoms of the Franks under his rule.
He managed to achieve this thanks to the support of the local nobility and clergy, since he pledged not to interfere in their affairs, which significantly strengthened the landowners-magnates, earls and bishops. After the death of Chlothar II, he was succeeded by his two sons - Dagobert and Charibert. The reign of Dagobert (629-639) was especially successful, as he managed to briefly strengthen the prestige of the royal power and pursue a successful policy of conquest. He managed to annex the lands of the Alemanni to his kingdom, made several campaigns to Italy, Spain and the Slavic lands of Central Europe, and even briefly captured Brittany.
Dagobert died in 639 and was buried in the Basilica of Saint-Denis, which from that moment became the main tomb of the French kings.
Despite a brief increase in royal power under Dagobert, more and more power was received by the majordoms in all three kingdoms. They were in charge of the income and expenses of the royal court, commanded the guards and acted as representatives of the kings to the nobility. The period of inactivity of kings and the actual reign of the mayordoms is usually called the period of "lazy kings". Nevertheless, the name and sacred status of the Merovingians allowed the heirs of Dagobert to remain in power for some time.
The fall of the Merovingians dragged on for a century. After the failure of Grimon, the majordoms sought to use the sacred status of kings in political struggle: after the defeat of Austrasia in the war against Neustria, the powerless Austrasian king was taken to Paris, which meant the loss of independence by Neustria. In the second half of the 7th century, the Frankish state collapsed again, but in the first third of the 8th century it was united by Karl Martell, a powerful victor at the Battle of Poitiers. Despite his successes, Karl did not dare to take the throne. For a long time, the mayord, who took the title of viceroy instead of the throne, chose a different tactic. The throne remained vacant until the sons of Karl Martell erected Childeric III, who had been imprisoned in a monastery before that time.
Mayord Pepin the Short, son of Karl Martell, suppressed external and internal enemies, and then decided to destroy the fictitious royal power of the Merovingians. After negotiations with Pope Zechariah, Pepin was anointed and proclaimed king of the Frankish kingdom. The last Merovingian, Childeric III, was shaved by Pepin and imprisoned in a monastery in November 751.
