General Notes

Theodoric was the eldest son of Clovis I, but born of an unknown woman,unlike the other sons, whose mother was Clotilda. An able soldier, heplayed an important part in his father's campaigns against the Visigoths.On Clovis' death in 511 a fourfold division of his kingdom took place,each of his sons receiving some territories north of the Loire River andsome to its south. No doubt as the most experienced of the four,Theodoric received those northern lands (the future Austrasia) mostexposed to attack; their axis was the Rhine. In the 520s Theodoric gaineda share of his brother Clodomir's kingdom when the dead king's sons weremurdered by Theodoric's two other half-brothers, Childebert and Chlotar.Theodoric campaigned with Clodomir against the Burgundians in 524 andwith Chlotar against the Visigoths in 532. His greatest success lay inthe subjection of the Thuringians, achieved with the help of Chlotar c.531. It was perhaps now that the Saxons were temporarily also reduced todependence. As violent and unscrupulous as most of the other Merovingianrulers, Theodoric was arguably the most vigorous and effective of Clovis'sons. He was succeeded by his son, Theodebert I.


Please let me know if you have any questions..or know of any errors, changes, this is ongoing research..and ever growing orchard of family branches