General Notes

Descendants of Charlemagne data base, English version.  Conflicting
dates of death 445 and 447.  Husband of Basina.

GenServ database SMIA7MT, December 1998.


From the "selvage1" database at WorldConnect.  Please contactPetersonC@missouri.edu with corrections and additions.

Descendants of Charlemagne data base, English version.  Conflicting
dates of death 445 and 447.  Husband of Basina.

GenServ database SMIA7MT, December 1998.


From the "selvage1" database at WorldConnect.  Please contactPetersonC@missouri.edu with corrections and additions.

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



Ruled France 428-447

KINGS OF THE FRANKS

CLODIO / CLODIAN VI (AD 426 - 447/8), King of the Salian Franks(Cambrai). According to legend his father was Pharamond (409 - 426), thefirst king of the Salian Franks after the departure of the Romans fromGaul. His son Merovech (succeeding King of the Salian Franks), was thefounder of the Merovingian Dynasty. Called "the Long Hair" or "the Hairy"because of the length of his hair. From then on the Merovingians werecalled the "Long Haired Kings" and the cutting of a king's hairrepresented his loss of royal power.

In history, Clodio was probably real. He lived in Thuringian territory,and ruled at the same time as the semi-legendary kings Theudemer andRichemer. All that is known of his reign is that he took the town ofCambrai from the Romans. He was succeeded by his semi-legendary sonMerovech. Although Merovech and Clodio are considered to besemi-legendary, Merovech's son, Childeric I, was very real and cannot beconsidered fictional.

Source:http://homepages.tesco.net/~plk33/plk33/History/FeaturesEurope/FranceKings.htm

[2715387.FBK]

ema p 307 "As for the Franks, the chronicle associates them with DukeFrancio, and Francio with Priam and those who fled from Troy, aconnection developed in the eighth-century Book of the History of theFranks.  The sixth-century historian Gregory of Tours was far more soberand less inclined to inventiveness.  He reports Sulpicius Alexander'sreferences to the Franks' leaders as "dukes" and "regales" as well as"kings," regretting Sulpicius's failure to give their names.  Gregorynotes that reliable sources designated Theudemer and CLODIO as kings ofthe Franks, and he mentions MaineROVEUS, father of CHILDERIC, who waswais by some to be descended from CLODIO; . . ."[a23551.ged]

Frankish King of Cologne of the Merovingian Family, 420, kinsman ofClovis I,
the Great, King of the Salic Franks.
Start of the Family Tree of Charlemagne.[Direct Linage1.FTW]

Note: Clodio Crinitus, who compelled his subjects to wear long hair andbeards in token of liberty from the Romans, died 445 or 447

He was King of Westphalia & the West Franks. He conquered Artois,Cambray, Tournay, and others.
The Franks" article names Clodion's son Merovaeus but from our primarysource we prefer Merovech and from the same sources we prefer thespelling Chlodovech for the numerous Clovis individuals in "The Franks".Our spelling preferences are included as primary spellings in thisdatabase and so added within brackets in the following manuscript.

1. "The Franks" by Godefroi Kurth, Transcribed by Michael C. Tinkler,from "The Catholic Encyclopedia", Volume VI, Copyright © 1909 by RobertAppleton Company, Online Edition Copyright © 1999 by Kevin Knight, NihilObstat, September 1, 1909. Remy Lafort, Censor Imprimatur. +John M.Farley, Archbishop of New York:

The Franks were a confederation formed in Western Germany of a certainnumber of ancient barbarian tribes who occupied the right shore of theRhine from Mainz to the sea. Their name is first mentioned by Romanhistorians in connection with a battle fought against this people aboutthe year 241. In the third century some of them crossed the Rhine andsettled in Belgic Gaul on the banks of the Meuse and the Scheldt, and theRomans had endeavoured to expel them from the territory. ConstantiusChlorus and his descendants continued the struggle, and, although Julianthe Apostate inflicted a serious defeat on them in 359, he did notsucceed in exterminating them, and eventually Rome was satisfied to makethem her more or less faithful allies. After their overthrow by Julianthe Apostate, the Franks of Belgium, becoming peaceful settlers, appearto have given the empire no further trouble, satisfied with having foundshelter and sustenance on Roman soil. They even espoused Rome's causeduring the great invasion of 406, but were overpowered by the ruthlesshordes who devastated Belgium and overran Gaul and a part of Italy andSpain. Thenceforth the Belgian provinces ceased to be under the controlof Rome and passed under the rule of the Franks.

When they first attracted attention in history the Franks wereestablished in the northern part of Belgic Gaul, in the districts wheretheir Germanic dialect is still spoken. Gregory of Tours tells us thattheir chief town was Dispargum, which is perhaps Tongres and that theywere under a family of kings distinguished by their long hair, which theyallowed to flow over their shoulders, while the other Frankish warriorshad the back of the head shaved. This family was known as theMerovingians, from the name of one of its members, to whom nationaltradition had ascribed a sea-god as ancestor. Clodion, the first king ofthis dynasty known to history, began his series of conquests in NorthernGaul about the year 430. He penetrated as far as Artois, but was drivenback by Aetius, who seems to have succeeded in keeping him on friendlyterms with Rome. In fact, it seems that his son Merovaeus (Merovech)fought with the Romans against Attila on the Mauriac plains. Childeric,son of Merovaeus (Merovech), also served the empire under Count Aegidiusand subsequently under Count Paul, whom he assisted in repelling theSaxons from Angers. Childeric died at Tournai, his capital, where histomb was found in 1653 (Cochet, Le tombeau De Childéric, Paris, 1859).But Childeric did not transmit to his son Clovis (Chlodovech I), whosucceeded him in 481, the entire inheritance left by Clodion. The latterseems to have reigned over all the Cis-Rhenish Franks, and the monarchywas divided among his descendants, although the exact time of thedivision is not known. There were now two Frankish groups: theRipuarians, who occupied the banks of the Rhine and whose kings residedin Cologne, and the Salians who had established themselves in the LowCountries. The Salians did not form a single kingdom; besides the Kingdomof Tournai there were kingdoms with centres at Cambrai and Tongres. Theirsovereigns, both Salian and Ripuarian, belonged to the Merovingian familyand seem to have been descended from Clodion.

When Clovis (Chlodovech I) began to reign in 481, he was, like hisfather, King of Tournai only, but at an early date he began his career ofconquest. In 486 he over threw the monarchy that Syagrius, son ofAegidius, had carved out for himself in Northern Gaul, and set up hiscourt at Soissons; in 490 and 491 he took possession of the SalianKingdoms of Cambrai and Tongres; in 496 he triumphantly repelled aninvasion of the Alamanni; in 500 he interposed in the war of theBurgundian kings; in 506 he conquered Aquitaine; and at length he annexedthe Ripuarian Kingdom of Cologne. Henceforth Gaul, from the Pyrenees tothe Rhine, was subject to Clovis (Chlodovech I), with the exception ofthe territory in the southeast, i.e. the kingdom of the Burgundians andProvence. Established at Paris, Clovis (Chlodovech I) governed thiskingdom by virtue of an agreement concluded with the bishops of Gaul,according to which natives and barbarians were to be on terms ofequality, and all cause of friction between the two races was removedwhen, in 496, the king was converted to Catholicism. The Frankish kingdomthereupon took its place in history under more promising conditions thanwere to be found in any other state founded upon the ruins of the RomanEmpire. All free men bore the title of Frank, had the same politicalstatus, and were eligible to the same offices. Besides, each individualobserved the law of the people among whom he belonged; the Gallo-Romanlived according to the code, the barbarian according to the Salian orRipuarian law; in other words, the law was personal, not territorial. Ifthere were any privileges they belonged to the Gallo-Romans, who, in thebeginning were the only ones on whom the episcopal dignity was conferred.The king governed the provinces through his counts, and had aconsiderable voice in the selection of the clergy. The drawing up of theSalian Law (Lex Salica), which seems to date from the early part of thereign of Clovis (Chlodovech I), and the Council of Orléans, convoked byhim and held in the last year of his reign, prove that the legislativeactivity of this king was not eclipsed by his military energy. Althoughfounder of a kingdom destined to such a brilliant future, Clovis(Chlodovech I) did not know how to shield it against a custom in vogueamong the barbarians, i.e. the division of power among the sons of theking. This custom originated in the pagan idea that all kings wereintended to reign because they were descended from the gods. Divine bloodflowed in the veins of all the king's sons, each of whom, therefore,being a king by birth, must have his share of the kingdom. This view,incompatible with the formation of a powerful, durable monarchy, had beenvigorously rejected by Genseric the Vandal, who, to secure theindivisibility of his kingdom, had established in his family a certainorder of succession. Either because he died suddenly or for some otherreason, Clovis (Chlodovech I) took no measures to abolish this custom,which continued among the Franks until the middle of the ninth centuryand, more than once, endangered their nationality.

After the death of Clovis (Chlodovech I), therefore, his four sonsdivided his kingdom, each reigning from a different centre: Thierry(Theuderic I) at Metz, Clodomir (Chlodomer) at Orléans, Childebert atParis, and Clotaire (Chlotar) at Soissons. They continued the career ofconquest inaugurated by their father, and, in spite of the frequentdiscords that divided them, augmented the estates he had left them. Theprincipal events of their reign were:

The destruction of the Kingdom of Thuringia by Thierry (Theuderic I) in531, which extended Frankish power into the heart of what is now Germany;

the conquest of the Kingdom of the Burgundians by Childebert andClotaire (Chlotar I) in 532, after their brother Clodomir (Chlodomer) hadperished in a previous attempt to overthrow it in 524;

the cession of Provence to the Franks by the Ostrogoths in 536, oncondition that the former would assist them in the war just declaredagainst them by Emperor Justinian. But instead of helping the Ostrogoths,the Franks under Theudebert, son of Thierry (Theuderic I), takingshameful advantage of this oppressed people, cruelly pillaged Italy untilthe bands under the command of Leuthar and Butilin were exterminated byNarses in 553.

The death of Theudebert, in 548, was soon followed by that of his sonTheobald (Theudebald), in 555, and by the death of Childebert in 558,Clotaire (Chlotar I), the last of the four brothers, becoming sole heirto the estate of his father, Clovis (Chlodovech I). Clotaire (Chlotar I)reduced the Saxons and Bavarians to a state of vassalage, and died in 561leaving four sons; once more the monarchy was divided, being partitionedin about the same way as on the death of Clovis (Chlodovech I) in 511:Gontran (Guntramm) reigned at Orléans, Charibert at Paris, Sigebert atReims, and Chilperic at Soissons. Charibert's death in 567 and thedivision of his estate occasioned quarrels between Chilperic andSigebert, already at odds on account of their wives. Unlike his brothers,who had been satisfied to marry serving-women, Sigebert had won the handof the beautiful Brunehilde, daughter of Athanagild, King of theVisigoths. Chilperic had followed Sigebert's example by marryingGaleswintha, Brunehilde's sister, but at the instigation of his mistress,Fredegonda (Fredegund), he soon had Galeswintha assassinated and placedFredegonda upon the throne. Brunehilde's determination to avenge thedeath of her sister involved in bitter strife not only between the twowomen but their husbands. In 575 Sigebert, who was repeatedly provoked byChilperic, took the field, resolved to bring the quarrel to a conclusion.Chilperic, already banished from his kingdom, had taken refuge behind thewalls of Tournai, whence he had no hope of escape, when, just asSigebert's soldiers were about to raise him to the throne, he was felledby assassins sent by Fredegonda (Fredegund). Immediately the aspect ofaffairs changed: Brunehilde, humiliated and taken prisoner, escaped onlywith the greatest difficulty and after the most thrilling adventures,while Fredegonda (Fredegund) and Chilperic exulted in their triumph. Therivalry between the two kingdoms, henceforth known respectively asAustrasia (Kingdom of the East) and Neustria (Kingdom of the West), onlygrew fiercer. Gontran's (Guntramm) kingdom continued to be calledBurgundy. First the nobles of Austrasia and then Brunehilde who hadbecome regent, led the campaign against Chilperic, who perished in 584 atthe hand of an assassin. The murderer could not be ascertained. Duringthis period of intestine strife, Gontran (Guntramm) was vainlyendeavouring to wrest Septimania from the Visigoths, as well as defendhimself against the pretender Gondowald, the natural son of Clotaire(Chlotar I), who, aided by the nobles, tried to seize part of thekingdom, but fell in the attempt. When Gontran (Guntramm) died in 592,his inheritance passed to Childebert, son of Sigebert and Brunehilde, andafter this king's death in 595 his states were divided between his twosons, Theudebert II taking Austrasia and Thierry II (Theuderic II)Burgundy. In 600 and 604 the two brothers united their forces againstClotaire, (Chlothar II) son of Chilperic and Fredegonda (Fredegund), andreduced him to the condition of a petty king. Soon, however, jealousysprang up between the two brothers, they waged war on each other, andTheudebert, twice defeated, was killed. The victorious Thierry (TheudericII) was about to inflict a like fate on Clotaire (Chlothar II) but diedin 613, being still young and undoubtedly the victim of the excesses thathad shortened the careers of most of the Merovingian princes. Brunehilde,who, throughout the reigns of her son and grandsons, had been veryinfluential, now assumed the guardianship of her great-grandson, SigebertII, and the government of the two kingdoms. But the earlier strugglebetween monarchical absolutism and the independence of the Frankishnobility now broke out with tragic violence. It had long been latent, butthe sight of a woman exercising absolute power caused it to break forthwith boundless fury. The Austrasian nobles, eager to avenge the sad fateof Thierry (Theuderic II), joined with Clotaire (Chlothar II), King ofNeustria, who took possession of the Kingdoms of Burgundy and Austrasia.The children of Thierry (Theuderic II) were slain. Brunehilde, who fellinto the hands of the victor, was tied to the tail of a wild horse andperished (613). She had erred in imposing a despotic government on apeople who chafed under government of any kind. Her punishment was afrightful death and the cruel calumnies with which her conquerorsblackened her memory.

The nobles had triumphed. They dictated to Clotaire (Chlothar II) theterms of victory and he accepted them in the celebrated edict of 614, atleast a partial capitulation of Frankish royalty to the nobility. Theking promised to withdraw his counts from the provinces under his rule,i.e. he was virtually to abandon these parts to the nobles, who were alsoto have a voice in the selection of the prime minister or "mayor of thepalace", as he was then called. He likewise promised to abolish the newtaxes and to respect the immunity of the clergy, and not to interfere inthe elections of bishops. He had also to continue Austrasia and Neustriaas separate governments. Thus ended the conflict between the Frankisharistocracy and the monarchical power; with its close began a new periodin the history of the Merovingian monarchy. As time went on royalty hadto reckon more and more with the aristocracy. The Merovingian dynasty,traditionally accustomed to absolutism, and incapable of altering itspoint of view, was gradually deprived of all exercise of authority. Inthe shadow of the throne the new power continued to grow rapidly, becomethe successful rival of the royal house, and finally supplanted it. Thegreat power of the aristocracy was vested in the mayor of the palace(major domus), originally the chief of the royal household. During theminority of the Frankish kings he acquired steadily greater importanceuntil he came to share the royal prerogative, and eventually reached theexalted position of prime minister to the sovereign. The indifference ofthe latter, usually more absorbed in his pleasures than in publicaffairs, favoured the encroachments of the "mayor of the palace", andthis office finally became the hereditary right of one family, which wasdestined to replace the Merovingians and become the national dynasty ofthe Franks. Such then were the transformations which occurred in thepolitical life of the Franks after the downfall of Brunehilde and duringthe reign of Clotaire II (Chlothar II) (614-29). While this king governedNeustria he was obliged, as has been said, to give Austrasia a separategovernment, his son Dagobert becoming its king, with Arnulf of Metz(Arnold, Saint Arnulf) as councillor and Pepin of Landen as mayor of thepalace (623). These two men were the ancestors of the Carolingian family.Arnulf (Arnold, Saint Arnulf) was Bishop of Metz, though resident atcourt, but in 627 he resigned his episcopal see and retired into monasticsolitude at Remiremont, where he died in the odour of sanctity. Pepin,incorrectly called of Landen (since it was only in the twelfth centurythat the chroniclers of Brabant began to associate him with thatlocality), was a great lord from Eastern Belgium. With Arnulf (StaintArnold) he had been at the head of the Austrasian opposition toBrunehilde.

On the death of Clotaire II (Chlotar II), Dagobert I, his only heir,reestablished the unity of the Frankish monarchy and took up hisresidence in Paris, as Clovis (Chlodovech I) had done in the past. He toowas soon forced to give Austrasia a separate government, which heconfided to his son Sigebert III (from Ragnetrud), with Cunibert ofCologne as his Councillor and Adalgisil (Anchises or Ansegisel), son ofArnulf of Metz (Arnold, Saint Arnulf) and son-in-law of Pepin (PepinMartel, Martel of Heristal, from Pepin I's daughter Doda), as mayor ofthe palace. Pepin Pepin Martel), who had lost royal favour, wastemporarily deprived of any voice in the government. The reign ofDagobert I was one of such great pomp and outward show, thatcontemporaries compared it to that of Solomon; however, it marked adecline in the military prowess of the Franks. They subdued, it is true,the small nations of the Bretons and Basques, but were themselves beatenby the Frankish merchant Samo, who had created a Slavonic kingdom ontheir eastern confines. Dagobert relieved the situation only byexterminating the Bulgars who had taken refuge in Bavaria. Like most ofhis race, Dagobert was subject to the females of his family. He diedyoung and was buried in the celebrated Abbey of Saint-Denis which he hadfounded and which subsequently became the burial-place of the kings ofFrance. After his death Austrasia and Neustria (the latter united withBurgundy) had the same destiny under their respective kings and mayors ofthe palace. In Neustria the young king, Clovis (Chlodovech II, son ofDagobert I and Nantechild), reigned under the guardianship of his mother,Nanthilde (Nantechild), with Aega, and later Erkinoald, as mayor of thepalace. Sigebert III (son of Dagobert I and Ragnetrud) reigned inAustrasia with Pepin of Landen (Pepin I), who had returned and wasinstalled as mayor of the palace after the death of Dagobert. The historyof Austrasia is better known to us as far as 657 because, at that time,it had a chronicler. On the death of Pepin of Landen (Pepin I) in 639,Otto, mayor of the palace, took the reins of power, but was overthrownand replaced by Grimoald, son of Pepin. Grimoald went even further; when,in 656, Sigebert III died, he conceived the bold plan of seizing thecrown for the benefit of his family: He banished young Dagobert II, sonof Sigebert, to an Irish monastery. Not daring to ascend the thronehimself, he followed the example of Odoacer and gave it to his sonChildebert. But this attempt, as bold as it was premature, caused hisdownfall. He was delivered up to Clovis (Chlodovech II) by the Austrasiannobles and, so far as can be ascertained, seems to have perished inprison. Clovis (Chlodovech II) remained sole master of the entireFrankish monarchy, but died the following year, 657.

Clotaire III (Chlothar III) (657-70), son of Clovis (Chlodovech II),succeeded his father as head of the entire monarchy under theguardianship of his mother, Bathilde (Bathildis), with Erkinoald as mayorof the palace. But like Clotaire II (Chlothar II), in 614, Clovis(Chlodovech II) was constrained in 660 to grant Austrasia a separaterule, and appointed his brother Childeric II its king, with Wulfoald asmayor of the palace. Austrasia was now overshadowed by Neustria owing tothe strong personality of Ebroin, Erkinoald's successor as mayor of thepalace. Like Brunehilde, Ebroin sought to establish a strong governmentand, like her, drew upon himself the passionate opposition of thearistocracy. The latter, under the leadership of St. Léger (Leodegarius),Bishop of Autun, succeeded in overthrowing Ebroin. He and King ThierryIII (Theuderic III) who, in 670, had succeeded his brother Clotaire III(Chlothar III), were consigned to a convent, Childeric II, King ofAustrasia, being, summoned to replace him. Once again monarchical unitywas re-established, but it was not destined to last long. Wulfoald, mayorof Austrasia, was banished, also St. Léger. Childeric II was assassinatedand for a short time general anarchy reigned. However, Wulfoald, whomanaged to return, proclaimed King of Austrasia young Dagobert II, whohad come back from exile in Ireland, while St. Léger, reinstated inNeustria, upheld King Thierry III (Theuderic III). But Ebroin, whomeanwhile had been forgotten, escaped from prison. He invaded Neustria,defeated the mayor Leudesius, Erkinoald's son, who, with the approval ofSt. Léger was governing this kingdom, reassumed the power, and maltreatedthe Bishop of Autun, whom he caused to be slain by hired assassins (678).He afterwards attacked Austrasia, banished Wulfoald, and had King ThierryIII (Theuderic III) acknowledged. The opposition shown Ebroin by theAustrasian nobles under the leadership of Pepin II (Pepin Martle) andMartin was broken at Laffaux (Latofao), where Martin perished, and Pepindisappeared for a while. Ebroin was then for some years real sovereign ofthe Frankish monarchy and exercised a degree of power that none saveClovis I (Chlodovech I) and Clotaire I (Chlothar I) had possessed. Thereare few characters of whom it is as difficult to form a just estimate asof this powerful political genius who, without any legal authority, andsolely by dint of his indomitable will, acquired supreme control of theFrankish monarchy and warded off for a time the reforms of thearistocracy. The friendship professed for Ebroin by Saint Ouen, the greatBishop of Rouen, seems to indicate that he was better than hisreputation, which, like that of Brunehilde, was intentionally blackenedby chroniclers who sympathized with the Frankish nobles.

Ebroin's disappearance afforded full scope to the power of the familywhich was now called on to give a new dynasty to the Franks. Forced toremain in obscurity for over twenty years. consequence of Grimoald'scrime and downfall, this family finally reappeared at the head ofAustrasia under Pepin II (Pepin Martel), inappropriately called Pepin ofHeristal. There flowed in the veins of Pepin II (Pepin Martel), son ofAdalgisil (Anchises or Ansegisel) and of St. Begga (Doda) daughter ofPepin I, the blood of the two illustrious men who, by the overthrow ofBrunehilde, had established a moderate monarchy in Austrasia. Despite thedefeat inflicted on him by Ebroin, Pepin remained the leader and the hopeof the Austrasians, and, after the death of his adversary, vigorouslyresumed the kingdom which was then disturbed by the rivalry betweenWaratton, mayor of the palace, and his son Gislemar. From 681 to 686 thefunctions of mayor of the palace were alternately discharged by Warattonand Gislemar, again by Waratton, and finally, at his death, by hisson-in-law Berthar. Pepin, who seems to have had amicable relations withWaratton, would not acknowledge Berthar, whom he overthrew in the battleof Testri near Soissons (687); in this way Austrasia avenged theabove-mentioned defeat at Laffaux. The death of Berthar, assassinated in688, removed the last obstacle to the authority of Pepin II (PepinMartel) in Neustria, who was thenceforth simultaneously mayor of thepalace for all three kingdoms. So vast was his power that from that datehistory merely mentions the names of the Merovingian kings whom he kepton the throne: Thierry III (Theuderic III) (d. 691), Clovis III(Chlodovech III) (d. 695), Childebert III (d. 711), and Dagobert III (d.715). Indeed, it is only for a traditional fiction of history that PepinII (Pepin Martel) is not put down as the first sovereign of theCarolingian dynasty. The direction of the destinies of the Frankishmonarchy now passed from the hands of the Salian into those of theRipuarian Franks. These constituted the Germanic element of the nationwhich took the place of the Roman party in the government. Their policywas better adapted to the spirit of the times inasmuch as it abolishedthe traditional absolutism of the Merovingians. Finally the Carolingianshad the merit and the satisfaction (for it was both) of re- establishingunity in the Frankish monarchy which had been so frequently divided; from687 to 843, that is, for over a century and a half, all the Franks wereunited under the same government. But Pepin II (Pepin Martel) did notconfine himself to restoring Frankish unity; he extended the frontiers ofthe monarchy by subduing the Frisians, his neighbours on the north. Theserestless barbarians, who occupied a large portion of the present Kingdomof the Netherlands, were fanatical pagans; Ratbod, their duke, was abitter enemy of Christianity. Pepin forced him to surrender WesternFrisia, which nearly corresponded to the present provinces of South andNorth Holland, and obliged him to keep the peace for the rest of his life.

Pepin could now consider the Kingdom of the Franks as an hereditarypatrimony, and he conferred the mayoralty of Neustria on his sonGrimoald. At his death in 714, which was subsequent to that of his twosons Grimoald and Drogon, he bequeathed the entire monarchy, as a familyheritage, to his grandson Theodoald, Grimoald's son, still a minor. Thisact was a political blunder suggested to the clear- minded Pepin on hisdeath-bed by his wife Plectrude. Pepin had a son Charles by a mistressnamed AlpaïDe (Elphide), who at his father's death was twenty-six yearsof age and quite capable, as events showed, of vigorously defending thepaternal inheritance. It cannot be said that the stigma of illegitimacycaused him to be put aside, for Thedoald was also a natural son, but theblood of the ambitious Plectrude coursed through the latter's veins, andshe reigned in his name. The people, however, would not now submit to theregency of a woman any more than in the time of Brunehilde. There was auniversal uprising among the Neustrians, Aquitainians, and Frisians.Elsewhere may be found an account of these struggles. (See CHARLESMassachusettsRTEL.) Here it suffices to say that Plectrude was soon castaside and Charles Martel, whom she had thrown into prison, escaped andplaced himself at the head of the national Austrasian party. Defeated atfirst, but soon victorious over all his enemies, Charles reduced nearlyall the rebellious tribes to obedience, not only those just named, butalso the Bavarians and Alamanni. His greatest service to civilization wasthe glorious victory over the Arabs between Tours and Poitiers (732),which earned him the name of Martel, the hammer. This conquest savedChristianity and preserved Europe from the power of the Mussulmans. Itwas not, however, Charles's last encounter with the Arabs; he banishedthem from Provence and in 739 defeated them again on the banks of theBerre near Narbonne. This sovereign, whose exclusively military careerconsisted in restoring, by dint of force, an empire that was crumblingaway, could not escape the accusation of having abetted violence inothers and resorted to it himself. He has especially been charged withsecularizing many ecclesiastical estates, which he took from churches andabbeys and gave in fief to his warriors as a recompense for theirservices. This land actually remained the property of the ecclesiasticalestablishments in questions but its hereditary usufruct was assured tothe new occupants. This expedient enabled Charles Martel to collect anarmy and secure faithful followers. Another no less censurable practicewas that of conferring the highest ecclesiastical dignities whose onlyright was that they were loyal soldiers of Charles Martel. However, itmust be remembered that those measures enabled him to muster the forceswith which he saved Christian civilization at Tours. He also aidedefficaciously St. Boniface in his project of spreading the ChristianFaith throughout Germany. Such were the popularity and prestige ofCharles that when, in 737, King Thierry IV (Theuderic IV) died, he saw nonecessity of providing a successor for him, and reigned alone. He died atQuierzy-sur-Oise 21 October, 741, after having divided the provincesbetween his two sons: Carloman received Austrasia with its Germanicdependencies, and Pepin, Neustria, Burgundy, and Provence, while Grifon,a natural son, was excluded from the succession as Charles himself had bee

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1. "The Franks" by Godefroi Kurth, Transcribed by Michael C. Tinkler,from "The Catholic Encyclopedia", Volume VI, Copyright  1909 by RobertAppleton Company, Online Edition Copyright  1999 by Kevin Knight, NihilObstat, September 1, 1909. Remy Lafort, Censor Imprimatur. +John M.Farley, Archbishop of New York:

Ebroin's disappearance afforded full scope to the power of the familywhich was now called on to give a new dynasty to the Franks. Forced toremain in obscurity for over twenty years. consequence of Grimoald'scrime and downfall, this family finally reappeared at the head ofAustrasia under Pepin II (Pepin Martel), inappropriately called Pepin ofHeristal. There flowed in the veins of Pepin II (Pepin Martel), son ofAdalgisil (Anchises or Ansegisel) and of St. Begga (Doda) daughter ofPepin I, the blood of the two illustrious men who, by the overthrow ofBrunehilde, had established a moderate monarchy in Austrasia. Despite thedefeat inflicted on him by Ebroin, Pepin remained the leader and the hopeof the Austrasians, and, after the death of his adversary, vigorouslyresumed the kingdom which was then disturbed by the rivalry betweenWaratton, mayor of the palace, and his son Gislemar. From 681 to 686 thefunctions of mayor of the palace were alternately discharged by Warattonand Gislemar, again by Waratton, and finally, at his death, by hisson-in-law Berthar. Pepin, who seems to have had amicable relations withWaratton, would not acknowledge Berthar, whom he overthrew in the battleof Testri near Soissons (687); in this way Austrasia avenged theabove-mentioned defeat at Laffaux. The death of Berthar, assassinated in688, removed the last obstacle to the authority of Pepin II (PepinMartel) in Neustria, who was thenceforth simultaneously mayor of thepalace for all three kingdoms. So vast was his power that from that datehistory merely mentions the names of the Merovingian kings whom he kepton the throne: Thierry III (Theuderic III) (d. 691), Clovis III(Chlodovech III) (d. 695), Childebert III (d. 711), and Dagobert III (d.715). Indeed, it is only for a traditional fiction of history that PepinII (Pepin Martel) is not put down as the first sovereign of theCarolingian dynasty. The direction of the destinies of the Frankishmonarchy now passed from the hands of the Salian into those of theRipuarian Franks. These constituted the Germanic element of the nationwhich took the place of the Roman party in the government. Their policywas better adapted to the spirit of the times inasmuch as it abolishedthe traditional absolutism of the Merovingians. Finally the Carolingianshad the merit and the satisfaction (for it was both) of re- establishingunity in the Frankish monarchy which had been so frequently divided; from687 to 843, that is, for over a century and a half, all the Franks wereunited under the same government. But Pepin II (Pepin Martel) did notconfine himself to restoring Frankish unity; he extended the frontiers ofthe monarchy by subduing the Frisians, his neighbours on the north. Theserestless barbarians, who occupied a large portion of the present Kingdomof the Netherlands, were fanatical pagans; Ratbod, their duke, was abitter enemy of Christianity. Pepin forced him to surrender WesternFrisia, which nearly corresponded to the present provinces of South andNorth Holland, and obliged him to keep the peace for the rest of hislife.

Pepin could now consider the Kingdom of the Franks as an hereditarypatrimony, and he conferred the mayoralty of Neustria on his sonGrimoald. At his death in 714, which was subsequent to that of his twosons Grimoald and Drogon, he bequeathed the entire monarchy, as a familyheritage, to his grandson Theodoald, Grimoald's son, still a minor. Thisact was a political blunder suggested to the clear- minded Pepin on hisdeath-bed by his wife Plectrude. Pepin had a son Charles by a mistressnamed AlpaïDe (Elphide), who at his father's death was twenty-six yearsof age and quite capable, as events showed, of vigorously defending thepaternal inheritance. It cannot be said that the stigma of illegitimacycaused him to be put aside, for Thedoald was also a natural son, but theblood of the ambitious Plectrude coursed through the latter's veins, andshe reigned in his name. The people, however, would not now submit to theregency of a woman any more than in the time of Brunehilde. There was auniversal uprising among the Neustrians, Aquitainians, and Frisians.Elsewhere may be found an account of these struggles. (See CHARLESMassachusettsRTEL.) Here it suffices to say that Plectrude was soon castaside and Charles Martel, whom she had thrown into prison, escaped andplaced himself at the head of the national Austrasian party. Defeated atfirst, but soon victorious over all his enemies, Charles reduced nearlyall the rebellious tribes to obedience, not only those just named, butalso the Bavarians and Alamanni. His greatest service to civilization wasthe glorious victory over the Arabs between Tours and Poitiers (732),which earned him the name of Martel, the hammer. This conquest savedChristianity and preserved Europe from the power of the Mussulmans. Itwas not, however, Charles's last encounter with the Arabs; he banishedthem from Provence and in 739 defeated them again on the banks of theBerre near Narbonne. This sovereign, whose exclusively military careerconsisted in restoring, by dint of force, an empire that was crumblingaway, could not escape the accusation of having abetted violence inothers and resorted to it himself. He has especially been charged withsecularizing many ecclesiastical estates, which he took from churches andabbeys and gave in fief to his warriors as a recompense for theirservices. This land actually remained the property of the ecclesiasticalestablishments in questions but its hereditary usufruct was assured tothe new occupants. This expedient enabled Charles Martel to collect anarmy and secure faithful followers. Another no less censurable practicewas that of conferring the highest ecclesiastical dignities whose onlyright was that they were loyal soldiers of Charles Martel. However, itmust be remembered that those measures enabled him to muster the forceswith which he saved Christian civilization at Tours. He also aidedefficaciously St. Boniface in his project of spreading the ChristianFaith throughout Germany. Such were the popularity and prestige ofCharles that when, in 737, King Thierry IV (Theuderic IV) died, he saw nonecessity of providing a successor for him, and reigned alone. He died atQuierzy-sur-Oise 21 October, 741, after having divided the provincesbetween his two sons: Carloman received Austrasia with its Germanicdependencies, and Pepin, Neustria, Burgundy, and Provence, while Grifon,a natural son, was excluded from the succession as Charles himself hadbee