List of Frankish kings

See also: List of Frankish queens

The Franks were originally led by dukes (military leaders) and reguli (petty kings). The Salian Merovingians rose to dominance among the Franks and conquered most of Roman Gaul. They also conquered the Gaulish territory of the Visigothic Kingdom in 507. The sons of Clovis conquered the Burgundians and Alamanni. They acquired Provence and made the Bavarii and Thuringii their clients. The Merovingians were later replaced by a new dynasty called the Carolingians in the 8th century. By the end of the 9th century, the Carolingians themselves were replaced throughout much of their realm by other dynasties.

A timeline of Frankish rulers is difficult since the realm was, according to old Germanic practice, frequently divided among the sons of a leader upon his death and then eventually reunited through marriage, treaty, or conquest. Thus, there were often multiple Frankish kings ruling different territories, and divisions of those territories was inconsistent over time. As inheritance traditions changed, the divisions of Francia (a modern historiographical term used to denote the lands of the Franks) became more-or-less permanent kingdoms; West Francia formed the nucleus of what later became the Kingdom of France, East Francia evolved into the Kingdom of Germany, and Middle Francia become the Kingdom of Lotharingia in the north, the Kingdom of Italy in the south, and the Kingdom of Provence in the west. West and East Francia soon divided up the area of Middle Francia, and Germany passed from Carolingian control in 911 with the election of Conrad I as king.

The idea of a "King of the Franks" or Rex Francorum gradually disappeared over the 11th and 12th centuries. The title "King of the Franks" continued to be used in the Kingdom of France until 1190. While the Kingdom of the Franks had long been extinct by this time, the title "Queen consort of the Franks" continued to be used until 1227. This represented a shift in thinking about the monarchy from that of a popular monarchy (the leader of a people, sometimes without a defined territory to rule) to that of a monarchy tied to a specific territory.

King of the Franks (509–511)

Merovingian dynasty

Main article: Merovingian dynasty

Clovis I united all the Frankish petty kingdoms as well as most of Roman Gaul under his rule, conquering the Domain of Soissons of the Roman general Syagrius as well as the Visigothic Kingdom of Toulouse. He took his seat at Paris, which along with Soissons, Reims, Metz, and Orléans became the chief residences. Upon his death, the kingdom was split among his four sons.

Name Reign	Portrait	Birth	Marriage(s) Issue	Death	Claim
Clovis I 509 – 27 November 511		c. 466 Tournai Son of Childeric I and Basina of Thuringia	(1) Unknown concubine 1 son (2) Clotilde 493 4 children	27 November 511 Aged 44/45 Paris	Son of Childeric I

Kings of the Neustrian Franks (511–679)

•   King of both the Neustrian and Austrasian Franks

Merovingian dynasty

Name Reign	Portrait	Birth	Marriage(s) Issue	Death	Claim
Childebert I 27 November 511 – 13 December 558		c. 496 Reims Son of Clovis I and Clotilde	Ultragotha 510s 2 daughters	13 December 558 Aged 61/62 Paris	Son of Clovis I Inherited fiefdoms of Paris and Neustria
Chlothar I The Old 13 December 558 – 29 November 561		c. 497 Paris Son of Clovis I and Clotilde	(1) Guntheuc 524 Childless (2) Radegund 538 2 sons (3) Ingund pre-580 4 children (4) Aregund pre-580 1 son (5) Chunsina 580 1 son	29 November 561 Aged 63/64 Compiègne	Son of Clovis I Natural brother of Childebert I
Charibert I 29 November 561 – December 567		c. 517 Paris Son of Chlothar I and Ingund	Ingoberga 537 4 children	December 567 Aged 49/50 Paris	Son of Chlothar I Half-brother of Chilperic I
Chilperic I December 567 – September 584		c. 539 Paris Son of Chlothar I and Aregund	(1) Audovera 540s 5 children (2) Galswintha 567 Childless (3) Fredegund 568 7 children	September 584 Aged 44/45 Chelles	Son of Chlothar I Half-brother of Charibert I
Chlothar II The Young September 584 – 18 October 629		c. 584 Paris Son of Chilperic I and Fredegund	(1) Haldetrude 1 son (2) Bertrude 613 Childless (3) Sichilde 618 1 son	18 October 629 Aged 44/45	Son of Chilperic I
Dagobert I 18 October 629 – 19 January 639		603 Paris Son of Chlothar II and Haldetrude	(1) Gormatrude Childless (2) Nanthild pre-629 1 son (3) Wulfegundis Childless (4) Berchildis Childless	19 January 639 Aged 33/34 Épinay-sur-Seine	Son of Chilperic I Inherited all fiefdoms of Neustria
Clovis II 19 January 639 – 27 November 657		633 Paris Son of Dagobert I and Nanthild	Balthild 640s 3 sons	27 November 657 Aged 23/24	Son of Dagobert I
Chlothar III 27 November 657 – Spring 673		652 Paris Son of Clovis II and Balthild	Unmarried	Spring 673 Aged 20/21	First son of Clovis II
Childeric II Spring 673 – Autumn 675		653 Paris Son of Clovis II and Balthild	Bilichild ? 2 sons	Winter 675 Aged 21/22	Second son of Clovis II
Theuderic III Autumn 675 – 23 December 679		654 Paris Son of Clovis II and Balthild	(1) Clotilda pre-675 2 sons (2) Amalberga of Maubeuge 674 1 daughter (3) Several concubines At least 3 children	12 April 691 Aged 36/37	Third son of Clovis II

Kings of the Austrasian Franks (511–679)

•   King of both the Neustrian and Austrasian Franks

Merovingian dynasty

Chlothar II defeated Brunhilda and her grandson, reunifying the kingdom. However, in 623, to appease the local nobility and also secure the borders, he gave the Austrasians his young son as their own king. His son and successor, Dagobert I, emulated this move by appointing a sub-king for Aquitaine, with a seat at Toulouse, in 629 and Austrasia in 634.

Name Reign	Portrait	Birth	Marriage(s) Issue	Death	Claim
Theuderic I 27 November 511 – Early 534		c. 487 Paris Son of Clovis I and an earlier wife: Evochildis of Cologne	(1) Suavegotha 510s Childless (2) Several concubines At least 2 sons	Early 534 Aged 46/47	Son of Clovis I Inherited fiefdoms of Reims
Theudebert I Early 534 – c. 548		c. 503 Metz Son of Theuderic I and a concubine (prob.)	(1) Deuteria 534 1 son (2) Wisigard 540 Childless (3) Unknown wife 540s 1 son	c. 548 Aged 44/45	Son of Theuderic I
Theudebald c. 548 – c. 555		c. 535 Son of Theudebert I and Deuteria	Waldrada 540s Childless	c. 555 Aged 19/20	Son of Theudebert I
Chlothar I The Old c. 555 – 29 November 561		c. 497 Paris Son of Clovis I and Clotilde	(1) Guntheuc 524 Childless (2) Radegund 538 2 sons (3) Ingund pre-580 4 children (4) Aregund pre-580 1 son (5) Chunsina 580 1 son	29 November 561 Aged 63/64 Compiègne	Son of Clovis I Natural brother of Childebert I
Sigebert I 29 November 561 – c. 575		c. 535 Son of Chlothar I and Ingund	Brunhilda of Austrasia 567 3 children	c. 575 Aged 39/40 Vitry-en-Artois	Son of Chlothar I Inherited fiefdoms of Metz and Reims
Childebert II c. 575 – March 595		c. 570 Son of Sigebert I and Brunhilda of Austrasia	Faileuba 4 children	March 595 Aged 24/25	Son of Sigebert I
Theudebert II March 595 – 612		586 Son of Childebert II and Faileuba	(1) Bilichilde 608 2 children (2) Teodechilde 610 1 son	612 Aged 25/26	First son of Childebert II
Theuderic II 612 – 613		587 Soissons Son of Childebert II and Faileuba	Several paramours 4 sons	613 Aged 25/26 Metz	Second son of Childebert II
Sigebert II 613 – Late 613		601 Son of Theuderic II and Ermenberge	Unmarried	613 Aged 11/12	Illegitimate son of Theuderic II
Chlothar II The Young September 584 – 623		c. 584 Paris Son of Chilperic I and Fredegund	(1) Haldetrude 1 son (2) Bertrude 613 Childless (3) Sichilde 618 1 son	18 October 629 Aged 44/45	Son of Chilperic I
Dagobert I 623 – 634		605 Paris Son of Chlothar II and Haldetrude	(1) Gormatrude Childless (2) Nanthild pre-629 1 son (3) Wulfegundis Childless (4) Berchildis Childless	19 January 639 Aged 34/35 Épinay-sur-Seine	Son of Chilperic I Fiefdoms of Austrasia granted by local nobility
Sigebert III 634 – 1 February 656		630 Son of Dagobert I and Ragnertrude (concubine)	Chimnechild of Burgundy 651 2 children	1 February 656 Aged 25/26	Son of Dagobert I
Childebert The Adopted 1 February 656 – 661		640s Son of Grimoald and Itta of Metz	Unmarried	661 Aged 20s	Adoptive son of Sigebert III Chose as heir by his predecessor
Chlothar III 661 – Spring 673		649 Paris Son of Clovis II and Balthild	Unmarried	Spring 673 Aged 23/24	First son of Clovis II
Childeric II Spring 673 – Autumn 675		654 Paris Son of Clovis II and Balthild	Bilichild 688 2 sons	Winter 691 Aged 21/22	Second son of Clovis II
Clovis III Autumn 675 – c. 676		c. 670 Son of Chlothar III and unknown paramour	Unmarried	c. 676 Aged 5/6	Illegitimate son of Chlothar III
Dagobert II c. 676 – 23 December 679		c. 650 Son of Sigebert III and Chimnechild of Burgundy	Unknown woman 1 son (uncertain)	23 December 679 Aged 28/29 Stenay	Natural son of Sigebert III

Kings of the Franks (679–840)

Merovingian dynasty

Theuderic III was recognized as king of all the Franks in 679. From then on, the kingdom of the Franks can be treated as a unit again for all but a very brief period of civil war. This is the period of the "idle kings" who were increasingly overshadowed by their mayors of the palace.

Name Reign	Portrait	Birth	Marriage(s) Issue	Death	Claim
Theuderic III 23 December 679 – 12 April 691		654 Paris Son of Clovis II and Balthild	(1) Clotilda pre-675 2 sons (2) Amalberga of Maubeuge 674 1 daughter (3) Several concubines At least 3 children	12 April 691 Aged 36/37	Third son of Clovis II
Clovis IV 12 April 691 – 695		c. 677 Son of Theuderic III and Clotilda	Unmarried	695 Aged 17/18	First son of Theuderic III
Childebert III The Just 695 – 23 April 711		c. 678 Son of Theuderic III and Clotilda	(1) Ermenchild 1 son (2) Unknown paramour 1 son	23 April 711 Aged 32/33	Second son of Theuderic III
Dagobert III The Just 23 April 711 – 31 December 715		c. 699 Son of Childebert III and Ermenchild	(1) Unknown wife 1 son (2) Unknown paramour 1 son	31 December 715 Aged 16	Second son of Childebert III
Chilperic II 31 December 715 – 13 February 721		c. 672 Son of Childeric II and Bilichild	Unknown concubine 1 son	13 February 721 Aged 48/49 Attigny, Ardennes	Second son of Childeric II First cousin of Dagobert III
Theuderic IV 13 February 721 – 16 March/30 April 737		c. 712 Son of Dagobert III and unknown woman	Unknown concubine 1 son	16 March/30 April 737 Aged 24/25	Son of Dagobert III
Interregnum (737–741); Charles Martel reigned as Regent
Childeric III The Phantom King 741 – November 751		c. 717 Son of Chilperic II and unknown paramour	Unknown paramour 1 son	754 Aged 36/37	Illegitimate son of Chilperic II

Carolingian dynasty

Main article: Carolingian dynasty

The Carolingians were initially mayors of the palace under the Merovingian kings, first in Austrasia and later in Neustria and Burgundy. In 687, Pippin of Heristal took the title Duke and Prince of the Franks (dux et princeps Francorum) after his conquest of Neustria in at the Battle of Tertry, which was cited by contemporary chroniclers as the beginning of Pippin's reign. Between 715 and 716, the descendants of Pippin disputed the succession.

In March 752, Pippin (Pepin) became the King of the Franks and the office of mayor disappeared. The Carolingians displaced the Merovingians as the ruling dynasty.

Name Reign	Portrait	Birth	Marriage(s) Issue	Death	Claim
Pepin The Short November 751 – 24 September 768		714 Son of Charles Martel and Rotrude of Trier	Bertrada of Laon 741 5 children	24 September 768 Aged 54 Saint-Denis	Elected by Frankish nobles Coup d'état against Merovingians
Carloman I 24 September 768 – 4 December 771		28 June 751 Soissons Son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon	Gerberga 741 2 sons	4 December 771 Aged 20 Samoussy	Second son of Pepin the Short
Charles I The Great ("Charlemagne") 24 September 768 – 28 January 814		2 April 742 Son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon	(1) Himiltrude (concubine) 768 1 son (2) Desiderata of the Lombards 770 Childless (3) Hildegard of the Vinzgau 771 9 children (4) Fastrada 784 2 daughters (5) Luitgard 794 Childless (6) Several concubines 6 children	28 January 814 Aged 71 Aachen	First son of Pepin III
Louis I The Pious 28 January 814 – 20 June 840		16 April 778 Casseuil Son of Charles I and Hildegard of the Vinzgau	(1) Ermengarde of Hesbaye 794 6 children (2) Judith of Bavaria 819 2 children	20 June 840 Aged 62 Ingelheim am Rhein	Second son of Charles I

Louis the Pious made many divisions of his empire during his lifetime. The final division, pronounced at Worms in 838, made Charles the Bald heir to the west, including Aquitaine, and Lothair heir to the east, including Italy and excluding Bavaria, which was left for Louis the German. However, following the emperor's death in 840, the empire was plunged into a civil war that lasted three years. The Frankish kingdom was then divided by the Treaty of Verdun in 843. Lothair was allowed to keep his imperial title and his kingdom of Italy, and granted the newly created Kingdom of Middle Francia, a corridor of land stretching from Italy to the North Sea, and including the Low Countries, the Rhineland (including Aachen), Burgundy, and Provence. Charles was confirmed in Aquitaine, where Pepin I's son Pepin II was opposing him, and granted West Francia (modern France), the lands west of Lothair's Kingdom. Louis the German was confirmed in Bavaria and granted East Francia (modern Germany), the lands east of Lothair's kingdom.

The following table does not provide a complete listing for some of the various regna of the empire, especially those who were subregna of the Western, Middle, or Eastern kingdom such as Italy, Provence, Neustria, and Aquitaine.

Western Kingdom (eventually France)

Names marked with an asterisk (*) were not Carolingians, but Robertians. Charles II, called the Bald, 843–877, King of Italy and Emperor 875 Aquitaine: Charles the Child, 855–866; Louis the Stammerer, 866–877 Neustria: Louis the Stammerer, 856–877 Louis II, called the Stammerer, 877–879 Louis III, 879–882, jointly with Carloman II, 879–884 Charles the Fat, 884–888, Emperor 881 Odo,* 888–898 Aquitaine: Ranulf II, 888–889 (Ramnulfid, not Carolingian) Charles III, called the Simple, 898–922 Robert I,* 922–923 Rudolph,* 923–936 Louis IV, called Transmarinus, 936–954 Lothair, 954–986 Aquitaine: Louis the Sluggard, 980–986 Louis V, called the Sluggard, 986–987 After this, the House of Capet ruled France. For the continuation, see the list of French monarchs.

Middle Kingdom

Lothair I, 843–855, Emperor from 824 (senior Emperor from 840) Italy: Lothair I, 818-855; Louis II, with his father 839–855 After Lothair's death in 855, his realm was divided between his sons: Louis II, 855–875, the eldest son, succeeded his father as Emperor and received Italy. For the continuation, see King of Italy. Lothair II, 855–869, the second son, received the northern half of Middle Francia, which came to be named "Lotharingia" (Lorraine) from his name. For the continuation, see the list of rulers of Lorraine. Charles, 855–863, the youngest son, received the southern half of Middle Francia, consisting of Provence and Burgundy. For the continuation, see King of Burgundy.

Eastern Kingdom (eventually Germany)

Louis II, called the German, 843–876 Bavaria: Carloman, with his father 864–876 Louis divided his lands between his three sons, but they all ended up in the hands of the youngest by 882: Carloman, King of Bavaria 876–880. King of Italy 877 Louis III, called the Younger, King of Saxony, Franconia, and Thuringia 876–882, inherited Bavaria from his brother Carloman in 880 Charles III, called the Fat, King of Swabia, Alemannia and Rhaetia 876–887, inherited Italy from his brother Carloman in 879, and inherited the remainder of East Francia from his brother Louis in 882. Emperor 881 On the deposition of Charles the Fat, East Francia went to his nephew: Arnulf, 887–899, King of Italy and Emperor 896 Italy: Ratold, 896 Lotharingia: Zwentibold, 895–900 Louis the Child, 899–911 Louis the Child was the last East Frankish Carolingian ruler. He was succeeded by Conrad of Franconia and then the Saxon Ottonian dynasty. For the continuation, see the list of German monarchs.

Further reading

• The history of France as recounted in the "Grandes Chroniques de France", and particularly in the personal copy produced for King Charles V between 1370 and 1380 that is the saga of the three great dynasties, the Merovingians, Carolingians, and the Capetians, that shaped the institutions and the frontiers of the realm. This document was produced and likely commissioned during the Hundred Years' War, a dynastic struggle between the rulers of France and England with rival claims to the French throne. It should therefore be read and considered carefully as a source, due to the inherent bias in the context of its origins.
• The Cambridge Illustrated History of France – Cambridge University Press
• The Origins of France: Clovis to the Capetians 500–1000 by Edward James ISBN 0-333-27052-5
• Late Merovingian France: History and Hagiography, 640–720 (Manchester Medieval Sources); Paul Fouracre (Editor), Richard A. Gerberding (Editor) ISBN 0-7190-4791-9
• Medieval France: An Encyclopedia, eds. W. Kibler and G. Zinn. New York: Garland Publishing, 1995.

External links

• "Merovingian dynasty". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2011.