List of Frankish Kings (Saracen Jihad)

The Franks (Latin: Franci or gens Francorum), as a confederation of Germanic tribes, were originally led by dukes (military leaders) and reguli (petty kings). The Franks occupied the lands of the Lower and Middle Rhine in the third century AD, and alongside the Salian Merovingians, who rose to dominance among the Franks, they conquered most of Roman Gaul. In 507 the Franks would also conquer the Visigoths, while the sons of Clovis would conquer 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 eight century. By the end of the ninth 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.

Early rulers and Ripuarians
This list of early rulers is incomplete, as our sources leave open many gaps.

Rulers of the Salians
All of the following may have been related to Clovis in some degree and eventually removed by before 509:

Merovingian kings of the Franks
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:

Chlothar I eventually ''(558-561) inherited all of the Frankish kingdoms after the deaths of his brothers or their successors. After his own death, the kingdom was once again split among his four sons:

Chlothar II defeated Brunhilda and her grandson, reunifying the kingdom. However, in 623, in order to appease particularistic forces and also to 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.

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 unity again for all but a very brief period of civil war.

Mayors of the palace
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.


 * Pippin I of Landen (Austrasia: 623–629 and 639–640)
 * Grimoald I (Austrasia: 643–656; died 662)
 * Pippin II of Herstal (Austrasia: 680–714, Neustria and Burgundy: 687–695)
 * Drogo (Burgundy: 695–708)
 * Grimoald II (Neustria: 695–714, Burgundy: 708–714)
 * Theudoald (Austrasia, Neustria, and Burgundy: 714–716)
 * Charles I (Austrasia: 715–732, Neustria and Burgundy: 718–732)