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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.
Dukes and reguli[]
Early rulers and Ripuarians[]
This list of early rulers is incomplete, as our sources leave open many gaps.
| Ruler | Description |
|---|---|
| Ascaric | |
| Merogais | |
| Mallobaudes | |
| Genobaud | |
| Sunno | |
| Marcomer | |
| Pharamond | son of Marcomer, semi-legendary king. (Pharamond reigned with Chlodio 420–448) |
| Chlodio | (Chlodio reigned with Pharamond 420–448) |
| Theudemeres | son of Richomeres, King circa 422 |
| Aegidius | |
| Sigobert the Lame | King 483–507, killed by his son Chloderic the Parricide |
| Chlodoric the Parricide | son of Sigebert, King 507, dethroned by Clovis |
Rulers of the Salians[]
| Ruler | Description |
|---|---|
| Clodio | son of Theudemeres, King at Dispargum and later Tournai (426–447) |
| Merovech | possible son of Chlodio, King at Tournai (447–458) (Merovee or Merovaeus reigned 448–458) |
| Childeric I | son of Merovech, King at Tournai (458–481) |
| Clovis I | son of Childeric I, King at Tournai (481–511), later united most of the Franks and Roman Gaul. |
All of the following may have been related to Clovis in some degree and eventually removed by before 509:
| Ruler | Description |
|---|---|
| Chararic | |
| Ragnachar | probably king at Cambrai from before 486, killed by Clovis |
| Ricchar | brother of Ragnachar, killed by Clovis at Cambrai |
| Rignomer | brother of Ragnachar, killed by Clovis at Mans |
Merovingian kings of the Franks[]
| All the Franks | |||||
| Image | Name | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Reign | Relationship with predecessor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Clovis I | c. 466 | 27 November 511 | 509–511 (481–511) | N/A |
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:
| Soissons | Paris | Orléans | Reims | ||||
| Picture | Name | Picture | Name | Picture | Name | Picture | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chlothar I 511–561 (Clotaire r. 511–558) (Neustria) |
|
Childebert I 511–558 (Neustria) |
|
Chlodomer 511–524 (Neustria) |
|
Theuderic I (Thierry I r. 511–534) (Austrasia) 511–534 |
| Passed to Paris then to Soissons | |||||||
|
Theudebert I 534–548 (Austrasia) | ||||||
| Theudebald 548–555 (Austrasia) | |||||||
| Passed to Soissons in 558 | Passed to Soissons in 555 | ||||||
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:
| Soissons (eventually Neustria) |
Paris | Orléans (eventually Burgundy) |
Reims and Metz (eventually Austrasia) | ||||
| Picture | Name | Picture | Name | Picture | Name | Picture | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chilperic I 561–584 (Neustria) |
|
Charibert I 561–567 (Caribert r. 561–593) (Neustria) |
|
Guntram 561–592 (Gontran r. 561–570) (Neustria) |
|
Sigebert I 561–575 (Austrasia) |
| Partitioned in 567, eventually falling in the hands of Soissons | |||||||
|
Childebert II 575–595 | ||||||
|
Chlothar II 584–629 (Clotaire II, son of Chilperic, r. 584-628) | ||||||
| Passed to Reims and Metz in 592 | |||||||
|
Theuderic II 595–613 |
- | Theudebert II 595–612 | ||||
| Passed to Orléans in 612 then to Soissons | |||||||
| - | Sigebert II 613 | ||||||
| Passed to Soissons in 613 | |||||||
|
Dagobert I 623–629 (r. 628–638) | ||||||
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.
| Neustria, Austrasia & Burgundy | Aquitaine | ||
| Picture | Name | Picture | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Dagobert I 629–634 |
|
Charibert II 629–632 |
| Chilperic 632 | |||
| autonomy until c. 767. | |||
| Neustria and Burgundy | Austrasia | ||
| Picture | Name | Picture | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Dagobert I 634–639 |
|
Sigebert III 634–656/660 |
|
Clovis II 639–655 | ||
|
Chlothar III 655–673 |
- | Childebert the Adopted 656–661 |
| Inherited by Chlothar III, but given to Childeric II in 662. | |||
|
Childeric II 662–675 Unified rule from 673–675 | ||
|
Theuderic III 673 | ||
|
|
Childeric II 673–675 Displaced Theuderic III until his death in 675 | ||
|
|
Theuderic III 675–691 Unified rule after 679 | ||
|
Clovis III 675–676 | ||
|
Dagobert II 676–679 | ||
| Passed to Neustria and Burgundy | |||
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.
| Image | Name | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Reign | Relationship with predecessor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Theuderic III | c. 654 | 12 April 691 | 679–691 | N/A |
 |
Clovis IV | c. 678 | c. 695 | 691–695 | son of |
 |
Childebert III | c. 670/683 | 23 April 711 | 695–711 | brother of |
| Dagobert III | c. 699 | 31 December 715 | 711–715 | brother of | |
 |
Chilperic II | c. 672 | 13 February 721 | 715–720 | first cousin once removed of |
| Chlothar IV | ? | c. 719 | 717–718 rival puppet king in Austrasia |
relative of | |
 |
Theuderic IV | c. 712 | 16 March/30 April 737 | 720–737 | son of Dagobert III |
| interregnum 737–743 | |||||
 |
Childeric III | c. 717 | c. 754 | 743–752 | relative of |
Carolingians[]
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)
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