Empire · 481–751 · Europe
Frankish Kingdom (Merovingian)
Also known as Franks, Frankish Kingdom, Neustria
The Franks were a group of Germanic peoples living along the lower Rhine who served as Roman allies. Clovis I of the Merovingian family united them, defeated the last Roman ruler in Gaul in 486 and the Visigoths in 507, and converted to Catholic Christianity, winning the support of the Gallo-Roman bishops and nobility.
Frankish custom divided the kingdom among a king's sons, so it was repeatedly split into sub-kingdoms such as Neustria, Austrasia and Burgundy, then reunited. From the late 7th century the Merovingian kings became figureheads, while real power passed to the mayors of the palace. One of these, Charles Martel, defeated an Arab army near Poitiers in 732, and his son Pepin the Short deposed the last Merovingian king in 751.
- Years
- 481–751
- Capital
- Tournai, then Paris, with other royal seats at Soissons, Orléans and Metz
- Greatest extent
- 630, about 600,000 km²
- Region
- Europe
Gaul and much of western Germany under Dagobert I
Legacy
The Merovingian kingdom laid the foundations of France and Germany and made the Franks the leading Catholic power in western Europe.
Rulers
- Clovis I 481 – 511
United the Franks and converted to Catholic Christianity
- Chlothar I 511 – 561
Briefly reunited the divided kingdom
- Dagobert I 629 – 639
Last strong Merovingian king
- Charles Martel mayor of the palace 718 – 741
Real ruler; defeated an Arab army near Poitiers in 732
- Childeric III 743 – 751
Last Merovingian king, deposed by Pepin the Short
Realms on the map
- Merovingian Empire 462–717
- Merovingian Empire 710–717
- Kingdom of the Franks 462–849
- Kingdom of the Franks 462–849
- Salian Franks 358–509
- Ripuarian Franks 238–509