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Revised 05/06/2010

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AUSTRASIA

In the early 7th century there were three Frankish Kingdoms, Austrasia (in the east, mostly German-speaking), Burgundy (in the south) and Neustria (in the west). Each had its own palace, though not necessarily its own king. Many of the kings were minors when they came to the throne, achieved little and died young. Thus the mayor of the palace, or one of the other magnates, was able to serve as king. The strongest mayor or magnate tended to act in association with a young king’s widowed mother. In due course it was inevitable that a mayor of the palace should overthrow the king and usurp the throne.

[PEPI121] King Clovis of Cologne m. ?
. [PEPI131] King Childebert of Cologne m. ?
. . [PEPI141] King Sigebert I of Cologne m. Theodelinde
. . . [PEPI151] King Cloderic of Cologne m. [GODO173] --- (perhaps Sedeleuba) de Burgundy
. . . . [PEPI161] Munderic d'Austrasia m2. [ARTH162] Arthemia de Geneve
. . . . . [PEPI171] Bishop Gondolfus of Tongres m. perhaps Palatina
. . . . . . [PEPI181] Duke Bodegeisel II of Aquitaine m. Oda the Sueve
. . . . . . . [PEPI191] Bishop Arnulf of Metz m. Dhoda von Saxony
. . . . . . . . [WALC211] Walchigise d'Austrasia m. Valtrude
. . . . . . . . [PEPI202] Bishop Clodulphe of Metz m. Goda
. . . . . . . . . [METZ192] Kunza du Maine m. [SPOD191] Count Warinus of Poitiers
. . . . . . . . [PEPI201] Ansegis de Metz m. [LAND202] Begga de Heristal

60.  [PEPI121] Clovis the Riparian, Frankish King of Cologne, was living 420.

59.  [PEPI131] Childebert, King of Cologne, was living 450.

58.  [PEPI141] Sigebert I le boiteux [the lame], King of Cologne, married Theodelinde. He died 509, and she later remarried.

57.  [PEPI151] Cloderic the parricide [parent killer] (born c.475), King of Cologne, married [GODO173] --- (daughter of King Chilperic II of Burgundy, see BURGUNDY KINGDOM). He was murdered by agents of Clovis I (509).

56.  [PEPI161] Munderic de Vitry-en-Perthois (born c.500), Pretender of Austrasia, married 1. ---; then 2. [ARTH162] Arthemia de Geneve (daughter of 57. [ARTH151] Florentinus, Bishop elect of Geneva & [RUST152] Artemia de Lyons, daughter of 58. [RUST141] Bishop Rusticus of Lyon). He died 532.

55.  [PEPI171] Gondolfus (born c.530, son of Mundersic & Arthemia), Bishop of Tongres, perhaps married Palatina.

54.  [PEPI181] Bodegeisel II (born c.569), DUKE OF AQUITAINE, married his cousin Oda the Sueve. He was murdered at Carthage (582) and Oda/Chrodoare then married 2. Arnold du Schelde, Bishop of Metz.

53.  [PEPI191] Arnulf de Heristal (born c.582), an Austrasian magnate, later became the Bishop of Metz (614), being afterwards known as Saint Arnulf. He married (611) his half-sister Dhoda/Clothilde de Saxony, and died August 640.

Some sources show Arnulf as the son of Bodegeisel I by Palatina, but this Bedegeisel was Arnulf's uncle.

PALACE OF AUSTRASIA

. . . . . . . . [PEPI201] Ansegis de Metz m. [LAND202] Begga de Heristal
. . . . . . . . . [LAON211] Martin de Laon m. [CHIL212] Bertrada de France
. . . . . . . . . [PEPI212] Mayor Pepin II of Austrasia m1. [HUGO252] Plectrude
. . . . . . . . . . [DROG221] Duke Drogo of Champagne m. Altrudis of Neustria
. . . . . . . . . [PEPI211] Mayor Pepin II of Austrasia &. Alpais his concubine
. . . . . . . . . . [TOUL241] Count Childebrand I of Autun m1. Rolande Meravingia
. . . . . . . . . . [PEPI221] Mayor Charles Martel d'Austrasia m1. [SPOD212] Chrotrud de Treves
. . . . . . . . . . . [CARM232] Mayor Carloman of Austrasia m. --- (daughter of Alard)
. . . . . . . . . . . . [CARM242] Rotrude d'Austrasia m. [PARI211] Count Gerard of Paris
. . . . . . . . . . . [PEPI232] Aldane d'Austrasia m. [SEPT241] Count Thierry IV of Autun
. . . . . . . . . . . [PEPI231] King Pepin III of the Franks m. [LAON232] Bertrada II de Laon

51.  [PEPI201] Ansegis (born c.602, son of [PEPI191] Bishop Arnulf, above) married [LAND202] Begga (daughter of [LAND191] Pepin de Landen, Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia, see LANDEN). Ansegis died c.685, and Begga died perhaps 693.

47-50. [PEPI219] Pepin II the young (born 16th December 635, son of Ansegis) was "Maire du Palais d'Austrasia" (c.679), and later succeeded in taking over control of both Neustria and Burgundy. He married 1. [HUGO252] Plectrude (daughter of Hugobert of Echternach, see ECHTERNACH); then 2. Chalpaida/Alpais (a concubine). He died of fever at Chateau de Jupil-sur-la-Meuse (20th December 714).

Pepin de Heristal was Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia, who reunited the Frankish realms in the late Merovingian period. He succeeded to his position in the kingdom of Austrasia about 679, and in 687 he extended rule to the other Frankish kingdoms, Neustria and Burgundy, but retained members of Merovingian dynasty as figurehead monarchs in all three. In 689 he extended his control over the Frisians, a pagan people living on the North Sea coast. His death in 714 was followed by a civil war and the succession of his illegitimate son Charles martel.

49.  [PEPI221] Charles martel [hammer] (born 689, illegitimate son of Pepin & Alpais) was Mayor of the Palace in Austrasia (714-41), and married 1. [SPOD212] Chrotrud (born c.690, daughter of Bishop Leutwinus, see TREVES COUNTY, died 724; then 2. (725) Swanahild, a Bavarian; then 3. ?Ruohaid.

Charles martel was ruler of the Frankish kingdom of Austrasia (in present north-east France and south-west Germany). When his father Pepin died (714), Charles was imprisoned by his father’s widow, but he escaped (715) and was proclaimed Mayor of the palace by the Austrasians. A war between Austrasia and Neustria followed, and at the end of it Charles became the undisputed ruler of all the Franks. His greatest achievements were against the Muslims from Spain, who invaded France (732). He defeated them near at the Battle of Tours (732) in which the Muslim leader, Abd-ar-Rahman, the Emir of Spain, was killed. Charles was afterwards surnamed Martel (meaning hammer). The progress of Islam was thus checked for a time. Charles also drove the Muslims out of the Rhone valley (739), leaving them with nothing of their possessions north of the Pyrenees beyond the River Aude.
               statue at Versailles
                      (22 April 2004)

Charles died at Cressy sur Oyse (October 741), and left his kingdom divided between his two sons, Carloman and Pepin, whilst leaving the nominal king on the throne. His widow Swanahild was then relegated to the monastery of Chelles.

HOUSE OF PEPIN

. . . . . . . . . . . [PEPI231] King Pepin III of the Franks m. [LAON232] Bertrada II de Laon
. . . . . . . . . . . . [CARO243] Emperor Charles I of the West &. a concubine
. . . . . . . . . . . . [CARO242] Emperor Charles I of the West m3. [BAVK242] Hildegarde von Vinzgau
. . . . . . . . . . . . [PEPI241] King Carloman of the Franks m. [LOM2272] Gerberge of the Lombards
. . . . . . . . . . . . . [PEPI252] Cunegonde de France m. [SEPT251] Duke William I of Aquitaine

48.  [PEPI231] Pepin III the short (born 714, son of Charles by Chrotrud) was Mayor of the Palace of the Franks (741-57). He married (c.740) [LAON261] Bertrada/Bertha (born c.720, see LAON COUNTY). Pepin died September 768, and Bertrade died July 783.

The nominal king, Childeric, abdicated the throne to become a monk (749) and Pepin took over control of the whole Frankish kingdom. He decided to get rid of the king altogether and assume for himself the nominal as well as real kingship of the Franks. This he managed, with the approval of the Pope (November 750). The ousted King Childeric III died c.753.

Pepin thus was King of the Franks (750-68). He died of dropsy at St. Denis (September 768). Queen Bertrada (who was known as Bertrade with the big feet) died July 783.

45. [PEPI241] Carloman (born before 751, son of Pepin III), King of the Franks (768-71), married (769) [LOM2272] Gerberge de Lombardy (daughter of King Didier of the Lombards, see LOMBARDY (HOUSE OF FRIULI) KINGDOM). He died 771.