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3 - Power in the Early Merovingian World (c. 450–613)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2024

James T. Palmer
Affiliation:
University of St Andrews, Scotland
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Summary

This chapter charts the nature of political power from the earliest Merovingian kings to the unification of the kingdoms under Chlothar II in 613. The period witnessed conquest and civil war, as competition for power between kings, queens, and their families transformed late Roman political structures into more fluid and responsive modes of government. It covers the key reigns of Childeric I and Clovis for establishing the power of the Merovingian dynasty through a mixture of war, legend-building, and performance. It also examines how competition between kings in subsequent generations affected how the family was defined, especially under the influence of queens Brunhild and Fredegund.

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Merovingian Worlds , pp. 89 - 115
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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