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Slavery In Merovingian France
Although Merovingian Francia is not considered a slave society, slaves were, nonetheless, present throughout the entirety of the dynasty and well into the Carolingian period and beyond. In the 7th century, however, the sale and trade of Christians within Frankish borders was abolished by Queen Balthild, herself a former slave. Nature of Merovingian slavery Even though “(a)ny reconstruction of the slave trade during this period is bound to be highly speculative” due to the paucity of extant medieval sources, scholars have advanced some general characteristics of Merovingian slavery. For one, a distinction must be made between forced slavery and voluntary slavery. The status of freedom throughout the Middle Ages, including the Merovingian period, was not as defined as it is today; freedom was considered a bargaining chip by which to attain a better quality of life or economic stability. Legally this form of slavery was not hereditary whereas imposed or forced slavery, such as thro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merovingian
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gaulish Romans under their rule. They conquered most of Gaul, defeating the Visigoths (507) and the Burgundians (534), and also extended their rule into Raetia (537). In Germania, the Alemanni, Bavarii and Saxons accepted their lordship. The Merovingian realm was the largest and most powerful of the states of western Europe following the breaking up of the empire of Theodoric the Great. The dynastic name, medieval Latin or ("sons of Merovech"), derives from an unattested Frankish form, akin to the attested Old English , with the final -''ing'' being a typical Germanic patronymic suffix. The name derives from King Merovech, whom many legends surround. Unlike the Anglo-Saxon royal genealogies, the Merovingians never claimed descent from a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Francia
Francia, also called the Kingdom of the Franks ( la, Regnum Francorum), Frankish Kingdom, Frankland or Frankish Empire ( la, Imperium Francorum), was the largest post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe. It was ruled by the Franks during late antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. After the Treaty of Verdun in 843, West Francia became the predecessor of France, and East Francia became that of Germany. Francia was among the last surviving Germanic kingdoms from the Migration Period era before its partition in 843. The core Frankish territories inside the former Western Roman Empire were close to the Rhine and Meuse rivers in the north. After a period where small kingdoms interacted with the remaining Gallo-Roman institutions to their south, a single kingdom uniting them was founded by Clovis I who was crowned King of the Franks in 496. His dynasty, the Merovingian dynasty, was eventually replaced by the Carolingian dynasty. Under the nearly continuous campaigns of Pep ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty (; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charlemagne, grandson of mayor Charles Martel and a descendant of the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The dynasty consolidated its power in the 8th century, eventually making the offices of mayor of the palace and '' dux et princeps Francorum'' hereditary, and becoming the ''de facto'' rulers of the Franks as the real powers behind the Merovingian throne. In 751 the Merovingian dynasty which had ruled the Germanic Franks was overthrown with the consent of the Papacy and the aristocracy, and Pepin the Short, son of Martel, was crowned King of the Franks. The Carolingian dynasty reached its peak in 800 with the crowning of Charlemagne as the first Emperor of the Romans in the West in over three centuries. His death in 814 began an extended period of fragmentation of the Carolingian Empire and decline that w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Balthild
Balthild (; ang, Bealdhild, 'bold sword' or 'bold spear; around 626 – 30 January 680), also spelled Bathilda, Bauthieult or Baudour, was queen consort of Neustria and Burgundy by marriage to Clovis II, the King of Neustria and Burgundy (639–658), and regent during the minority of her son. Her hagiography was intended to further her successful candidature for sainthood. Tradition represents her as an Anglo-Saxon who was originally of noble birth, perhaps a relative of Ricberht of East Anglia, the last pagan king of East Anglia, although Pierre Fournet regards this as doubtful. Ricberht was ousted by Sigeberht, who had spent time as an exile in the Frankish court, during which he had converted to Christianity. Sigeberht was established as the rightful heir to the throne with Frankish help. Hagiographic tradition According to ''Vita S. Bathildis'', Balthild was born circa 626–627. She was beautiful, intelligent, modest and attentive to the needs of others. Balthild was so ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Erchinoald
Erchinoald (also ''Erkinoald'' and, in French language, French, ''Erchenout'') succeeded Aega (Mayor of the Palace), Aega as the mayor of the palace of Neustria in 641 and succeeded Flaochad in Kingdom of Burgundy, Burgundy in 642 and remained such until his death in 658. Family According to Fredegar, he was a relative (''consanguineus'') of Dagobert I's mother. Chaume cites the ''Notitia de Fundatione Monasterii Glanderiensis'' to suggest that Erchinoald was son of the Gallo Roman senator Ansbert (6th century), Ansbertus, and that Erchinoald's son, Leudesius, was therefore a descendant of the Gallo-Roman families of the Syagrii and Ferrèoli Erchinoald's relationship with Merovingian King Dagobert has been proposed to have been through his mother Gerberga, daughter of Burgundian ''dux'' Ricomeres (floruit, ''fl.'' 575) and Bertrude, her putative sister, and mother of King Dagobert. According to Alban Butler, Erchinoald was brother to Adalbard, Adalbard of Ostrevent and Sigefrid, co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ingund
Ingonde, Ingund, Ingunda, or (in Latin) Ingundis (born c. 499, Thuringia d. 546) was a queen of the Franks by marriage to Clotaire I, son of Clovis. She was the daughter of King Baderic of Thuringia (c. 480 - c. 529). She became concubine to Clotaire in c.517, before his marriage in c. 524 to Guntheuc, widow of Clotaire's brother Chlodomer."...and Clothar immediately married his brother's wife, Guntheuca by name." This brought Clotaire access to Chlodomer's treasury.Grégoire de Tours, Histoire, livre III, 6. On Guntheuc's death in 532, Clotaire married Ingund. During their long relationship, she bore him six children, four of whom would become kings or queen:"The king had ... by Ingunda, Gunthar, Childeric, Charibert, Gunthram, Sigibert, and a daughter Chlotsinda;" * Gonthaire or Gonthier, in Latin Gunthacharius, born around 517, died after 532. He took part around 532 in a military campaign led in Septimania; * Charibert I (or Caribert; circa 521-567), king of Paris from 561 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fredegund
Fredegund or Fredegunda (Latin: ''Fredegundis''; French: ''Frédégonde''; died 8 December 597) was the Queen consort of Chilperic I, the Merovingian Frankish king of Soissons. Fredegund served as regent during the minority of her son Chlothar II from 584 until 597. Fredegund has traditionally been given a very bad reputation, foremost by the accounts of Gregory of Tours, who depicts her as ruthlessly murderous and sadistically cruel, and she is known for the many cruel stories about her, particularly for her long feud with queen Brunhilda of Austrasia, Fredegund's sister-in-law. Queen Fredegund was born into a low-ranking family but gained power through her association with King Chilperic. Originally a servant of Chilperic's first wife Audovera, Fredegund won Chilperic's affection and persuaded him to put Audovera in a convent and divorce her. Chilperic put Fredegund aside and married Galswintha, the daughter of Visigothic King Athanagild, after his half-brother and riva ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bilichild
Bilichild (also Bilichildis, Bilichilde, or Blithilde) was the wife of the Frankish king of Neustria and Burgundy Childeric II. The two were married in 668 despite the opposition of the Bishop Leodegar. Family Bilichild was a daughter of King Sigebert III and Queen Chimnechild of Burgundy and granddaughter of King Dagobert I and his concubine Ragnétrude. Her siblings were Dagobert II and Childebert the Adopted. Children of Bilichild and her husband were Prince Dagobert and King Chilperic II. Biography Childeric became sole king of the Franks in 673. While on a hunting trip in the Forest of Lognes, near Livry, in Picardy, Bilichild, along with her husband and her eldest son, the five-year-old Dagobert, were assassinated by a band of dissatisfied Neustrians—Bodilo, Amalbert and Ingobert. The royal trio was buried in Saint-Germain-des-Prés at Paris, where her tomb and that of Dagobert were discovered in 1645 and pilfered. Her younger son Daniel was whisked off to a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nanthild
Nanthild (c. 610 – 642), also known as ''Nantéchilde'', ''Nanthechilde'', ''Nanthildis'', ''Nanthilde'', or ''Nantechildis'', was a Frankish queen consort and regent, the third of many consorts of Dagobert I, king of the Franks (629–639). She was regent during the minority of her son from 639 until 642. Life She was of Saxon lineage, born about 608 or 610. The ''Lexikon des Mittelalters'' calls her ''ein Mädchen aus dem Dienstpersonal'' ("a maiden of the royal Austrasia.html"_;"title="Austrasia">Austrasian_household")._Her_elevation_to_consort_may_have_given_importance_to_her_relatives:_her_brother_Lanthegisel_was_an_important_landowner_in_the__ Austrasian_.html"_;"title="Austrasia.html"_;"title="Austrasia">Austrasian_">Austrasia.html"_;"title="Austrasia">Austrasian_household")._Her_elevation_to_consort_may_have_given_importance_to_her_relatives:_her_brother_Lanthegisel_was_an_important_landowner_in_the__Limousin_(province)">Limousin_and_a_relation_of_Aldegisel._Dagobert_set_ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gregory Of Tours
Gregory of Tours (30 November 538 – 17 November 594 AD) was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of the area that had been previously referred to as Gaul by the Romans. He was born Georgius Florentius and later added the name Gregorius in honour of his maternal great-grandfather. He is the primary contemporary source for Merovingian history. His most notable work was his ''Decem Libri Historiarum'' (''Ten Books of Histories''), better known as the ''Historia Francorum'' (''History of the Franks''), a title that later chroniclers gave to it. He is also known for his accounts of the miracles of saints, especially four books of the miracles of Martin of Tours. St. Martin's tomb was a major pilgrimage destination in the 6th century, and St. Gregory's writings had the practical effect of promoting highly organized devotion. Biography Gregory was born in Clermont, in the Auvergne region of central Gaul. He was born into the upper stratum ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merovingian Period
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gaulish Romans under their rule. They conquered most of Gaul, defeating the Visigoths (507) and the Burgundians (534), and also extended their rule into Raetia (537). In Germania, the Alemanni, Bavarii and Saxons accepted their lordship. The Merovingian realm was the largest and most powerful of the states of western Europe following the breaking up of the empire of Theodoric the Great. The dynastic name, medieval Latin or ("sons of Merovech"), derives from an unattested Frankish form, akin to the attested Old English , with the final -''ing'' being a typical Germanic patronymic suffix. The name derives from King Merovech, whom many legends surround. Unlike the Anglo-Saxon royal genealogies, the Merovingians never claimed descent from a god, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Slavery In France
Slavery in France, and, by extension, the French Empire, covers a wide range of disparate topics. Some of the most notable ones include: Slavery in Merovingian France In 486, Clovis I, the son of Childeric, defeated Syagrius, a Roman military leader who competed with the Merovingians for power in northern France. Slavery in Merovingian France included several Frankish queens in the Merovingian dynasty who had formerly been slaves. Only five slave queens have been identified in Merovingian France, though there may have been more: Ingund, Fredegund, Bilichild, Nanthild, and Balthild. Slavery continued during the Carolingian Empire. First abolition of slavery and serfdom in France In 1198, the Trinitarians was founded by John of Matha with the purpose of ransoming war captive Christians by Muslims during the Crusades. Louis IX installed a house of their order at his château of Fontainebleau. He chose Trinitarians as his chaplains, and was accompanied by them on his crusad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
