Munderic (died 532/33) was a

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 Gauli ...

claimant to the Frankish throne. He was a wealthy nobleman and landowner with vast estates in the region around Vitry-le-Brûle (now Vitry-en-Perthois) near Châlons-sur-Marne. In 532 or 533 or around that year he put forth a claim to royal descent as being or claiming to be a son of

Chlodoric the Parricide Chlodoric (or Chloderic) the Parricide (died c. 509) was a son of Sigobert the Lame, a Frankish king. According to Gregory of Tours, Chlodoric murdered his own father in order to take his kingdom, acting upon the instigation of Clovis I, a rival ...

and asked for a share of the kingdom of Austrasia from

Theuderic I __NOTOC__ Theuderic I (c. 485 – 533/34) was the Merovingian king of Metz, Rheims, or Austrasia—as it is variously called—from 511 to 533 or 534. He was the son of Clovis I and one of his earlier wives or concubines (possibly a Franc ...

. He had a band of sworn followers. Theuderic attempted to summon him to court in order to kill him, but after Munderic refused, a force was sent against him. The pretender took refuge with his loyal supporters in Vitry. The Austrasian army, however, lacked

siege engine A siege engine is a device that is designed to break or circumvent heavy castle doors, thick city walls and other fortifications in siege warfare. Some are immobile, constructed in place to attack enemy fortifications from a distance, while oth ...

s and were unable to invest the place. Theuderic responded by sending a personal courtier of his, Arigisel, to negotiate for the rebels to come out, which they did. The dishonest ambassador had them cut down immediately. Gregory of Tours, ''Historia Francorum'' III.14; translated by Lewis Thorpe, ''The History of the Franks'' (London: Penguin, 1974), pp. 173-175

Notes

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Sources

* Bachrach, Bernard S. ''Merovingian Military Organization, 481–751''. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1971. 6th-century Frankish nobility 6th-century rulers in Europe Frankish warriors Year of birth unknown 533 deaths Pippinids