Wulfoald

Wulfoald (died 680) was the mayor of the palace of

Austrasia Austrasia was a territory which formed the north-eastern section of the Merovingian Kingdom of the Franks during the 6th to 8th centuries. It was centred on the Meuse, Middle Rhine and the Moselle rivers, and was the original territory of the ...

from 656 or 661, depending on when

Grimoald I Grimoald I (616–657), called the Elder (in French, ''Grimaud l'Ainé''), was the mayor of the palace of Austrasia from 643 to his death. He was the son of Pepin of Landen and Itta. Biography With the death of Pepin in 640, Grimoald became t ...

was removed from that office (accounts vary: ''see his article for details''), to his death and mayor of the palace of

Neustria Neustria was the western part of the Kingdom of the Franks. Neustria included the land between the Loire and the Silva Carbonaria, approximately the north of present-day France, with Paris, Orléans, Tours, Soissons as its main cities. It late ...

and

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The ...

from 673 to 675. He was the

regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...

of Austrasia during the minority of

Childeric II Childeric II (c. 653 – 675) was the king of Austrasia from 662 and of Neustria and Burgundy from 673 until his death, making him sole King of the Franks for the final two years of his life. Childeric was the second eldest son of King Clovis ...

until 670. Even after Childeric achieved his majority, Wulfoald held the real power. In 673, he became the mayor of the palace in Neustria because Childeric had succeeded to its throne. But when Childeric died, Wulfoald had to flee to Austrasia. Wulfoald and the nobles proclaimed Dagobert II king, but

Ebroin Ebroin (died 680 or 681) was the Frankish mayor of the palace of Neustria on two occasions; firstly from 658 to his deposition in 673 and secondly from 675 to his death in 680 or 681. In a violent and despotic career, he strove to impose the a ...

, the rival mayor of the palace of Neustria, tried to place

Clovis III Clovis III was the Frankish king of Austrasia in 675 and possibly into 676. A member of the Merovingian dynasty, he was a child and his reign so brief and contested that he may be considered only a pretender. He is sometimes even left unnumbered a ...

on the Austrasian throne to extend his influence. It wasn't until 676 that Wulfoald succeeded in putting Dagobert definitively on the throne. War continued on the border until 677, when Neustria recognised Austrasian independence. Dagobert was assassinated on December 23, 679. Wulfoald outlived his king for only a short while. 680 deaths Regents Mayors of the Palace 7th-century rulers in Europe Year of birth unknown {{Europe-noble-stub