Under the

Merovingian dynasty 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 ...

, the mayor of the palace ( la, maior palatii or ) was the manager of the household of the

Frankish king The Franks, Germanic-speaking peoples that invaded the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, were first led by individuals called dukes and reguli. The earliest group of Franks that rose to prominence was the Salian Merovingians, who con ...

. During the second half of the seventh century, the office evolved into the "

power behind the throne The phrase "power behind the throne" refers to a person or group that informally exercises the real power of a high-ranking office, such as a head of state. In politics, it most commonly refers to a relative, aide, or nominal subordinate of a poli ...

". At that time the mayor of the palace held and wielded the real and effective power to make decisions affecting the kingdom, while the kings were increasingly reduced to performing merely ceremonial functions, which made them little more than figureheads (, 'do-nothing kings'). The office may be compared to that of the

peshwa The Peshwa (Pronunciation: e(ː)ʃʋaː was the appointed (later becoming hereditary) prime minister of the Maratha Empire of the Indian subcontinent. Originally, the Peshwas served as subordinates to the Chhatrapati (the Maratha king); later, ...

, , or

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

, all of which have similarly been the real powers behind some ceremonial monarchs. In 687, after victory over the western kingdom 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 later ...

, the

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 F ...

n mayor,

Pippin of Herstal Pepin II (c. 635 – 16 December 714), commonly known as Pepin of Herstal, was a Frankish statesman and military leader who de facto ruled Francia as the Mayor of the Palace from 680 until his death. He took the title Duke and Prince of the Fr ...

, took the title

Duke of the Franks The title Duke of the Franks ( la, dux Francorum) has been used for three different offices, always with "duke" implying military command and "prince" implying something approaching sovereign or regalian rights. The term "Franks" may refer to an ...

to signify his augmented rule. His son and successor,

Charles Martel Charles Martel ( – 22 October 741) was a Frankish political and military leader who, as Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace, was the de facto ruler of Francia from 718 until his death. He was a son of the Frankish statesma ...

, ruled without elevating a new king during the last four years of his reign (737–741). His sons Carloman and

Pepin the Younger the Short (french: Pépin le Bref; – 24 September 768), also called the Younger (german: Pippin der Jüngere), was King of the Franks from 751 until his death in 768. He was the first Carolingian to become king. The younger was the son of t ...

elevated another Merovingian king,

Childeric III Childeric III ( 717 – 754) was King of Francia from 743 until he was deposed by Pope Zachary in March 751 at the instigation of Pepin the Short. Although his parentage is uncertain, he is considered the last Frankish king from the Merovingian ...

, but he was eventually deposed in 751 by Pepin, who was crowned king in his place. See also

Royal Administration of Merovingian and Carolingian Dynasties The royal household of the early kings of the Franks is the subject of considerable discussion and remains controversial. This discussion is aimed at identifying the major categories of participants in the administration and those who made the maj ...

Mayors of the Palace of Austrasia

Parthemius Parthemius (or Parthenius) (died 548) was the mayor of the palace of Austrasia during the reign of Theudebert I. He was very unpopular with the people for the tributes he exacted. He was a glutton and a murderer too, having disposed of his friend ...

(until 548) * Gogo (c. 567–581), during the minority of

Childebert II Childebert II (c.570–596) was the Merovingian king of Austrasia (which included Provence at the time) from 575 until his death in March 596, as the only son of Sigebert I and Brunhilda of Austrasia; and the king of Burgundy from 592 to his de ...

Wandalenus Waldalenus, or Wandalenus (late 6th – early 7th century), ''dux'' in the region between the Alps and the Jura, in the Frankish Kingdom of Burgundy, was a Frankish magnate who served as mayor of the Austrasian palace at Metz from 581, during the ...

(from 581), during the minority of

Gundulf Gundulf and its variants (Gondulf, Gundulph, Kundolf, Gondulphus, Gundulfus, Gundolfo, Gondon) is a Germanic given name, from ''gund'', "battle", and ''wulf'', "wolf". It may refer to: *Gondulf of Provence, 6th-century duke and possibly made Bishop ...

(from 600), under

Theudebert II Theudebert II () (c.585-612), King of Austrasia (595–612 AD), was the son and heir of Childebert II. He received the kingdom of Austrasia plus the cities (''civitates'') of Poitiers, Tours, Le Puy-en-Velay, Bordeaux, and Châteaudun, as well ...

* Warnachar (612–617), also in Burgundy *

Hugh Hugh may refer to: *Hugh (given name) Noblemen and clergy French * Hugh the Great (died 956), Duke of the Franks * Hugh Magnus of France (1007–1025), co-King of France under his father, Robert II * Hugh, Duke of Alsace (died 895), modern-day ...

(''Chucus'') (617–623) *

Pepin of Landen Pepin I (also Peppin, Pipin, or Pippin) of Landen (c. 580 – 27 February 640), also called the Elder or the Old, was the Mayor of the palace of Austrasia under the Merovingian King Dagobert I from 623 to 629. He was also the Mayor for Sig ...

(623–629), under

Dagobert I Dagobert I ( la, Dagobertus; 605/603 – 19 January 639 AD) was the king of Austrasia (623–634), king of all the Franks (629–634), and king of Neustria and Burgundy (629–639). He has been described as the last king of the Merovingian dy ...

Adalgisel Adalgisel or Adalgis (''Adalgyselus ducis'' in contemporary Latin) was a Frankish duke and the mayor of the palace of Austrasia. He assumed that office in December 633 or January 634 at the same time that Sigebert III assumed the kingship. Along ...

(633–639) *Pepin of Landen (639–640), again *

Otto Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants ''Audo'', ''Odo'', ''Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity". The name is recorded fro ...

(640–642 or 643) *

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 ...

(642 or 643–656) *

Wulfoald Wulfoald (died 680) was the mayor of the palace of Austrasia from 656 or 661, depending on when Grimoald I was removed from that office (accounts vary: ''see his article for details''), to his death and mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy ...

(656–680), 673–675 also in Neustria *

Pepin of Herstal Pepin II (c. 635 – 16 December 714), commonly known as Pepin of Herstal, was a Frankish statesman and military leader who de facto ruled Francia as the Mayor of the Palace from 680 until his death. He took the title Duke and Prince of the Fr ...

(680–714), took the title

Duke and Prince of the Franks The title Duke of the Franks ( la, dux Francorum) has been used for three different offices, always with "duke" implying military command and "prince" implying something approaching sovereign or regalian rights. The term "Franks" may refer to an ...

(''dux et princeps Francorum'') after his conquest of Neustria in 687 *

Theudoald Theudoald (or Theodald; c. 708 – 741)''Monumenta Epternacensia'' ("''Theodaldum, filium Grimoaldi…ex Theodesina filia regis Rabodi''"). ''Monumenta Epternacensia'', MGH SS XXIII, p. 59. was the Frankish mayor of the palace, briefly unoppos ...

(714–715), also in Neustria. Designated heir of his grandfather Pepin, opposed by the nobility who acclaimed Charles Martel. *

(715–741), also in Neustria (718–741) * Carloman (741–747) *

(747–751), became

king of the Franks The Franks, Germanic-speaking peoples that invaded the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, were first led by individuals called dukes and reguli. The earliest group of Franks that rose to prominence was the Salian Merovingians, who con ...

in 751

Mayors of the Palace of Neustria

Mummolin Mummolin (Latin: ''Mummolinus'') (b. circa 500) was a Frankish nobleman. Life He was a son of Munderic and wife, daughter of Roman Senator Florentinus and wife Artemia. Mayor of the Palace of Neustria. Issue He fathered: * Bodegisel, murdered,< ...

(566) *

Landric Landric (or Landeric, french: Landry, † 613) was the mayor of the palace of Neustria. According to the ''Vita Aldegundis'', he and his probable brother Gundoland were uncles of Saint Aldegunda. The chief sources for his reign are the ''Chronicle ...

, under

Clotaire II Chlothar II, sometime called "the Young" ( French: le Jeune), (May/June 584 – 18 October 629), was king of Neustria and king of the Franks, and the son of Chilperic I and his third wife, Fredegund. He started his reign as an infant under the r ...

Gundoland Gundoland or Gundeland was the mayor of the palace of Neustria from 613 to his death. According to the ''Liber Historiae Francorum ''Liber Historiae Francorum'' ( en, link=no, "The Book of the History of the Franks") is a chronicle written anon ...

(613 or 616–639) * Aega (639–641), also in Burgundy *

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 ...

(641–658) *

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 aut ...

(658–673), deposed *

(673–675), also in Austrasia (662–680) *

Leudesius Leudesius (assassinated 676) was the son of Erchinoald, Mayor of the Palace of Neustria, and his wife Leutsinde. Leudesius inherited his father's properties on his death in 658. In 659, there was a dispute between the Archdiocese of Rouen and Ab ...

(675), chosen but later deposed *Ebroin (675–680), again *

Waratton Waratto (died 686) was the mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy on two occasions, owing to the deposition he experienced at the hands of his own faithless son. His first term lasted from 680 or 681 (the death of Ebroin) to 682, when h ...

(680 or 681–682), deposed by his son Gistemar *

Gistemar Gistemar, Ghislemar, or Gilmer (died in the 680s) was briefly the mayor of the palace in Neustria and Burgundy after deposing his father Waratton in 682. He reversed the peace with Austrasia of his father and warred with Pepin of Heristal, overc ...

(682), usurper his father Waratton *

(682–684 or 686), again * Berchar (686–688 or 689), murdered in 688 or 689 *

(688–695), represented in court by his follower

Nordebert Norbert (or Nordebert) (died 697) was the duke of Burgundy and count of Paris in the last quarter of the seventh century. He was a faithful follower of Pepin of Heristal, who put him in charge of Neustria and Kingdom of Burgundy, Burgundy (as a sor ...

Grimoald II Grimoald II (french: Grimaud) (died 714), called the Younger, was the mayor of the palace of Neustria from 695. He was the second son of Pepin of Herstal and Plectrude and his father placed him in the office of mayor of the palace in the Neustria ...

(695–714) *

(714–715), also in Austrasia. Driven out of Neustria by the nobility, surrendered claim in 716. *

Ragenfrid Ragenfrid (also Ragenfred, Raganfrid, or Ragamfred) (died 731) was the mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy from 715, when he filled the vacuum in Neustria caused by the death of Pepin of Heristal, until 718, when Charles Martel finall ...

(715–718), took power in Neustria in 714 or 715 but defeated by Charles Martel first in 717 and definitively in 718 *

(718–741), also in Austrasia (715–741) *

(741 or 742–751), became

in 751

Mayors of the Palace of Burgundy

Warnachar I Warnachar (sometimes numbered Warnachar II; in modern French, ''Warnachaire'' or ''Garnier'') was the mayor of the palace of Burgundy (617-626) and briefly Austrasia (612-617). He began his career as the regent during Theuderic II's minority (596 ...

(596–599) *

Berthoald Berthoald (or ''Bertoald'') (died 604) was the mayor of the palace of Burgundy from some time before 603 (when he is first mentioned as mayor under King Theuderic II) until his death in the next year. According to the Burgundian chronicler Fre ...

(before 603–604) *

Protadius Protadius (died 606) was the mayor of the palace of Burgundy from 604, when he displaced his rival Berthoald, until his death two years later. He was originally the noble lover of Brunhilda, the grandmother of and regent for King Theuderic II. S ...

(604–606) *

Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Nero Claudius Drusus, Drusu ...

* Rado (613–617) *

Warnachar II Warnachar (sometimes numbered Warnachar II; in French language, modern French, ''Warnachaire'' or ''Garnier'') was the mayor of the palace of Kingdom of Burgundy, Burgundy (617-626) and briefly Austrasia (612-617). He began his career as the regen ...

(617–626), also in Austrasia * Godinus (626–627) *... * Aega (639–641), also in Neustria *

Flaochad Flaochad (or Flaochat) was the mayor of the palace of Burgundy from 639 to 642. He was appointed by Nanthild, the queen mother, who gave him her niece, Ragnobert, in marriage. She called together the chief magnates and bishops of the kingdom at Or ...

(642) * Radobertus (642–662) Hereafter the office remained vacant, with

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 c ...

a separate realm under the King of Neustria and Burgundy. The administration of Burgundy was briefly separate under: * Drogo (695–708), also duke of

Champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...

from 690 and duke of Burgundy from 697

Mayors of the Palace of Aquitaine

* Brodulf (627–628)

Mayors of the Palace of Austrasia

Mayors of the Palace of Neustria

Mayors of the Palace of Burgundy

Mayors of the Palace of Aquitaine

Further reading