Open main menu
Home
Random
Recent changes
Special pages
Community portal
Preferences
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Incubator escapee wiki
Search
User menu
Talk
Dark mode
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Editing
Chlothar II
(section)
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
==Early life== Under Frankish customs, newborns did not receive names initially, in order not to spread concern related to the symbolic name of the Merovingian. Wanting to choose a name based on the development of unrest in the kingdom of the Franks, his father did not baptize him immediately.<ref>[[Bruno Dumézil]], ''La reine Brunehaut'', Paris, éditions Fayard, 2008, p. 212.</ref> Chilperic and Fredegund desired to protect their child, since their four older sons may have been victims of murder, and there was much political intrigue at the time. He was raised in secret in the royal villa in [[Vitry-en-Artois]] to avoid detection. In September 584, Chilperic I was murdered after a hunt near his villa of Chelles, perhaps on the order of [[Brunhilda of Austrasia|Queen Brunhilda]]. This event produced general disorder and unrest.<ref>[[Frédégaire]], ''Chronique'', III, 93.</ref> In this time Austrasians plundered parts of Neustria, seizing valuable treasures and goods, as well as important documents.<ref name=greg>Grégoire de Tours, ''Historia Francorum'', VII,</ref> Princess [[Rigunth]], on the way to Spain to marry Prince [[Reccared I|Reccared]], was captured by Duke Didier of Toulouse and was linked in conspiracy with [[Gundoald|Gondovald]], who stole all that remained of her dowry, so that she was forced to abandon the marriage.<ref>Grégoire de Tours, ''Historia Francorum'', VII, 9.</ref> Wars broke out between rival cities, and [[Orléans]], [[Blois]] and [[Chartres]] stood against [[Châteaudun]].<ref>Grégoire de Tours, ''Historia Francorum'', VII, 2.</ref> Fredegund managed to keep most of the treasury of the state as well as key political figures, such as the generals Ansoald and Audon, although many, such as chamberlain Eberul, abandoned her. She took her son to [[Vitry-sur-Seine|Vitry]] and sent a message to Guntram, King of Burgundy, asking him to adopt the child and offer his protection to him in return for exercising his authority over Neustria until the boy came of age.<ref>Grégoire de Tours, ''Historia Francorum'', VII.</ref> Childebert II, who was at [[Meaux]] when Chilperic was murdered, considered an attack on Paris, but Guntram was ahead of him. Childebert II began negotiations with Brunhilda on one hand, Guntram on the other; Guntram, however, refused many of his requests, including allowing him into Paris. He refused to deliver Fredegund, whom Brunhilda claimed was behind the regicide of Sigebert I, Clovis, and even Chilperic I.<ref name=greg/> Guntram convened a meeting of Greater Neustria, in which the court recognized Clothar as the son of Chilperic, although there were some doubts about his paternal identity. It was at this time that they gave him the name Clothar, naming him after his grandfather. Guntram then took legal responsibility of the child, adopting him and becoming his godfather.<ref name=greg/> Ansoald was responsible for regaining control of cities Neustria had lost since the death of Chilperic. They then swore allegiance to Guntram and Clothar after their capture. Guntram, attempting to restore order in the affairs of Neustria, likely against the advice of Fredegund and, perhaps, to show his authority, replaced key figures in the episcopal see of the church and moved its location.<ref>[[Prætextatus (Bishop of Rouen)]] married Brunhilda and Merovech, so making an enemy of Fredegund.</ref> Bishop Promotus of Châteaudun, whose diocese was demoted after the parish council of Paris in 573, saw this as a violation of canon law; after the death of Sigebert I, he demanded to return from exile, and was thus restored much of his personal property.<ref name=greg/> Two envoys from Brunhilde, Duke Gararic and chamberlain Eberon, succeeded in swaying [[Limoges]], [[Tours]], and [[Poitiers]] towards Austrasian influence, with the help of bishops Gregory of Tours and Venantius Fortunat. Guntram responded by sending troops to recover the lost cities that promptly returned their loyalties to Guntram and Clothar.<ref name=greg/> Fredegund was sent to the Villa de Vaudreuil, in the diocese of [[Rouen]], where she was put under the supervision of the bishop [[Prætextatus (bishop of Rouen)|Pretextatus]]. During the summer of 585, Guntram returned to Paris to act as godfather of Clothar, as he swore to Fredegund, along with three bishops and three hundred nobles of Neustria who recognized Clothar II as the son of Chilperic I. However, the baptism at this time was postponed. It was expected to reconvene at the council of [[Troyes]], but Austrasia refused to participate if Guntram would not disinherit Clothar. The council was moved to Burgundy and Clothar was baptized on 23 October 585. While Guntram campaigned to capture Visigothic [[Septimania]], Fredegund escaped custody of the bishop and fled Rouen. During Sunday Mass, Pretextatus was stabbed, although he did not die immediately. Fredegund attempted to fetch doctors and gain his favor. However, he openly accused her of being behind this attack and the murder of the various kings. He publicly cursed and denounced her before dying soon after.<ref name=greg/> [[File:Fredegunda visita a pretextato en su lecho de mueret.jpg|thumb|Fredegund is cursed by Pretextatus, by [[Lawrence Alma-Tadema]].]] The queen then used her new freedom to rally as many nobles and bishops as could be found to her son. She was reinstalled into power despite Guntram's exile of her.<ref name=greg/> Guntram then attempted to weaken Fredegund's influence by swaying some of the Neustrian aristocracy to his side, and keep Neustrian lands he held between the Loire and Seine by rallying Duke Beppolène. In 587, he managed to capture the towns of Angers, Saintes, and Nantes.<ref name=greg/> Fredegund then offered to negotiate peace and sent ambassadors to Guntram. But they were arrested and Guntram severed relations with Neustria, approaching Brunhilda and Childebert II, with whom he concluded the pact of Andelot: agreeing that upon the death of one of the two kings, the other would inherit his kingdom. In 592 Guntram died and Childebert became king of Austrasia and Burgundy.<ref name=greg/> The Austrasia-Burgundy union lasted only until 595, when the death of Childebert II brought it to an end. His realm was then split between his two sons: Theudebert II inherited Austrasia, while Theuderic II received the kingdom of Burgundy. The two brothers then campaigned united against their cousin Chlothar II of Neustria, but their alliance lasted only until 599, when they took up arms against each other.<ref name=greg/> [[File:Frédégonde et Clotaire II à la tête de l'armée contre Childebert II.JPG|thumb|A young Clothar at the head of the army]] In 593, although only as a symbolic presence since he was only nine years old, Clothar II appeared at the head of his army, which routed the Austrasian Duke Wintrio who was invading Neustria, in the [[Battle of Droizy]]. In 596, Clotaire and Fredegund took Paris, which was supposed to be held in common. Fredegund, then her son's regent, sent a force to [[Laffaux]], and the armies of Theudebert and Theuderic were defeated.<ref name=greg/> Fredegund died in 597, leaving Clothar to rule over Neustria alone, although the boy king didn't do anything significant for 2 more years.
Edit summary
(Briefly describe your changes)
By publishing changes, you agree to the
Terms of Use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)