Merovingian
The Merovingians weredynastyFrankish kings who ruled(frequently fluctuating) areapartspresent-day FranceGermany from5th8th century AD. They were sometimes referredas"long-haired kings" by contemporaries, thoughsignificancetheirhairnot clear.
The Merovingian dynasty (see ListFrankish Kings) owes its nameMerovech (sometimes Latinised as Meroveus or Merovius), leader ofSalian Franks from about 447457,emerges into wider history withvictoriesChilderic I (reigned about 457-481) againstVisigoths, SaxonsAlamanni. Childeric's son Clovis I went onunite mostGaul north ofLoire (486),adopt Roman Catholicism (496), anddecisively defeatVisigothic kingdomToulouse inBattleVouillé (507).
Inearly 7th century,Merovingian kings beganallot moremore day-to-day administration topowerful officialtheir household calledmaior domo. This Latin title literally translates"big man inhouse";usual English translationMayor ofPalace, although this official was notmayor inmodern sense ofword. The officeMayor ofPalace itself became hereditary inCarolingian family. SoonMayors werereal militarypolitical leaders ofFrankish kingdom,fact that became manifest when,732, an invading Arab army from Spain was defeated by an army led not byKing, but byMayor Charles Martel. The contemporary Merovingian kingsthis periodby comparison shadowy figures who did not travel beyond their palaces or have much influence over government.
Charles' son,Mayor Pippin III, gathered support among Frankish nobles forchangedynasty. WhenPope appealedhimassistance againstLombards, he insisted thatchurch sanction his coronationexchange. So,751, Childeric III,last Merovingian, was deposed. He was allowedlive, but hishair was cuthe was sent tomonastery.
Merovingian coinson display at Monnaie de Paris, (the French Mint) at 11, quai de Conti, Paris, France.
According, however, toesoteric versionhistory promulgated by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh,Henry Lincolntheir book The Holy Blood andHoly Grail,Merovingian kings were direct descendantsMary MagdaleneJesus Christ oncearrivedsouthern France following Christ's crucifixion"resurrection." The authors further claim thatRoman church killed off all remnantsthis dynasty --Cathar heresyLanguedoc andTemplars -- duringInquisition,ordergain power through"spiritual" dynastyPeter instead of"holy blood" (i.e. Sangreal)Mary Magdalene's descendants. Most historians do not accept these theories.
Related articles
- Franks (main historyFrankish kingdoms)
- ListFrankish Kings
The Merovingianalsocharacter inScience Fiction films Matrix ReloadedThe Matrix Revolutions.
