List of Frankish Kings (original) (raw)

The following list of Frankish Kings is one of several Wikipedia lists of incumbents.

The Frankish kingdoms were ruled by two main dynasties, the Merovingians (who established the realm) and later the Carolingians. A timeline of Frankish rulers is difficult since the realm was, according to old Germanic practice, frequently divided among the sons of a leader upon his death and then eventually reunited. For more detailed explanations, see the Franks article.

Merovingians

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Merovech 447-458

Childeric I 458-481

Clovis I 481-511
Upon Clovis' death, the kingdom was split among his four sons.

Childebert I 511-558 (Paris)

Clotaire I 511-561 (Soissons)

Chlodomer 511-524 (Orleans)

Theuderic I 511-534 (Reims)

Theudebert I 534-548 (Reims)

Theudebald 548-555 (Reims)

Clotaire I 511-561
Clotaire (of Soissans) eventually took over the other three kingdoms after the deaths of his brothers (or their successors). After his own death, the kingdom was once again divided into Neustria (in the west), Burgundy, and Austrasia (in the east).

The Carolingians initially were Mayors of the Palace under Merovingian kings in the sub-kingdom of Neustria and later in the reunited Frankish realm:

When Pippin III became king, the Carolingians succeeded the Merovingian dynasty:

The Frankish kingdom was then divided with the Treaty of Verdun in 843 among the sons of Louis the Pious. The following table lists only the members of the Carolingian dynasty in the three subdivisions, which are the kernels of later France and the Holy Roman Empire, each with different ruling dynasties.

West Franks (eventually France) Lotharingia East Franks (to become the Holy Roman Empire)
Names marked (*) are Robertians and (**) are from the house of Boso -- both were distantly related to the Carolingians.Charles the Bald, (823-877), 843-877 Emp. 875Louis the Stammerer, (846-879), 877-879Carloman, King of the West Franks, (died 884), 879-884 (South)Charles the Fat 884-887 Germany 876-887 Emp. 881Odo, Count of Paris, (died 866), * 888-898Charles the Simple, (879-929), 898-922Robert, (865-923), * 922-923Rudolph, Duke of Burgundy** 923-936Louis IV, (914-984), 936-954Lothar 954-986Louis V, the Indolent 986-987_After this, the Capetian dynasty ruled France. For the continuation, see the list of French monarchs._ Lothar 795-855, Emperor 817-855Louis II, (825-875), 825-875, Emperor 855-875Lothar II 835-869Zwentibold 870/1-900 son of Arnulf of Carinthia by a concubine Louis II had only daughters, one of whom, Ermengard, married Boso of Provence, thus providing the family connection for Rudolph of Burgundy's claim to the throne. Louis the German, (804-876), 843-876Carloman (830-880) (Bavaria)Louis III 876-882(North)Charles the Fat 876-887 (South, then all) Emp. 881Arnulf of Carinthia 887-899 Emp. 896Louis the Child, (893-911), 899-911_After this, Conrad of Franconia ruled from 911-918, and was followed by the Saxon (Ottonian) kings, which is commonly considered the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire. For the continuation, see the list of German Kings and Emperors._

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