Theuderic II

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Merovingian Dynasty
Kings of All the Franks
Kings of Neustria
Kings of Austrasia
Pharamond 410-426
Clodio 426-447
Merowig 447-458
Childeric I 458-481
Clovis I 481 - 511
  Childebert I 511-558
  Clotaire I 511-561
  Chlodomer 511-524
  Theuderic I 511-534
    Theudebert I 534-548
    Theudebald 548-555
Clotaire I 558-561
  Charibert I 561-567
  Chilperic I 561-584
    Clotaire II 584-629
  Guntram 561-592
    Childebert II 592-595
    Theuderic II 595-613
    Sigebert II 613
  Sigebert I 561-575
    Childebert II 575-595
    Theudebert II 595-612
    Theuderic II 612-613
    Sigebert II 613
Clotaire II 613-629
  Dagobert I 623-629
Dagobert I 629-639
  Charibert II 629-632
    Chilperic 632
  Clovis II 639-658
    Clotaire III 658-673
    Theuderic III 673
    Childeric II 673-675
    Theuderic III 675-691
  Sigebert III 634-656
     Childebert the Adopted      656-661
    Clotaire III 661-662
     Childeric II 662-675
     Clovis III 675-676
     Dagobert II 676-679
Theuderic III 679-691
Clovis IV 691-695
Childebert III 695-711
Dagobert III 711-715
Chilperic II 715-720
  Clotaire IV 717-720
Theuderic IV 721-737
Childeric III 743-751

Theuderic II (also Theuderich, Theoderic, or Theodoric; in French, Thierry) (587-613), king of Burgundy (595-613) and Austrasia (612-613), was the second son of Childebert II. At his father's death in 595, he received Guntram's kingdom of Burgundy, with its capital at Orléans, while his elder brother, Theudebert II, received their father's kingdom of Austrasia, with its capital at Metz. During his minority, and later, he reigned under the guidance of his grandmother Brunhilda, evicted from Austrasia by his brother Theudebert II.

In 596, Clotaire II, king of Neustria, and Fredegund, Clotaire's mother, 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.

In 599, Brunhilda was forced out of Austrasia by Theudebert and she was found wandering near Arcis in Champagne by a peasant, who brought her to Theuderic. The peasant was supposedly rewarded with the bishopric of Auxerre. Theuderic welcomed her and readily fell under her influence, which was inclined to vengeful war with Theudebert at the time. Soon, Theuderic and his brother were at war. He defeated Theudebert at Sens, but their cousin Clotaire's restless warmaking prompted them to ally against him. They resumed the fight against Neustria and, in 600, defeated Clotaire at Dormelles (near Montereau) on the Orvanne. The land between the Seine and the Oise was divided between Theuderic and Theudebert, with Theuderic receiving the territory between the Seine and the Loire including the Breton frontier. They also campaigned together in Gascony, where they subjugated the local population and instated Genialis as duke.

At this point, however, the two brothers took up arms against each other resulting in Theuderic's defeat of Theudebert at Étampes. Theuderic's kingdom was invaded by Clotaire and his mayor of the palace, Berthoald in 605 , and was also confronted by Clotaire's son Merovech and his mayor Landric. Theuderic met them at Étampes on the Louet, but Theudebert refused him aid. Theuderic won the day, but Berthoald was killed. The next mayor, Protadius, a partisan of Brunhilda, encouraged war with Austrasia, but the nobles assassinated him and battle was never met, a pact being enforced by Theuderic's men. In 610, he lost Alsace, the Saintois, the Thurgau, and Champagne to his brother and his men east of the Jura were soundly defeated by the Alemanni. However, he routed Theudebert at Toul (c.611) and later at Tolbiac in 612. He captured the fleeing Theudebert in the latter battle and gave him over—after taking his royal paraphernalia—to his grandmother Brunhilda, who had him put up in a monastery. Brunhilda probably had Theudebert murdered (along with his son Merovech) to allow Theuderic to succeed to both thrones unhindered. Theuderic died of dysentery in his Austrasian capital of Metz in late 613 while preparing a campaign against his longtime enemy, Clotaire, who had, based on a treaty with Theuderic during the last fraternal war, retaken the duchy of Dentelin.

[edit] Family

He married Ermenberga, the daughter of the Visigothic king of Spain, Witteric, at Chalon in 606, However, the next year (607), he sent her home in disgrace and a quadruple alliance of Clotaire, Theudebert, Witteric, and the Lombard king Agilulf connived against him, but it all came to naught. Thus depriving himself of the opportunity of having legitimate offspring, he was succeeded by his bastard son Sigbert II under the regency of Brunhilda.

Theuderic had four sons by four unnamed mistresses:

  • Sigebert II (601-613), who succeeded him in both his realms
  • Childebert (b.602)
  • Corbus (603-613)
  • Merovech (b.604), godson of Clotaire II

[edit] See also

[edit] Sources

Merovingian Dynasty
Born: 587; Died: 613
Preceded by
Childebert II
King of Burgundy
595-613
Succeeded by
Sigebert II
Preceded by
Theudebert II
King of Austrasia
612-613