Chlothar III

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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
  Chlothar I 511-561
  Chlodomer 511-524
  Theuderic I 511-534
    Theudebert I 534-548
    Theudebald 548-555
Chlothar I 558-561
  Charibert I 561-567
  Chilperic I 561-584
    Chlothar 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
Chlothar II 613-629
  Dagobert I 623-629
Dagobert I 629-639
  Charibert II 629-632
    Chilperic 632
  Clovis II 639-658
    Chlothar III 658-673
    Theuderic III 673
    Childeric II 673-675
    Theuderic III 675-691
  Sigebert III 634-656
     Childebert the Adopted      656-661
    Chlothar 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
  Chlothar IV 717-720
Theuderic IV 721-737
Childeric III 743-751

Chlothar III (or Chlotar, Clothar, Clotaire, Chlotochar, or Hlothar, giving rise to Lothair; 652673) was the eldest son of Clovis II, king of Neustria and Burgundy, and his queen Balthild. When Clovis died in 658, Chlothar succeeded him under the regency of his mother.

The Historia gentis Langobardorum claims of the early 660s that a Frankish army invaded Provence and then Italy (bk 5, ch V). This force came upon the camp of the Lombard king Grimoald I of Benevento, at Rivoli near Asta. Grimuald pretended to flee. The Franks looted the camp and celebrated. Then, after midnight, Grimuald attacked and drove them back to Neustria.

After the death of Saint Eligius in 661, the Life of Eligius - written soon after Chlothar's death - records that a plague reduced the population of France's cities. (A plague in the British Isles, according to Bede, did the same there in 664.)

During the regency, Austrasians begged for a king of their own and sometime between 660 and 662, the Neustrians gave Austrasia to another son of Clovis II, Chlothar's brother Childeric II.

Also during his reign, the mayor of the palace Erchinoald died and a council of Franks elected Ebroin to replace him. As of 668, Bede tells that Ebroin was running the nation's foreign policy and internal security. Given that the Liber historiae Francorum admits four years for Chlothar's reign, it remains possible that Chlothar began to exert some real authority when his mentors deemed him an adult, 669.

Chlothar died in Spring 673. He was buried in Saint Denis Basilica and a tomb, probably his, was discovered there recently. Then, his brother Theuderic III succeeded him.

It is notable that he is often described as the first roi fainéant—do-nothing king—of the Merovingian dynasty; and at least until the last four years of his life this description is fitting.

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Merovingian Dynasty
Born: 652
Died: 673
Preceded by
Childebert the Adopted
King of Austrasia
661662
Succeeded by
Childeric II
Preceded by
Clovis II
King of Neustria and Burgundy
655673
Succeeded by
Theuderic III
Vacant
Title last held by
Dagobert I
King of the Franks
661662
Vacant
Title next held by
Childeric II