Chlothar IV

Chlothar IV (or Chlotar, Clothar, Clotaire, Chlotochar or Hlothar, giving rise to the name Lothair; died c. 719), king of Austrasia (717–18), was installed by the mayor of the palace, Charles Martel, as an ally during the civil war then raging.

In 717, Charles, returning to Neustria with an army to assault King Chilperic II and his mayor, Ragenfrid, confirmed his supremacy with a victory at Vincy, near Cambrai. He chased the fleeing king and mayor to Paris before turning back to remove his other opponent, Plectrude, from Cologne. On succeeding there, he proclaimed Chlothar king of Austrasia in opposition to Chilperic, who supported Ragenfrid, not Charles, for the mayoralty. In 718, Chilperic was again defeated, at Soissons, by Charles. The king fled with his ally Odo the Great, duke of Aquitaine, to the duke's territory. Soon Odo gave up on Chilperic and sued for peace. Charles now recognized Chilperic as king of all the Franks, and in exchange Chilperic surrendered his political power to Charles, who gained a monopoly on power and royal offices.

Chlothar is thought to have died in 718. When Chilperic was raised on the shield in 719, Charles may have been willing to recognize him as king as a result of Chlothar's death. It is possible, however, that Chlothar survived until 719, 720 or even 721. It is also possible that Chlothar was a son (or grandson) of Childebert III or not a Merovingian at all, but merely a puppet or place-man who served Charles Martel's political purposes at the time.

References

Merovingian monarchs Childeric I (457–481) Clovis I (481–511) Childebert I (511–558) Chlodomer (511–524) Theuderic I (511–533) Theudebert I (533–548) Theudebald (548–555) Chlothar I the Old (511–561) Charibert I (561–567) Guntram (561–592) Sigebert I (561–575) Childebert II (575–595) Theudebert II (595–612) Theuderic II (612–613) Sigebert II (613) Chilperic I (561–584) Chlothar II the Great (584–623) Dagobert I (623–634) Charibert II (629–632) Chilperic (632) Sigebert III (634–656) Childebert the Adopted (656–661) Clovis II (639–657) Chlothar III (657–673) Childeric II (662–675) Theuderic III (675–691) Dagobert II (675–679) Clovis IV (691–695) Childebert III the Just (695–711) Dagobert III (711–715) Chilperic II (715–721) Chlothar IV (717–720) Theuderic IV (721–737) Childeric III (743–751)

French monarchs Detailed family tree Simplified family tree Merovingians Clovis I Childebert I Chlothar I Charibert I Guntram Chilperic I Sigebert I Childebert II Chlothar II Dagobert I Sigebert II Clovis II Chlothar III Childeric II Theuderic III Clovis IV Childebert III Dagobert III Chilperic II Chlothar IV Theuderic IV Childeric III Carolingians, Robertians and Bosonids Pepin the Short Carloman I Charlemagne (Charles I) Louis I Charles II Louis II Louis III Carloman II Charles the Fat OdoR Charles III Robert IR RudolphB Louis IV Lothair Louis V Capet Hugh Capet Robert II Henry I Philip I Louis VI Louis VII Philip II Louis VIII Louis IX Philip III Philip IV Louis X John I Philip V Charles IV Valois Philip VI John II Charles V Charles VI Charles VII Louis XI Charles VIII Louis XII Francis I Henry II Francis II Charles IX Henry III Bourbon Henry IV Louis XIII Louis XIV Louis XV Louis XVI Louis XVII Bonaparte (1st Empire) Napoleon I Napoleon II Bourbon (Restoration) Louis XVIII Charles X Louis XIX Henry V Orléans (July Monarchy) Louis Philippe I Bonaparte (2nd Empire) Napoleon III Debatable or disputed rulers are in italics