List of Frankish kings
The Franks, Germanic peoples that invaded the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, were first led by individuals called dukes and reguli. The earliest group of Franks that rose to prominence was the Salian Merovingians, who conquered most of Roman Gaul, as well as the Gaulish territory of the Visigothic Kingdom, following the Battle of Vouillé in 507 AD.
The sons of Clovis I, the first King of the Franks, conquered the Burgundian and the Alamanni Kingdoms. They acquired Provence, and went on to make the peoples of the Bavarii and Thuringii their clients. The Merovingians were later replaced by the new Carolingian dynasty in the 8th century. By the late 10th century, the Carolingians themselves had been replaced throughout much of their realm by other dynasties.
A timeline of Frankish rulers has been difficult to trace since the realm, according to old Germanic practice, was frequently divided among the sons of a king upon the king's death. However, territories were eventually reunited through marriage, treaty or conquest. There were often multiple Frankish kings who ruled different territories, and divisions of the territories were not very consistent over time.
As inheritance traditions changed over time, the divisions of Francia started to become kingdoms that were more permanent. West Francia formed the heart of what was to become the Kingdom of France; East Francia evolved into the Kingdom of Germany; and Middle Francia became the Kingdom of Lotharingia in the north, the Kingdom of Italy in the south, and the Kingdom of Provence in the west. West and East Francia soon divided up the area of Middle Francia.
The idea of a "King of the Franks" gradually disappeared. The title "King of the Franks" is attested in the Kingdom of France until 1190, that of "Queen of the Franks" until 1227. That represented a shift in thinking about the monarchy from that of a popular monarchy, the leader of a people, sometimes without a defined territory to rule, to that of a monarchy tied to a specific territory.
Early Frankish rulers
- Genobaud
- Merogais and Ascaric
- Marcomer, dux
- Sunno, dux
- Genobaud, dux
- Mallobaudes
- Theodemer
- Ragnachar, killed by Clovis
- Chararic, killed by Clovis
[Salian Franks]
- Pharamond, legendary first ruler of the Franks, reputedly father of Chlodio
- Chlodio
- Merovech, perhaps a son of Chlodio
- Childeric I, son of Merovech
- Clovis I, the first Merovingian king, who united all Franks by 509
[Ripuarian Franks]
- Childebert
- Sigobert the Lame, killed at the instigation of Clovis
- Chlodoric the Parricide, son of Sigobert, killed by Clovis
Merovingian dynasty
Early Kings of the Franks (509–613)
Clovis I united all the Frankish petty kingdoms as well as most of Roman Gaul under his rule, conquering the Domain of Soissons of the Roman general Syagrius as well as the Visigothic Kingdom of Toulouse. He took his seat at Paris, which along with Soissons, Reims, Metz, and Orléans became the chief residences. Upon his death, his four sons – and later his grandsons – split the kingdom among them. Every son received a part of the original Frankish territory and also a part of the newly acquired Aquitaine.| Name Reign | Portrait | Birth | Marriage Issue | Death | Notes |
| Clovis I 509 – 27 November 511 | Tournai Son of Childeric I and Basina of Thuringia | 1. unknown wife: 1 son 2. Clotilde, 493: 4 children | 27 November 511 Aged 44/45 Paris | King of the Salian Franks since 481; united all Franks under his rule by 509 | |
| Theuderic I 27 November 511 – Early 534 | Paris Son of Clovis I and an earlier wife: Evochildis of Cologne | 1. Suavegotha, 510s: childless 2. Several concubines: at least 2 sons | Early 534 Aged 46/47 | Resided at Reims | |
| Chlodomer 27 November 511 – 524 | Reims Son of Clovis I and Clotilde | Guntheuc, 510s: 3 sons | 524 Aged 28/29 Vézeronce | Resided in Orleans, conquered Burgundy | |
| Childebert I 27 November 511 – 13 December 558 | Reims Son of Clovis I and Clotilde | Ultragotha, 510s: 2 daughters | 13 December 558 Aged 61/62 Paris | Resided in Paris | |
| Chlothar I 27 November 511 – 29 November 561 | Paris Son of Clovis I and Clotilde | 1. Guntheuc, 524: childless 2. Radegund, 538: childless 3. Ingund, 532: 4 children 4. Aregund, 536: 1 son 5. Chunsina: 1 son | 29 November 561 Aged 63/64 Compiègne | Resided in Soissons Reunited the kingdom in 558 | |
| Theudebert I Early 534 – | Metz Son of Theuderic I and a concubine | 1. Deuteria, 534: 1 son 2. Wisigard, 540: childless 3. Unknown wife, 540s: 1 son | Aged 44/45 | Resided at Reims | |
| Theudebald – | Son of Theudebert I and Deuteria | Waldrada, 540s: Childless | Aged 19/20 | Resided at Reims | |
| Charibert I 29 November 561 – December 567 | Paris Son of Chlothar I and Ingund | Ingoberga, 537: 4 children | December 567 Aged 49/50 Paris | Resided at Paris | |
| Guntram 29 November 561 – 28 March 592 | Soissons Son of Chlothar I and Ingund | 1. Veneranda: 1 son 2. Marcatrude: 1 son 3. Austregilde: 2 sons | 28 March 592 Aged 59/60 Chalon-sur-Saône | Resided at Orleans and Chalon-sur-Saône, ruled Burgundy Adopted Childebert II | |
| Sigebert I 29 November 561 – | Son of Chlothar I and Ingund | Brunhilda 567 3 children | Aged 39/40 Vitry-en-Artois | Resided at Reims and Metz | |
| Chilperic I 29 November 561 – September 584 | Paris Son of Chlothar I and Aregund | 1. Audovera, 540s: 5 children 2. Galswintha, 567: Childless 2. Fredegund, 568: 7 children | September 584 Aged 44/45 Chelles | Resided at Soissons | |
| Childebert II – March 595 | Son of Sigebert I and Brunhilda | Faileuba: 4 children | March 595 Aged 24/25 | Resided at Metz His mother Brunhilda acted as regent in his early years. Inherited Burgundy from Guntram | |
| Chlothar II September 584 – 18 October 629 | Paris Son of Chilperic I and Fredegund | 1. Haldetrude: 1 son 2. Bertrude, 613: childless 3. Sichilde, 618: 1 son | 18 October 629 Aged 44/45 | Resided at Soissons His mother Fredegunde acted as regent in his early years. Reunited the kingdom. | |
| Theudebert II March 595 – 612 | 586 Son of Childebert II and Faileuba | 1. Bilichilde, 608: 2 children 2. Teodechilde, 610 1 son. | 612 Aged 25/26 | First son of Childebert II Resided at Metz His grandmother Brunhilda acted as regent in his early years. | |
| Theuderic II 612 – 613 | 587 Soissons Son of Childebert II and Faileuba | Several paramours: 4 sons | 613 Aged 25/26 Metz | Second son of Childebert II Ruled Burgundy, conquered Austrasia | |
| Sigebert II 613 – Late 613 | 601 Son of Theuderic II and Ermenberge | Unmarried | 613 Aged 11/12 | Illegitimate son of Theuderic II Ruled Burgundy and Austrasia with his great-grandmother Brunhilda as regent. |
Kings in Neustria and Burgundy (613–679)
Chlothar II defeated Brunhilda and her great-grandson, Sigibert II, reunifying the kingdom. By that time the realms of Neustria, Burgundy and Austrasia had developed regional identities. In order to appease the local nobility, Austrasia was usually ruled by separate king, often a son or brother of the king ruling in Neustria and Burgundy. A similar arrangement for Aquitaine was short-lived.| Name Reign | Portrait | Birth | Marriage Issue | Death | Notes |
| Chlothar II September 584 – 18 October 629 | Paris Son of Chilperic I and Fredegund | 1. Haldetrude: 1 son 2. Bertrude, 613: childless 3. Sichilde, 618: 1 son | 18 October 629 Aged 44/45 | Reunited the Kingdom | |
| Dagobert I 18 October 629 – 19 January 639 | 603 Paris Son of Chlothar II and Haldetrude | 1. Gormatrude: childless 2. Nanthild, pre-629: 1 son 3. Wulfegundis; childless 4. Berchildis: childless | 19 January 639 Aged 33/34 Épinay-sur-Seine | Son of Chlothar II King in Austrasia 623–634 | |
| Charibert II October 629 – 8 April 632 | 607/617 Paris Son of Chlothar II and Sichilde | Gisela, daughter of Amand, Ruler of the Gascons 629 Chilperic | 8 April 632 Aged 15/25 Blaye, Gironde | Son of Chlothar II Ruled Aquitaine | |
| Clovis II 19 January 639 – 27 November 657 | 633 Paris Son of Dagobert I and Nanthild | Balthild, 640s: 3 sons | 27 November 657 Aged 23/24 | Son of Dagobert I | |
| Chlothar III 27 November 657 – Spring 673 | 652 Paris Son of Clovis II and Balthild | Unknown paramour: possibly 1 son | Spring 673 Aged 20/21 | First son of Clovis II | |
| Theuderic III Spring 673 | 654 Paris Son of Clovis II and Balthild | 1. Chrothildis, pre-675: 2 sons 2. Amalberga of Maubeuge, 674: 1 daughter 3. Several concubines: At least 3 children | 12 April 691 Aged 36/37 | Third son of Clovis II | |
| Childeric II Spring 673 – Autumn 675 | 653 Paris Son of Clovis II and Balthild | Bilichild, 662: 2 sons | Autumn 675 Aged 21/22 | Second son of Clovis II King in Austrasia 662–675 | |
| Clovis September 675 – June 676 | Son of Chlothar III and unknown paramour | Unmarried | Aged 5/6 | Illegitimate son of Chlothar III King in Austrasia also claimed Neustria and Burgundy | |
| Theuderic III Autumn 675 – 12 April 691 | 654 Paris Son of Clovis II and Balthild | 1. Chrothildis, pre-675: 2 sons 2. Amalberga of Maubeuge, 674: 1 daughter 3. Several concubines: At least 3 children | 12 April 691 Aged 36/37 | Third son of Clovis II Also king in Austrasia after 679 |