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Chilperic II


Chilperic II (died 721), originally a named , was a Merovingian king who ruled from 715 until his death. Elevated from monastic obscurity by Neustrian mayor Raganfred following the death of in 714, he served as a figurehead to rally support against the Austrasian regent Plectrude and her protégé Charles . Although presented in the near-contemporary Liber Historiae Francorum as the son of , his lineage was obscure and politically expedient, with later sources questioning its authenticity amid the factional chaos that undermined Merovingian authority.
His reign, characterized by civil strife rather than independent rule, culminated in defeat at the Battle of Vincy in 717, after which Chilperic submitted to Charles , who effectively controlled Neustrian affairs while maintaining the Merovingian facade. Lacking or notable achievements, Chilperic's tenure exemplified the "do-nothing kings" (rois fainéants) of the late Merovingian period, paving the way for Carolingian ascendancy. Historical accounts, primarily from pro-Carolingian chroniclers like the author of the Liber Historiae Francorum, reflect a bias that diminishes Merovingian vitality to justify the dynasty's replacement, though archaeological and evidence confirms the administrative continuity under mayoral dominance.

Background and Early Life

Family Origins and Parentage

Chilperic II belonged to the , the ruling Frankish family that traced its origins to the of the 5th century, with (died 481) as a key progenitor and his son (c. 466–511) establishing the kingdom through conquests and conversion to in 496 or 508. He was the youngest son of (c. 653–675), who ruled from 662 and briefly united the Frankish realms, and Bilichildis, whose precise lineage remains uncertain but may connect to earlier Merovingian or Austrasian nobility. Childeric II himself was the son of (633–657) and the Anglo-Saxon noblewoman Balthild (died c. 680), who wielded significant influence as regent. Born likely after 664, Chilperic II survived the of his parents and elder brother Dagobert in 675, an event orchestrated by rival factions amid the dynasty's internal strife; he was subsequently concealed in a monastery under the name . Primary chronicles, including the Liber Historiae Francorum and the Continuator of Fredegar, affirm this parentage, corroborated by Chilperic's own charters during his reign, which explicitly invoked descent from to legitimize his rule. While some later accounts question the direct lineage due to the 40-year gap before his elevation, no contemporary evidence contradicts the familial claim, and it aligns with Merovingian practices of preserving royal bloodlines through monastic seclusion during power vacuums. The Merovingian lineage emphasized as a symbol of royal authority (crines regii), a rooted in pre-Christian Frankish customs, which Chilperic II adopted upon his coronation by allowing his hair to grow. This parentage positioned him within a increasingly overshadowed by mayors of the palace, yet his origins evoked the unified Frankish realm under earlier kings like , whose victories over Romans and Germanic tribes at (486) and Vouillé (507) laid the foundation for Gaul's transformation into .

Upbringing Amid Merovingian Decline

Chilperic II, originally known by the monastic name , spent his early life concealed in a following the turbulent assassination of and his family in 675. As a child of royal Merovingian descent—though his precise parentage remains uncertain and later claimed as the son of —he was hidden to evade the political violence that claimed his father's life and that of his elder brother Dagobert. This seclusion lasted approximately 40 years, shielding him from the factional strife that characterized the late Merovingian era. During this period, the underwent profound decline, with kings reduced to ceremonial "do-nothing" figures (rois fainéants) while mayors of the palace wielded authority. In , Pepin of Heristal consolidated power after defeating Neustrian forces at the Battle of Tertry in 687, establishing Pippinid dominance over royal councils and military campaigns. , meanwhile, saw unstable mayoral successions, exacerbating regional divisions and rendering the monarchy symbolic rather than substantive. Chilperic's monastic upbringing thus occurred against a backdrop of causal erosion in royal legitimacy, driven by aristocratic rivalries and the delegation of administrative, judicial, and martial functions to non-royal elites. Primary accounts, such as the Liber Historiae Francorum, portray him not as a direct heir but as a distant royal relative retrieved from obscurity, underscoring how potential claimants were sidelined or sequestered amid the dynasty's weakening grip on power. This environment of institutional decay set the stage for his later elevation as a in 715, amid ongoing Carolingian ascendancy.

Ascension to Power

Political Vacuum of 714–715

The death of Pepin of Herstal on December 16, 714, at Jupille-sur-Meuse precipitated a severe power struggle within the Frankish realms, as he had unified control over Austrasia, Neustria, and Burgundy as mayor of the palace under the nominal Merovingian king Dagobert III. Pepin had designated his young grandson Theudoald as successor, placing the child under the regency of his widow Plectrude, who promptly imprisoned Pepin's illegitimate adult son, Charles Martel, to neutralize potential rivals and consolidate her faction's hold on Austrasian resources. This arrangement exposed fractures in the Carolingian mayoral system, as Plectrude's authority lacked the military enforcement Pepin had wielded, allowing regional aristocracies—particularly in Neustria—to exploit the resulting instability for autonomy. Neustrian nobles, long chafing under n dominance since Pepin's victories at the battles of Tertry (687) and subsequent integrations, mobilized under Ragenfrid, a prominent , to reject Plectrude's regency and revive Neustrian . By early 715, this faction sought a Merovingian to legitimize their revolt against Carolingian overreach, identifying , an obscure cleric possibly descended from (r. 662–675), whom they renamed Chilperic II upon elevation as Neustrian king, likely in June 715. Ragenfrid assumed the mayoralty, allying with forces to challenge Austrasian garrisons, culminating in a decisive Neustrian victory over Plectrude's army led by Theudoald near on September 26, 715, which further eroded central cohesion and confined Carolingian influence to Austrasia. This interlude marked a brief resurgence of Merovingian symbolic authority amid mayoral fragmentation, though it ultimately empowered Martel's later counteroffensives.

Selection and Coronation as Neustrian King

Following the death of the child-king on 23 August 715, the Neustrian , seeking to counter Austrasian influence after Pepin of Herstal's demise in December 714, required a Merovingian to legitimize their . Led by Ragenfrid, the Neustrians defeated the Austrasian forces under Theudoald at on 26 September 715, creating an opportunity to install their own ruler. They selected , a approximately 43 years old from a (possibly near or in the region), who was presented as the illegitimate son of (r. 673–675) to provide dynastic continuity despite scant evidence of his parentage beyond contemporary chronicles. This choice reflected strategic fabrication, as Daniel's obscure background allowed control while invoking Merovingian legitimacy against Pippinid dominance. Upon selection, adopted the regnal name Chilperic II, evoking earlier Neustrian kings like (r. 561–584) to symbolize regional revival. The installation occurred in late 715, likely in or another Neustrian center, through traditional Frankish rather than a Roman-style ; primary accounts describe him being raised on a shield by warriors, affirming his kingship over and without recorded ecclesiastical anointing or oaths. The Liber Historiae Francorum (ch. 51), a near-contemporary Neustrian source composed around 727, portrays this as a deliberate act to rally support against , though its pro-Neustrian bias emphasizes noble agency over the king's agency. No charters or precise rituals are attested for the event, underscoring the mayors' dominance from the outset. This elevation briefly restored a semblance of divided kingship, with Chilperic II reigning in while Theoderic IV was later imposed in , but it primarily served Ragenfrid's ambitions, as the new king lacked independent power or resources. Contemporary continuations of Fredegar's note the alleged Childeric but highlight skepticism, aligning with patterns of Merovingian in declining authority.

Reign and Governance

Administrative Actions and Charters

Chilperic II issued charters primarily to confirm ancestral privileges and grant lands to key ecclesiastical institutions, reflecting the Merovingian tradition of leveraging royal authority to secure church loyalty amid political instability. In 716, he confirmed the immunities and privileges previously granted by his predecessors to the Abbey of Saint-Denis, exempting its properties from secular interference and taxation. This act, documented in a preserved in the Archives nationales, underscored the abbey's ties to the royal domain and aimed to reinforce institutional support for his tenuous rule under the influence of Raganfrid. Among his grants to Saint-Denis, Chilperic II made five donations, including portions of the royal villa of Clichy's estates, which territorially integrated the abbey with core Frankish lands. He also specifically gifted the forest of Rouvray to the abbey, as recorded in contemporary attestations linking the grant to his residence at . These actions, while nominal in an era of mayoral dominance, perpetuated the facade of royal patronage essential for Merovingian legitimacy, with diplomas such as MGH Diplomata 170 restoring revenues to Saint-Denis. Such charters, often employing classical formulae despite orthographic variances, served administrative functions by formalizing exemptions and donations, yet their limited scope highlights Chilperic's constrained executive capacity, subordinated to aristocratic and mayoral directives. No major legislative edicts or broad fiscal reforms are attributed to him, aligning with the pattern of late Merovingian kings whose "administrative" output was confined to authenticating privileges rather than initiating policy.

Alliances and Diplomatic Efforts

In 716, Chilperic II, supported by his Ragenfrid, pursued diplomatic overtures to expand Neustrian influence into amid the power vacuum following Pepin of Herstal's death. Ragenfrid forged an with Radbod, king of the , who provided naval and military support for a invasion along the . This coalition achieved an initial success near , where Austrasian forces under Plectrude were defeated, prompting her to recognize Chilperic as king over the entire Frankish realm. As part of the agreement, Plectrude surrendered the Austrasian treasury, released captives, and abandoned her grandson Theudoald's claim, temporarily unifying the kingdoms under Chilperic's nominal authority. This diplomatic triumph proved ephemeral, as escaped imprisonment, rallied Austrasian loyalists, and reversed Neustrian gains through victories at Amblève and Vincy in 716–717. Seeking to bolster his position against Martel's resurgence, Chilperic turned southward in 718, allying with (Eudes) the Great, , who had exploited the Frankish divisions to assert autonomy over and western territories. The alliance, likely formalized through mutual recognition of titles and military coordination, aimed to encircle Austrasian power but faltered amid ongoing defeats, with Odo later compelled to negotiate separately with Martel. By 719, repeated military setbacks eroded Chilperic's capacity for independent diplomacy, culminating in his submission to near . Martel imposed terms that subordinated , installing Chilperic as a while centralizing under Austrasian mayoral control, effectively curtailing further Neustrian alliance-building efforts until Chilperic's death in 721.

Attempts at Unified Rule

In 716, Chilperic II allied with Neustrian mayor Ragenfrid to launch a military campaign into , aiming to extend Neustrian over the fragmented Frankish realms and achieve unification under his rule. Supported by king Radbod, their forces besieged , where Plectrude—regent for her grandson Theudoald—surrendered the city, its treasury, and hostages after a brief resistance; Plectrude formally acknowledged Chilperic as of Austrasia in exchange for her release. This recognition briefly positioned Chilperic as ruler across both major Frankish subkingdoms, though control remained contested amid ongoing power struggles following Pepin of Herstal's death in 714. Charles Martel, illegitimate son of Pepin and de facto Austrasian leader, countered by assembling loyal forces and defeating the Neustro-Frisian coalition at the Battle of Amblève later in 716, followed by a at the Battle of Vincy near on March 21, 717. These reversals shattered Chilperic's bid for independent unification, as Martel recovered much of the seized Austrasian wealth and pursued retreating Neustrian armies into their heartland. Chilperic's forces suffered further losses at the Battle of Soissons in 718, eroding Neustrian resistance and exposing the king's reliance on regional mayoral ambitions rather than broad royal legitimacy. By 719, after capturing Chilperic near the , Martel orchestrated a nominal unification of the Frankish kingdoms by installing him as sole rex Francorum, granting formal recognition across , , and while assuming the mayoralty himself. This arrangement, confirmed through charters issued by Chilperic—such as privileges reaffirmed for Saint-Denis abbey—served Martel's consolidation of power more than any genuine Merovingian resurgence, as the king operated under Austrasian oversight with limited . Chilperic's earlier aggressive expansion thus transitioned into a subordinated role, marking the eclipse of independent Merovingian unification efforts amid rising Carolingian dominance.

Military Conflicts and Defeats

Rivalry with Austrasian Mayors

Following the death of , the dominant , on 16 December 714, a emerged in , where his widow Plectrude attempted to secure control for her grandson Theudoald. Neustrian elites, under the leadership of Ragenfrid, the Neustrian , exploited this instability to challenge Austrasian hegemony and installed Chilperic II—previously known as —as king of in June 715, aiming to restore Neustrian autonomy. In 716, Chilperic II and Ragenfrid launched an invasion of , coordinating with forces under King Radbod to capitalize on Plectrude's weakened position; , Pepin's illegitimate son and an emerging Austrasian leader, suffered an initial defeat near , prompting Plectrude to recognize Chilperic as king over her grandson and surrender the Austrasian treasury to the invaders. , however, escaped imprisonment, rallied Austrasian supporters, and counterattacked, defeating the Neustrian- alliance at the Battle of Amblève and reclaiming control in Austrasia by late 716. The rivalry intensified in 717 when Chilperic and Ragenfrid advanced again toward ; Charles Martel decisively crushed their forces at the Battle of Vincy (also known as the Battle of Vimy), near , shattering Neustrian ambitions and establishing Austrasian military superiority. Pursuing the retreating army, Charles besieged and captured in 718, where Ragenfrid fled and Chilperic II was compelled to formally acknowledge Charles as across the Frankish realms, though nominal Merovingian kingship persisted. Residual resistance continued as Chilperic sought alliances, including with Eudo, , against 's expanding influence, but these efforts culminated in further defeats, forcing Chilperic to flee to by 719 and undermining any prospect of Neustrian resurgence. The conflicts highlighted the mayors' eclipse of royal authority, with Charles Martel's victories paving the way for Carolingian ascendancy.

Key Battles Against Charles Martel

The primary military confrontations between Chilperic II and occurred during the Frankish civil wars of 715–718, as Chilperic, backed by his Ragenfrid, sought to assert Neustrian dominance over following the death of . These engagements highlighted Charles's tactical superiority, including ambushes and rapid mobilization, which exploited divisions among his opponents. In the Battle of Amblève on April 30, 716, near modern Amel in the , ambushed a combined Neustrian- force led by Chilperic II, Ragenfrid, and the Frisian duke Radbod while they rested at midday after advancing into Austrasian territory. 's forces, numbering around 3,000, inflicted heavy casualties—estimated at over 10,000 on the enemy side—routing the coalition and capturing significant booty, though exact figures derive from contemporary chroniclers like the Liber Historiae Francorum and vary in reliability due to Austrasian bias. This victory disrupted Neustrian momentum, forcing Chilperic and Ragenfrid to retreat southward, but it did not end the conflict as prioritized securing his base against internal rivals. The Battle of Vincy, fought in March 717 near , represented Charles's decisive consolidation of Austrasian power. After Amblève, Chilperic and Ragenfrid regrouped and invaded again, allying temporarily with local bishops and nobles, but Charles, having reconciled with key Austrasian factions, met them with a disciplined infantry-heavy . Leveraging and surprise, Charles shattered the Neustrian lines, killing or capturing many leaders and compelling Chilperic to flee to ; Ragenfrid escaped but lost influence. This battle, chronicled in sources emphasizing Charles's strategic restraint in pursuit, marked the effective collapse of unified Neustrian resistance, paving the way for Charles's sieges of Neustrian strongholds like later in 717. A follow-up clash in 718 near the estate of Grimoald saw Charles defeat a Neustrian-Aquitainian alliance involving Chilperic and Duke Odo of Aquitaine, who had briefly supported the king against Austrasian expansion. Outmaneuvered by Charles's foraging tactics and border raids, the coalition fragmented, with Odo submitting and Chilperic's authority further eroded, reducing him to a figurehead by 719. These defeats underscored systemic Merovingian weaknesses, including reliance on unreliable levies and divided loyalties, against Charles's professionalized command structure rooted in bannum obligations.

Defeat and Loss of Authority

In 718, Chilperic II's forces, allied with Ragenfrid and of , suffered a decisive defeat at the Battle of against , the Austrasian . This clash marked a turning point, as Charles's victory shattered the Neustrian coalition's momentum following their earlier incursions into . Immediately after the battle, Chilperic II fled southward beyond the River alongside , while Ragenfrid withdrew to with remnants of the Neustrian army. The suspicious death of the rival Austrasian king Chlothar IV later that year further weakened opposition to . , seeking to secure his own position in , betrayed Chilperic by surrendering him and the royal treasury to , who in return acknowledged Chilperic's nominal kingship over the unified Frankish realms. This capitulation eroded Chilperic's effective authority, transforming him into a under Charles's dominance. By 719, Charles had compelled remaining Neustrian holdouts, including Ragenfrid, to submit, consolidating control over palace administration, military levies, and fiscal resources. Chilperic's subsequent diplomatic and administrative actions, such as charters issued under Austrasian oversight, reflected his subordinated role, with real power residing in 's hands as ruler. The king's inability to independently mobilize forces or counter Charles's campaigns underscored the irreversible decline of Merovingian autonomy in .

Death and Immediate Aftermath

Final Years and Demise

In the aftermath of his defeats by , particularly following the death of the rival Clotaire IV in 719, Chilperic II was restored by as nominal over all Frankish territories to provide legitimacy for the Austrasian mayor's expanding authority. This arrangement subordinated Chilperic to , who effectively controlled governance, military campaigns, and appointments, reducing the Merovingian monarch to a figurehead role despite retaining the royal title and occasional issuance of charters. Chilperic's final attempts at autonomy were limited; supported by remnants of Neustrian nobility like Ragenfrid, he briefly maneuvered against but lacked the resources for sustained resistance after prior losses at battles such as Vincy in 717. By 720, with consolidating power across , , and , Chilperic's influence waned further, exemplified by his handover from Aquitaine's Eudes to at , marking the effective end of independent Neustrian royal authority. Chilperic II died on 13 February 721 at the monastery of Novesium (modern ), after a reign of approximately six years, and was buried there. The Liber Historiae Francorum, a near-contemporary account compiled around 727 from a perspective sympathetic to Neustrian interests but drawing on Frankish annals, records the event without detailing a cause, though later chronicles attribute it to illness amid ongoing political instability. His demise facilitated Charles Martel's appointment of as successor, accelerating the transition of real power to the Carolingian mayors.

Succession and End of Independent Merovingian Rule

Following the death of Chilperic II in early 721, recorded in the Liber Historiae Francorum as occurring after a five-year reign and with burial at , no direct successor emerged from his immediate lineage. , the Austrasian maior domus who had consolidated authority through military victories such as the Battle of Vinchy in 717, promptly elevated —a son of the earlier King —to the throne between 30 January and 13 May 721. This appointment, lacking any assertion of royal initiative, underscored the Merovingians' reduced status, as the new king was likely a minor or otherwise passive figure whose role served primarily to legitimize Carolingian control rather than exercise independent governance. Theuderic IV's nominal reign extended until his death between 16 March and 30 April 737, during which directed policy, warfare, and administration without royal interference. Upon Theuderic's demise, an persisted from 737 to 743, with Charles's sons, Carloman and , ruling the Frankish realms outright as mayors without installing a , further eroding the Merovingian symbolic . This period crystallized the end of independent Merovingian rule, as the dynasty's survival hinged on Pepinid sufferance; the mayors now selected, directed, or dispensed with kings at will, prioritizing dynastic continuity and territorial consolidation over . In 743, to formalize their dominance amid external threats, Carloman and Pepin enthroned Childeric III, the final Merovingian monarch, who held no substantive power. Childeric's deposition on 22 December 751 (or early 752), followed by tonsuring and confinement to a monastery, enabled Pepin the Short's coronation and the formal transition to Carolingian kingship, ratified by papal approval. Thus, Chilperic II's death without viable heirs marked the terminus of Merovingian autonomy, as subsequent rulers functioned as inert emblems in a system where real causality resided with the palace mayors' military and administrative efficacy.

Historical Legacy

Assessment of Achievements and Limitations

![Chilpéric II confirme les privilèges d'immunité accordés par ses ancêtres à l'abbaye de Saint-Denis.jpg][float-right] Chilperic II's primary achievements lay in administrative continuity rather than transformative policy, as evidenced by his issuance of at least ten charters between 716 and 718, primarily granting privileges to monasteries and bishops amid the Frankish civil war. These documents, including confirmations of immunities for institutions like the Abbey of Saint-Denis, reflect an effort to maintain ecclesiastical support and royal legitimacy in Neustria despite ongoing conflicts. His background as a former monk suggests a degree of literacy and scholarly engagement uncommon among late Merovingian rulers, potentially aiding in governance during his brief tenure as king of the Franks from 715 to 721. However, these acts did not translate into lasting structural reforms or enhanced central authority. The limitations of Chilperic's reign were profound, rooted in his subordination to powerful mayors of the palace and repeated military setbacks against Austrasian forces led by . Dependent initially on Ragenfrid and later navigating alliances with Plectrude, Chilperic lacked independent control over military resources, culminating in defeats at Amblève in 716 and Vinchy in 717, which eroded Neustrian dominance. His inability to unify the Frankish realms or counter the rising Carolingian influence underscored the systemic weaknesses of the late , where nominal kingship masked the power of aristocratic intermediaries. Ultimately, Chilperic's efforts to assert unified rule failed, accelerating the transition to mayor-dominated governance and symbolizing the eclipse of effective Merovingian kingship by 721.

Role in the Transition to Carolingian Dominance

Chilperic II's reign exemplified the diminishing authority of the Merovingian monarchy amid rising Carolingian influence, as he initially sought to assert control over and following his elevation in 715, but faced decisive opposition from , the Austrasian . Backed by Neustrian mayor Ragenfrid and Aquitanian duke Eudo, Chilperic campaigned against Martel but suffered defeats at the Battle of Amblève in 716 and the Battle of Vincy in March 717, which fragmented Neustrian resistance and allowed Martel to consolidate Austrasian power. These setbacks compelled Chilperic to flee southward, highlighting the monarchy's reliance on regional allies unable to counter Martel's military prowess. The pivotal shift occurred in 719, when Eudo, facing further threats, surrendered Chilperic and the royal treasury to Martel to secure peace. In exchange for recognizing Chilperic as king over all —a move that preserved Merovingian legitimacy for Carolingian rule—Chilperic formally acknowledged Martel as across , , and by 720, effectively unifying the Frankish realms under Austrasian dominance. This arrangement underscored the mayor's sovereignty, as Chilperic exercised no independent authority, reducing the kingship to a symbolic office that Martel exploited to legitimize his campaigns against external foes and internal rivals. Chilperic's submission facilitated Martel's centralization of power, setting the precedent for Carolingian mayors to overshadow and eventually supplant Merovingian rulers, as evidenced by the continued status of successors like until the after 737. His death on February 13, 721, at marked the close of the last Merovingian bid for autonomous rule, enabling Martel's heirs— and Carloman—to inherit a where prerogatives were vestigial, culminating in the deposition of in 751. This transition reflected not mere dynastic accident but the structural eclipse of Merovingian institutions by Carolingian administrative and military capabilities.

Depictions in Contemporary and Later Sources

The Liber Historiae Francorum, composed around 727 shortly after Chilperic II's death, portrays him as a cleric named extracted from a by Neustrian nobles following the demise of on 16 December 715; they allowed his hair to grow and proclaimed him under the name Chilperic, falsely presenting him as the son of the murdered to legitimize their choice amid rivalry with Austrasian forces led by . The narrative depicts him as a whose nominal depended on mayors of the palace, particularly Ragenfrid, with Chilperic issuing assemblies and commands but lacking independent power, as evidenced by his involvement in failed campaigns, including the defeat at the Battle of Vinchy on 21 March 717, where he and Ragenfrid were routed by Martel. ![Confirmation of privileges granted by Chilperic II to the Abbey of Saint-Denis][center] Diplomatic records from his reign, such as charters, present Chilperic II as actively fulfilling royal functions, confirming ancestral immunities and privileges for institutions like the Abbey of Saint-Denis around 716–718, thereby maintaining continuity in Merovingian administrative traditions despite political instability. His seal, bearing symbolic of Merovingian kingship, further attests to contemporary recognition of his royal status in official documents. In later Carolingian sources, such as tenth-century genealogies tracing Carolingian legitimacy, Chilperic II is depicted as a defeated adversary overcome by alongside Ragenfrid, underscoring the transfer of effective power to the and the obsolescence of Merovingian rule. These accounts, influenced by the need to justify Carolingian ascendancy, emphasize his military failures and subservience to mayors, aligning with broader historiographical trends portraying late Merovingians as inert symbols whose depositions facilitated dynastic renewal under in 751.

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