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The Merovingian Kingdoms 450 – 751
Of all Rome's western successors, the Frankish kingdom that emerged in France, Belgium, the Rhineland and Switzerland was the most powerful and the longest-lasting; yet the Merovingians, who ruled it for nearly 300 years (481-751), have been harshly treated by posterity. This is partly through the hostility of the Carolingians, who usurped and succeeded them, and partly because of a family history that was lurid and bloody even by contemporary standards. Ian Wood rescues them from the shadows of obscurity and contempt in this superb survey, which covers every aspect of the age.
After considering the nature of the sources, the book begins with the rise of the Franks. It then examines the establishment of the Merovingian dynasty itself, and the structure of the Merovingian kingdom—or kingdoms, since throughout its long history was both fluid and fissiparous, with borders moving to and fro under the pressures of external enemies and internal dynastic conflict. Ian Wood then goes on to consider the influence of the Merovingians on their own territories and on Europe more widely. In particular he reassesses their cultural importance (long and unjustly neglected) in the world of the sixth and seventh centuries).
Finally, he reconsiders the whole question of Merovingian decline, arguing that the later, biased, Carolingian sources so widely used by subsequent historians have misrepresented its course and character down to our own time. Indeed, one of the book's central aims is to re-evaluate Merovingian history in the light of contemporary opinion, insofar as that can now be recovered, away from the hostile historiography of the Carolingian successors.
In doing so, Ian Wood brings a remote age to life. To most of us Childeric, Clovis, Chlothar, Dagobert and their fellows are little more than names, if that, and their family ramifications are as complicated as they are unedifying; but in these deft and authoritative pages the dynastic complexities of Merovingian history disentangle, and the remote and shadowy figures within become real again as the powerful individuals on whom, for almost three hundred years, the fate of much of western Europe depended.
After considering the nature of the sources, the book begins with the rise of the Franks. It then examines the establishment of the Merovingian dynasty itself, and the structure of the Merovingian kingdom—or kingdoms, since throughout its long history was both fluid and fissiparous, with borders moving to and fro under the pressures of external enemies and internal dynastic conflict. Ian Wood then goes on to consider the influence of the Merovingians on their own territories and on Europe more widely. In particular he reassesses their cultural importance (long and unjustly neglected) in the world of the sixth and seventh centuries).
Finally, he reconsiders the whole question of Merovingian decline, arguing that the later, biased, Carolingian sources so widely used by subsequent historians have misrepresented its course and character down to our own time. Indeed, one of the book's central aims is to re-evaluate Merovingian history in the light of contemporary opinion, insofar as that can now be recovered, away from the hostile historiography of the Carolingian successors.
In doing so, Ian Wood brings a remote age to life. To most of us Childeric, Clovis, Chlothar, Dagobert and their fellows are little more than names, if that, and their family ramifications are as complicated as they are unedifying; but in these deft and authoritative pages the dynastic complexities of Merovingian history disentangle, and the remote and shadowy figures within become real again as the powerful individuals on whom, for almost three hundred years, the fate of much of western Europe depended.
395 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 15, 2012
It's not a great book. Though I'd say for the period it is a necessary way-point to better.
Well, better from the view point of the less-dedicated reader. Ian Wood does an excellent job of detective work, comparing various sources and teasing out bias, coming up with ways to re-align sources to explain inconsistencies, and, with the insights thus gained, expose the likely motivations that moved the all too nebulous figures of the Merovingian Dynasty.
I've had an interest in the period for some years, and it is one that is very hard to study. There's not a great deal known, and even less written in English. Wood's book helps out a great deal, as he takes a look at several subjects (such as Roman literary continuity) and shows how they tie together across a period of time. This fragments his presentation in other ways, and I don't think I have any sort of grasp of how any one point in time worked, but the tools are there to reconstruct it from his different chapters.
Well, better from the view point of the less-dedicated reader. Ian Wood does an excellent job of detective work, comparing various sources and teasing out bias, coming up with ways to re-align sources to explain inconsistencies, and, with the insights thus gained, expose the likely motivations that moved the all too nebulous figures of the Merovingian Dynasty.
I've had an interest in the period for some years, and it is one that is very hard to study. There's not a great deal known, and even less written in English. Wood's book helps out a great deal, as he takes a look at several subjects (such as Roman literary continuity) and shows how they tie together across a period of time. This fragments his presentation in other ways, and I don't think I have any sort of grasp of how any one point in time worked, but the tools are there to reconstruct it from his different chapters.
July 21, 2018
A well-written scholarly work. Not recommended for someone who is not already somewhat familiar with the time and place. Wood includes many maps (later Merovingian period maps were lacking though), family trees, and even a prosopography of the Merovingian family. He is also impressive that most of his references (seen in footnote format so no having to go to the end of the book every couple of pages - yay!) are primary sources. However, I often checked the footnotes for explanations for something that I wanted more information on but was disappointed that it only referred me to a primary source.
His main argument was that the Merovingian period was indeed important politically, religiously, and (surprisingly) culturally for the Carolingian Renaissance. He claims that history doesn't just jump from Italy to Britain and then to the Carolingians. He explains how each learned from the other and how the Carolingians evolved from the Merovingian achievements. He explains how the Merovingians came to be after the Roman power disintegrated and then were eventually replaced by the Carolingians, after having become "the longest established ruling dynasty in western Europe" by 751. He also discusses how the British (who went to the Continent as missionaries) came away from Frankish monasteries (especially Luxeuil) with manuscripts that helped equip the monastery at Monkwearmouth/Jarrow. Another interesting aspect was his focus on the roles of several queens. It was a formidable, bloody time. I will look forward to reading Wood's other works, of which he has many, particularly the ones associating the Franks and the English, such as "The Franks and Sutton Hoo."
His main argument was that the Merovingian period was indeed important politically, religiously, and (surprisingly) culturally for the Carolingian Renaissance. He claims that history doesn't just jump from Italy to Britain and then to the Carolingians. He explains how each learned from the other and how the Carolingians evolved from the Merovingian achievements. He explains how the Merovingians came to be after the Roman power disintegrated and then were eventually replaced by the Carolingians, after having become "the longest established ruling dynasty in western Europe" by 751. He also discusses how the British (who went to the Continent as missionaries) came away from Frankish monasteries (especially Luxeuil) with manuscripts that helped equip the monastery at Monkwearmouth/Jarrow. Another interesting aspect was his focus on the roles of several queens. It was a formidable, bloody time. I will look forward to reading Wood's other works, of which he has many, particularly the ones associating the Franks and the English, such as "The Franks and Sutton Hoo."
June 20, 2023
Raczej książka dla naukowców i studentów, jej celem nie jest popularyzowanie historii. Aczkolwiek czytało się ją nieźle. A może to kwestia gustu i żądzy wiedzy. :) Bogate przypisy pod każdym rozdziałem sprawiają, że spokojnie można przyjąć, że zajmują łącznie jakieś dwadzieścia do dwudziestu pięciu procent zawartości.
W tym wczesnym średniowieczu, swoją drogą, ciężkie było życie władcy czy możnowładcy. Zabójstwa, spiski, wojny, przewroty. Ci ludzie to musieli być niesamowici twardziele, skoro aspirowali do władzy. Bo kiedy ją zdobywali to wtedy zaczynał się prawdziwy koszmar. 😂
W tym wczesnym średniowieczu, swoją drogą, ciężkie było życie władcy czy możnowładcy. Zabójstwa, spiski, wojny, przewroty. Ci ludzie to musieli być niesamowici twardziele, skoro aspirowali do władzy. Bo kiedy ją zdobywali to wtedy zaczynał się prawdziwy koszmar. 😂
April 13, 2020
Overall a good narrative survey of the Merovingians. I complained early on that it depends too much on Gregory of Tours, but part of it's just the nature that that's all we know about the early Merovingians and then later on it actually does open up, looking at everything from chronicles, especially the Continuations of the Chronicle of Fredegar, to various hagiographies and even legal documents like wills and stuff.
The period is clearer in my mind now but still fairly confusing in terms of keeping track of all the Chilperics and Chodoberts etc
The period is clearer in my mind now but still fairly confusing in terms of keeping track of all the Chilperics and Chodoberts etc
March 22, 2023
This book is quite dry, but does it work in bringing the mysterious Merovingians to the light of history. The Merovingians, the earliest unifiers of modern France escaped notice due to their awkward appearance at between the confusion post-Roman collapse with the dawn of the Age of Migration.
The story begins with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire by barbarian incursions. This left power vacuum in Gaul, where modern France located. Waves after waves of barbarians settled in Gaul, with them eventually establishing themselves seamlessly into the dregs of Roman court rules and law. At first there was the Visigoths, who eventually established themselves in the Aquitaine and Spain. Then, there were the people of the borgi, the Burgundians who settled themselves in Burgundy. The last of the great waves of migration into Gaul were the Salian Franks, who prior to their entrance has made successful rule in Thuringia and Bavaria.
Quickly the Franks under Clovis I united much of the Gaul, incorporating Burgundy and the Aquitaine into direct rule, while attaining Brittany overlordship, while at the same time retain their sway in Thuringia, Bavaria. As primogeniture were yet to be discovered as a viable way of succession, the Merovingian Frankish Empire was divided among Clovis’s sons, which lead the kingdom into messy intervals of civil war and interregnum for almost 3 centuries.
The constant squabbling, plotting, assassination eventually succumbs the later Merovingian kings into profound state of stunned and cowed silence, which in turn allows the rise of eminent maiors, or the mayors of the palace. The 8th centuries were filled with the power struggles between the Neustrian (western part of the kingdom) and Austrasian (eastern part of the kingdom) maiors, with eventual victory of the Carolingians of Austrasia.
The Carolingians became the de facto ruler of the Frankish kingdom since the days of Charles Martel. When Pippin III felt he had quite enough of the Merovingians, he requested papal sanction for the deposing of Childeric III, and the ascension of himself as the King of the Franks.
The Merovingian Kingdom, while becoming the first polity to become today’s France, has merely occupied a kind of filler or interregna while waiting for the ascension of the Carolingians.
The story begins with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire by barbarian incursions. This left power vacuum in Gaul, where modern France located. Waves after waves of barbarians settled in Gaul, with them eventually establishing themselves seamlessly into the dregs of Roman court rules and law. At first there was the Visigoths, who eventually established themselves in the Aquitaine and Spain. Then, there were the people of the borgi, the Burgundians who settled themselves in Burgundy. The last of the great waves of migration into Gaul were the Salian Franks, who prior to their entrance has made successful rule in Thuringia and Bavaria.
Quickly the Franks under Clovis I united much of the Gaul, incorporating Burgundy and the Aquitaine into direct rule, while attaining Brittany overlordship, while at the same time retain their sway in Thuringia, Bavaria. As primogeniture were yet to be discovered as a viable way of succession, the Merovingian Frankish Empire was divided among Clovis’s sons, which lead the kingdom into messy intervals of civil war and interregnum for almost 3 centuries.
The constant squabbling, plotting, assassination eventually succumbs the later Merovingian kings into profound state of stunned and cowed silence, which in turn allows the rise of eminent maiors, or the mayors of the palace. The 8th centuries were filled with the power struggles between the Neustrian (western part of the kingdom) and Austrasian (eastern part of the kingdom) maiors, with eventual victory of the Carolingians of Austrasia.
The Carolingians became the de facto ruler of the Frankish kingdom since the days of Charles Martel. When Pippin III felt he had quite enough of the Merovingians, he requested papal sanction for the deposing of Childeric III, and the ascension of himself as the King of the Franks.
The Merovingian Kingdom, while becoming the first polity to become today’s France, has merely occupied a kind of filler or interregna while waiting for the ascension of the Carolingians.
May 24, 2015
This book is an essay.
If you are specialized in history and are familiar at least to the intermediate level, with the history of the 5th to 7th centuries, this is a good thing.
If you are someone who is interested in the subject (which would probably be the reason why you would buy it) but have not read much on the period, I would recommend keeping this shelved up for a later date.
The Merovingians were a complicated family, with lots of brothers who all are named Dagobert, Clovis, Childeric or Chilperic, have different mothers and ruling different parts of a kingdom that somehow evolved as a whole. It's difficult to keep up with all the splits in the kingdom, the brothers, their sons, their nephews and even the regions in themselves which are different from generation to generation. Add to that a very thorough analysis of the religion, culture and aristocracy of the time, and this book has made for a very slow read.
That being said, if you do have the ambition or the necessary knowledge to follow through, this is a rewarding experience. This is not a very mainstream side of history - we hardly know the names of the people involved, the writings of the time mainly focus on the church, so it doesn't have the appeal to turn the story into a movie and share it to the masses. As such, there is lots of information that is very difficult to gather from sources that are not written in an ancient language that only historians speak, so if you do have a genuine interest in this dynasty and this timeframe, I fully recommend this book.
If you are specialized in history and are familiar at least to the intermediate level, with the history of the 5th to 7th centuries, this is a good thing.
If you are someone who is interested in the subject (which would probably be the reason why you would buy it) but have not read much on the period, I would recommend keeping this shelved up for a later date.
The Merovingians were a complicated family, with lots of brothers who all are named Dagobert, Clovis, Childeric or Chilperic, have different mothers and ruling different parts of a kingdom that somehow evolved as a whole. It's difficult to keep up with all the splits in the kingdom, the brothers, their sons, their nephews and even the regions in themselves which are different from generation to generation. Add to that a very thorough analysis of the religion, culture and aristocracy of the time, and this book has made for a very slow read.
That being said, if you do have the ambition or the necessary knowledge to follow through, this is a rewarding experience. This is not a very mainstream side of history - we hardly know the names of the people involved, the writings of the time mainly focus on the church, so it doesn't have the appeal to turn the story into a movie and share it to the masses. As such, there is lots of information that is very difficult to gather from sources that are not written in an ancient language that only historians speak, so if you do have a genuine interest in this dynasty and this timeframe, I fully recommend this book.
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August 14, 2010That Clovis was an Arian Christian and not a pagan, when he was baptized
December 28, 2024
Il n'a pas été traduit en français, donc j'ai eu beaucoup de mal à garder mon attention dessus. Le fait de l'avoir lu intégralement en ligne a aussi joué sur mon attention, mais je suis vraiment contente d'avoir tenu bon: l'auteur étant britannique, son point de vue sur l'histoire mérovingienne n'est pas biaisé par ce que nous avons tous appris à l'école en France. Et c'était plutôt rafraichissant.
March 6, 2025
Ian Wood's "The Merovingian Kingdoms" is a fascinating window into the Merovingian dynasty that ruled Gaul (modern France and Germany) in the wake of the fall of the Roman Empire. Wood does much to tease out the ecclesiastical, cultural, political, and social history of the period, particularly the later Merovingian periods that are often presented as ceaseless slouching towards gluttony, incompetence, and the rise of Charles Martel and his issue. A wonderful history of an oft-forgotten era.
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October 23, 2023The author said he intended to construct a narrative history for the Merovingians. As I am not patient enough to read The Franks by Gregory of Tours, I hope this book can be a good alternative.
September 3, 2025
An excellent overview of the Merovingian period. Covers everything from history, to coinage, to missionary work. Tons of notes and sources to look at as you continue your research elsewhere.
February 25, 2021
Depois da queda de Roma a Europa torna-se uma sucessão de reinos falhados em que os Merovívingios são a família que mais se destaca em 300 anos para pôr alguma ordem . Um livro que põe em perspectiva os intensos anos pós-romanos e mais um para compreendermos a Europa actual.
Realmente gostei.Venham agora os Carolíngios a ascensão dos Francos e dos Saxões.
Realmente gostei.Venham agora os Carolíngios a ascensão dos Francos e dos Saxões.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews