Childebert III
Encyclopedia
Childebert III, called the Just (670 or probably 683 – 23 April 711), son of Theuderic III
and Clotilda (or Doda) and sole king of the Franks (695–711), he was seemingly but a puppet of the mayor of the palace
, Pepin of Heristal, though his placita show him making judicial decisions of his own will, even against the Arnulfing clan. His nickname has no comprehensible justification except possibly as a result of these judgements, but the Liber Historiae Francorum
calls him a "famous man" and "the glorious lord of good memory, Childebert, the just king."
He had a son named Dagobert, who succeeded him, as Dagobert III
but his wife was not Edonne, the invention of later fantasists. It is possible, though not likely, that Chlothar IV was also his son. He spent almost his entire life in a royal villa on the Oise
.
It was during his reign of sixteen years, in 708, that the bishop of Avranches, Saint Aubert
, at the urging of the Archangel Michael, founded the monastery
of Mont-Saint-Michel.
Upon his death on April 23, 711, southern Gaul
began to grow independent: Burgundy
under Bishop Savaric of Auxerre
, Aquitaine
under Duke Odo the Great, and Provence
under Antenor
. He was buried in the church of St Stephen at Choisy-au-Bac
, near Compiègne
.
Theuderic III
Theuderic III was the king of Neustria on two occasions and king of Austrasia from 679 to his death in 691. Thus, he was the king of all the Franks from 679...
and Clotilda (or Doda) and sole king of the Franks (695–711), he was seemingly but a puppet of the mayor of the palace
Mayor of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval title and office, also called majordomo, from the Latin title maior domus , used most notably in the Frankish kingdoms in the 7th and 8th centuries....
, Pepin of Heristal, though his placita show him making judicial decisions of his own will, even against the Arnulfing clan. His nickname has no comprehensible justification except possibly as a result of these judgements, but the Liber Historiae Francorum
Liber Historiae Francorum
Liber historiae Francorum is a book that briefly starts as secondary source for early Franks in the time of Marcomer, and it gives a short breviarum of events until the time of the late Merovingians, where it becomes an important primary source of the contemporaneous history...
calls him a "famous man" and "the glorious lord of good memory, Childebert, the just king."
He had a son named Dagobert, who succeeded him, as Dagobert III
Dagobert III
Dagobert III was Merovingian king of the Franks .He was a son of Childebert III. He succeeded his father as the head of the three Frankish kingdoms—Neustria and Austrasia, unified since Pippin's victory at Tertry in 687, and the Kingdom of Burgundy—in 711, at the age of twelve...
but his wife was not Edonne, the invention of later fantasists. It is possible, though not likely, that Chlothar IV was also his son. He spent almost his entire life in a royal villa on the Oise
Oise
Oise is a department in the north of France. It is named after the river Oise.-History:Oise is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
.
It was during his reign of sixteen years, in 708, that the bishop of Avranches, Saint Aubert
Saint Aubert
Saint Aubert was bishop of Avranches in the 8th century and is credited with founding Mont Saint Michel.He lived in France during the reign of Childebert III and died in 720. According to legend, in 708 he had a vision in which the Archangel Michael instructed him to build an oratory on the rocky...
, at the urging of the Archangel Michael, founded the monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of Mont-Saint-Michel.
Upon his death on April 23, 711, southern Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
began to grow independent: Burgundy
Kingdom of Burgundy
Burgundy is a historic region in Western Europe that has existed as a political entity in a number of forms with very different boundaries. Two of these entities - the first around the 6th century, the second around the 11th century - have been called the Kingdom of Burgundy; a third was very...
under Bishop Savaric of Auxerre
Savaric of Auxerre
Savaric was the Bishop of Auxerre from 710 until his death. A member of high nobility, he was a warrior who held a bishopric. He was the father of Eucherius, Bishop of Orleans....
, Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
under Duke Odo the Great, and Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
under Antenor
Antenor of Provence
Antenor was the Patrician of Provence in the last years of the 7th and first years of the 8th century. He was independent of Arnulfing authority and the representative of the Merovingian sovereign in Provence at a time when Arnulfing power was eclipsing the royal.Antenor's influence in Provence was...
. He was buried in the church of St Stephen at Choisy-au-Bac
Choisy-au-Bac
Choisy-au-Bac is a town in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-References:*...
, near Compiègne
Compiègne
Compiègne is a city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.The city is located along the Oise River...
.