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Under the Merovingian dynasty, the mayor of the palace (Latin: maior palatii or maior domus) was the manager of the household of the Frankish king.
During the "second half of the seventh century," the office evolved into the "power behind the throne". At that time the mayor of the palace held and "wielded the real and effective power to make decisions affecting the kingdom," while the kings were increasingly reduced to performing merely ceremonial functions, which made them little more than figureheads (rois fainΓ©ants, 'do-nothing kings'). The office may be compared to that of the peshwa, shΕgun, sarvadhikari or prime minister, all of which have similarly been the real powers behind some ceremonial monarchs.
In 687, after victory over the western kingdom of Neustria, the Austrasian mayor, Pippin of Herstal, took the title Duke of the Franks to signify his augmented rule. His son and successor, Charles Martel, ruled without elevating new king during the last four years of his reign (737β741). His sons Carloman and Pepin the Short elevated another Merovingian king, Childeric III, but he was eventually deposed in 751 by Pepin, "who was crowned king in his place."
See also Royal Administration of Merovingian and Carolingian Dynasties.
Mayors of the Palace of Austrasiaβ»
Name | In office | Family | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|
Parthemius | 531β548 | ||
... | |||
Gogo | 567β581 | ||
Wandalenus | 581β583 | Waltrichs | |
... | |||
Florentianus | um 589 | ||
... | |||
Protadus | 595β600 | ||
Claudius | 600 | ||
Gondulphus | 600β612 | Merowingians (uncert.) | |
Warnachar | 613 | Short after the assassination of Sigibert II | |
Rado | 613β616/617 | ||
Hugh (Chucus) | 617β622 | Hugobertins (uncert.) | |
Pepin of Landen | 624/25β634 | Pippinids | First time |
Adalgisel | 634β639 | ||
Pepin of Landen | 639β640 | Pippinids | Second time |
Otto | 640β643 | ||
Grimoald I | 643β657 oder 662 | Pippinids | |
Ansegisel | 657 oder 662β662 | Arnulfingians | |
Wulfoald | 662β679 | Etichonen (uncert.) | |
Pepin of Herstal | 679β714 | Pippinids | |
Theudoald | 714β715 | Pippinids | de jure under his grandmother Plectrude |
Charles Martel | 715β741 | Pippinids | After the Battle of Soissons (718) Maior Domus in all parts of the realm |
Carloman | 741β747 | Pippinids | Austrasia containing also Alemania |
Pepin the Short | 747β751 | Pippinids | Maior Domus for the whole realm |
Mayors of the Palace of Neustriaβ»
- Mummolin (566)
- Landric, under Clotaire II
- Gundoland (613 or 616β639)
- Aega (639β641), also in Burgundy
- Erchinoald (641β658)
- Ebroin (658β673), deposed
- Wulfoald (673β675), also in Austrasia (662β680)
- Leudesius (675), chosen but later deposed
- Ebroin (675β680), again
- Waratto (680 or 681β682), deposed by his son Gistemar
- Gistemar (682), usurper his father Waratton
- Waratto (682β684 or 686), again
- Berchar (686β688 or 689), murdered in 688. Or 689
- Nordebert 687-695), under protection of Pippin of Herstal
- Grimoald II (695β714)
- Theudoald (714β715), also in Austrasia. Driven out of Neustria by the nobility, surrendered claim in 716.
- Ragenfrid (715β718), took power in Neustria in 714 or 715. But defeated by Charles Martel first in 717 and definitively in 718
- Charles Martel (718β741), also in Austrasia (715β741)
- Pepin the Short (741 or 742β751), became king of the Franks in 751
Mayors of the Palace of Burgundyβ»
- Warnachar I (596β599)
- Berthoald (before 603β604)
- Protadius (604β606)
- Claudius
- Rado (613β617)
- Warnachar II (617β626), also in Austrasia
- Godinus (626β627)
- ...
- Aega (639β641), also in Neustria
- Flaochad (642)
- Radobertus (642β662)
Hereafter the office remained vacant, with Burgundy a separate realm under the King of Neustria and Burgundy. The administration of Burgundy was briefly separate under:
Mayors of the Palace of Aquitaineβ»
- Brodulf (627β628)
Further readingβ»
- Oman, Charles. The Dark Ages, 476β918. London: Rivingtons, 1914.