(History Notes!)
Guess where I’m half Quinotaur…
5th and 8th c. AD
The Merovingian Kingdoms (481-751)
-Founder = Clovis!
- When he dies, he divides the territory into 3 equal parts among his sons.
- Follow horizontal line of succession
-Equally legtimate male family succession. (This won’t end badly at all…)
-LONG HAIRED KINGS IN FASHION!
7th century *Merovech* Pops up in geneology like whoa
- -Founding story. Quinotaur mated with a chick. Oh baby.
- -Like, literally. Baby. They had Merovech. He was….wait for it…half Quinotaur.
-Was Merovech step-father descendant of Priam of Troy? Sounds legit.
What: Mythical Founder of the Merovingians. Half Quinotaur. Half Trojan. All badass.
Why?
-Idea of Rome
- Essentially claiming to be more Roman than the Romans! (More pure from Priam than line of Aeneas)
- True heir of Rome ya’lls.
Neustra (North-West France), Austrasia (Northeast), Burgundy (South)
- Son gets training at Austrasia by Mayor of the palace.
- Mayor chosen by powerful aristocrats.
Rural (Frankish)
Urban (Gallo-Roman)
Merovingian Women: (Could move up the social hierarchy)
-Fredegund and Balthild (started as slave)
- Both Queens, authority as mothers as well.
- Both started at low status.
- Effective at exercising political authority
Episcopal Authority and The Frankish Church
- Bishop= Administrators
- Saints = Spiritual
- Bishops found a problem. They felt that they were spiritual leaders.
-“Anyone who was a true saint would always obey his bishop and is always humble”
-Hide relationship with God.
- How do we know who is a saint?
-Miracles associated after death. No longer living, active authority.
- In Frankish Church, Bishops figure out how to be both spiritual and administrators.
