The Merovingians in Historiographical Tradition
From the Sixth to the Sixteenth Centuries

Examines how the story of the first royal Frankish dynasty was shaped across a millennium of historical writing.

Yaniv Fox (Author)

9781009285018, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 November 2023

342 pages
23.5 x 15.9 x 2.4 cm, 0.64 kg

'This is a fascinating contribution to the burgeoning scholarly study of the historiography of early medieval Europe generally and to the Frankish Kingdom specifically … Recommended.' G. I. Halfond, CHOICE

The Merovingian centuries were a foundational period in the historical consciousness of western Europe. The memory of the first dynasty of Frankish kings, their origin myths, accomplishments, and failures were used by generations of chroniclers, propagandists, and historians to justify a wide range of social and political agendas. The process of curating and editing the source material gave rise to a recognizable 'Merovingian narrative' with three distinct phases: meteoric ascent, stasis, and decline. Already in the seventh-century Chronicle of Fredegar, this tripartite model was invoked by a Merovingian queen to prophesy the fate of her descendants. This expert commentary sets out to understand how the story of the Merovingians was shaped through a process of continuous historiographical adaptation. It examines authors from across a millennium of historical writing and analyzes their influences and objectives, charting the often-unexpected ways in which their narratives were received and developed.

Introduction
1. Trojans, sea-monsters, and long-haired kings: from Priam to Childeric
2. Capud victuriarum vestrarum Chlodovechus
3. Taedit me memorare: the middle Merovingians
4. Omni ecclesiastica dignitate nobilitavit: 'Good King Dagobert'
5. Regibus solo nomine regnantibus: the Late Merovingians
Conclusions
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: European history [HBJD]