Asher Sisneros

The Franks were arguably the most important barbarian group. King Charlemagne converted the Saxons by military force against the church’s will and also conquered many of the other barbarian tribes. However, religion was the biggest difference between them and their barbarian neighbors. Those who weren’t infidels were Arians, but the Franks were Catholic Christians. The Merovingian dynasty and Carolingian dynasty were the most prominent Frankish dynasties during the Middle Ages.

Clovis the 1st succeeded his father, Childeric the 1st, on the Frankish throne. He founded the Merovingian dynasty, which gripped power over the newly unified Frankish State until being deposed by Pepin the Short. However, the dynasty lost prominence long before their deposition, and Clovis received more honor and prestige in his lifetime than his descendants. He unified the scattered Frankish tribes by AD 509, but the Merovingians were bloodthirsty and uncivilized. Their behavior was quite a disgrace to Clovis, not only because of his military accomplishments but because of his Christian faith. He was the first Frankish leader to convert to Catholicism. At first, it was in secrecy, but when he elaborated to his men why Christianity was the most persuasive religion, 1,000 of his soldiers converted, too. His conversion was likely influenced by his Catholic wife. However, his zeal was personal and he didn’t just convert for her. Clovis commonly boasted that if he and his Franks were present during Jesus’ crucifixion, he would have waged war on Rome and avenged the injustice. But all his Christianity was reduced to ash when his descendants ascended the throne. There was constant murder within the household as family members killed each other for power. The household was disorderly and they ruled the Franks the same way. The office of Mayor of the Palace was created to compensate for the Merovingian dynasty’s administrative deficiency. While the Mayors of Palace were called to handle and assist the kings in administrative duties, they became de facto leaders, reducing Clovis’ Merovingian dynasty into irrelevance. 

Charles Martel was the Mayor of the Palace who defeated the invading Muslims at the Battle of Tours in AD 751. He founded the Carolingian dynasty which later monopolized the position of Mayor of the Palace. His son, Pepin the Short, was dissatisfied with being the de facto ruler—he wanted the throne. After approaching Pope Zachary and asking him if it was appropriate for the person with all the power to have no title (of king) and the person with the title (of king) to be powerless, Pope Zachary agreed that it wasn’t. Before long, the Pope blessed the power shift and appointed Pepin the Short as the king in AD 751. This was strategic for all parties except the Merovingians. Now, the Catholic Church had militarily strong allies. They wanted a defender with the Lombards as a constant looming threat to the church. The Byzantine Empire (the eastern leftover of the Roman Empire) neglected its duties in protecting the Catholic Church from foreign invaders. They also interceded in church affairs and deposed popes, which was outside of their jurisdiction. Eventually, the Byzantine Empire was more of a threat to the church than a defender. It was beneficial for the church to ally with another Catholic nation that possessed military might for defensive purposes. Similarly, papal support provided the Carolingian dynasty with more legitimacy. A mere power ploy could have caused Frankish division, but the church possessed respectable authority. The power shift was also beneficial for the people. Their current leaders were incapable, but the Carolingians possessed reputability. Not only that but again, they were already the de facto leaders. By announcing Pepin the Short as the king, the only difference was the title. Life was the same for all of the Franks when Charles Martel’s Carolingian dynasty ascended the throne. 

The dynasty shift from Merovingian to Carolingian was inevitable. While Clovis 1st’s faith eventually led to the conversion of all Franks, they were a warrior family that was terrible at ruling. His family made for good generals, but terrible kings. Clovis’ impact on the Franks shouldn’t be discounted, but the apparent dynasty backstabbing committed by Pepin the Short was necessary.