Chlothar I

Coins of Chlothar I

Chlothar I^[1] (c. 497 – 29 November 561), called the Old (le Vieux), King of the Franks, was one of the four sons of Clovis. He was born circa 497, in Soissons (now in Aisne département, Picardie, France).

Life

On the death of his father in 511, he received, as his share of the kingdom, the town of Soissons, which he made his capital; the cities of Laon, Noyon, Cambrai, and Maastricht; and the lower course of the Meuse River. But he was very ambitious, and sought to extend his domain.

The division of Gaul upon Chlothar's death (561).

He was the chief instigator of the murder of his brother Chlodomer's children in 524, and his share of the spoils consisted of the cities of Tours and Poitiers. He took part in various expeditions against Burgundy and, after the destruction of that kingdom in 534, obtained Grenoble, Die, and some of the neighbouring cities.

When the Ostrogoths ceded Provence to the Franks, he received the cities of Orange, Carpentras, and Gap. In 531, he marched against the Thuringii with his nephew Theudebert I and in 542, with his brother Childebert I against the Visigoths of Spain. On the death of his great-nephew Theodebald in 555, Chlothar annexed his territories. On Childebert's death in 558 he became sole king of the Franks.

He also ruled over the greater part of Germany, made expeditions into Saxony, and for some time exacted from the Saxons an annual tribute of 500 cows. The end of his reign was troubled by internal dissensions, his son Chram rising against him on several occasions. Following Chram into Brittany, where the rebel had taken refuge, Chlothar shut him up with his wife and children in a cottage, which he set on fire. Overwhelmed with remorse, he went to Tours to implore forgiveness at the tomb of St Martin, and died shortly afterwards at the royal palace at Compiègne.

Family

Chlothar's first marriage was to Guntheuc, widow of his own brother Chlodomer, sometime around 524. They had no children. His second marriage, which occurred around 532, was to Radegund, daughter of Bertachar, King of Thuringia, whom he and his brother Theuderic defeated. She was later canonized. They also had no children. His third and most successful marriage was to Ingund, by whom he had five sons and two daughters:

• Gunthar, predeceased father
• Childeric, predeceased father
• Charibert, King of Paris
• Guntram, King of Burgundy
• Sigebert, King of Austrasia
• Chlothsind, married Alboin, King of the Lombards

His next marriage was to a sister of Ingund, Aregund, with whom he had a son, Chilperic, King of Soissons. His last wife was Chunsina (or Chunsine), with whom he had one son, Chram, who became his father's enemy and predeceased him. Chlothar may have married and repudiated Waldrada

Ancestry

Ancestors of Chlothar I

16. Clodio (hypothetical)

8. Merovech (hypothetical)

4. Childeric I

2. Clovis I

10. Basin, King of the Thuringii

5. Basina of Thuringia

11. Basina, a Saxon princess

1. Chlothar I

24. Gundahar, King of the Burgundians

12. Gondioc, King of the Burgundians

6. Chilperic II, King of the Burgundians

26. Rechila, Suevic King of Galicia

13. The sister of Ricimer (hypothetical)

3. Clotilde of the Burgundians

7. Unknown

Further reading

• Bachrach, Bernard S. (1972). Merovingian Military Organization, 481–751. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, ISBN 0-81660-621-8.
• Geary, Patrick J. (1988). Before France and Germany: The Creation and Transformation of the Merovingian World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19504-458-4.
• James, Edward (1991). The Franks. London: Blackwell, ISBN 0-63114-872-8.
• Oman, Charles (1914). The Dark Ages, 476–918. London: Rivingtons.
• Wallace-Hadrill, J. M. (1962). The Long-Haired Kings, and Other Studies in Frankish History. London: Methuen.
• Wood, Ian N. (1994). The Merovingian Kingdoms, 450–751. London: Longman, ISBN 0-58221-878-0.

Notes

1. ^ Also spelled Chlothachar, Chlotar, Clothar, Clotaire, Chlotochar, or Hlothar, giving rise to Lothair.

Chlothar I Merovingian Dynasty Born: 497 Died: 561
Preceded by Clovis I	King of Soissons 511–558	Succeeded by Chilperic I
Preceded by Chlodomer	King of Orleans 524–558	Succeeded by Guntram
Preceded by Theudebald	King of Reims 555–558	Succeeded by Sigebert I Moved to Metz
Preceded by Childebert I	King of Paris 558	Succeeded by Charibert I
Vacant Title last held by Clovis I	King of the Franks 558–561	Vacant Title next held by Clotaire II

Persondata
Name	I, Chlothar
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	497
Place of birth
Date of death	561
Place of death