History glossary
Merovingian
the Frankish royal dynasty that ruled before the Carolingians replaced it in the eighth century.
- Category
- Dynasty
- Region
- Frankish Europe
- Date range
- fifth-eighth centuries
What it means
The Merovingians were the Frankish royal dynasty associated with Clovis I and his successors. By the eighth century, much practical power had passed to palace mayors from the Carolingian family, allowing Pepin III to depose the last Merovingian king in 751 with papal support.
Related terms
Stories using this term
Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire
From Pepin's papal-backed monarchy to Charlemagne's coronation, reforms and legacy, the Carolingian Empire reshaped medieval Europe.
The Fall of Rome to Early Medieval Europe
From the arrival of Gothic peoples at the Danube to the crowning of Charlemagne, this story traces how the Western Roman Empire fragmented into successor kingdoms and how a new medieval world took shape.
The Rise of the Medieval Church
From the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the Avignon papacy, this story traces how the Christian Church built its authority through bishops, monasteries, missions, reform, and direct confrontation with Europe's rulers.
