Dagobert II

stenay

Dagobert II

Son of the Merovingian King Sigisbert, he was born around 652 AD. When his father died in 663, he was exiled by Grimoald, the Mayor of the palace and was educated in a monastery in Ireland.

However, Grimoald’s treacherous ruse was to no avail. When Wilfred, Bishop of York, told the lords of Austrasia of the existence of their King, they called him back to the throne in 675. After he had taken his country back, Dagobert II brought peace and stability and founded numerous churches and abbeys.

Dagobert/Stenay

Saint Dagobert II, King of the Merovingians.

In 679, a conflict broke out with Neustria. Thierry was their King and his Mayor of the Palace, Ebroin, conceived a plot against Dagobert, who was then assassinated on 23rd December 679, in the forest of’ Woëvre, some distance from his royal summer palace in Stenay.

THE SAINT DAGOBERT II REMEMBRANCE ROOM IN STENAY

To commemorate the memory of the last Merovingian King of the mighty realm of Austrasia, DAGOBERT II (652-679). In the exhibition, there are a number of documents dealing with the legend and the history of this King. It gives a short introduction to “Merovingian times” with the help of some artefacts such as pottery, scram saxes, coins, fibulae, antefixes, buckle plates, calf shields, etc. as well as prints illustrating this period of Merovingian times in the history of Europe.

THE GATEWAY OF THE CHURCH OF SAINT-DAGOBERT

In 1965, works undertaken on his property by Monsieur Laplante, the local architect in Stenay, discovered ancient walls, which led him to believe that the gateway of the church of Saint Dagobert had been found.

In 1972, a group of Stenay citizens known as the “Group for the research and improvements of historic monuments”, led by Monsieur Renault, professor at the Stenay Lycee, embarked on the updating of the gateway. The showpiece is the sculpted tympanum probably representing Saint Dagobert seated in majesty, flanked by two people on their knees.

The gateway was dismantled systematically into separate pieces and rebuilt in the caves of the Saint-Dagobert remembrance room.

THE MYSTERIOUS STONE: THE SATOP SQUARE

The Sator Square contains 5 words, which can be read in all ways: SATOR, AREPO, TENET, OPERA, ROTAS. The pagans, who used the stone before the Christians, placed the word ROTAS at the top, in the place of the word SATOR (as at Pompeii).

A replica of the stone can be seen in the caves of the Saint-Dagobert remembrance room.

Address remembrance room:

Crypte Saint Dagobert, 3 place Poincaré, Stenay.
Opening hours: during office hours, (closed from 12.00 to 14.00

Charmois Castle, Mouzay

Located just a few miles outside Stenay and the starting point for the yearly pelgrimage to the well in the Woevre forest where King Dagobert was murdered. This is the place were the body of Dagobert was first brought to after his murder. There is still a very ancient part existing.