MEROVECH (451/57).  The early 8th century Liber Historiæ Francorum names “Merovechus de genere eius” as successor to Chlodio, commenting that he gave his name to the dynasty. The Franks were separated into many tribes, each with their own king. Merovich was the king of the Salian tribe of Franks. Merovich took on mythical status; legend said that his father was Poseidon, the sea god. Salian means “people of the sea.” The Salian Franks lived close to the sea and were excellent sailors. Perhaps this is why Merovich became associated with Poseidon.

Mérovée grew up with supernatural strength and became a Priest-King and is considered as the first Merovingian King. 

Mérovée’s wife was Merira. 

Mérovée was proclaimed King of the Franks in 448 A.D. and reigned for  about 10 years. 

Mérovée, (411-458 A.D.) (son of Clodion) after whom the Franks were given the name Merovingians, took Trier and made great gains of territory in Gaul.  

The Liber Historiæ Francorum names “Merovechus…filium…Childerico“

It was certainly not the crude barbaric culture often imagined. It warrants comparison with the high culture of the Byzantines. Secular literacy was encouraged. They built lavish Roman styled amphitheaters in Paris and Soissons. They accumulated immense wealth. They were active in farming, commerce and maritime trade. Their gold coins that were minted bore an equal arm cross.

He fought alongside Flavius Aetius, the Roman ruler, when in 451 A.D. Attila the Hun was defeated. 

448: the Roman Aetius defeats the Salian franks at Arras. Signing of an agreement between the two camps. The Salian franks settle in Tournai.

August: Rechiarus becomes king of the Suèves.

Summer: failure of an assassination attempt on Attila ordered by Chrysaphius, minister of the eastern emperor Theodosius II.

November: Patrice Anatole signs a provisional peace treaty with Attila, who receives compensation.

449: Beginning of the invasion of Great Britain by the Jutes, the Angles and the Saxons. The king of Brittany Vortigern invited the chiefs Jutes Horsa and Hengist to join him to fight against the raids, picts and scots. Plundered rechiarus from Vasconia.

May: signature of a treaty between Théodoric, king of the Visigoths, and Réchiarus, his son-in-law, king of the Suèves. Looting of Zaragoza by the Suèves.

Summer: failure of negotiations between Attila and a delegation of ambassadors (Priscus and Maximian) sent by Theodosius II.

November: Anatole becomes patriarch of Constantinople.

July: Death of Emperor Theodosius II from a bad fall from a horse.

August: Marcian becomes emperor of the east. He marries Pulchérie, Théodose II’s sister and stops paying subsidies to Attila. Execution of Chrysaphius, former minister of Theodosius II.

Autumn: ultimatum from Attila to Valentinian III. He claims the hand of his sister Honoria and an imposing dowry (half of the western empire). Refusal of Valentinian III. Attila assembles an army in Gaul.

January 26: earthquake in Constantinople

Spring: The “peace of Anatole” is signed between the eastern emperor and Attila. King Hun promises not to attack the empire again and releases the hostages.

Engagement of augusta Honoria and Attila. Attila claims Gaien as a dowry from Valentinian III. Honoria is forcibly brought back to Rome and, after a white marriage, she is made to disappear.

July 28: Death of Emperor Theodosius II from a bad fall from a horse.

August 25: Marcian becomes emperor of the east. He marries Pulchérie, Théodose II’s sister and stops paying subsidies to Attila. Execution of Chrysaphius, former minister of Theodosius II.

Autumn: ultimatum from Attila to Valentinian III. He claims the hand of his sister Honoria and an imposing dowry (half of the western empire). Refusal of Valentinian III. Attila assembles an army in Gaul.

End 450: Break between Priscus and Childéric, the son of Mérovée. The first meeting in Rome Aegius, the second finds an ally in Attila. Childéric takes refuge in Thuringia (until 457).

450: Early April: Attila, going up the Danube, enters the Western Empire.

April: Plunder of Metz by the army of Attila, which included Huns but also many allies (francs, burgondes, sweatshirts, alamans, gépides, thuringes, hules and skires)

May: Alpine bishop convincing Attila to spare Châlons-en-Champagne.

End of May: Attila fails under the walls of Troyes, defended by Bishop Loup. He is also beaten by the Franks of Mérovée in Santerre.

June: Attila fails under the walls of Orleans, defended by Bishop Aignan and Agrippinus.

June: Attila is beaten in the Catalan Fields, near Troyes, by the Franco-Roman army of Aetius, allied with the Visigoths of Theodoric 1st, and with Burgundian and Saxon contingents. King Theodoric I was killed by the Ostrogoth Andages during the battle, Thorismont took over.

Fall: Attila, returning home, threatens the Eastern Empire, which has stopped paying subsidies. The Ambassador of Constantinople, Apollonius, is dismissed.

October: Council of Chalcedon. Monophysite doctrine is condemned. The Patriarch of Alexandria, Dioscore, is sentenced to exile. He is replaced by Prôterios. Beginning of the struggle between monophysites and orthodox.

End 451: engagement of Gaudentius, son of Aetius, with Euxodie, daughter of Emperor Valentinian III.

452: Spring: the Huns enter Italy. Seat of Aquileia then road towards Rome, the cities which try to resist are burned.

July: In Mincio, signing of an armistice between Attila and a delegation led by Pope Leo 1st and the Praetorian Prefect Trigetius. Attila, attacked in the east by Marcian, and seeing his army exhausted, decides to withdraw.

July: surrender of the city of Aquileia, after 3 months of siege. Refugees from Acquilea founded the city of Venice.

July 452: the Visigoths fail before the walls of Arles.

453: Beginning 453: the prefect of the court of Gaul, Tonance Férréol, forces the Visigoths to lift the siege of Arles.

March 15: Attila died the night of his nuptials with the German Ildico. He is buried secretly. The Huns, affected by an epidemic of plague, withdrew towards the Volga. Ellac is elected king of the Huns, but the people are divided. Dynastic war between the sons of Attila.

November 1: Theodoric II is proclaimed king of Visigoths after having murdered his brother Thorismond.

Current 453: Bagaudes revolts in Tarraconaise. Novempulania is invaded by the Vascons.

454: September 21: Assassination of Aetius by Emperor Valentinian III. The conspiracy included the eunuch Heracles and the consul Maxime Petrone.

Late 454: In Dalmatia, revolt by the Roman officer Marcellinus, who created an independent state.

455: March 16: Assassination of Valentinian III by Thraustila, his brother-in-law, and Optila, a bucellarian of Aetius, under the guidance of Maxime Petrone.

March 27: Maxim Petrone becomes western emperor, he forces Eudoxie, widow of Valentinian III, into marriage and names his son Palladius Caesar.

Early spring: Battle of the Nedao: Ellac, Attila’s eldest son, is beaten and killed by a coalition of German troops led by Ardaric, king of the Gepids. The Huns are fleeing east.

Current: the Visigoths are entrusted with the kingdom of Toulouse by Avitus, magister militum of Maxime Petrone.

May: called by Eudoxie, the Vandal Genséric arrives in Ostia.

May 31: For trying to flee after the announcement of the arrival of the Vandals, Maxime Petrone is lynched by the crowd.

June 2: Beginning of the looting of Rome by the Vandals of Genseric.

June 16: end of the sack of Rome. Genséric descends to the south with a huge booty, on its way, it plunders Capua and the region of Naples, before settling in Sicily.

July 7: in Beaucaire, the Gaulish senators choose Avitus Eparchius, an Arvern senator and former prefect of the Praetorium of Gaul, as their favorite to succeed Maxime Petrone.

July 9: In Arles, Avitus Eparchius is proclaimed Western Emperor. With the support of Theodoric II, he raised an army to march on Rome.

Current 455: Battle of Aylesford: defeat of the Breton king Vortigern at Aylesford against the Picts and Jutes of Horsa and Hengist, who changed sides. Horsa is killed in action. Hengist founds the kingdom of Kent, the first Anglo-Saxon kingdom on the island

February 7: Patrice Aspar proclaims the Thracian Leon 1st Emperor of the East. The emperor’s wife, Aelia Verina is named Augusta.

February 28: General Ricimer is appointed Patrice by Léon 1er. Ricimer installs Majorien on the throne of Occident.

March 29: In Alexandria, the Patriarch Protérius is killed by the monophysites, who replace him with Timothy.

April 1: Majorien is officially proclaimed emperor of the West – Leon 1st recognizes him only the rank of Caesar – and appoints Aegidius magister militum in Gaul.

Summer: Majorian’s army defeats the Alamans in Bellinzona. Aegidius runs a campaign on the left bank of the Rhine.

December 28: New proclamation of Majorien as August.

Current 457: presumed death of Mérovée. Returning from exile, Childéric 1er was proclaimed king of the Franks and married the Thuringian princess Bassina.