THEODERICH ([485]-end 533, buried in Metz). Gregory of Tours names Theoderich as son of King Clovis by one of his mistresses, born before his marriage to Clotilde. “Theodorico, Chlomiro, Hildeberto, Hlodario” are named (in order) as sons of “Chlodoveus” in the Regum Merowingorum Genealogia. In 508, he led his father’s campaign against the Visigoths, allied with the Burgundians, and temporarily occupied Aquitaine. He succeeded his father in 511 as THEODERICH I King of the Franks, based at Reims, his territory covering the right bank of the Rhine, the Moselle valley and Champagne, the lands which were later to become the kingdom of Austrasia. He helped Hermanfrid King of the Thuringians defeat the latter’s brother Baderic, after being promised half his kingdom, a promise which was not kept.

Gregory of Tours records that King Theoderich and his half-brother King Clotaire invaded Thuringia in 531, deposed King Hermanfred (who was later killed) and annexed the Kingdom. The Liber Historiæ Francorum records that “Theudericus et Theudobertus filius eius et Chlotharius rex” invaded Thuringia and attacked “Ermenfredum regem Toringorum”, a marginal addition recording that “Theodoricus filius Clodovei ex concubina” threw “Ermenfridum regem” from a wall and killed his two sons. Adam of Bremen names “Hadugato” as the duke of the Saxons to whom “Theodoricus rex Francorum” sent legates, undated but recorded immediately after the Thuringian invasion of 531. Gregory of Tours records the death of Theoderich in the twenty third year of his reign. The assumed birth date range of King Theoderich’s son, Theodebert, indicates that the king’s known wife, the daughter of the Burgundian King, could not have been Theodebert’s mother, considering her estimated birth date. The King must therefore have been married earlier, or at least have had an earlier concubine, although no information has been found about this first partner in any of the primary sources consulted. Europäische Stammtafeln states that the King’s first wife was named “Suavegotta (died by 566)”. Presumably this is based on Flodoard’s history of Reims, quoted below under the king’s second wife. If this is correct, the King must have repudiated his first wife before marrying the Burgundian King’s daughter. However, no indication has been found in any source about such a repudiation. It is more natural to assume that, if Suavegotha was indeed the name of one of Theoderich’s wives (which in itself cannot be proved conclusively as discussed further below), she was his second wife. ([507/16]) [SUAVE GOTHA] of Burgundy, daughter of SIGISMOND King of Burgundy & his first wife Ostrogotha of the Ostrogoths (495 or later-[after 549]). Gregory of Tours records that Theoderich King of the Franks married the daughter of Sigismond but does not name her. Gregory does not name the mother of King Theoderich’s wife, but chronologically it is more probable that she was born from King Sigismond’s first marriage, which is also suggested by the root “-gotha” in her first name. Her name is suggested by Flodoard’s history of the church of Reims, dated to the mid-10th century. This source records that “Suavegotta regina” bequeathed one third of “ville Virisiaci” by testament to the church of Reims during the bishopric of Bishop Mapinius, subject to the life interest of “Teudichildi prefate regine filie”, adding that the latter later confirmed the donation during the bishopric of Bishop Egidius. The identification of “Suave Gotha regina” as King Theoderich’s wife depends on the identification of “Teudchildi” as their daughter which, as explained in more detail below, is uncertain. The link cannot therefore definitively be made between “Suavegotha” and the daughter of Sigismund King of Burgundy. Nevertheless, the chronology for such a link is favourable, as the editor of the Monumenta Germaniæ Scriptores edition of Flodoard dates Mapinius’s bishopric to “ca 549-573” and Egidius’s to “ca 573-590”. King Theoderich & his first [wife/concubine] had one child:
THEODEBERT