Ragenfrid

Ragenfrid

Ragenfrid (also Ragenfred, Raganfrid, or Ragamfred) (d.731) was the mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy from 715, when he filled the vacuum in Neustria caused by the death of Pepin of Heristal, until 718, when Charles Martel finally established himself over the whole Frankish kingdom.

His original centre of power was the Véxin. Dagobert III appointed him in opposition to Theudoald, son and heir of Pepin, and his grandmother Plectrude, but he was ignored by both Plectrude and Charles.

In 716, Ragenfrid and Dagobert's successor, Chilperic II, fought deep into the heartland of Arnulfing power: the Maas and Ardennes. They allied with Dagobert's old enemy, Duke Radbod of Frisia, and defeated their rival Charles near Cologne, in which he had been besieging Plectrude and Theudoald. Ragenfrid went and Chilperic forced Plectrude to surrender most of the Austrasian treasury, her grandson's claim to the mayoralty, and acknowledge Chilperic as king. At this juncture, Charles set up his own Merovingian king, Clotaire IV; Dagobert's true successor, Chilperic II, being a staunch ally of Ragenfrid and the Neustrian nation. Ragenfrid and his king allied with Odo the Great, duke of Aquitaine independent since 715, but was defeated at Amblève (near Liège) in 716, and in March, 717, at Vincy, near Cambrai, and then in 718 at Soissons. Ragenfrid was now decisively out of power and he fled to Angers; however, he did not give up yet. When Paris and the Loire Valley were taken and Odo gave up Chilperic, who Charles finally accepted (under his thumb) in 719, Ragenfrid then gave himself up (720) and was deprived of his office, left only with lands in Anjou.

In 724, the Neustrians rebelled under Ragenfrid, but they were easily defeated. However, Ragenfrid gave up his sons as hostages in turn for keeping his county. He lived on until 731.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Charles Martel — This article is about the Frankish Ruler. For other uses, see Charles Martel (disambiguation). Charles Martel, Frankish ruler Charles Martel is primarily famous fo …   Wikipedia

  • Battle of Soissons (718) — The Battle of Soissons of 718 was the last of the great pitched battles of the civil war between the heirs of Pepin of Heristal. Since Pepin s death in December 714, his grandson and heir Theudoald, his widow Plectrude, his bastard son Charles… …   Wikipedia

  • Chilperic II — For the Burgundian king ruling 443–480, see Chilperic II of Burgundy. v …   Wikipedia

  • Theodebald (maire du palais) — Théodebald (maire du palais) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Théodebald. Théodebald ou Théodald (v. 708 † 741 ?) est un fils illégitime de Grimoald II, et le maire des palais d Austrasie, de Neustrie et de Bourgogne de 714 à 717. Sommaire …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Théodebald (maire du palais) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Théodebald. Théodebald ou Théodald (v. 708 † 741 ?) est un fils illégitime de Grimoald II, et le maire des palais d Austrasie, de Neustrie et de Bourgogne de 714 à 717. Sommaire 1 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Francia — or Frankia, later also called the Frankish Empire ( la. imperium Francorum), Frankish Kingdom (Latin: regnum Francorum , Kingdom of the Franks ), Frankish Realm or occasionally Frankland, was the territory inhabited and ruled by the Franks from… …   Wikipedia

  • Battle of Compiègne — The Battle of Compiègne was fought on 26 September 715 and was the first definite battle of the civil war which followed the death of Pepin of Heristal, Duke of the Franks, on 16 December 714. Dagobert III had appointed one Ragenfrid as mayor of… …   Wikipedia

  • Battle of Vincy — The Battle of Vincy (Vincy is now called Les Rues des Vignes) was fought at Vincy, near Cambrai, in the modern département of Nord. It was a contest between Charles Martel and the Austrasians on one side and the king of the Franks, Chilperic II,… …   Wikipedia

  • Chlothar IV — (or Chlotar, Clothar, Clotaire, Chlotochar, or Hlothar, giving rise to Lothair; died ca. 719), king of Austrasia (717–18), was installed by the mayor of the palace, Charles Martel, as an ally during the civil war that was then raging. In 717,… …   Wikipedia

  • Theudoald — or Theodald was the mayor of the palace, briefly unopposed in 714 until Ragenfrid was acclaimed in Neustria and Charles Martel in Austrasia by the nobles, after the death of his grandfather, Pepin of Heristal. He was the illegitimate son of… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”