- Clovis II
-
Tomb of Clovis II (foreground) and Charles Martel in Saint Denis Basilica
"Hommage to [the Child-King] Clovis II", by Albert Maignan, 1883 (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen).Clovis II (637 – 27 November 655 or 658) succeeded his father Dagobert I in 639 as King of Neustria and Burgundy. His brother Sigebert III had been King of Austrasia since 634. He was initially under the regency of his mother Nanthild until her death in her early thirties in 642. This death allowed him to fall under the influence of the secular magnates, who reduced the royal power in their own favour. Clovis' wife, Balthild, was an Anglo-Saxon aristocrat sold into slavery in Gaul. She had been owned by Clovis' mayor of the palace, Erchinoald, who gave her to him to garner royal favour. She bore him three sons who all became kings after his death. The eldest, Chlothar, succeeded him and his second eldest, Childeric, was eventually placed on the Austrasian throne by Ebroin. The youngest, Theuderic, succeeded Childeric in Neustria and eventually became the sole king of the Franks.
Clovis was a minor for almost the whole of his reign. He is sometimes regarded as king of Austrasia during the interval 656–57 when Childebert the Adopted had usurped the throne. He is often regarded as an early roi fainéant.
Clovis II was buried in Saint Denis Basilica, Paris.
Clovis IIBorn: 637 Died: 655Preceded by
Dagobert IKing of Neustria and Burgundy
639–655Succeeded by
Chlothar IIIMerovingian monarchs 
Childeric I (457–481) • Clovis I (481–511) • Childebert I (511–558) • Chlodomer (511–524) • Theuderic I (511–533) • Theudebert I (533–548) • Theudebald (548–555) • Chlothar I the Old (511–561) • Charibert I (561–567) • Guntram (561–592) • Sigebert I (561–575) • Childebert II (575–595) • Theudebert II (595–612) • Theuderic II (612–613) • Sigebert II (613) • Chilperic I (561–584) • Chlothar II the Great (584–623) • Dagobert I (623–634) • Charibert II (629–632) • Chilperic (632) • Sigebert III (634–656) • Childebert the Adopted (656–661) • Clovis II (639–657) • Chlothar III (657–673) • Childeric II (662–675) • Theuderic III (675–691) • Dagobert II (675–679) • Clovis IV (691–695) • Childebert III the Just (695–711) • Dagobert III (711–715) • Chilperic II (715–721) • Chlothar IV (717–720) • Theuderic IV (721–737) • Childeric III (743–751)
Categories:- Merovingian dynasty
- Frankish kings
- Kings of Burgundy
- 637 births
- 650s deaths
- Medieval child rulers
- 7th-century rulers in Europe
- Burials at the Basilica of St Denis
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
