 Bef 0535 - Bef 0584 (< 49 years)
-
| Name |
MEROVINGIAN Chilperic |
| Birth |
Bef 0535 |
| Gender |
Male |
| Death |
Bef 09 Oct 0584 |
Chelles, Ile-de-France  |
| Notes |
- Chilperic I, King of the Franks: Soissons [1][2]
Birth and Parents
Chilperich was the son of Clotaire 1 (Chlothachar), KIng of the Franks, and his fourth wife Arnegundis. Chilperich was born before 535. [1]
Many internet resources list him as the son of Ingund Thuringen, but Gregory of Tours gives his mother as Ingund's sister Arnegundis/Aregonde. [1]
549 First Marriage to Audovere
Chilperich married firstly, in 549, Audovere, who was murdered in 580. Gregory of Tours names Audovera as one of the earlier consorts of King Chilperich and Herimannus records that "Audoveram reginam commatrem suam [=Geislundam]" was strangled by her husband's concubine "Fridegundis". Cawley adds that Gregory of Tours records that the mother of Clovis was "murdered in the most cruel fashion", dated to late 580 from the context. [1]
561 Reign
Chilperich succeeded his father in 561 as Chilperich I King of the Franks. His territories covered those previously held by his father, with Soissons as his capital. Cawley notes that "The Marii Episcopi Aventicensis Chronica records that "filii ipsius Charibertus, Guntegramnus, Hilpericus et Sigibertus" divided the kingdom between them on the death of their father in 561" and that "Gregory of Tours records that King Chilperich was forced to flee by his half-brother King Sigebert who conquered his territories. He captured Neustria on the death of his brother King Charibert. [1]
564 Second Marriage to Galswintha
In 564 Chilperich married secondly Galswintha of the Visigoths, daughter of Atanagildo, KIng of the Visigoths, and his wife Gosvinta. [1]
Galswintha was murdered in 567. [1]
Cawley notes that Gregory of Tours records the marriage of King Chilperich and Galswintha, older daughter of King Atanagildo, after the marriage of King Sigebert to her younger sister, specifying that she converted from Arianism to Catholicism and came to France with a large dowry, but never stopped complaining to the king about the insults she had to endure, her husband eventually having her garrotted by one of his servants. Herimannus names "Geisluindam, sororem Brunæ [filiam Athanagildi regis Gothorum]" as wife of "Hilpericus frater Sigibertus rex", recording that she was strangled by her husband's concubine "Fridegundis". [1]
568 Third Marriage to Fredegonde
Chilperich married, thirdly, Fredegonde. [1]
Fredegone died in 597 and was buried in Paris at Saint-Germain-des-Prés). Gregory of Tours records that King Chilperich married Frédégonde before his marriage to Galswintha, specifying that a great quarrel ensued between the two of them. It is assumed that this indicates that Frédégonde was the king's mistress before his second marriage. Fredegode plotted actively in favour of her sons at the expense of her husband's children by his first marriage. It is likely that she ordered the murder of her brother-in-law King Sigebert I. [1]
According to the 8th century source, Liber Historiae Francorum, she murdered her husband after he discovered that she was having an affair. [1]
She was regent for her son King Clotaire II after his succession in 584. Fredegar records that Frédégonde died "in the second year of the reign of Theodebert". [1]
Fredegonde had six children with Chilperich. [1]
584 Death
Chilperich was murdered in Chelles between 27 September and 9 October 584 and buried at Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris. [1] Gregory of Tours records the murder of King Chilperich at Chelles but his burial in the church of St Vincent in Paris. [1]
Issue
Children of King Chilperich and his first wife:
Theodebert (Thibert) (548/51-573) Killed
Merovech (murdered 577)
Chlodovech, (murdered 580)
Basina, daughter, tricked by Fredegund's servants into entering nunnery, died after 590
Childeswindis, born about 567.
Children of King Chilperich and his third wife
Rigunthis (Merovingian) Soissons Rigundis, born 569
Chlodebert (Merovingian) Franken Chlodebert, died 580 Soissons St Médard
Samson or Samon (573-late 577)
Dagobert (Merovingian) Soissons Dagobert (579/80-580)
Theoderich (582/3, Parish - early 584)
Chlothachar (Merovingian) Franken Chlothachar or Clotaire (Spring 584-18 October 629)
Research Notes
Move to Children's Profiles
King Chilperich I & his first wife had five children:
1. THEODEBERT [Thibert] ([548/51]-killed 573, bur Angoulême). Gregory of Tours names (in order) Theudebert, Merovech and Clovis as the sons of King Chilperich and Audovera[327]. Gregory records that Theodebert was captured at Soissons by his uncle King Sigebert I and imprisoned for a year at Ponthion before being sent back to his father[328]. He led his father's troops against his uncle in 573, devastated Touraine, but was killed by Duke Godogisel and Boso[329].
2. MEROVECH (-murdered Thérouanne 577, bur 584 Paris, Saint-Germain-des-Prés). Gregory of Tours names (in order) Theudebert, Merovech and Clovis as the sons of King Chilperich and Audovera[330]. Merovech was held in custody following his marriage, tonsured and sent to the monastery of Anille at Le Mans, but sought refuge in the church of St Martin at Tours before being murdered after he went into hiding in the area of Reims[331]. The Marii Episcopi Aventicensis Chronica records that "Meroveus filius Hilperici" was killed in 578[332]. m (Rouen after Easter 576) as her second husband, BRUNECHILDIS [Brunequilda/Brunechilde] of the Visigoths, widow of SIGEBERT I King of the Franks, daughter of ATANAGILDO King of the Visigoths & his wife Gosvinta --- ([545/50]-Renève-sur-Vingeanne Autumn 613, bur Autun, abbaye de Saint-Martin). Gregory records that Merovech married his uncle's widow in Rouen soon after Easter in the year following her first husband's murder[333].
3. CHLODOVECH [Clovis] (-murdered Noisy-le-Grand end 580, bur Noisy-le-Grand, transferred 584 to Paris, Saint-Germain-des-Prés). Gregory of Tours names (in order) Theudebert, Merovech and Clovis as the sons of King Chilperich and Audovera[334]. Gregory records that he was driven out of Tours and fled to Bordeaux before succeeding in returning to his father[335]. He also records that Clovis's father, at the suggestion of Frédégonde, sent Clovis to Berny in the hope that he would die of the same disease as his younger half-brothers, and that Clovis was later murdered on the orders of Frédégonde[336]. Gregory of Tours records that his body was found and reburied in Paris St Vincent by King Gontran[337].
4. BASINA (-after 590). Gregory of Tours records that the sister of Clovis was "tricked by Fredegund's servants and persuaded into entering a nunnery…where she remains to this day"[338], dated to late 580 from the context, although it is not certain that this relates to Basina. Gregory names Basina as the daughter of King Chilperich and Audovera whom her father confined in a nunnery in Poitiers, when recording that in 584 her father considered sending her to Spain as the bride for Recared, in place of her half-sister[339]. Gregory also records that she became a nun at the convent of Sainte-Croix in Poitiers, but was involved in the revolt against abbess Leubovera[340].
5. CHILDESWINDIS [Childesinde] ([567]-). The Liber Historiæ Francorum names "Childesinda" as the daughter of King Chilperich & his first wife[341].
King Chilperich II & his third wife had six children:
6. RIGUNDIS ([569]-). Gregory of Tours names "Princess Rigunth" when recounting that she sympathised when Gregory was accused of treachery by her mother[342]. Gregory names Rigunth as daughter of King Chilperich when recording her betrothal to Recared, son of King Leuvigild, and her voyage to Spain with a large retinue[343]. On learning of the death of her father, she was abandoned before returning to her mother's palace where she led a life of debauchery[344]. Betrothed (early 584) to RECAREDO of the Visigoths, son of LEOVIGILDO King of the Visigoths & his first wife Theodosia --- (-Toledo mid-Jun or Dec 601). He was elected to succeed his father in 586 as RECAREDO King of the Visigoths.
7. CHLODEBERT (-Soissons St Médard 580, bur Soissons St Crispin and St Crispinian). Gregory of Tours names Chlodebert as the son of Chilperich & Frédégonde when recording his death in the church of St Médard, Soissons and his burial "in the church of the holy martyrs Crispin and Crispinian"[345], the context of the passage dating the event to 580.
8. SAMSON (573-late 577). Gregory of Tours names Samson as the younger son of Chilperich & Fredegund when recording his death after having a high temperature and diarrhoea "before completing his fifth year"[346], the context of the passage dating the event to late 577.
9. DAGOBERT ([579/80]-580, bur Saint-Denis). Gregory of Tours refers to (but does not name) a younger son of Chilperich & Fredegund when recording his hurried baptism while dying and his burial in Paris Saint-Denis[347], the context of the passage dating the event to 580. Fortunatus, dated to the late 6th century, wrote an epitaph to “Dagoberto…puerilis obis”, naming "Chlodovechi…proavi…Chilpericque patris, vel Fredegunde genus"[348].
10. THEODERICH ([582/83], chr Paris 18 Apr 583-early 584, bur Paris). Gregory of Tours records the birth of a son to King Chilperich and his baptism at Easter with the name Theoderich by Ragnemod Bishop of Paris[349], dated from the context to [582/83]. Gregory records his death from dysentery a year after his baptism and his burial in Paris[350].
11. CHLOTHACHAR [Clotaire] (Spring 584-[18] Oct 629, bur Paris, Saint-Germain-des-Prés). Gregory of Tours records the birth of a son to King Chilperich[351], dated to early 584 from the context, although in a later passage in which he names him Clotaire he records that he was four months old when his father died[352]. He succeeded his father in 584 as CLOTAIRE II King of the Franks, under the regency of his mother Queen Frédégonde.
Sources
↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Charles Cawley. Medieval Lands: A Prosopography of Medieval European Noble and Royal Families. Chilperich. Online at Foundation for Medieval Genealogy Website (accessed 7 January 2022) jhd
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| Person ID |
I58166 |
Freeman-Smith |
| Last Modified |
27 Jan 2026 |
| Family |
UNKNOWN Frédégonde, b. Abt 0543, Montdidier ou Angicourt, Royaume de Soissons d. Abt 08 Dec 0597, Paris, Neustrie (Age 54 years) |
| Marriage |
0568 |
| Children |
| | 1. MEROVINGIAN Chlothachar, b. 0584, Paris, France d. Abt 18 Oct 0629, Church of St Vincent, Paris, France (Age ~ 45 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
|
| Family ID |
F25944 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
27 Jan 2026 |
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