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 657 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.

External links

• Media related to Clovis II at Wikimedia Commons

Merovingian 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)

French monarchs
Detailed family tree Simplified family tree
Merovingians	Clovis I Childebert I Chlothar I Charibert I Guntram Chilperic I Sigebert I Childebert II Chlothar II Dagobert I Sigebert II Clovis II Chlothar III Childeric II Theuderic III Clovis IV Childebert III Dagobert III Chilperic II Chlothar IV Theuderic IV Childeric III
Carolingians, Robertians and Bosonids	Pepin the Short Carloman I Charlemagne (Charles I) Louis I Charles II Louis II Louis III Carloman II Charles the Fat OdoR Charles III Robert IR RudolphB Louis IV Lothair Louis V
Capet	Hugh Capet Robert II Henry I Philip I Louis VI Louis VII Philip II Louis VIII Louis IX Philip III Philip IV Louis X John I Philip V Charles IV
Valois	Philip VI John II Charles V Charles VI Charles VII Louis XI Charles VIII Louis XII Francis I Henry II Francis II Charles IX Henry III
Bourbon	Henry IV Louis XIII Louis XIV Louis XV Louis XVI Louis XVII
Bonaparte (1st Empire)	Napoleon I Napoleon II
Bourbon (Restoration)	Louis XVIII Charles X Louis XIX Henry V
Orléans (July Monarchy)	Louis Philippe I
Bonaparte (2nd Empire)	Napoleon III
Debatable or disputed rulers are in italics