Protadius
Encyclopedia
Protadius was the mayor of the palace
of Burgundy
from 604, when he displaced his rival Berthoald
, until his death two years later. He was originally the noble lover of Brunhilda, the grandmother of and regent
for King Theuderic II
. She, however, desired to raise him to status in the kingdom and had him given the patricianship over the lands east of the Jura
, whose duke, Wandalmar, had died in 604. She then conspired to do away with Berthoald, mayor of the palace, by sending him with only 300 men to the region of the Seine
. Attacked by Clotaire II
of Neustria
's son, Merovech, and his mayor, Landric
, Berthoald died in the ensuing battle when he realised that he had nothing to lose, for he was no longer safe at court.
Protadius was appointed to succeed Berthoald, though the Chronicle of Fredegar
remarks that he had the capabilities of his predecessor, but not his virtues. Perhaps frightened by the same schemes which had ensured his elevation, he undermined the nobility to secure his position and was an exceedingly cruel extortionist. His paramour Brunhilda pressured her grandson to go to war against her other grandson, Theudebert II
of Austrasia
, and Protadius was put in charge of the army. At the palace of Quierzy
, Theuderic assembled the army, but the men did not want to fight their countrymen and the Duke of Alemannia, Uncelen
, declared that the king ordered Protadius' death. Protadius was promptly killed by the warriors and the king was forced to sign a treaty.
Mayor of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval title and office, also called majordomo, from the Latin title maior domus , used most notably in the Frankish kingdoms in the 7th and 8th centuries....
of Burgundy
Kingdom of Burgundy
Burgundy is a historic region in Western Europe that has existed as a political entity in a number of forms with very different boundaries. Two of these entities - the first around the 6th century, the second around the 11th century - have been called the Kingdom of Burgundy; a third was very...
from 604, when he displaced his rival Berthoald
Berthoald
Berthoald was the mayor of the palace of Burgundy from some time before 603 until his death in the next year...
, until his death two years later. He was originally the noble lover of Brunhilda, the grandmother of and regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
for King Theuderic II
Theuderic II
Theuderic II , king of Burgundy and Austrasia , was the second son of Childebert II...
. She, however, desired to raise him to status in the kingdom and had him given the patricianship over the lands east of the Jura
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
, whose duke, Wandalmar, had died in 604. She then conspired to do away with Berthoald, mayor of the palace, by sending him with only 300 men to the region of the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
. Attacked by Clotaire II
Clotaire II
Chlothar II , called the Great or the Young , King of Neustria, and, from 613 to 629, King of all the Franks, was not yet born when his father, King Chilperic I died in 584...
of Neustria
Neustria
The territory of Neustria or Neustrasia, meaning "new [western] land", originated in 511, made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel, approximating most of the north of present-day France, with Paris and Soissons as its main cities...
's son, Merovech, and his mayor, Landric
Landric
Landric was the mayor of the palace of Neustria. According to the Vita Aldegundis, he and his probable brother Gundoland were uncles of Saint Aldegunda. The chief sources for his reign are the Chronicle of Fredegar and the Liber Historiae Francorum.Landric was a supporter of Fredegund in her...
, Berthoald died in the ensuing battle when he realised that he had nothing to lose, for he was no longer safe at court.
Protadius was appointed to succeed Berthoald, though the Chronicle of Fredegar
Chronicle of Fredegar
The Chronicle of Fredegar is a chronicle that is a primary source of events in Frankish Gaul from 584 to around 641. Later authors continued the history to the coronation of Charlemagne and his brother Carloman on 9 October 768....
remarks that he had the capabilities of his predecessor, but not his virtues. Perhaps frightened by the same schemes which had ensured his elevation, he undermined the nobility to secure his position and was an exceedingly cruel extortionist. His paramour Brunhilda pressured her grandson to go to war against her other grandson, Theudebert II
Theudebert II
Theudebert II , King of Austrasia , was the son and heir of Childebert II. He received the kingdom of Austrasia plus the cities of Poitiers, Tours, Vellay, Bordeaux, and Châteaudun, as well as the Champagne, the Auvergne, and Transjurane Alemannia, on the death of his father in 595, but was...
of Austrasia
Austrasia
Austrasia formed the northeastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising parts of the territory of present-day eastern France, western Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Metz served as its capital, although some Austrasian kings ruled from Rheims, Trier, and...
, and Protadius was put in charge of the army. At the palace of Quierzy
Quierzy-sur-Oise
Quierzy is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, straddling the Oise River between Noyon and Chauny.-History:...
, Theuderic assembled the army, but the men did not want to fight their countrymen and the Duke of Alemannia, Uncelen
Uncelen
Uncelen, Uncelin, or Uncilin was the Duke of Alemannia from 587 to 607. He was appointed to replace Leutfred by the Austrasian king Childebert II....
, declared that the king ordered Protadius' death. Protadius was promptly killed by the warriors and the king was forced to sign a treaty.
Sources
- Oman, CharlesCharles OmanSir Charles William Chadwick Oman was a British military historian of the early 20th century. His reconstructions of medieval battles from the fragmentary and distorted accounts left by chroniclers were pioneering...
. The Dark Ages 476-918. Rivingtons: LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 1914. - Selle-Hosbach, K. Prosopographie Merowingischer Amtsträger in der zeit von 511-613. BonnBonnBonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, 1974. - Wallace-Hadrill, J.M.John Michael Wallace-HadrillJohn Michael Wallace-Hadrill CBE was Professor of Mediaeval History at the University of Manchester , a Senior Research Fellow of Merton College in the University of Oxford , Chichele Professor of Modern History, University of Oxford and a Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford...
The fourth book of the Chronicle of Fredegar. LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 1960.