Ragenfrid
Encyclopedia
Ragenfrid (died 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
, grandson 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 Austrasia
n 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 Amel
(north of St. Vith) 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.
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 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...
and 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 715, when he filled the vacuum in Neustria caused by the death of Pepin of Heristal, until 718, when Charles Martel
Charles Martel
Charles Martel , also known as Charles the Hammer, was a Frankish military and political leader, who served as Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings and ruled de facto during an interregnum at the end of his life, using the title Duke and Prince of the Franks. In 739 he was offered the...
finally established himself over the whole Frankish
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
kingdom.
His original centre of power was the Véxin
Vexin
The Vexin is a historical county of northwestern France. It covers a verdant plateau on the right bank of the Seine comprising an area east-to-west between Pontoise and Romilly-sur-Andelle , and north-to-south between Auneuil and the Seine near Vernon...
. Dagobert III
Dagobert III
Dagobert III was Merovingian king of the Franks .He was a son of Childebert III. He succeeded his father as the head of the three Frankish kingdoms—Neustria and Austrasia, unified since Pippin's victory at Tertry in 687, and the Kingdom of Burgundy—in 711, at the age of twelve...
appointed him in opposition to Theudoald
Theudoald
Theudoald 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 Grimoald II and Theudesinda of Frisia and thus a grandson...
, grandson and heir of Pepin, and his grandmother Plectrude
Plectrude
Plectrude was the wife of Pepin of Herstal, the mayor of the palace and duke of the Franks, from about 670. She was the daughter of Hugobert, seneschal of Clovis IV, and Irmina d'Oeren....
, but he was ignored by both Plectrude and Charles.
In 716, Ragenfrid and Dagobert's successor, Chilperic II
Chilperic II
Chilperic II , born Daniel, the youngest son of Childeric II, was king of Neustria from 715 and sole king of the Franks from 718 until his death. He was the last Merovingian dynast to exercise any authority on his own....
, fought deep into the heartland of Arnulfing power: the Maas and Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
. They allied with Dagobert's old enemy, Duke Radbod
Radbod, King of the Frisians
Radbod was the king of Frisia from c. 680 until his death. He is often considered the last independent ruler of Frisia before Frankish domination. He defeated Charles Martel at Cologne. Eventually, however, Charles prevailed and compelled the Frisians to submit...
of Frisia
Frisia
Frisia is a coastal region along the southeastern corner of the North Sea, i.e. the German Bight. Frisia is the traditional homeland of the Frisians, a Germanic people who speak Frisian, a language group closely related to the English language...
, and defeated their rival Charles near Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, in which he had been besieging Plectrude and Theudoald. Ragenfrid went and Chilperic forced Plectrude to surrender most of the 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...
n 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
Clotaire IV
Chlothar IV , king of Austrasia , was installed by the mayor of the palace, Charles Martel, as an ally during the civil war that was then raging.In 717, Charles, returning to Neustria with an army to assault King Chilperic II and his mayor Ragenfrid, confirmed his...
; 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
Duke of Aquitaine
The Duke of Aquitaine ruled the historical region of Aquitaine under the supremacy of Frankish, English and later French kings....
independent since 715, but was defeated at Amel
Amel
Amel is a Belgian municipality in the Walloon province of Liège, and is part of the German-speaking Community of Belgium .On January 1, 2006 Amel had a total population of 5,282...
(north of St. Vith) in 716, and in March, 717, at Vincy
Battle of Vincy
The Battle of Vincy 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, and his mayor of the palace, Ragenfrid, on the other.Chilperic and Ragenfrid returned defeated...
, near Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
, and then in 718 at Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
. Ragenfrid was now decisively out of power and he fled to Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
; however, he did not give up yet. When Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and the Loire Valley
Loire Valley
The Loire Valley , spanning , is located in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France. Its area comprises approximately . It is referred to as the Cradle of the French Language, and the Garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards, and artichoke, asparagus, and...
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
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
.
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.