An Attempt to Date
the Merovingians
G.D.O'Bradovich III
September 5, 2015
Perhaps one of the great occult movements in the later 20th century was the furor over the speculations of a certain book that delved into the origins of the early Frankish kings. This historically heavy work is laden with genealogical information and we suspect that the authors were aware that if anyone attempted their own validation or confirmation of the book's conclusions, the researchers would find a lack of primary sources before the 16th century. If the authors were unaware of Scaliger's chronology, we are not ignorant and can enjoy the book as it hints about the origins of the Frankish kings after the fall of Troy. the migration to Gaul and the founding of Paris, France. In the accepted chronology this covers thousands of years, but with the Fall of Troy in the year 1204, the events are condensed and genealogical tables are no longer impossibly ancient.
We consult the Oxford English Dictionary for the Merovingians and the article was updated in September, 2001.
Etymology:
< French Mérovingien (1583 in Middle French as Merovingiens , plural noun)
< post-classical Latin Merovingi (plural noun) the dynasty of Clovis I (c466–511) (7th cent.;
< an Old Franconian compound of the name of Clovis's grandfather Merowig or Merovech (post-classical Latin Merovechus in Gregory of Tours), semi-legendary 5th-cent. king of the Salian Franks + the reflex of the Germanic base of -ing suffix3) + French -ien -ian suffix.
Compare Old English Merewīoing (noun) Merovingian, attested once in the following quot.:
OE Beowulf 2921 Us wæs a syððan Merewioingas milts [MS mere wio ingasmilts] ungyfeðe.
This form perhaps represents an early borrowing direct from post-classical Latin, with the ending partly remodelled after -ing suffix3 (and in the quot. with genitive singular ending -as for -es ); however, the reading has been disputed (partly as expected Old English forms would be *Merewing or *Meorowing ), and the following emendations have been suggested:
Merewigingas , genitive singular of the otherwise unattested *Merewīging Merovingian
( < an Old English form of the name of Merowig + -ing suffix3); or merewicingas , genitive singular of the otherwise unattested*merewīcing sea-viking
( < mere n.1 + Old English wīcing (see Viking n.)).
Hist.
A. adj.
Of, relating to, or designating the first dynasty of Frankish kings founded by Clovis (Chlodovech) and reigning in Gaul and Germany from about 500 to 751–2; belonging to or characteristic of this period. Also in Palaeogr.: designating or displaying the style of handwriting developed from Roman cursive during the Merovingian period.
1687 Philos. Trans. 1686–7 (Royal Soc.) 16 364 After them succeeded the Francick or Merovingian character.
1737 T. Lediard tr. J. J. Mascov Hist. Anc. Germans II. (title of vol.) From the foundation of the monarchy of the Franks, in Gaul, to the extinction of the Merovingian, and the beginning of the Carlovingian line, Ann. 751.
1781 Gibbon Decline & Fall III. xxxviii. 592 The wealth of the Merovingian princes consisted in their extensive domain.
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. I. i. ii. 11 The Merovingian Kings, slowly wending on their bullock-carts, through the streets of Paris.
1867 J. B. Davis Thes. Craniorum 74 Nos. 208 to 210 are from the Merovingian Cemetery at Envermeu, near Dieppe.
1892 E. M. Thompson Handbk. Greek & Lat. Palaeogr. xvi. 226 Merovingian Writing.
1900 Ld. Rosebery Napoleon xii. 152 The ladies of his party..had to be conveyed in a Merovingian equipage drawn by several yoke of oxen.
1914 Eng. Hist. Rev. Jan. 140 The devaluation of the ancient Merovingian pence.
1983 J. Hutchinson Lett. iii. 86 In France, similar styles took on a different development into what was called the Merovingian letter.
We note the thousand year gap between the founding of the dynasty and the first recorded English usage.
B. n.
A member or (occas.) a subject of the Merovingian dynasty. Also in Palaeogr.: the style of handwriting characteristic of the Merovingian period.
1694 Hist., Geogr. & Poet. Dict. Meroveans, or Merovingians, a Name given to the Kings of France of the First Race.
1781 Gibbon Decline & Fall III. xxxv. 400 The Franks..had wisely established the right of hereditary succession in the noble family of the Merovingians.
1856 Southern Q. Rev. Aug. 409 Egypt was then governed by the last of the Fatimate kings—as contemptible as the Merovingians, imbecile and luxurious, who lived in their marble palaces, at Cairo.
1892 E. M. Thompson Handbk. Greek & Lat. Palaeogr. xvi. 231 The extravagances of the cursive Merovingian.
1910 Encycl. Brit. I. 241/2 In the Frankish kingdom, under the Merovingians, these lay representatives of the churches appear as agentes, defensores and advocati.
1991 Hist. Workshop Spring 209 The Greeks loved beauty and therefore youth, the Romans were practical and authoritarian, the Merovingians were barbaric.
The above citations in chronological order.
OE Us wæs a syððan Merewioingas milts [MS mere wio ingasmilts] ungyfeðe.
1583 Merovingiens. Middle French
Before the year 1600, the OED provides only two examples of the word.
1687 After them succeeded the Francick or Merovingian character.
1694 Meroveans, or Merovingians, a Name given to the Kings of France of the First Race.
1737 .... the extinction of the Merovingian...
1781 The Franks... in the noble family of the Merovingians.
1781 The wealth of the Merovingian princes consisted in their extensive domain.
1837 The Merovingian Kings, slowly wending on their bullock-carts, through the streets of Paris.
1856 ...as contemptible as the Merovingians, imbecile and luxurious,...
1867 Nos. 208 to 210 are from the Merovingian Cemetery at Envermeu, near Dieppe.
1892 Merovingian Writing.
1892 The extravagances of the cursive Merovingian.
1900 The ladies of his party..had to be conveyed in a Merovingian equipage drawn...
1910 In the Frankish kingdom, under the Merovingians, these lay representatives of the churches ...
1914 The devaluation of the ancient Merovingian pence.
1983 In France, similar styles took on a different development into what was called the Merovingian letter.
1991 ... were practical and authoritarian, the Merovingians were barbaric.
OE Us wæs a syððan Merewioingas milts [MS mere wio ingasmilts] ungyfeðe.
1583 Merovingiens. Middle French
Before the year 1600, the OED provides only two examples of the word.
1687 After them succeeded the Francick or Merovingian character.
1694 Meroveans, or Merovingians, a Name given to the Kings of France of the First Race.
1737 .... the extinction of the Merovingian...
1781 The Franks... in the noble family of the Merovingians.
1781 The wealth of the Merovingian princes consisted in their extensive domain.
1837 The Merovingian Kings, slowly wending on their bullock-carts, through the streets of Paris.
1856 ...as contemptible as the Merovingians, imbecile and luxurious,...
1867 Nos. 208 to 210 are from the Merovingian Cemetery at Envermeu, near Dieppe.
1892 Merovingian Writing.
1892 The extravagances of the cursive Merovingian.
1900 The ladies of his party..had to be conveyed in a Merovingian equipage drawn...
1910 In the Frankish kingdom, under the Merovingians, these lay representatives of the churches ...
1914 The devaluation of the ancient Merovingian pence.
1983 In France, similar styles took on a different development into what was called the Merovingian letter.
1991 ... were practical and authoritarian, the Merovingians were barbaric.
Conclusion
While we do not doubt of the long existence of kings in France, attested and otherwise, we question the usage of "Merovingian" to describe 6th century rulers. The Gentle Reader may reach alternate conclusions.
While we do not doubt of the long existence of kings in France, attested and otherwise, we question the usage of "Merovingian" to describe 6th century rulers. The Gentle Reader may reach alternate conclusions.