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LECTURE IO Division ofterritory among the sons ofthe Frankish kings. ~ Rapid formation and disappearance ofseveral Frank kingdoms. ~ Neustria andAustrasia; their geographical division. ~ Early predominance of Neustria. ~ Fredegonde and Brunehaut. ~ Elevation ofthe Mayors of the Palace. ~ True character oftheir power. ~ The Pepin family. ~ Charles Martel. ~ Fall ofthe Merovingians. I HAVE already explained to you how we must understand the historical phrase which attributes to Clovis the foundation ofthe French monarchy. In the sense and within the limits which I have indicated, Clovis, at his death, was king of the whole ofFrance, excepting the kingdoms ofthe Burgundians and Visigoths. After his decease, each of his four sons received a portion of his dominions. Theodoric ruled at Metz, Chlodomir at Orleans, Childebert at Paris, and Clotaire at Soissons. The nature of this division has given rise to considerable dissension among learned men; but I think the question may be easily solved. In order to retain his power, it was necessary for the chieftain or king to possess large private domains; in all his warlike expeditions, he acquired for himself large tracts of territory; Clovis had thus obtained immense landed property wherever he had made a conquest. At his death, these estates were divided among his children, as were also his other possessions, flocks, herds, jewels, money, treasures ofall kinds: these supplied their owners with the surest means of attaining power. Moreover, it was the custom of the Frankish kings to associate their sons with them in the government, by sending them to reside in that district or province which was afterwards to constitute their kingdom. They thus endeavoured to secure the prevalence ofhereditary right over election. The sons of the king became in their turn the natural chieftains of the countries in which they actually possessed the most power. Thus we find that Clotaire II., in 622, associated with himself his son Dagobert, and sent him to Austrasia. Dagobert did the same, in 633, for his son Sigebert. From this division ofprivate domains and participation in royal power, it was easy to pass to the political partition ofthe kingdom. It is more difficult to 75 REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONS IN ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND SPAIN discover whether these partitions were made by the dying king, in his own authority , or by the national assembly. At a later period, under the second race, we find Pepin, Charlemagne and Louis the Debonnair, positively obtaining the consent of the assembly of barons to the division of their states among their children. Facts are not so clear and authentic under the Merovingians. However , as the accession ofthe second race was a return to old Germanic manners, it is probable that, in the time of Clovis and his successors, every heir, on receiving his portion, was obliged to gain the consent ofthe chiefs ofthe country. Five partitions of this kind occurred under the Merovingians; in 511, after the death of Clovis; in 561, after Clotaire I.; in 638, after Dagobert I.; in 656, after Clovis II. From 678 to 752, the whole monarchy was actually united under the authority ofthe Pepin family, who were originally Mayors ofthe Palace ofAustrasia , and nominally under that of titular kings, the first four and the sixth of whom descended from the kings of Neustria, and the fifth and seventh from those ofAustrasia. The kingdoms which were constituted by the five partitions which I have just mentioned, were those of Metz, Orleans, Paris, Soissons, Austrasia, Burgundy, Neustria, and Aquitaine. I shall not here speak ofthe vicissitudes and perpetual dismemberments ofthese various kingdoms at various times. I should have only to relate a long series of wars and murders. The ancient kingdom of Burgundy was conquered by the children of Clovis I.; a new kingdom of Burgundy arose, in which the kingdom of Orleans was incorporated. The new kingdom ofBurgundy was invaded, sometimes by the kings of Neustria, sometimes by those of Austrasia. The kingdom of Aquitaine appears for a moment only under Childebert II., son of Clotaire II., in 628, and about 716, under Eudes, duke of Aquitaine, who declared himself an independent monarch. At length, these four kingdoms disappeared; the fundamental conflict and division was between the kingdoms of Neustria and Austrasia, the two largest, and last survlVmg. The geographical division of the kingdoms ofNeustria and Austrasia is uncertain and variable. We find the kings ofAustrasia possessing countries far distant from the center oftheir government-countries, too, which seem to be naturally placed by their position under the sway ofthe kings ofNeustria. Thus, they were...

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