de Metz

Saint Chlodulf (St. Cloud) of Metz

c. 605 – 8 June 696/697 AD

Saint Chlodulf—also known as Clodulphe, Clodould, or more commonly as St. Cloud—was a prominent ecclesiastical figure in the Merovingian realm and a key member of the Carolingian ancestral line. Born around AD 605, he was the son of Saint Arnulf, Bishop of Metz, and the younger brother of Ansegisel, Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia. Through his family, Chlodulf was part of the founding generation that would later give rise to the Carolingian dynasty.

Before entering clerical life, Chlodulf is believed to have married a noblewoman whose name has not been preserved. From this union, he fathered a son, Aunulf. He is also traditionally recognized as the father of Kunza de Metz, who would later marry Saint Warinus, forming an important dynastic link among the Austrasian nobility.

In 657, Chlodulf succeeded as Bishop of Metz, becoming the third successor of his father in that office. He held the bishopric for an exceptional forty years, during which time he was known for his piety, diplomatic skill, and patronage of religious art. He notably embellished and enriched the Cathedral of Saint Stephen, reinforcing Metz's position as a spiritual and political center in Austrasia.

Chlodulf maintained close ties to other saints of the Merovingian world, most notably his sister-in-law Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, abbess and co-founder of the monastery at Nivelles. His connection to Gertrude contributed to his veneration in Nivelles, where he became known locally as Saint Clou.

Chlodulf died in Metz around 8 June 696 or 697, and was buried with honor in the Church of Saint Arnulf, alongside his illustrious father. His feast day is commemorated on June 8, particularly in Metz and Nivelles.

Though often overshadowed by more politically dominant members of his lineage, Saint Chlodulf's long episcopate, familial connections, and contributions to the Church mark him as a significant figure in the Christianization and cultural development of early medieval Gaul.

Saint Arnulf of Metz

c. 582 – 640 AD

Patriarch of the Carolingian Line – Bishop, Statesman, and Saint

Saint Arnulf of Metz (also known as Arnoul or Arnold) was a towering figure of early Frankish Christendom and a foundational patriarch of the Carolingian dynasty. Born into a distinguished Austrasian noble family around 582 AD, Arnulf served as a military commander, court advisor, bishop, and eventually hermit. His life reflects the entwined nature of secular power and spiritual authority that characterized the Merovingian age.

Origins and Family

Arnulf was likely the son of Bodegisel, Duke of the Sueves and Mayor of the Palace, and Saint Oda, Abbess of Amay. He married Clotilde of Heristal (also referred to in some sources as Doda), daughter of Arnoldus of Schelde, Bishop of Metz, further strengthening ties between ecclesiastical and noble lineages. Arnulf and Clotilde had several children, including Chlodulf, later Bishop of Metz, and Ansegisel, who married Begga, daughter of Pepin of Landen, thereby linking Arnulf directly to the Carolingian dynasty. He was thus the grandfather of Pepin of Herstal, great-grandfather of Charles Martel, and third great-grandfather of Charlemagne.

Service to the Merovingian Court

Arnulf rose to prominence at the court of King Theudebert II of Austrasia, where he served with distinction in both civil administration and military campaigns. At one time, he had oversight of six provinces. Despite his worldly role, Arnulf felt a deep calling to spiritual life. Around 611, he was consecrated as Bishop of Metz, succeeding his father-in-law and continuing the powerful episcopal dynasty of Metz. His tenure coincided with significant political unrest, including the turbulent rule of Queen Brunhilda.

In 613, Arnulf allied with Pepin of Landen and other nobles to overthrow Brunhilda, leading to her infamous execution and the reunification of the Frankish kingdoms under Chlothar II. Arnulf played a pivotal advisory role in the reign of Dagobert I, Chlothar's son, helping stabilize Austrasian governance. However, Arnulf remained conflicted about the burden of power and was allegedly involved in the politically motivated assassination of Chrodoald, a leader of the Agilolfing faction.

Retirement and Monastic Life

In 628, Arnulf renounced his bishopric and retreated to the Vosges mountains to pursue a life of penitence and solitude. There, he joined his friend Romaric, who had already founded Remiremont Abbey with the monk Amatus. Arnulf lived the rest of his days as a hermit, dedicating himself to prayer and monastic simplicity until his death in 640.

He was buried at Remiremont, but his relics were later transferred to Metz, where his cult flourished. He was canonized as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, revered not only for his political acumen and ecclesiastical leadership but also for the miracles and legends associated with his memory.

Legends of Saint Arnulf

• The Legend of the Ring: Tormented by guilt for his worldly entanglements, Arnulf threw his episcopal ring into the Moselle River as a symbolic act of penance. Years later, the ring miraculously reappeared inside a fish, signaling divine forgiveness. Arnulf immediately resigned his office and embraced monastic life.

• The Fire of Metz: Upon resigning the bishopric, a fire broke out in the city. Arnulf confronted the flames, made the sign of the cross, and the fire receded—an act seen as evidence of divine favor.

• The Beer Miracle: During the transfer of his relics to Metz, the faithful were plagued by thirst and exhaustion. Through Arnulf's intercession, a small remnant of beer miraculously multiplied, refreshing the pilgrims—a miracle that has made him one of the patron saints of brewers.

Legacy

Saint Arnulf of Metz occupies a foundational place in both ecclesiastical and dynastic history. As bishop, statesman, and ancestor to the Carolingians, he represents the merging of sacred and royal authority in post-Roman Gaul. His life, marked by service, humility, and repentance, stands as a model of leadership shaped by both conscience and conviction.

His feast day is celebrated on July 18 in the Roman Catholic tradition.

Bodegisel, Duke of Aquitaine (or Soissons?)

Died c. 585 AD
Frankish Diplomat, Nobleman, and Semi-Legendary Patriarch

Bodegisel (sometimes rendered as Bodegisilus) was a prominent Frankish noble and dux (duke) active in the late 6th century. He was the son of Mummolin, Duke of Soissons, and a high-ranking official in the courts of Chilperic I and Childebert II, two rival Merovingian kings of the Frankish realms. His name survives in both contemporary chronicles and later medieval traditions, though much confusion surrounds his historical identity due to conflation with semi-legendary figures in later sources.

Career and Historical Record

Bodegisel is attested in the writings of Gregory of Tours, who notes his participation in a diplomatic mission in 584 AD, escorting Rigunth, daughter of King Chilperic I, to Spain for her proposed marriage to Reccared, heir of the Visigothic King Liuvigild. Though the union ultimately fell through due to political upheaval and Chilperic's death, Bodegisel's role underscores his standing in the Frankish nobility and his involvement in high-level diplomacy.

Following this mission, Bodegisel was dispatched once again, this time by King Childebert II, to the Byzantine Empire. He died en route, likely in 585, under circumstances not recorded in detail. Gregory commends him as a man of rare ability who succeeded in transmitting his estate intact to his heirs—no small feat in an age of violent succession and political uncertainty.

The poet Venantius Fortunatus, a contemporary of Gregory, is said to have celebrated Bodegisel in verse, further affirming his stature among late 6th-century Frankish elites.

Genealogical Uncertainty and the Boggis Conflation

The figure of "Duke Boggis of Aquitaine", found in sources from the 9th century onward, appears to be a later legendary conflation of Bodegisel with another Frankish noble named Bobo, whose career is poorly documented. Scholars such as Hans-Walter Herrmann and Ulrich Nonn have argued convincingly that this merging of identities gave rise to the semi-mythical "Duke Boggis", often anachronistically placed in the early 8th century and associated with Saint Chrodoara, a noblewoman and early Benedictine foundress.

Later sources, including the 13th-century Vita sanctae Odae viduae and the 11th-century Sigebert of Gembloux, retroject Bodegisel/Boggis into the Aquitanian ducal line, incorrectly dating him to around 711 and associating him with King Charibert II and a supposed brother Bertrand. These genealogies, including those found in the Charte d'Alaon and a forged 845 charter of Charles the Bald, are now recognized by historians as spurious or fabricated.

Legacy

Despite the murkiness of later tradition, Bodegisel's historical role as a court official and diplomat is well grounded in the record of Gregory of Tours, one of the most reliable chroniclers of the Merovingian period. His family connections placed him within the Austrasian nobility, and his service to two competing Frankish courts reflects both his political dexterity and the fluid loyalties of the era.

While his association with Aquitaine and his supposed marriage to Saint Chrodoara may stem more from medieval mythmaking than fact, Bodegisel remains a figure of enduring interest—both as a man of influence in a turbulent period and as a possible ancestral link to several noble lineages of later centuries.

Mummolin, Duke of Soissons

c. 500 – c. 580 AD

Mummolin, also known as Mummolinus, was a prominent 6th-century Frankish noble, likely holding the title of Duke of Soissons. Though some traditions refer to him as Mayor of the Palace of Neustria, this designation is debated, as standard records of Merovingian mayors do not list him and place the earliest confirmed holders of that office in the 7th century—after Mummolin's probable death.

He is generally identified as the son of Munderic, a noble of Austrasian and Roman descent, and Arthemia, daughter of the Roman senator Florentinus. Mummolin married Berthe, the daughter of Maurilion and granddaughter of Chlodomir II, a 5th-century Frankish king. This union tied him to influential Gallo-Roman and Frankish aristocratic lineages.

Mummolin is best remembered for his descendants, who played pivotal roles in early medieval European history. His son Bodegisel, likely an ambassador to Constantinople, married Chrodoara of Amay and was the father of Saint Arnulf of Metz, a direct ancestor of the Carolingian dynasty. Another son, Babon, was also a duke and progenitor of several notable figures including Badon and Adalgisel Grimon.

While the precise details of Mummolin's career remain unclear, historical and genealogical sources consistently place him in the early Merovingian period, around c. 500–580 AD. His legacy endures primarily through his descendants, whose influence shaped both secular and ecclesiastical leadership in the Frankish kingdoms and beyond.

Prince Munderic

532 AD

Munderic (died 532/3) was a Merovingian claimaint to the Frankish throne. He was a wealthy nobleman and landowner with vast estates in the region around Vitry-le-Brûle (Vitry-en-Perthois now) near Châlons-sur-Marne. The chief source for his life and deeds is Gregory of Tours.

In 532 or 533 or around that year he put forth a claim to royal descent as being or claiming to be a son of Chlodoric the Parricide and asked for a share of the kingdom of Austrasia from Theuderic I. He had a band of sworn followers. Theuderic attempted to summon him to court in order to kill him, but after Munderic refused, a force was sent against him. The pretender took refuge with his loyal supporters in Vitry. The Austrasian army, however, lacked siege engines and were unable to seriously invest the place. Theuderic responded by sending a personal courtier of his, Arigisel, to negotiate for the rebels to come out, which they did. The dishonest ambassador had them cut down immediately.

He married a daughter of Florentinus (born 485), a Roman senator, and his wife Artemia, daughter of Rusticus of Lyons. They were the parents of Gondulphus of Tongeren, Bodegisel, Patrician of Provence, and Mummolin, possibly mayor of the palace of Neustria.

Chlorodic "Le Parricide" King of the Franks

509 AD

Chlodoric (or Chloderic) the Parricide (died c. 509) murdered his own father, Sigobert the Lame, in order to take his kingdom. Chlodoric acted upon the instigation of Clovis I a rival king of the Salian Franks. After Sigobert's death Clovis then accused Chlodoric of the murder and had him killed in his turn for the crime. In this way Clovis became king of Sigobert's and Chlodoric's people.

Gregory suggests that Chlodoric was murdered in the same campaign that also killed the Frankish King Chararic. Before, Clovis had killed King Ragnachar and his brothers. After all these murders Gregory tells us that Clovis lamented that he had no family left anymore, implying that amongst his own casualties were close relatives.

Sigobert "the Lame" King of the Franks, King of Cologne/Koln

469 – 507 AD

Sigobert the Lame (also Sigibert or Sigebert) (died c. 509) was a king of the Franks in the area of Zülpich (Latin: Tolbiac) and Cologne.

He was presumably wounded at the knee at the Battle of Tolbiac against the Alamanni.

According to Gregory of Tours, he was murdered by his son Chlodoric upon the instigation of Clovis I, sometime after his victory on the Visigoths (507), when his son sent assassins upon him as he took a sojourn from his kingdom to a nearby forest. Chlodorich then told Clovis of the murder and offered him the finest treasures of his newly inherited kingdom as a symbol of their new alliance. Clovis sent messengers to assess the treasure, who then asked Chlodoric to plunge his hand as deeply into his gold coins as possible. With his arm submerged, the envoys of Clovis then killed the new king in betrayal. Clovis then stood before the people of Chlodoric and told them that the son had sent assassins to murder his father, but that Chlodoric had subsequently met his own end as well. Clovis then offered his protection to the former subjects of Sigobert and Chlodoric, and thus became their king.

Gregory suggests that Chlodoric was murdered in the same campaign that also killed the Frankish King Chararic. Before, Clovis had killed Ragnachar and his brothers.

After all these murders Gregory tells us that Clovis lamented that he had no family left anymore, implying that amongst his own casualties were close relatives.

Chlodion "The Long Haired King" King of the Franks

390 – 450 AD

Chlodio (c. 392/395–445/448; also spelled Clodio, Clodius, Clodion, Cloio or Chlogio) was a king of the Salian Franks from the Merovingian dynasty. He was known as the Long-Haired King and lived in Thuringian territory, at the castle of Duisburg. He became chief of the Thérouanne area in 414 AD. From there, he invaded the Roman Empire in 428, defeating a Roman force at Cambrai, and settled in Northern Gaul, where other groups of Salians were already settled. Although he was attacked by the Romans, he was able to maintain his position and, 3 years later in 431, he extended his kingdom south to the Somme River in the future Francia. In AD 448, 20 years after his reign began, Chlodio was defeated at an unidentified place called Vicus Helena byFlavius Aëtius, the commander of the Roman army in Gaul.

Like all Merovingian kings, Chlodio had long hair as a ritual custom. His successor may have been Merovech, after whom the dynasty was named 'Merovingian'. The non-contemporary Liber Historiae Francorum says his father was Pharamond, whom many believe to have been a legendary person linked to the lineage sometime in the 8th century. The Chronicle of Fredegar makes Chlodio son of Theudemeres, one of the leaders of the Salian Franks and king of Thérouanne (409–414).

Theudemeres (Theodemer), King of the Franks

Reigned c. early 5th century – executed c. 422 AD

Theudemeres, also known as Theudemer or Theudemir, was an early Frankish king whose life sits at the intersection of Roman imperial decline and the rise of barbarian successor states in Gaul. Though only sparsely documented, he appears in Gregory of Tours and the Chronicle of Fredegar, suggesting he played a transitional role in the evolution of Frankish kingship.

He was reportedly the son of the Roman military commander Richomeres, a high-ranking general (magister militum) who served under the usurper Emperor Magnus Maximus, and Ascyla, a woman of noble Frankish lineage. This union between Roman and Germanic aristocracy placed Theudemeres within the hybridized elite emerging at the twilight of Western Roman authority.

Theudemeres' reign is believed to have occurred after the fall of the usurper Jovinus (411–413)—a Roman-backed claimant supported by several Frankish factions—and prior to the reign of King Chlodio, who is named in the Chronicle of Fredegar as his son or successor. Chlodio would go on to play a foundational role in consolidating Frankish rule in Belgica Secunda and northern Gaul.

Around 422 AD, following renewed hostilities between the Franks and the Romans, a Roman force entered Gaul and executed Theudemeres and his mother Ascyla by the sword. This likely signaled the end of a pro-Jovinian Frankish royal house and a purge of remaining rebellious factions in the region.

Theudemeres was possibly a cousin of Arbogastes, the Romanized Frank who famously rebelled against Emperor Theodosius I. This would further root him in the web of late imperial military aristocracy that blurred the lines between Roman and barbarian identity.

Though overshadowed by later Merovingians, Theudemeres represents a pivotal figure in the transformation of Frankish leadership—from semi-autonomous tribal chiefs allied with Rome to kings asserting territorial control in post-Roman Gaul.

Flavius Richomeres (Richomer) Roman Consul and Frankish General

c. 320 – 393 AD

Frankish Roman General, Consul, and Imperial Power Broker

Flavius Richomeres was a high-ranking Roman military commander of Frankish origin, whose career exemplified the deep entanglement of Germanic elites within the late Roman imperial structure. Active in the second half of the 4th century, Richomeres rose to prominence as Comes domesticorum, Magister militum, and eventually Consul of the Roman Empire in 384 AD.

He was married to Ascyla, and their son Theudemeres would later emerge as a king of the early Franks. Richomeres was also uncle to Arbogastes, another Frankish general who would play a decisive—if ill-fated—role in the politics of the Western Roman Empire.

In 377–378 AD, Richomeres was transferred from Gaul to Thrace during the Gothic Wars under Emperor Valens. Serving as Comes domesticorum, he advised Valens to delay engagement with the Goths until Emperor Gratian's reinforcements arrived. When the Gothic leader Fritigern requested hostages to secure negotiations, Richomeres volunteered, but before he could complete the mission, battle broke out—leading to the catastrophic Battle of Adrianople, where Valens perished and the Roman army was decimated. Richomeres narrowly escaped with his life.

By 388 AD, Richomeres was Magister utriusque militiae (Commander of both infantry and cavalry) in the Eastern Empire under Theodosius I. That same year, he helped lead the campaign against the usurper Magnus Maximus, alongside his nephew Arbogastes.

A man of culture, Richomeres was associated with intellectuals like Libanius and Augustine, and introduced the rhetorician Eugenius to Arbogastes—an act that indirectly precipitated later imperial crisis. In 393, Theodosius appointed Richomeres to command the Eastern cavalry against Arbogastes, who had installed Eugenius as puppet emperor. Richomeres died en route to the battlefield. Soon after, Theodosius defeated Arbogastes, who committed suicide.

Richomeres' career captures the fragile unity of Rome's military and political order—where Franks served emperors, shaped empires, and ultimately helped dissolve the very world they upheld.