Ebroin facts for kids

A coin from Ebroin's time, showing his image.

Ebroin was a powerful official in the Frankish kingdom. He served as the mayor of the palace for Neustria twice. His first term was from 658 to 673, and his second was from 675 until his death in 680 or 681. Ebroin was known for his strong will and worked hard to make Neustria the most powerful region, controlling Burgundy and Austrasia.

Ebroin's Rise to Power

After a failed attempt by another mayor, Grimoald the Elder, the main royal court of the Merovingian dynasty moved to Neustria. In 659, the mayor of Neustria, Erchinoald, died. A group of important Frankish leaders then chose Ebroin to take his place.

Queen Balthild of Chelles was ruling as a regent for her young son, King Chlothar III. A regent is someone who governs a country because the king or queen is too young or unable to rule. Ebroin and Queen Balthild had disagreements over power. In 664, the Queen decided to retire to an abbey near Paris.

By 668, Ebroin had become very powerful in Neustria. He was practically in charge of the Franks. An old story tells that Ebroin stopped an Englishman returning from Rome. He was worried that the Byzantine Emperor might be planning something against his rule.

When King Chlothar III died in 673, Ebroin quickly took control again. He made Theuderic III, another brother of the late king, the new king of Neustria. He did this without asking the other important nobles.

Challenges and Exile

Ebroin wanted to keep Neustria and Burgundy united under his control. However, the powerful nobles in Burgundy wanted to be independent. They rebelled, led by Bishop Leodegar of Autun. They offered the crown to King Theuderic's older brother, Childeric II, who was ruling Austrasia.

Childeric II became king and replaced Ebroin with his own mayor, Wulfoald. Ebroin's life was saved by several bishops. He was forced to become a monk and was sent to Luxeuil Abbey. A new rule was made: each kingdom should keep its own laws, and no one should try to become a tyrant like Ebroin again. Soon after, Bishop Leodegar was also defeated and sent to Luxeuil in 673.

Ebroin's Return and Revenge

In the same year, King Childeric II was murdered. This caused a lot of confusion. Theuderic III was made king of Neustria again, with a new mayor named Leudesius. Ebroin and Leodegar both used this chance to leave the monastery. They soon found themselves as rivals once more.

Ebroin quickly had Leudesius murdered and became mayor again. He then sought revenge on Leodegar. Around 675, Ebroin regained control over Neustria and most of Burgundy. He convinced other leaders to attack Autun, where Leodegar was. The city surrendered, and Ebroin ordered Leodegar's eyes to be put out.

Ebroin also convinced the king that Leodegar had caused King Childeric's murder. So, Leodegar was arrested, tried, and sent away. On October 12, 678, Ebroin had his enemy, Leodegar, killed.

Ebroin also defeated the Austrasians in a battle near Laon. This victory helped unite the Frankish lands under Neustrian rule. After the battle, Duke Martin of Laon was tricked into coming to a meeting for negotiations. He and his supporters were then killed.

End of Ebroin's Rule

Ebroin's triumph did not last long. He had many enemies, and in 681, he was assassinated.

Years later, in 684, a bishop named Ansoald wrote a biography of Leodegar. This book painted Ebroin as an enemy of God, driven only by ambition and a desire for power. Leodegar was even made a saint, known as Saint Leger. Stories of Ebroin's bad deeds were also used by the Austrasians to support their own powerful families.

Sources

These are some of the old writings that tell us about Ebroin:

• Liber historiae Francorum (A book about the history of the Franks)
• Vita sancti Leodegarii (The Life of Saint Leodegar)

See also

In Spanish: Ebroino para niños