Charibert I

2.1. Birth and Background

Charibert I was born around 517, possibly in 520, as the second-eldest son of Chlothar I, King of the Franks, and his first wife, Ingund. His elder brother, Gunthar, died sometime before their father's death, making Charibert a prominent heir. He was raised within the tumultuous yet influential Merovingian dynasty, which dominated the Frankish realm.

2.2. Family Relations

Charibert I's immediate family included his parents, Chlothar I and Ingund. His full siblings through Ingund were Gunthar (who died young), Guntram, and Sigebert I. Through his stepmother Arnegund (Ingund's sister), he had a half-brother, Chilperic I. Another half-brother, Chramn, was born to his stepmother Chunna. Additionally, he had a half-brother named Gundoald through his father's concubine, Cunegund. His sister was Clotild. These numerous siblings and half-siblings would later play significant roles in the division and conflicts within the Frankish kingdom.

3.1. Partition of the Frankish Kingdom

Upon the death of Chlothar I in 561, the Frankish kingdom was partitioned among his four surviving sons: Charibert I, Guntram, Sigebert I, and Chilperic I. This division resulted in a new configuration of realms, where each son ruled a distinct territory that was not always geographically contiguous but could consist of two unconnected regions. The kingdoms were typically named after their respective capital cities.

3.2. Kingdom of Paris

Charibert I received the old kingdom of Childebert I, with Paris as its capital. His territory primarily encompassed Neustria, the region situated between the Somme River and the Loire River, along with Aquitaine and Novempopulana. Beyond Paris, his kingdom included other major cities such as Rouen, Tours, Poitiers, Limoges, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Cahors, and Albi. This realm was strategically vital, controlling key trade routes and fertile lands in what is now modern-day France.

4.1. Military and Political Campaigns

In 556, while his father Chlothar I was still alive, Charibert I was dispatched alongside his younger half-brother Guntram to quell a revolt led by their stepbrother Chramn and his mother, Chunna. During ongoing negotiations, Chramn concealed himself in the Black Mountain region of Limousin. When the diplomatic efforts failed, the two armies prepared for battle. However, a severe thunderstorm prevented any engagement. Seizing the opportunity, Chramn sent forged letters to Charibert and Guntram, falsely reporting their father Chlothar's death. This deception prompted Charibert and Guntram to immediately return to Burgundy to secure their positions and prevent any rivals from claiming their inheritance.

4.2. Daughter Bertha's Influence

One of the most historically significant actions linked to Charibert I's reign, though indirectly, was the marriage of his daughter, Bertha, to Æthelberht of Kent, the pagan King of Kent in Anglo-Saxon England. Bertha, a devout Christian, brought Bishop Liudhard with her to Kent as her personal confessor. Her presence and influence at the Kentish court proved instrumental in facilitating the success of Saint Augustine of Canterbury's mission in 597. This mission ultimately led to the conversion of Æthelberht, making him the first Anglo-Saxon ruler to embrace Christianity, and significantly contributed to the Christianization of England.

5.1. Marriages and Children

Charibert I was married to Ingoberga, with whom he had several children. These included:

• Blithide of Cologne (538-603), who may have married the Gallo-Roman senator Ansbertus.
• Chrodobertus (died 595).
• Bertha of Kent, who married Æthelberht of Kent.
• Clithorice (541-569).
• Chlothar the Young (died 542).

In addition to Ingoberga, Charibert I maintained multiple concurrent wives, a practice that was controversial and drew the ire of the Church. He notably married two sisters, Merofleda, the daughter of a wool-carder, and Marcovefa, her sibling. With Merofleda, he had two daughters: Berthefled, who became a nun in Tours, and Clotilde, who became a nun in Sainte-Croix in Poitiers. He also had a son who died in infancy with Theudogilda (also known as Theudechild), the daughter of a cowherd. Charibert also had a bastard son, Charibert of Hesbaye (died 636). His practice of marrying multiple women, especially two sisters, was considered incestuous by the Church and became a significant point of contention.

5.2. Character and Religious Issues

Gregory of Tours, a primary contemporary source, depicted Charibert I as one of the most dissolute of the early Merovingian rulers. Despite being eloquent and learned in law, his lifestyle was characterized by excessive indulgence. His controversial practice of maintaining four concurrent wives, including the marriage to two sisters, led to his excommunication by Germanus, the Bishop of Paris. This act marked the first recorded excommunication of a Merovingian king, underscoring the severity with which his actions were viewed by the Church and highlighting the growing influence of religious authority over secular power during this period.

6.1. Death and Burial

Charibert I died in December 567. Due to his excommunication and the perceived disgrace associated with his personal life, his burial was not conducted with the usual royal pomp and circumstance. He was interred at Blavia castellum, a stronghold located in the Tractus Armoricanus (a region in modern-day Brittany), rather than in a more prominent royal necropolis. This ignominious burial location further emphasized the Church's condemnation of his actions.

7.1. Division of the Kingdom

Following Charibert I's death, his realm was partitioned among his three surviving brothers: Guntram, Sigebert I, and Chilperic I. Initially, they agreed to hold Paris in common, reflecting its strategic and symbolic importance. However, this arrangement was often fraught with tension. His surviving queen, Theudechild, attempted to secure her position by proposing marriage to Guntram, but a council held in Paris in 557 had already outlawed such unions as incestuous. Consequently, Guntram, though reluctantly, had her housed in a nunnery at Arles for her safety. Charibert's bastard son, Charibert of Hesbaye, received no inheritance from his father's kingdom.

7.2. Historical Evaluation

The primary historical assessment of Charibert I's life and reign comes from Gregory of Tours' History of the Franks (Books IV, 3, 16, 22, 26 and IX, 26). Gregory's account largely portrays Charibert as a ruler of questionable moral character, focusing on his dissolute lifestyle and his controversial marriages, which led to his excommunication. From an English perspective, Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People provides insight into the impact of Charibert's daughter, Bertha, on the Christianization of Anglo-Saxon England. While Charibert's direct political and military achievements are less emphasized in historical records compared to his brothers, his reign is notable for the strategic importance of his Parisian kingdom and the indirect, yet profound, influence his family had on the religious landscape of Europe through Bertha's marriage.