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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlothar_IChlothar I , called
the Old ,
King of the Franks, was one of the four sons of
Clovis. He was born about 497 in
Soissons .
On the death of his father in 511, he received, as his share of the kingdom, the town of
Soissons, which he made his capital; the cities of
Laon,
Noyon,
Cambrai, and
Maastricht; and the lower course of the
Meuse River. But he was very ambitious, and sought to extend his domain.
He was the chief instigator of the murder of his brother
Chlodomer's children in 524, and his share of the spoils consisted of the cities of
Tours and
Poitiers. He took part in various expeditions against
Burgundy and, after the destruction of that kingdom in 534, obtained
Grenoble,
Die, and some of the neighboring cities.
When the
Ostrogoths ceded
Provence to the Franks, he received the cities of
Orange,
Carpentras, and
Gap. In 531, he marched against the
Thuringii with his nephew
Theudebert I and in 542, with his brother
Childebert I against the
Visigoths of
Spain. On the death of his great-nephew
Theodebald in 555, Clotaire annexed his territories. On Childebert's death in 558 he became sole king of the Franks.
He also ruled over the greater part of
Germany, made expeditions into
Saxony, and for some time exacted from the Saxons an annual tribute of 500 cows. The end of his reign was troubled by internal dissensions, his son
Chram rising against him on several occasions. Following Chram into
Brittany, where the rebel had taken refuge, Clotaire shut him up with his wife and children in a cottage, which he set on fire. Overwhelmed with remorse, he went to Tours to implore forgiveness at the tomb of
St Martin, and died shortly afterwards.
Family
Clotaire's first marriage was to
Guntheuc, widow of his own brother Chlodomer, sometime around 524. They had no children.
His second marriage, which occurred around 532, was to
Radegund, daughter of
Bertachar, King of
Thuringia, whom he and his brother Theuderic defeated. She was later
canonized. They had no children.
His third and most successful marriage was to
Ingund, by whom he had five sons and two daughters:
▪ Gunthar, predeceased father
▪ Childeric, predeceased father
▪ Charibert, King of
Paris ▪ Guntram,
King of Burgundy ▪ Sigebert, King of
Austrasia ▪ Chlothsind, married
Alboin, King of the
LombardsHis next marriage was to a sister of Ingund,
Aregund, with whom he had a son:
▪ Chilperic, King of
SoissonsHis last wife was
Chunsina , with whom he had one son:
▪ Chram, who became his father's enemy and predeceased him