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The Merovingian Dynasty was a Frankish dynasty considered the first French royal house. It was the first major political authority which rose out of the ashes of the dying Roman Empire in Europe. It was named for Merovech (fl. c. 450), whose son Childeric I (d. 482?) ruled a tribe of Salian Franks from his capital at Tournai. His son, Clovis I, united nearly all of Gaul in the late 5th century except Burgundy and present-day Provence. On his death the realm was divided among his sons, but by 558 it was united under his last surviving son, Chlotar I. The pattern of dividing and then reuniting the realm continued for generations. After the reign of Dagobert I (623?639), the authority of the Merovingian kings declined, and real power gradually came to rest in the hands of the mayors of the palace. In 751 the last Merovingian king, Childeric III, was deposed by Pippin III, the first of the Carolingian dynasty.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The Merovingian Kings

The Frankish Kingdom was split up among Clovis' sons, and was temporarily united several times during the next two centuries when a single heir survived; notably during the reigns of Clothaire I, Clothaire II, Dagobert I and Clovis II.

Life in the Sixth Century
Germanic tribesmen living close to the North Sea tended to have fairly large timber houses supported by four rows of posts that divided the house into three rooms. The family lived in the centre room, while a smaller room on one side was used for storage and a larger room on the other side was used to house the animals whose body heat helped warm the living quarters. From this arrangement comes the story that "the people lived in the barn" or that "the cattle lived in the house."

Further inland, people tended to inhabit dwellings that were supported by upright posts but without interior supports. These dwellings varied in size from 20 feet X 12 feet up to perhaps 25 feet square. Long, narrow buildings about 12 feet X 25 feet housed the cattle while smaller structures 12 feet square were used for storage. Some of these smaller storage buildings were partially underground.

The main crops were barley, wheat, oats, peas and beans. Crop rotation was practiced, and fields were improved by adding limestone and manure. Depleted soil was abandoned and new land brought into use using the slash and burn technique. Simple scratch ploughs pulled by oxen were most common, and they didn't actually turn the soil. Grain was left attached to the hay and was roasted slightly to preserve it. Grain was separated from the hay as needed and ground using simple hand grindstones. Once ground, flour was used to prepare porridge and flat bread. Grain was also used to make beer.

Cattle were very important and were an indicator of wealth. Pigs, sheep, goats, horses, chickens and geese were also kept. Every portion of the animals was used either for food or for the production of clothing, shelter and utensils. Wild animals were hunted and killed for sport and to eliminate nuisance animals. Wild animals are thought to have made up less than 5% of the total animals used.

Iron was produced using small, crude but effective charcoal furnaces made of earth. These ovens held about a liter of ore, and only 200 grams of iron could be made at a time from the very best ore. This iron was worked into very high quality steel, far superior to the equipment of the Roman troops. However, the Germanic tribes were iron poor, and weapons such as long swords were rare.

Each individual household was dominated by the father who held authority over all the members. A number of households, sometimes as many as fifty, were grouped into a family clan-like organization. A number of clans formed a tribe which was sometimes overseen by a "king" who was really a tribal chieftain. The "king" was usually chosen from one family that was most closely identified with the ethnic, cultural and historical traditions of the tribe - that is, from a "royal family." Some tribes had several kings, one to preside over meetings, one for religious ceremonies and one for military command. Other tribes didn't have a king at all.

In order to survive and prosper, a tribe had become almost completely militarized; that is, the tribe had to become an army. This is what appears to have happened with the Salian Franks whose Merovingian Kings dominated the region from the fifth century onwards.

The Decline of the Merovingian Kings
From the middle of the seventh century on, their power declined and the real authority rested to an ever increasing extent with the Mayors of the Palace. The king became a figurehead distinguished by his beard, long hair, crown and throne. When King Theuderic IV died in 737, he was not replaced.

Charles Martel ruled instead as Mayor of the Palace. Charles Martel died in 741 and was succeeded by his sons Pépin the Short and Carloman. The brothers Pépin and Carloman instituted another king, Childeric III in 743, largely to ease the concern of other Frankish leaders about their growing power. Carloman withdrew from politics in 747 and retired to the monastery of Monte Casino.