Theuderic III (or Theuderich, Theoderic, or Theodoric; french: Thierry) (c. 651–691) was the king of

Neustria Neustria was the western part of the Kingdom of the Franks. Neustria included the land between the Loire and the Silva Carbonaria, approximately the north of present-day France, with Paris, Orléans, Tours, Soissons as its main cities. It la ...

(including

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The ...

) on two occasions (673 and 675–691) and king of

Austrasia Austrasia was a territory which formed the north-eastern section of the Merovingian Kingdom of the Franks during the 6th to 8th centuries. It was centred on the Meuse, Middle Rhine and the Moselle rivers, and was the original territory of th ...

from 679 to his death in 691. Thus, he was the king of all the

Franks The Franks ( la, Franci or ) were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman sources, and associated with tribes between the Lower Rhine and the Ems River, on the edge of the Roman Empire.H. Schutz: Tools, ...

from 679. The son of

Clovis II Clovis II (633 – 657) was King of Neustria and Burgundy, having succeeded his father Dagobert I in 639. His brother Sigebert III had been King of Austrasia since 634. He was initially under the regency of his mother Nanthild until her ...

and Balthild, he has been described as a

puppet A puppet is an object, often resembling a human, animal or Legendary creature, mythical figure, that is animated or manipulated by a person called a puppeteer. The puppeteer uses movements of their hands, arms, or control devices such as rods ...

– a '' roi fainéant'' – of

Ebroin Ebroin (died 680 or 681) was the Frankish mayor of the palace of Neustria on two occasions; firstly from 658 to his deposition in 673 and secondly from 675 to his death in 680 or 681. In a violent and despotic career, he strove to impose the a ...

, the Mayor of the Palace, who may have even appointed him without the support of the nobles. He succeeded his brother

Chlothar III Chlothar III (or ''Chlotar'', ''Clothar'', ''Clotaire'', ''Chlotochar'', or ''Hlothar'', giving rise to the name Lothair; 652–673) was the eldest son of Clovis II, king of Neustria and Burgundy, and his queen Balthild. When Clovis died in 657, ...

in Neustria in 673, but

Childeric II Childeric II (c. 653 – 675) was the king of Austrasia from 662 and of Neustria and Burgundy from 673 until his death, making him sole King of the Franks for the final two years of his life. Childeric was the second eldest son of King C ...

of Austrasia displaced him soon thereafter until he died in 675 and Theuderic retook his throne. He fought a war against Dagobert II. His forces under Ebroin were victorious at the Battle of Lucofao. When Dagobert died in 679, Theuderic became king of Austrasia as well, unifying the Frankish realms. He and the Neustrian mayor of the palace, Waratton, made peace with

Pepin of Heristal Pepin II (c. 635 – 16 December 714), commonly known as Pepin of Herstal, was a Frankish statesman and military leader who de facto ruled Francia as the Mayor of the Palace from 680 until his death. He took the title Duke and Prince of the Fr ...

, mayor of the palace of Austrasia, in 681. However, on Waratton's death in 686, the new mayor,

Berchar Berchar (also Berthar) was the mayor of the palace of Neustria and Kingdom of Burgundy, Burgundy from 686 to 688/689. He was the successor of Waratton, whose daughter Anstrude he had married. Unlike Waratton, however, Berthar did not keep peace w ...

, made war with Austrasia and Pepin vanquished the Burgundo-Neustrian army under Berchar and Theuderic (a Neustrian) at the

Battle of Tertry The Battle of Tertry was an important engagement in Merovingian Gaul between the forces of Austrasia under Pepin II on one side and those of Neustria and Burgundy on the other. It took place in 687 at Tertry, Somme, and the battle is presented a ...

in 687, thus paving the way for Austrasian dominance of the Frankish state.

Marriage and issue

He married Clotilda, a daughter of

Ansegisel Ansegisel (c. 602 or 610 – murdered before 679 or 662) was the younger son of Saint Arnulf, bishop of Metz. Life He served King Sigebert III of Austrasia (634–656) as ''domesticus''. He was killed sometime before 679, slain in a feud by his ...

and Saint Begga of Landen. They had the following children: * Clovis IV, king (677-694) * Childebert III, king (678/79–711) He married Amalberge (Saint Amalaberga) before 674, daughter of Wandregisis and Farahild. He was possibly father of: * Clovis III, king of Austrasia (ruled 675–676)

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Theuderic 03 Merovingian kings Rois fainéants 7th-century Frankish kings 651 births 691 deaths Year of birth uncertain