Childébert II, King of Austrasia & Burgundy

Childebert II (570–95) was the Merovingian king of Austrasia, which included Provence at the time, from 575 until his death in 595, the eldest and succeeding son of Sigebert I, and the king of Burgundy from 592 to his death, as the adopted and succeeding son of his uncle Guntram.

Childhood

When his father was assassinated in 575, Childebert was taken from Paris by Gundobald, one of his faithful lords, to Metz (the Austrasian capital), where he was recognized as sovereign. He was then only five years old, and during his long minority the power was disputed between his mother Brunhilda and the nobles.

Chilperic I, king at Paris, and the Burgundian king Guntram, sought an alliance with Childebert, who was adopted by both in turn. Because Guntram was lord of half of Marseille, the district of Provence became a centre of a brief dispute between the two.

Guntram allied with Dynamius of Provence, who instigated the canons of the Diocese of Uzès to elect their deacon Marcela, as bishop in opposition to their already-elected bishop Jovinus, a former governor of Provence. While Jovinus and Theodore, Bishop of Marseille, were travelling to the court of Childebert, Guntram had them arrested. Dynamius, meanwhile, blocked Gundulf, a duke of an important senatorial family and Childebert's former domesticus, from entering Marseille on behalf of Childebert. Eventually he was forced to yield, though he later arrested Theodore again and had him sent to Guntram. Childebert replaced him in Provence by Nicetius (585). Despite his revolt, Childebert formally restored Dynamius to favour on 28 November 587.

Heir, king and war leader

But with the assassination of Chilperic in 584 and the dangers occasioned to the Frankish monarchy by the expedition of Gundoald in 585, Childebert threw himself unreservedly into the arms of Guntram. By the Treaty of Andelot of 587, Childebert was recognised as Guntram's heir, and with his uncle's help he quelled the revolts of the nobles and succeeded in seizing the castle of Woëwre. Many attempts were made on his life by Fredegund, wife of Chilperic, who was anxious to secure Guntram's inheritance for her son Clotaire II.

On the death of Guntram in 592, Childebert annexed the kingdom of Burgundy, and even contemplated seizing Clotaire's estates and becoming sole king of the Franks. He died, however, in 595. Childebert II had had relations with the Byzantine Empire, and fought on several occasions in the name of the Emperor Maurice, against the Lombards in Italy, with limited success.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childebert_II

-https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/MEROVINGIANS.htm#ChildebertIIdied596

2. CHILDEBERT (570-[2/28] Mar 596). Gregory of Tours names Childebert as the son of Sigebert and Brunhild, specifying that he was barely five years old when he succeeded his father under the protection of "Duke Gundovald"[261]. "Hildebertus" is named as son of "Sigibertus" in the Regum Merowingorum Genealogia[262]. After the assassination of his father, he was taken to Metz and there recognised 25 Dec 575 as CHILDEBERT II King of the Franks. The Marii Episcopi Aventicensis Chronica names "Childebertus filius ipsius" when recording that he succeeded after his father was killed[263]. He was able to increase his own power in Austrasia largely due to the patronage of his uncle Gontran King of the Franks at Orléans, who adopted him as his successor in 577, recognised him as fit to rule in 584, and confirmed his succession at Andelot in 587[264]. He finally succeeded his uncle in Burgundy in 592, but died "in the fourth year after succeeding" according to Fredegar[265]. Paulus Diaconus states that it was alleged that "Childepertus rex Francorum" was poisoned aged 25 "cum uxore propria"[266].

Betrothed to THEODELINDIS, daughter of GARIBALD Duke of Bavaria & his wife Waldrada of the Lombards. Fredegar records that "Ago rex" married "Grimoaldi et Gundoaldi germanam…Teudelendæ ex genere Francorum", specifying that she had been betrothed to "Childebertus"[267].

m FAILEUBA, daughter of --- (-[596]). King Childebert's queen is named Faileuba in the Treaty of Andelot dated 28 Nov 587[268]. Paulus Diaconus says that it was alleged that "Childepertus rex Francorum" was poisoned aged 25 "cum uxore propria", although no reference to his wife's death has been identified in the Frankish sources[269].

[Mistress ---. As is shown below, one of the sources which reports the birth of Childebert's son Theodebert says that his mother was the king's concubine.]

 King Childebert II & his [wife/mistress] had one child: