Theudebert, the eldest, had fallen in battle in the preceding year. In Austrasia there now commenced a struggle between the liberated queen-mother and the great officers of state, for the guardianship of the little six-year-old king. The struggle was an obstinate one; for if the Frankish nobles were hampered by the autocratic traditions of the kingship, Brunhildis, on the other hand, was a foreigner, and met with little support save among the Gallo-Roman clergy and officials, who found some protection, under the shield of the king, from the arrogance and violence of their Frankish fellow-subjects. In Neustria or Aquitaine, where the Roman elements were stronger, Brunhildis might have done more, but her lot was cast in Austrasia, where the Germans were entirely preponderant. THE MEROVINGIAN KINGS OF THE FRANKS, A.D. 481-752. CHLODOVECH I., 481-511. | +-----------------+----------------+---------------+ | | | | THEUDERICH I., CHLODOMER, CHILDEBERT, CHLOTHAR, K. of Austrasia, K. of Orleans, K. of Paris, K. of Soissons, 511. 511-533. 511-524. 511-558. K. of all the Franks, | 558-561. THEUDEBERT I., | K. of Austrasia, | 533-548. | | | THEUDEBALD, | K. of Austrasia, | 548-555. | +---------+-------------------------------+-----------+--------------+ | | | | | Chramn, SIGIBERT I., = Brunhildis. CHARIBERT I., GUNTRAM, | d. 561. K.of Austrasia,| K. of Paris, K. of Burgundy,| 561-575. | 561-567. 561-593. | | | | | Bertha = Ethelbert, | CHILDEBERT II., K. of Kent. | K. of Austrasia, | 575-596. | K. of Burgundy, +-----------------------+ 593-596. | | CHILPERICH I., = 1 Audovena. +--------------------+ K. of Soissons,| 2 Galswintha. | | 561-584. | 3 Fredegundis. THEUDEBERT II., THEUDERICH II., | K. of Austrasia, K. of Burgundy, | 596-612. 596-612. | K. of Austrasia, | 612-613.