The Merovingians

Send us Fan Mail This week is all about religion, specifically how the practice and purview of the bishops was changing through the middle Merovingian period. We'll also discuss the position of Jewish people and other religious minorities in the surprisingly diverse Merovingian state.

Send us Fan Mail This week we discuss how warfare was changing in the middle Merovingian period. How did the Merovingian kings go from fearsome conquerors to endless stalemates? What changed? Well, we'll examine these changes point by point. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Send us Fan Mail This week is all about nobles. Returning to our discussion of the rising power of the nobles in the kingdoms, we'll look at three examples to try and determine how the nobles' campaign for more influence is going. On the way we'll check in with our old friend Brunhild as well, and see how she's doing in the hostile court of Childebert II. Laugh Love Law Real co...

Send us Fan Mail This episode we take a closer look at Merovingian diplomacy. How were agreements reached? Who took control of negotiations? What form did the discussions take? We'll discuss these questions and reveal one of the most important roles bishops played in the realm.

Send us Fan Mail This episode is all about the events of the Trial of Bishop Gregory of Tours. It was certainly a dramatic trial with unexpected twists and major consequences. Things might not happen the way you expect. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Send us Fan Mail How does one go about condemning one of the kingdom's most influential religious figures? This week we examine the myriad of traps and plots Leudast, with the help of his royal backers, used to push Gregory into a trial. Everyone's favourite bishop is in danger, but can the count make his accusations stick?

Send us Fan Mail This week it's all about the brewing conflict between Gregory and the Count of Tours, Leudast. Old aristocracy versus new nobility, Church versus state, soft power versus harsh tactics. As we get ready to see our narrator on trial next week, let's learn about the man who would put him there. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about lif...

Send us Fan Mail This episode, as the title suggests, we cover the abrupt rise and fall of Clovis, last son of King Chilperic. What happens when a young, arrogant prince runs afoul of his powerful stepmother? Unfortunately, nothing good. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Send us Fan Mail This week we take a look at the harder but human side of history with natural disaster disease and personal loss hitting the Merovingian kingdoms. Were these punishments sent by god? How do the figures we've been discussing react?

Send us Fan Mail This episode we talk a little about taxes, as unpopular then as they are now, and a lot about what makes an effective ruler. Were Chilperic and the rulers like him throughout history unfairly slandered by a hostile nobility?

Send us Fan Mail Evil bishops, warring nobles, and an attempt at restarting Frankish expansion. This week things may have reached a stalemate between Guntram and Chilperic, but everyone else will keep on breeding instability. Things are no more peaceful, despite the pause in the civil wars. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: App...

Send us Fan Mail As Chilperic has been dealing with his rebellions, things have been changing in the wider realm. This week we go through some of the stories, from the local to the national level, and see how these changes have occurred. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Send us Fan Mail This week we finish up the last of our series of deep dives into those who opposed Chilperic immediately after the death of Sigibert. The Trial of Praetextatus, Bishop of Rouen, will finish us off on a dramatic note, and also one full of insight into the changing face of power and politics in the Merovingian realm. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A pod...

Send us Fan Mail This week we begin examining the life of Guntram Boso, a noble who was trying to balance himself between the interests of the different major players in Merovingian politics. Will he thrive in the chaos? Or will he overstep and run afoul of the powerful? Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   S...

Send us Fan Mail To celebrate our twentieth episode this week we are covering some topics that have slipped through the cracks or we've been too busy to dwell on. From weird names to Merovingian hair, we'll fill in some blanks.

Send us Fan Mail This week is all about Merovech, second son of Chilperic, and his struggles against his father. Continuing the cycle of Merovingian familial violence, this conflict between father and son will cost many lives, cause much heartbreak and cause a city to be looted too many times. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on:...

Send us Fan Mail This week we deal with the aftermath of Sigibert's untimely death. What will happen to his wife? His son? And how will Chilperic seize the chance he has been handed? These questions will find some answers, and we'll also hear our chronicler Gregory's opinion on the ongoing civil wars.

Send us Fan Mail The time for the final showdown has come and with the realm spiraling into chaos one of the rival kings has to come out on top

Send us Fan Mail Now that we know about the external threats to the realm, let's examine what is going on on the local and internal levels. Just how deep into the spiral of chaos are the Frankish kings? Too deep for another series of civil wars? Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Send us Fan Mail There is a dual focus this episode. First we examine what we learnt about Gregory last week, seeing how he uses contrast to try and teach his audience good morals. Then we go back and look at what has been happening in the rest of Europe while we've been focused on the Franks. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen...

Send us Fan Mail This week we take an in depth look at Gregory of Tours. Who was he? What was his life like? How did he write? We'll answer these questions and more as we seek to understand a man historians have been fascinated by for centuries.

Send us Fan Mail Murder, greed and lust. These are the ingredients that spark the blood feud between the queens Fredegund and Brunhild. This week we'll meet them properly and learn about the tragic events that led to this conflict that would last generations and cause so many deaths. Before that, though, we'll discuss some difficult topics we've been avoiding. Laugh Love Law Real co...

Send us Fan Mail The four new kings are here and settling into their seats. But what will they be like? We'll find out this week as we examine the early scandals from the courts of Charibert and Guntram, as well as the continuing conflicts between Sigibert and Chilperic. The realm may be changing, but Merovingians will be Merovingians. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impa...

Send us Fan Mail This week we dive into the first civil war between the sons of Ingund and Aregund, after the death of their father King Chlothar. We will examine the changes that have occurred in the Frankish realm since the conquest of Clovis and determine how these changes helped the sons of Ingund win the war and establish themselves firmly in the old seats of their uncles.

Send us Fan Mail How is Chlothar rewarded for reuniting his father's kingdom? Peace and prosperity for his last few years? This week we meet the wives and sons of Chlothar and dive into the matrilineal bonds that bind them as they face the looming prospect of all out civil war. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podca...