This is a list of the women who have been queens consort of the Frankish people. As all kings of the Franks have been male, there has never been a queen regnant of the Franks (although some women have governed as regents).
A timeline of consorts Frankish rulers is difficult since the realm was frequently divided among the sons of a king upon his death and then eventually reunited. Also, polygamy and concubinage complicate matters. Of most Merovingian queens almost nothing but the name is known.
This list starts from the earliest known queens until the three-way split up of the Frankish Empire in the Treaty of Verdun in 843.
Merovingian dynasty (450–751) Clovis I united all the Frankish petty kingdoms as well as most of Roman Gaul under his rule, conquering the Domain of Soissons of the Roman general Syagrius as well as the Visigothic Kingdom of Toulouse. He took his seat at Paris, which along with Soissons, Reims, Metz, and Orléans became the chief residences. Upon his death, the kingdom was split among his four sons.
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Basina of Thuringia Basin, King of the Thuringii 438 ? 481husband's death 491 Childeric I Clotilde of Burgundy Chilperic II of Burgundy 475 493 27 November 511husband's death 545 Clovis I
Queens at Soissons (511–558)
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Guntheuc around 495Historic guesses. No one is sure when this occurred. after 523 524/540 Chlothar I Radegund of Thuringia Bertachar of Thuringia 486–516 525/545 after 531repudiated 13 August 586 Ingund Baderic of Thuringia 490–510 526/550 unknown, maybe 546 or after Waldrada Wacho, King of the Lombards(Lethings) 521–542 555/559 555/61given in marriage to Garibald I, Duke of Bavaria under the advice of the bishops unknown, after 526
Queens at Paris (511–558)
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Ultrogotha ? 497 ? 27 November 511husband's accession 23 December 558husband's death 566 Childebert I Kingdom passed to SoissonsPictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse
Queens at Orléans (511–524)
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Guntheuc 495 514 or 521 21 June 524husband's death 532 Chlodomer Kingdom passed to Soissons, Paris, and RheimsPictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse
Queens at Reims (511–555)
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Eustere of the Visigoths Alaric II, King of the Visigoths 488 511 ? 521 Theuderic I Suavegotha of Burgundy Sigismund, King of the Burgundians 495/96/504 516/7 534husband's death 554 Wisigard Wacho, King of the Lombards ? ? 534husband's ascession ? ? Theudebert I Deuteria Gallo-Roman descent ? ? ? 548husband's death ? Waldrada Wacho, King of the Lombards 531 ? 548?husband's ascession 555?husband's death 572 Theodobald Kingdom passed to Soissons
Queen of the Franks (558–561) PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Aregund Baderic of Thuringia 515 ? 558husband's ascession 561 husband's death 573 Chlothar I Chunsina ? ? ? 558?husband's ascession 561?husband's death ?
Queens in Neustria (Soissons, 561–613)
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Audovera ? 525? 549–558 561husband's ascession ~567repudiated October/November 580 Chilperic I Galswintha Athanagild, King of Visigoths 540 567 568 Fredegund 539–553 ? 568 September 584husband's death - became queen regent 8 December 597 Haldetrude ? 575/594 ? ? ? 604/629 Chlothar II Bertrude Wagon II, Count of Vermandois 582 ?613? 618/619 Sichilde Count Brunulphe II of the Ardennes 590 ?618? 627
Queens at Paris (561–567)
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Ingoberga 519? ? ? ?repudiated 589 Charibert I Merofleda a wool-carder ?after 561 ? ? Marcovefa ?after 561 ? before 567 Theudechild a cowherd ?after 561 ? 567
Queens at Orléans/Burgundy (561–613)
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Vénérande a slave ? ? ? ? ? Guntram Marcatrude Magnar (Magnacaire d'Outre-Jura) ? ? 565? Austregilde ? 548 565 580 Faileube ? ? ? ? ? ? Childebert II Ermenberga Witteric, King of the Visigoths ? 606 607repudiated ? Theuderic II
Queen at Reims/Metz (Austrasia, 561–613)
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Brunhilda Athanagild, King of the Visigoths 543? 567 December 575husband's death 613 Sigebert I Faileube ? ? ? ? ? ? Childebert II Bilichild ? ? 608 610 Theudebert II Théoudehilde ? ? ? ? ? ? Passed to Burgundy in 612.
Queen of the Franks (613–629) PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Bertrude Wagon II, Count of Vermandois 582 ?613? 618/619 Chlothar II Sichilde ? 618 18 October 629husband's death ap. 627
Queens of Neustria and Burgundy (629–691)
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Gomentrude ? 598 628 629répudiée after 630 Dagobert I Nanthild the Saxon ? 19 January 639husband's death 642 Ragintrudis ? 610? ? ? ? ? Wulfefundis ? ? ? ? ? ? Bertechildis ? ? ? ? ? ? Balthild Anglo-Saxon aristocrat 626 or 627 649 27 November 655 or 658husband's death 30 January 680 Clovis II Amatilda ? ? ? ? ? ? Chlothar III Bilichild Sigebert III of Austrasia 654 668 673invasion of Neustria and Burgundy 675 Childeric II Chrothildis Ansegisel 650 675 3 June 699 Theuderic III United with Austrasia to form a single Frankish state
Queen of Austrasia (623–679)
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Gomentrude ? 598 628 629répudiée after 630 Dagobert I Nanthild ? kingdom went to stepson 642 Ragintrudis ? 610? ? ? ? ? Wulfefundis ? ? ? ? ? ? Bertechildis ? ? ? ? ? ? Chimnechild of Burgundy ? ? 647 ? ? Sigebert III Amatilda ? ? ? ? ? ? Chlothar III Bilichild Sigebert III of Austrasia 654 668 675 Childeric II Chrothildis Ansegisel 650 675 3 June 699 Theuderic III United with Neustria and Burgundy
Queen of Aquitaine (629–632)
PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Gisela of Gascony? Amand of Gascony ? ? 18 October 629husband's ascession 8 April 632husband's death ? Charibert II Fulberte? ? ? ? ? ? ? Kingdom passed to Neustria and Burgundy in 632; dukes were appointed to Aquitaine
Queen of the Franks (629–751) PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Gomentrude ? 598 628 629répudiée after 630 Dagobert I Nanthild ? 642 Ragintrudis ? 610? ? ? ? ? Wulfefundis ? ? ? ? ? ? Bertechildis ? ? ? ? ? ? Amatilda ? ? ? 661husband's ascession 662husband loses Austrasia ? Chlothar III Bilichild Sigebert III of Austrasia 654 668 673husband's ascession 675 Childeric II Chrothildis Ansegisel 650 675 679husband's ascession 690husband's death 3 June 699 Theuderic III Gisela ? 715 ? 743husband's ascession 751husband deposed 755 Childeric III
Carolingian dynasty (751–987)
Queen of the Franks (751–843) PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse Bertrada of Laon Caribert, Count of Laon 710/27 740 November 751as sole-Queen consort of the Franks 24 September 768husband's death 12 July 783 Pepin I Gerberga ? ? ? 24 September 768as co-Queen consort of the Franks 4 December 771husband's death ? Carloman I Desiderata of the Lombards Desiderius, King of the Lombards ? 770as co-Queen consort of the Franks 771repuditated ? Charles I Hildegard Gerold of Vinzgouw 758 771 as sole-Queen consort of the Franks 774 as Queen consort the Lombards781 as co-Queen consort the Lombards 30 April 783 Fastrada de Franconie Raoul III de Franconie et d'Aéda de Bavière 765 784 as sole-Queen consort of the Franks and co-Queen consort the Lombards 10 October 794 Luitgard de Sundgau Luitfrid II, Count of Sundgau 776 794as sole-Queen consort of the Franks and co-Queen consort the Lombards 4 June 800 Ermengarde of Hesbaye Ingerman, Count of Hesbaye 778 794/5 813as Holy Roman Empress and Queen consort of the Franks 817as senior Holy Roman Empress 3 October 818 Louis I Judith of Bavaria Welf I, Count of Altdorf 805 819as senior Holy Roman Empress and Queen consort of the Franks 20 June 840husband's death 19/23 April 843PictureName FatherBirthMarriageBecame ConsortCeased to be ConsortDeathSpouse
After the Treaty of Verdun The Frankish kingdom was then divided by the Treaty of Verdun in 843. Lothair I was allowed to keep his imperial title and his kingdom of Italy, and granted the newly created Kingdom of Middle Francia, a corridor of land stretching from Italy to the North Sea, and including the Low Countries, the Rhineland (including Aachen), Burgundy, and Provence. Charles the Bald was confirmed in Aquitaine, where Pepin I's son Pepin II was opposing him, and granted West Francia (modern France), the lands west of Lothair's Kingdom. Louis the German was confirmed in Bavaria and granted East Francia (modern Germany), the lands east of Lothair's kingdom. Ermentrude of Orléans (first wife of Charles II) became the Queen of Western Francia (eventually France); Emma of Altdorf (wife of Louis II) became the Queen of Eastern Francia (eventually Germany); and Ermengarde of Tours (wife of Lothair I) became the Queen of Middle Francia (eventually Lotharingia). The title of Queen of the Franks continued on to the 12th and 13th century in France.
Queen of the Franks (843–987) West FranciaMiddle FranciaEast FranciaSpouse Ermentrude of Orléans Queen of Aquitaine: 842–855Queen of the East Franks: 843–869 Ermengarde of Tours Queen of Italy: 818–844Queen of the Middle Franks: 843–851Holy Roman Empress: 821–851 Emma of Altdorf Queen of Bavaria: 817–843Queen of the East Franks: 843–876 Charles IILothair ILouis II Engelberga of Parma Queen of Italy: 851–875Holy Roman Empress: 850–875 Teutberga Queen of Lotharingia: 855–869 Charles II Louis IILothair II Louis II Richilde of Provence Queen of the West Franks: 870–877Queen of Italy: 875–877Holy Roman Empress: 875–877 Emma of Altdorf Queen of Bavaria: 817–843Queen of the East Franks: 843–876 Charles IILouis II Adelaide of Paris Queen of the West Franks: 877–879 Liutgard of Saxony Queen of Saxony: 879–882Queen of Bavaria: 880–882Queen of the East Franks: 880–882 Louis IILouis III Richardis of Swabia Holy Roman Empress: 881–888Queen of the East Franks: 882–887Queen of the West Franks: 884–888 Charles III Théodrate of Troyes Queen of the West Franks: 888–898 Ota Queen of the East Franks: 888–899Queen of Italy: 896–899Holy Roman Empress: 896–899 OdoArnulf Frederuna Queen of the West Franks: 907–917 Cunigunde of Swabia Queen of the East Franks: 913–918Duchess of Franconia: 913–918 Charles IIIConrad I Eadgifu of England Queen of the West Franks: 919–922 Matilda Queen of the East Franks: 919–936Duchess of Saxony: 912–936 Charles IIIRobert IRudolphHenry I Béatrice of Vermandois Queen of the West Franks: 922–923 Emma of France Queen of the West Franks: 923–934 Gerberga of Saxony Queen of the (West) Franks: 939–954 After the death of Henry, the last King of the East Franks, the only remaining Frankish kings were in Western Francia, which would become the modern state of France. Louis IV Emma of Italy Queen of the (West) Franks: 965–986 Lothair Adelaide of Anjou Queen of Aquitaine: 980–982 Louis V Queens of West FranciaQueens of Middle FranciaQueens of East FranciaSpouse
After the death of Louis V of France, the last male line Carolingian king of the Franks, in 987, the Capetians succeeded to the Frankish titles and their consorts bore the title Queen consort of the Franks until 1227, although history knows them better as Queen consorts of France.