Hi! Welcome to “Dusty Phrases.” You will find a phrase below, in one ancient language or another, along with its English translation. You may also find the power to inspire your friends or provoke dread among your enemies.
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Latin:
Maior palatii
English:
Mayor of the palace
Feel free to adopt this title for yourself, within your own palatii or domus.
Historically, though, this phrase had a specific connotation that was simultaneously subordinate and not subordinate. For more on that, we shall consult with wiki:
Under the Merovingian dynasty, the mayor of the palace (Latin: maior palatii or maior domus) was the manager of the household of the Frankish king.
During the second half of the seventh century, the office evolved into the “power behind the throne“. At that time the mayor of the palace held and wielded the real and effective power to make decisions affecting the kingdom, while the kings were increasingly reduced to performing merely ceremonial functions, which made them little more than figureheads (rois fainéants, ‘do-nothing kings’). The office may be compared to that of the peshwa, shōgun, sarvadhikari or prime minister, all of which have similarly been the real powers behind some ceremonial monarchs.
In 687, after victory over the western kingdom of Neustria, the Austrasian mayor, Pippin of Herstal, took the title Duke of the Franks to signify his augmented rule. His son and successor, Charles Martel, ruled without elevating a new king during the last four years of his reign (737–741). His sons Carloman and Pepin the Short elevated another Merovingian king, Childeric III, but he was eventually deposed in 751 by Pepin, who was crowned king in his place.
Mayors of the Palace of Austrasia
Name In office Family Remarks Parthemius 531–548 … Gogo 567–581 Wandalenus 581–583 Waltrichs … Florentianus um 589 … Protadus 595–600 Claudius 600 Gondulphus 600–612 Merowingians (uncert.) Warnachar 613 Short after the assassination of Sigibert II Rado 613–616/617 Hugh (Chucus) 617–622 Hugobertins (uncert.) Pepin of Landen 624/25–634 Pippinids First time Adalgisel 634–639 Pepin of Landen 639–640 Pippinids Second time Otto 640–643 Grimoald I 643–657 oder 662 Pippinids Ansegisel 657 oder 662–662 Arnulfingians Wulfoald 662–679 Etichonen (uncert.) Pepin of Herstal 679–714 Pippinids Theudoald 714–715 Pippinids de jure under his grandmother Plectrude Charles Martel 715–741 Pippinids After the Battle of Soissons (718) Maior Domus in all parts of the realm Carloman 741–747 Pippinids Austrasia containing also Alemania Pepin the Short 747–751 Pippinids Maior Domus for the whole realm Mayors of the Palace of Neustria
- Mummolin (566)
- Landric, under Clotaire II
- Gundoland (613 or 616–639)
- Aega (639–641), also in Burgundy
- Erchinoald (641–658)
- Ebroin (658–673), deposed
- Wulfoald (673–675), also in Austrasia (662–680)
- Leudesius (675), chosen but later deposed
- Ebroin (675–680), again
- Waratto (680 or 681–682), deposed by his son Gistemar
- Gistemar (682), usurper his father Waratton
- Waratto (682–684 or 686), again
- Berchar (686–688 or 689), murdered in 688 or 689
- Nordebert 687-695), under protection of Pippin of Herstal
- Grimoald II (695–714)
- Theudoald (714–715), also in Austrasia. Driven out of Neustria by the nobility, surrendered claim in 716.
- Ragenfrid (715–718), took power in Neustria in 714 or 715 but defeated by Charles Martel first in 717 and definitively in 718
- Charles Martel (718–741), also in Austrasia (715–741)
- Pepin the Short (741 or 742–751), became king of the Franks in 751
Mayors of the Palace of Burgundy
- Warnachar I (596–599)
- Berthoald (before 603–604)
- Protadius (604–606)
- Claudius
- Rado (613–617)
- Warnachar II (617–626), also in Austrasia
- Godinus (626–627)
- …
- Aega (639–641), also in Neustria
- Flaochad (642)
- Radobertus (642–662)
Hereafter the office remained vacant, with Burgundy a separate realm under the King of Neustria and Burgundy. The administration of Burgundy was briefly separate under:
Mayors of the Palace of Aquitaine
- Brodulf (627–628)
This is the line from whence came Charlemagne. For an excellent (lol) and brief history of Pepin the Short, the Great King’s father, I recommend the video below:
Adopted!