View source for Theudebert II

{{Short description|Merovingian king of Austrasia (c. 500–547)}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Theudebert II
| image        = Tiers de sou de Théodebert II frappé à Clermont.png
| caption      =
| succession   = [[Kingdom of Austrasia|King of Austrasia]]
| reign        = 595–612
| predecessor  = [[Childebert II]]
| successor    = [[Theuderic II]]
| birth_date   = {{c.|585}}
| death_date   = c. 612 (aged 27)
| spouse       = [[Bilichild (wife of Theudebert II)|Bilichild]]
| issue        = [[Emma of Austrasia]]<br>Merovech
| house        = [[Merovingian dynasty]]
| father       = [[Childebert II]]
| mother       = [[Faileuba]]
}}

'''Theudebert II''' ({{Langx|fr|Thibert {{noitalic|or}} Théodebert}}) (c.585&ndash;612),{{sfn|Murray|2018|p=1494}} King of [[Austrasia]] (595–612 [[AD]]), was the son and heir of [[Childebert II]]. He received the kingdom of Austrasia plus the cities (''civitates'') of [[Poitiers]], [[Tours]], [[Le Puy-en-Velay]], [[Bordeaux]], and [[Châteaudun]], as well as the [[Champagne (historical province)|Champagne]], the [[Auvergne (province)|Auvergne]], and [[Alamannia|Transjurane Alemannia]].

During his early years, his grandmother [[Brunhilda of Austrasia|Brunhilda]] ruled for Theudebert and his brother [[Theuderic II]], who had received the realm of Burgundy. After the two brothers reached adulthood, they were often at war, with Brunhilda siding with Theuderic. In 599, he expelled his grandmother from his court, possibly at the instigation of the nobility, who had grown tired of Brunhilda’s influence on the King. She then went to his younger brother who readily accepted their grandmother at his court. She instigated a short but vengeful war between the brothers in the same year and Theuderic defeated Theudebert in a pinched battle at [[Sens]], but when their cousin [[Chlothar II]] saw an opportunity to expand his realm, he invaded [[Neustria]]. Under their grandmother, the two brothers made a temporary truce and allied against their cousin, defeating him in a battle at [[Dormelles]] (near [[Montereau-Fault-Yonne|Montereau]]), thereby laying their hands on a great portion of Cholthar’s part of [[Neustria]] (600&ndash;604). At this point, however, the two brothers took up arms against each other for the second time; Theuderic defeated Theudebert at [[Étampes]]. In 605, Theudebert refused to aid his brother whose kingdom was invaded by Clothar II. In 610, Theudebert extorted [[Alsace]] from his brother and Theuderic took up arms against him, yet again for a third time.

In a final engagement between the two brothers during this civil war, Theudebert was defeated decisively by Theuderic twice, first at [[Toul]] and then at [[Zülpich]] in 612.{{sfn|Murray|2018|p=1494}}{{sfn|Russell|2005|p=145}} Theudebert was deposed and locked up in a monastery at the order of his grandmother, and later killed along with his son Merovech.{{sfn|Oman|1908|p=173}}

He was married to [[Bilichild (wife of Theudebert II)|Bilichild]]. His daughter [[Emma of Austrasia|Emma]] is sometimes thought to have married [[Eadbald of Kent]].

== Sources ==
{{sfn whitelist|CITEREFMurray2018}}
{{Reflist}}
{{EB1911|wstitle=Brunhilda|volume=4|page=684}}

==Sources==
*{{Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity | volume = 1|title=Theudebert II |first=Alexander C. |last=Murray }}
*{{cite book |last=Oman |first=Charles |title=The Dark Ages, 476-918 |publisher=Rivingtons |year=1908 }}
*{{cite book |first=Jeffrey Burton |last=Russell |title=Medieval Civilization |publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers |year=2005 |isbn=9781597521031 }}

{{S-start}}
{{S-hou|[[Merovingian|Merovingian dynasty]]||586||612}}
{{Succession box | before=[[Childebert II]]| title=[[List of Frankish kings|King of Austrasia]] | years=595&ndash;612 | after=[[Theuderic II]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Theudebert Ii}}
[[Category:Merovingian kings]]
[[Category:Frankish warriors]]
[[Category:580s births]]
[[Category:612 deaths]]
[[Category:Medieval child monarchs]]
[[Category:6th-century Frankish kings]]
[[Category:Murdered royalty]]
[[Category:7th-century Frankish kings]]
[[Category:Forcibly monasticised]]