Theuderic IV
Merovingian King of the Franks
712 CE to 737 CE
Theuderic IV (c. 712 – 737) or Theuderich, Theoderic, or Theodoric; in French, Thierry, is the Merovingian King of the Franks from 721 until his death in 737.
He is the son of king Dagobert III; his date of birth is not well known but occurred after 711.
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Charles Martel Appoints a Puppet King: The Rise of Theuderic IV
In 719, Chilperic II had been officially raised on the shield as king of all the Franks, a symbolic gesture affirming his rule. However, his reign is short-lived, as he dies in Attigny in February 720. With no clear successor, the decision of who will wear the Merovingian crown now falls to Charles Martel.
Rather than allowing a rival faction to influence the succession, Charles appoints Theuderic IV, the young son of Dagobert III, as the new King of the Franks. Theuderic, still a minor, is entirely subservient to Charles, further reinforcing the reality that the Merovingian kings are now mere figureheads, serving at the will of the Mayor of the Palace.
By personally selecting the monarch he supposedly serves, Charles fully asserts his dominance over the Frankish state. Though the Merovingian dynasty remains in name, its authority has been entirely hollowed out—true power now lies solely in the hands of Charles Martel.
Theuderic IV: A King in Name Only
Throughout his reign, Theuderic IV remains a puppet monarch, entirely under the control of Charles Martel. Although officially King of the Franks, he exercises no real authority, as Charles keeps him in custody, first at Chelles Abbeyand later at Château-Thierry—a strategic location in northeastern Francia.
Situated on the Marne River in present-day Aisne département, Château-Thierry is said to have been fortified around 720 by Charles Martel himself, intended as both a royal residence and a prison in all but name for Theuderic. The ruins of the old castle on the slopes of the town’s hill stand as a reminder of the Frankish power structure of the time—where kings were merely symbolic figures, while the true ruler governed from the battlefield and the court.
As Charles tightens his grip on the Frankish realm, Theuderic IV, like his predecessors, serves only as a figurehead, his existence legitimizing the Carolingian hold on power while ensuring the Merovingian line remains politically impotent.
The Frankish Throne Left Vacant: Charles Martel Rules Without a King (737)
In 737, following the death of Theuderic IV, the Merovingian throne is left vacant, marking a significant shift in Frankish governance. Charles Martel, already the de facto ruler of Francia, chooses not to appoint a new Merovingian king, breaking with the tradition of maintaining a royal figurehead.
Instead, Charles continues to rule directly as Mayor of the Palace, consolidating his power as the undisputed leader of the Franks. While the Merovingian dynasty still technically exists, Charles effectively abolishes its authority, further paving the way for the eventual rise of the Carolingian dynasty.
This decision underscores the reality that the Frankish monarchy has become obsolete, with true power lying in the hands of the mayors of the palace—a fact that will be solidified in the coming decades when Charles's descendants formally claim the throne.