Ebroïn

Ebroïn (died ad 680/683) was the mayor of the palace in the Frankish kingdom of Neustria for some 20-odd years, from 656.

After his Merovingian puppet king, Chlotar III, died in 673, Ebroïn took it upon himself to appoint Chlotar’s brother, Theuderic III, as successor. Irate at the lack of consultation, the magnates rebelled, calling upon a third brother, King Childeric II of Austrasia; Childeric assumed control in Neustria and also Burgundy and imprisoned Ebroïn in the Monastery of Luxeuil in Burgundy. On the assassination of Childeric in 675, Ebroïn escaped, succeeded by duplicity in luring the new mayor of the palace to his death, and eventually restored Theuderic III. Shortly afterward he accused his rival in Burgundy, St. Leodegar (or Léger), bishop of Autun, of complicity in Childeric’s murder; the bishop’s tongue and lips were cut off before he was finally executed.

In his last years Ebroïn campaigned successfully against the Austrasians, defeating their mayor of the palace, Pippin II, at Lucofao, near Laon, in 680. His cruelty and oppression were such, however, that he was assassinated by a Frankish nobleman. His death marked the end of Neustrian predominance in Frankish affairs.