Agilolfing

The Agilolfings were a prominent ducal family in Bavaria during the early Middle Ages. They were closely related to the Lombard royal family of Italy and, by the 8th century, held a position of near-royal status in Bavaria. The Franks, who expanded their kingdom eastward, brought much of what would later become Germany under their control, including areas inhabited by the Bavarians. These conquered groups were often governed by a duke who represented the Frankish king, and in the case of the Bavarian Agilolfings, this leadership allowed for significant autonomy, especially when the Frankish realm was divided or in civil war. The Agilolfings were a significant force in the region, maintaining their own political and social structures.1