From long-lost Viking ships and kings buried in unexpected places to tales of murder,

power, faith, and the lives of ordinary people across medieval Europe and beyond.

Join me, Matt Lewis, Dr. Eleanor Jarniger and some of the world's leading historians,

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Hello, I'm Dr. Eleanorianica, and welcome to Gone Medieval from History Hit,

the podcast that delves into the greatest millennium in human history.

We uncover the greatest mysteries, the gobsmacking details, and the latest

groundbreaking research from the Vikings to the Normans, from kings to popes, to the

Crusades. We delve into the rebellions, plots, and murders that tell us who we really were.

And how we got here.

When asked what to think about the history of medieval France, most people usually name

check the big hits.

The Normans. Joan of Arc.

Perhaps even the towering exploits of the Emperor Charlemagne.

But before all these legends of French history arrived onto the scene,

there existed a dynasty as dramatic, entertaining, and downright cutthroat as any medieval ruling family that succeeded

them. They are called the Merovingians, the long-haired kings. And they were the first ruling

dynasty of the people known as the Franks. They came to power in the mid-fifth century, during the death throes of the Roman

Empire, and the barbarian explosion that followed. So, naturally, their origins are shrouded in

...