# The Merovingian Dynasty: France's First Kings

An episode of [Gone Medieval](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1564113746), 19 May 2026, 58 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/gone-medieval/e/6a05c2f83fd6979bfcf67809/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=avsTx5CnjSQzBfcTdoJ2s82UAuaFyVSZ_NW05PHda48

Long-haired rulers, dynastic bloodshed, secret letters, and a kingdom built in the aftermath of empire; Dr. Eleanor Janega and Dr. James Palmer dive into the wild, Roman-adjacent world of the Merovingians. What made the first kings of France so unforgettable, and why were they later written out of the story? From myth to murder, this is the family that helped shape medieval France. MORE Why The Early Middle Ages Matter Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify The Destruction of Charlemagne's Legacy Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. Audio editor is Tim Arstall, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds. Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week plus ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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