After Clovis's death, real power in the Merovingian Dynasty was in the hands of who?
A. the nobles
B. mayors of the palace
C. parish priests
D. king's wife
To find out who held real power in the Merovingian Dynasty after Clovis's death, we can look at historical records and books on the topic. The period after Clovis's death is known as the Merovingian Interregnum, and during this time, the Merovingian kings were often young and inexperienced, leading to a power vacuum.
The answer is B. Mayors of the palace.
After Clovis's death, the real power in the Merovingian Dynasty shifted to the mayors of the palace. The mayors of the palace were high-ranking officials who managed the king's household and had significant influence over the administration and military affairs. Over time, they gained more power and often overshadowed the Merovingian kings, who became mere figureheads. This shift in power marked the beginning of the Carolingian Dynasty, which eventually replaced the Merovingian Dynasty in the 8th century.
To verify this information, you can refer to historical texts such as "The Frankish Kingdoms under the Carolingians" by Rosamond McKitterick or "The Merovingian Kingdoms: 450 - 751" by Ian Wood. These sources provide detailed explanations of the power dynamics within the Merovingian Dynasty after Clovis's death.