born 605
died Jan. 19, 639, Saint-Denis, France
Last Frankish king of the Merovingian dynasty to rule a politically united realm.
He became king of Austrasia in 623 and of the entire Frankish realm in 629. Dagobert secured a treaty with the Byzantine emperor, defeated the Gascons and Bretons, and campaigned against the Slavs in the east. In 631 he sent an army to help the Visigothic usurper in Spain. He moved his capital from Austrasia to Paris, then made his son king of Austrasia in 634. Dagobert also revised Frankish law, patronized the arts, and founded the great abbey of Saint-Denis.