CHILPERIC II

born c. 675 died 721, Soissons, Fr. king of Neustria and, briefly, of all the Frankish lands. As the alleged son of Childeric II, Chilperic was taken from a monastery (where he was living under the religious name of Daniel) and made king of Neustria in 715. Utterly subservient to Ragenfrid, mayor of the palace, who was attempting to throw off Austrasian control, Chilperic fled to Aquitaine in 719 after being defeated by Charles Martel, Austrasian mayor of the palace at Amblve in the Ardennes (716) and Viney, south of Cambrai (717). In 719, however, the weakling king of Austrasia, Chlotar IV, died, and Charles Martel, needing a Merovingian to lend legality to his power, restored Chilperic, who then became king of all the Frankish lands.