Childebert II in the context of "King of Burgundy"

Brunhilda (c. 543 – 613) was queen consort of Austrasia, part of Francia, by marriage to the Merovingian king Sigebert I of Austrasia, and regent for her son, grandson and great-grandson.

In her long and complicated career she ruled the eastern Frankish kingdoms of Austrasia and Burgundy for three periods as regent for her son Childebert II from 575 until 583; her grandsons Theudebert II and Theuderic II from 595 until 599; and her great-grandson Sigebert II in 613. The period was marked by tension between the royal house and the powerful nobles vying for power.

Theudebert II (French: Thibert or Théodebert) (c.585–612), King of Austrasia (595–612 AD), was the son and heir of Childebert II. He received the kingdom of Austrasia plus the cities (civitates) of Poitiers, Tours, Le Puy-en-Velay, Bordeaux, and Châteaudun, as well as the Champagne, the Auvergne, and Transjurane Alemannia.

During his early years, his grandmother Brunhilda ruled for Theudebert and his brother Theuderic II, who had received the realm of Burgundy. After the two brothers reached adulthood, they were often at war, with Brunhilda siding with Theuderic. In 599, he expelled his grandmother from his court, possibly at the instigation of the nobility, who had grown tired of Brunhilda’s influence on the King. She then went to his younger brother who readily accepted their grandmother at his court. She instigated a short but vengeful war between the brothers in the same year and Theuderic defeated Theudebert in a pinched battle at Sens, but when their cousin Chlothar II saw an opportunity to expand his realm, he invaded Neustria. Under their grandmother, the two brothers made a temporary truce and allied against their cousin, defeating him in a battle at Dormelles (near Montereau), thereby laying their hands on a great portion of Cholthar’s part of Neustria (600–604). At this point, however, the two brothers took up arms against each other for the second time; Theuderic defeated Theudebert at Étampes. In 605, Theudebert refused to aid his brother whose kingdom was invaded by Clothar II. In 610, Theudebert extorted Alsace from his brother and Theuderic took up arms against him, yet again for a third time.

Theuderic II (also spelled Theuderich, Theoderic or Theodoric; in French, Thierry) (c. 587–613), king of Burgundy (595–613) and Austrasia (612–613), was the second son of Childebert II. At his father's death in 595, he received Guntram's kingdom of Burgundy, with its capital at Orléans, while his elder brother, Theudebert II, received their father's kingdom of Austrasia, with its capital at Metz. He also received the lordship of the cities (civitates) of Toulouse, Agen, Nantes, Angers, Saintes, Angoulême, Périgueux, Blois, Chartres, and Le Mans. During his minority, and later, he reigned under the guidance of his grandmother Brunhilda, evicted from Austrasia by his brother Theudebert II.

In 596, Clotaire II, king of Neustria, and Fredegund, Clotaire's mother, took Paris, which was supposed to be held in common. Fredegund, then her son's regent, sent a force to Laffaux and the armies of Theudebert and Theuderic were defeated.