Editing Chlothar I (section)

===Acquisition of the kingdom of Orléans===

Chlothar was the chief instigator in the murder of his brother [[Chlodomer]]'s children in 524, and his share of the spoils consisted of the cities of [[Tours]] and [[Poitiers]].<ref name="EB1911"/> Chlothar's brother, Chlodomer was killed on 25 June 524 during an expedition against the Burgundians at the Battle of Vezeronce. Upon Chlodomer's death, his three sons, Theodebald, Gunther, and Clodoald, were entrusted to care of their grandmother, hence the young princes were raised in Paris by Chlodomer's mother, Chlotilde.

To prevent the kingdom of Orleans from returning to his nephews, Chlothar joined with his brother Childebert in 532 to threaten the young heirs with death unless they agreed to join a monastery. They sent Arcadius, grandson of [[Sidonius Apollinaris]], to their mother, Clotilde, with a pair of scissors and a sword. He gave the queen an ultimatum: the boys could either live as monks or die.

Germanic traditions gave Queen Clotilde, as the mother, the right as head of her household. However, among kings the lineage passed to younger brothers before it passed to the next generation. Due to tribal politics, shearing of the boys' hair could lead to a civil war; long hair was a symbol of Frankish royalty, and to remove it was considered a grave insult. But Theodebald, Gunthar, and [[Clodoald]] could someday lay claim to the throne, and it was Chlothar and Childebert's duty to pass authority on to them.

Clotilde was disgusted and shocked at the demands relayed by Arcadius and stated that she would rather see her grandsons dead than see their hair shorn.<ref name="Tours_III_18">Grégoire de Tours, ''Histoire'', livre III, 18.</ref>

[[File:Assassinat de Thibault et Gonthaire.jpg|thumb|Assassination of Thibaut and Gunthar]]
The two uncles went through with their plan to murder the children. Chlothar stabbed Theodebald in the armpit. Gunthar threw himself at the feet of Childebert, who began to cry and almost gave in to the pleas of his nephew. Chlothar, however, demanded that Childebert carry through with the murder, stating that it was the only way to consolidate power. Childebert gave Gunthar up to Chlothar, who stabbed him.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=PDkNAAAAIAAJ&dq=chlothar+ii+king+of+the+franks&pg=PA522 Oman, Charles. ''The Dark Ages, 476–918'', Rivingtons, 1908, p. 114]{{PD-notice}}</ref> Theodebald and Gunthar were ten and seven years old respectively.

Clodoald remained alive by managing to escape, hidden by loyal supporters. He renounced all claims and chose a monastic life. Childebert and Chlothar could then freely share their acquired territory. Meanwhile, Theuderic captured a parcel consisting of [[Provinces of France|Auxerrois]], [[Berry (province)|Berry]] and [[Sens]].