Under the Merovingian dynasty, the mayor of the palace or majordomo[1] .(Latin: maior palatii or Latin: maior domus) was the manager of the household of the Frankish king.
During the second half of the seventh century, the office evolved into the "power behind the throne". At that time the mayor of the palace held and wielded the real and effective power to make decisions affecting the kingdom, while the kings were increasingly reduced to performing merely ceremonial functions, which made them little more than figureheads (French: [[rois fainéants]], 'do-nothing kings'). The office may be compared to that of the peshwa, Japanese: [[shōgun]], Telugu: [[sarvadhikari]] or prime minister, all of which have similarly been the real powers behind some ceremonial monarchs.
In 687, after victory over the western kingdom of Neustria, the Austrasian mayor, Pippin of Herstal, took the title Duke of the Franks to signify his augmented rule. His son and successor, Charles Martel, ruled without elevating a new king during the last four years of his reign (737–741). His sons Carloman and Pepin the Short elevated another Merovingian king, Childeric III, but he was eventually deposed in 751 by Pepin, who was crowned king in his place.
See also Royal Administration of Merovingian and Carolingian Dynasties.
| Name | In office | Family | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parthemius | 531–548 | ||
| ... | |||
| Gogo | 567–581 | ||
| Wandalenus | 581–583 | Waltrichs | |
| ... | |||
| Florentianus | um 589 | ||
| ... | |||
| Protadus | 595–600 | ||
| Claudius | 600 | ||
| Gondulphus | 600–612 | Merowingians (uncert.) | |
| Warnachar | 613 | Short after the assassination of Sigibert II | |
| Rado | 613–616/617 | ||
| Hugh (Chucus) | 617–622 | Hugobertins (uncert.) | |
| 624/25–634 | Pippinids | First time | |
| Adalgisel | 634–639 | ||
| Pepin of Landen | 639–640 | Pippinids | Second time |
| Otto | 640–643 | ||
| Grimoald I | 643–657 oder 662 | Pippinids | |
| Ansegisel | 657 oder 662–662 | Arnulfingians | |
| Wulfoald | 662–679 | Etichonen (uncert.) | |
| Pepin of Herstal | 679–714 | Pippinids | |
| Theudoald | 714–715 | Pippinids | de jure under his grandmother Plectrude |
| Charles Martel | 715–741 | Pippinids | After the Battle of Soissons (718) Maior Domus in all parts of the realm |
| Carloman | 741–747 | Pippinids | Austrasia containing also Alemania |
| Pepin the Short | 747–751 | Pippinids | Maior Domus for the whole realm |
Hereafter the office remained vacant, with Burgundy a separate realm under the King of Neustria and Burgundy. The administration of Burgundy was briefly separate under: