The Last of the Merovingians

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Illustration

Harrison W. Mark
by Évariste Vital Luminais
published on 10 March 2023

The Last of the Merovingians, oil on canvas by Évariste Vital Luminais, late 19th century. The painting depicts a young Merovingian having his hair cut. Known as the "Long-Haired Kings", the Merovingians' long hair symbolized their right to rule, and any Merovingian whose hair was cut short was deemed unfit for kingship. A common way for a Merovingian to dispose of a rival was to have him forcibly tonsured and exiled to a monastery, which is what is happening in this painting.

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Carcassonne.

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Cite This Work

APA Style

Luminais, É. V. (2023, March 10). The Last of the Merovingians. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17170/the-last-of-the-merovingians/

Chicago Style

Luminais, Évariste Vital. "The Last of the Merovingians." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified March 10, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17170/the-last-of-the-merovingians/.

MLA Style

Luminais, Évariste Vital. "The Last of the Merovingians." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 10 Mar 2023. Web. 27 Mar 2023.

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