Pharamond

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King Pharamond

Pharamond or Faramund is a legendary early king of the Franks first referred to in the anonymous 8th century Carolingian text Liber Historiae Francorum, also known as the Gesta regnum Francorum. In this work, which is customarily dated to 727, the anonymous author begins by writing of a mythical Trojan origin for the Franks. The emphasis of the Liber was upon "construct[ing] a specific past for a particular group of people."^[1]

The story is told of the election of the first Frankish king.^[2] It says that after the death of Sunno, his brother Marcomer, leader of the Ampsivarii and Chatti, proposed to the Franks that they should have one single king, contrary to their tradition. The Liber adds that Pharamond, named as Marchomir's son, was chosen as this first king (thus beginning the tradition of long-haired kings of the Franks), and then states that when he died, his son Chlodio was raised up as the next king. The work says no more of him.

Because there is no reference in any source prior to this work^[3] to this figure named Pharamond, who is placed prior to Chlodio (that is, before ca. 428), scholars consider him a legendary rather than historical figure.^[4] As a matter of fact in several sources, for example Gregory of Tours, multiple kings are attested to rule simultaneously in later times. It is thus a dubious matter to assume that, even had Pharamond existed, he was ever recognized as sole king. The first king of the Franks who may have been close to this position was Clovis I, but after his death his empire was divided again amongst his sons who ruled again simultaneously.

The myth of Pharamond has led to new legends and romances in later times. In past times this has led to attempts to falsely write Pharamond into Prosper Tiro^[5]. Martin Bouquet at a much later date invented an entire history of Pharamond.^[1]

Pharamond in later culture

A Pharamond appears as the king of France in the Prose Tristan and later Arthurian works. A god called Pharamond appears in Neil Gaiman's Sandman as a provider of transportation for the gods and higher beings. It appears he also has a large amount of control over human transportation as well. He calls himself the last member of his pantheon. Pharamond is also mentioned in William Shakespeare's Henry V, Act I, Scene 2, as the originator of the Salic law banning women from succession to the throne of France.

Notes

References

• Liber Historiae Francorum, translated by Bernard S. Bachrach. Coronado Press, 1973.
• Gregory of Tours. Historia Francorum.
• McKitterick, Rosamond. History and Memory in the Carolingian World. 1st Ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
• Wood, Ian. The Merovingian Kingdoms. Pearson Education, 1994.