Descendants of Merovech (Merovig, Merovius), Salian king of the Franks and founder of the Merovingian dynasty. According to one legend, Merovech was conceived when Clodio's wife encountered a Quinotaur, a sea monster which could change shapes while swimming. Called the "long-haired kings" (reges criniti) after the custom of the king to keep his hair unshorn, while his warriors' hair was cut sort. This royal dynasty ruled France and part of Germany from the 5th to the 8th centuries, gradually becoming mere figureheads as the real power came to be held by the "Mayors of the Palace". These would later receive official sanction as rulers in France, thus founding the Carolingian dynasty. By this time, the Merovingians had become a symbol of impotence and the empty trappings of power, but in their day, the Merovingians were a shrewd and powerful ally of the Church.

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