The Duchy of Austrasia

General Information:


Classification: Duchy
Government Type: Absolute Hereditary Monarchy
Capital: Metz (Royal Court)
State Religion: Roman Catholicism
Current Duke: Charles I
Current Heir: Guy

Alliances:
Trade Relations:
Non-Aggression Pacts: The Duchy of Auvergne
Vassals: Counties of Verdun, Pfalz, Mainz, Julich, Barbrant, Trier, Loon, Breda, Lorraine, Nordgau, and Saintois

*Work in Progress

Key

1. County of Metz
- Prince Bishopric of Metz
- Thionville Castle
- City of Briey

2. County of Verdun
- Longuyon Castle
- Prince Bishopric of Verdun
- City of Etain

3. County of Luxembourg
- Bouillon Castle
- City of Luxembourg
- Bishopric of Saint-Vith
- Barony of Arlon

4. County of Liege
- City of Liege
- City of Bastogne
- Barony of Namur

5. County of Trier
- City of Trier
- City of Coblenz
- Barony of Sponheim

6. County of Julich
- Julich Castle
- City of Aachen
- Bishopric of Prum

7. County of Pfalz
- Kaiserslautern Castle
- Bishopric of Worms
- Barony of Stahleck

8. County of Mainz
- Bishopric of Mainz
- City of Frankfurt
- Barony of Eppstein

9. County of Loon
- Loon Castle
- City of Maastricht
- Bishopric of Hasselt

10. County of Breda
- Breda Castle
- City of Hertogenbosch
- Bishopric of Tilburg
- Barony of Willemstad

11. County of Barbrant
- Leuven Castle
- City of Brussels
- Bishopric of Mechelen

12. County of Saintois
- Vaudemont Castle
- City of Brixey
- Bishopric of Saintois

13. County of Lorraine
- Nancy Castle
- City of Sarrebourg
- Bishopric of Toul

14. County of Nordgau
- Egisheim Castle
- City of Lauteburg
- Bishopric of Strassburg

Demesne of Charles I: Counties of Metz, Luxembourg, Trier

A Short History

The history of the Duchy of Austrasia is heavily linked to the land it rests upon and the cultures it encompasses. As the Duchy draws its name from the Frankish province of Austrasia, it is perhaps most prudent to start there; from the point where the region first took shape and the land as we know it today was first designated. In the later half of the 4th century, the Franks began there momentous rise to prominence in the area between the Moselle and Middle Rhine rivers. This large swath of territory would eventually be known as Austrasia or "Eastern Land," and it is the ancestral home territory of the Franks before their unification under the famous King Clovis I.

While originally staunch foederati of the Romans, at the close of the 4th century the Franks very rapidly began to turn their sights on Roman territory in Gaul due to ever growing pressure from other migrating Germanic tribes and a creeping cold air from the north.
After the death of King Clovis I in 511, his four sons partitioned his kingdom amongst themselves, with Theuderic I receiving the lands that were to become Austrasia. Descended from Theuderic, a line of kings ruled Austrasia until 555, when it was united with the other Frankish kingdoms of Chlothar I, who inherited all the Frankish realms by 558. He redivided the Frankish territory amongst his four sons, but the four kingdoms coalesced into three in 567: Austrasia under Sigebert I, Neustria under Chilperic I, and Burgundy under Guntram. These three kingdoms defined the political division of Francia until the rise of the Carolingians and even thereafter.

From 567 to the beginning of the 8th century, Neustria and Austrasia fought each other almost constantly for dominance over all of Francia, with Burgundy playing the peacemaker between them. In 719, Francia was united permanently under Austrasian hegemony until being surpassed for the Frankish throne by the Carolingians in 751 who demanded fealty from the Austrasian King. Under the Carolingians, Austrasia fell into regional anonymity within the Carolingian Empire. It wasn't until the dissolution of the Carolingian Empire after the death of King Charles the Fat in 888 that Austrasia once again emerged as a prominent region within the emergent Kingdom of Lotharingia. Alas, as vassals, the Austrasian lords were swept up into more wars as the Lotharingians frequently swapped allegiance between the East and West Frankish kings. In 939 the East Frankish king Otto I brought the reigning Duke Gilbert to heel and incorporated Lotharingia into his realm.

In 959 the Lotharingian duke Bruno the Great divided the duchy between Lotharingia superior (Upper Lorraine) and Lotharingia inferior (Lower Lorraine), giving each to the rule of a margrave. By the year 1000 however, political jockeying from regional lords and East Frankish decentralization became so prevalent, that several counties were operating with an almost de facto independence. This caused a near collapse of East Frankish authority with local lords in both the Lorraine duchies rebelling for sovereignty of their own. One of these lords, Charles de Murat, had amassed so much political clout and military support from the Austrasian nobility he was able to secure his demesne and expand through the vassalization of the counties of Trier, Mainz, and Pfalz. Further territory was gained through the marriage of Charles to the heiress of the counties of Luxembourg, Julich, and Liege - Lady Claude of Wallonia. With support from Pope Basil I in 1008, Charles de Murat's holdings became legitimized and the proclaimed Duchy of Austrasia was born.

While support within the realm remains at an all time high, at present the Duke faces external challenges from all sides. To the north and east, his Frankish rivals continue to present a threat despite their current fractured state; however, a peace could be concluded at any time. While to the West, the Duchy of Auvergne stands poised to swallow up more land in France to which the Duke of Austrasia stakes his own claims. Lastly, to the South, the Principality of Tolassot waits quietly and patiently with a Muslim heir and unclear motives. With a strong claim to the Kingdom of France, the Duke will undoubtedly face challenges in his quest to retake old Frankish land.