Pharamond of the Franks

     Pharamond of the Franks was born circa 370 at Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.¹ He died circa 427 at Westfalen, Germany.¹
     The story is told of the election of the first Frankish king. 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 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.

Pharamond is 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.¹