Gundobad is believed to have been born around 452 to Gundioc, King of the Burgundians. He has also been recorded as the nephew of Flavius Ricimer, a Roman general who dominated the affairs of the Western Empire in mid 5th century. 1/10
A Germanic tribe, the Burgundians had migrated into the Roman Empire crossing the Rhine in 406. Around 443, they were settled around Lake Geneva and became Roman foederati. But they were just one of the many Germanic tribes in the region and had to compete for space. 2/10
From 457 onwards, Gundobad's uncle, Ricimer, became the most prominent general in the Western Roman Empire. When Ricimer died in 472, Gundobad effectively succeeded him. The Burgundians also had gained territory during this period. 3/10
In 473, Gundobad installed his own choice of Emperor on the throne. But around the same time Gundioc died and Gundobad had to leave Italy (which eventually led to the fall of the Empire in 476). The Burgundian Kingdom was divided between Gundobad and his three brothers. 4/10
It didn't take long for the brothers to take up arms against each other. By 486, two were killed - Chilperich and Gondemar. Gondemar had no heir, but Chilperich's daughter married the Frankish King, Chlodovech, who later allied with Gundobad's remaining brother, Godegisel. 5/10
Though Chlodovech and Godegisel got the initial victory in 500, Gundobad retaliated killing Godegisel. The reunited Burgundians grew in strength especially after the Frankish realm was divided on Chlodovech's death in 511. Gundobad died in 516 and was succeeded by his son. 6/10
But the Burgundian Kingdom did not last long. By 534, the sons of Chlodovech defeated the Burgundians and assimilated it into the Frankish Kingdom. However, the name of Burgundy (Bourgogne) lived on in the divisions of the Frankish Kingdom. 7/10
With the breakup of the Frankish Kingdom in the 9th century, Burgundy reappeared as an independent Kingdom with a County and a Duchy named Burgundy also coming up in the earlier domains of the Burgundians. The Kingdom was eventually absorbed into the Holy Roman Empire. 8/10
Towards the end of 11th century, Henri de Bourgogne, son of Duke of Burgundy, and Raymond de Bourgogne, son of Count of Burgundy, arrived in Castile answering its King's call for support. Henri's descendants would go on to rule Portugal, while Raymond's would reunite Spain. 9/10
In the 15th century, a cadet branch of the French royal family acquired both the County and the Duchy. They also acquired considerable territory north of France creating a de facto state, that would lead to the formation of Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. 10/10
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Grimoald was born around 615 to Pepin and Itta. Not long before Grimoald was born, Pepin and other Frankish nobles had conspired with King Clothaire of Neustria to remove the child King Sigebert of Austrasia and Burgundy and his regent, Queen Brunhild. 1/10
With the help of Pepin and others, King Clothaire reunited the Kingdom of the Franks. Initially, Pepin's associates obtained prominent roles in the Kingdom as Mayor of the Palace, while he retained influence on the King's son, Dagobert. 2/10
Clothaire was born in 584 to Chilperich, King of the Franks, and Fredegund. Not long after his birth, his father was killed, making Clothaire the king of the part of the Frankish realm that he ruled. He had inherited the smallest of the three Frankish Kingdoms - Neustria. 1/10
In 561, Clothaire's grandfather and namesake had died dividing the Frankish Kingdom into four. Chilperich, who was the youngest, received a Kingdom around Soissons, which contained the core area that the senior Clothaire had inherited in 511. 2/10
3) Capets - Though Habsburgs tend to get more press, Capets are the most prolific royal dynasty in Europe, lasting over 1,000 years. But they are divided into many dynasties - Valois, Bourbon, Anjou (3 dynasties), Burgundy-Portugal, Courtenay, Evreux
Theudelinda was born around 570 to Garibald of the Baiuvarii (Bavarians) and Waldrada of the Langobard (Lombards). The Bavarians were a Germanic tribe that was associated with the Franks, another Germanic tribe, to their west. 1/10
Around 555, Garibald had been named the Duke of the Bavarians by the Frankish King, Clothaire. It was around the same time Garibald married Waldrada, who had earlier been married to Theodebald, King of Franks at Reims, and later possibly Clothaire as well. 2/10
Alboin was born around 530 to Audoin and Rodelinda. They were part of the Langobards, also knowns as Lombards, one of the many Germanic tribes that lived in the former regions of the Roman Empire in the West, after the Empire collapsed. 1/10
In 547, Audoin was elected King of the Lombards. The Lombards had control of Pannonia and were in alliance with the Roman Empire in the East. But they rarely got along with the Gepids, another Germanic tribe, who controlled the region to their east. 2/10
Stefan Dušan was born in 1308 to Stefan Uroš Dečanski and Princess Teodora of Bulgaria. Stefan Uroš Dečanski was the eldest son of Stefan Uroš Milutin, King of Serbia, and was the governor of Zeta within the Kingdom of Serbia. 1/10
In 1314, Stefan Dečanski rebelled against his father. After defeating his son, King Stefan Milutin exiled his son and family to Constantinople and put his younger son, Stefan Konstantin, in charge of Zeta. Stefan Dušan grew up in Constantinople, learning their culture. 2/10