Reflecting on the Merovingian Mirror

Newsletter of the Order of the Merovingian Dynasty: 448-751 www.merovingiandynasty.com

Winter 2011 Volume 4, Issue 1

Officers... Save the date... 2012 Speaker…

PRESIDENT GENERAL President General COL Charles C. Lucas, Jr. C. Brian Rose (Ph.D. Columbia University) is COL Charles C. Lucas, Jr., MD James B. Pritchard Professor of Archaeology at 1ST VICE PRESIDENT GENERAL the University of Pennsylvania Brantley Carter Bolling Knowles and Curator-in-Charge of the 2ND VICE PRESIDENT GENERAL Mediterranean Section of the Charles William Neuhauser University Museum of

3RD VICE PRESIDENT GENERAL Archaeology and Juanita Sue Pierce Augustus Anthropology. He has been

4TH VICE PRESIDENT GENERAL excavating at Troy since 1988, Anna Ferguson Duff where he has been Head of and the General Officers of the Post-Bronze Age Excavations GENEALOGIST GENERAL Timothy Field Beard, FASG Order of the Merovingian Dynasty at the site for more than a decade, and he

excavated at Aphrodisias for five years. Brian’s REGISTRAR GENERAL request the pleasure of your company John Harman, Jr. at the new survey project in the Granicus River Valley Order’s Annual Meeting and Luncheon focuses on recording and mapping the ACTING WEBMASTER on Greco-Persian tombs that dominate the area. Barry C. Howard Wednesday, the eleventh of April Brian is President of the Archaeological SECRETARY GENERAL Two thousand twelve Dianne A. Robinson Institute of America (AIA), and a Trustee of at the both the American Research Institute in Turkey ASST. SECRETARY GENERAL The City Tavern Club and the American Academy in . Courses Jane Wooten Walker (Courtesy of Barry C. Howard) he has recently taught have included Roman CHAPLAIN GENERAL 3206 M Street, NW Topography; the Archaeology of Troy; The Rev. Dr. Albert Clinton Walling II Washington, DC 20007 Augustan Rome; and Roman Republican (202) 337-8770 TREASURER GENERAL sculpture, architecture, and coinage. Brian is the Barry C. Howard Speaker: Professor C. Brian Rose English language editor of Studia Troica, the

annual journal of the Troy excavations, and is ASST. TREASURER GENERAL Meeting of the Officers and Council 11:00 A.M. Catherine McCreary Strauch currently finishing the final publication of the Welcome Reception 12:00P.M. ARCHIVIST GENERAL Luncheon 1:00 pm architecture and architectural decoration of the John Mauk Hilliard Roman houses at Troy. Use of cell phones is prohibited in the Club. CURATOR GENERAL Coat and tie required. Eva Gray Harding Reservations must be received by April 6, 2012

CHANCELLOR GENERAL ~ Craig Huseman Metz, Esq. ____ Member(s), ___ Guest(s) @ $85 = $______

Table of Contents… ______M ____G ____ SURGEON GENERAL Save the Date ...... 1 George James Hill, MD, DLitt (Name) 2012 Speaker Dr. C. Brian Rose ...... 1 COUNSELOR GENERAL ______M ____G ____ Saying Our Goodbyes ...... 2 J. Michael Phelps, Esq. (Name) The Merovingians – The Making of a Medieval ADVISORY COUNCIL ______M ____G ____ Dynasty by Helmut Reimitz ...... 3 Ms. Caroline Bowen (Name) Proposal for Membership Form ...... 4 Mrs. Karen Mandeville Cardullo Check, payable to OMD, should be sent to: Mr. Alan Stratton Hammock, Jr. Scholarship Recipients ...... 5 Mr. John Hallberg Jones COL Charles C. Lucas, Jr., MD Corrections & Changes to Directory ...... 5 Mr. Russell Cecil Scott OMD President General New Members ...... 5 Ms. Shari Kelley Worrell 2039 Palmer Avenue, Suite 103 Minutes from the 2011 Meeting ...... 6

HONORARY PRESIDENTS GENERAL Larchmont, NY 10538-2483 Memories in Photos from 2011 ...... 7 Richard Alan Gregory 914-434-3074 Insignia Order Form ...... 8 Hardwick Smith Johnson, Jr. EdD [email protected]

(Registration is required in order to attend)

Saying our Goodbyes...

FOUNDING MEMBER units from platoon to battalion, in combat and in garrison, interspersed SUSAN PIERCE PATTERSON with staff assignments and attendance at military schools. He has been February 4, 1927 - August 9, 2011 awarded the Legion of Merit; Bronze Star Medals with combat "V" in Korea and Vietnam; the Purple Heart; the Meritorious Service Medal; Susan Pierce Patterson, formerly of as well as many other United States and foreign military awards. Col. Okmulgee, Tulsa, Muskogee, Oklahoma McCarty is currently a consultant in management and foreign trade City, Oklahoma and Dallas, Texas, passed matters. away on August 9, 2011, in Dallas, Texas. She was preceded in death by her parents McCarty belonged to many organizations including leadership roles in Mr. and Mrs. Albert Edward Pierce of Tulsa, General Society of Colonial Wars, National Gavel Society, National Oklahoma, and her son, David Edward Patterson of Rockford, Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, National Society Americans of Royal Descent, Order of the Crown of Charlemagne in Illinois. the United States of America, Order of the Merovingian Dynasty, She is survived by her husband, Louis Winfield Patterson, and Hereditary Order of Descendants of Loyalists and Patriots, General her children, Steven Thomas Patterson and his wife, Elizabeth Society Sons of the Revolution, Huguenot Society of Washington Simpson Patterson, of Kerrville, Texas, and Reynolds West D.C., St. Andrew's Society of Washington D.C., Society of the War of Patterson and his wife, Teresa Arnold Patterson, of Plano, 1812, Society of Descendants of Knights of the Garter, Sovereign Texas. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law, Janice Hines Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, Knight of Grace of the Patterson Roberman and her husband Charles Harold Roberman, Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem of Houston, Texas. Col. McCarty’s avocations included skiing, scuba diving and biking. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Thomas Winfield Patterson of Arlington, Virginia, Andrew Edward Patterson and GLORIA SUE REED HENDRY his wife Meghan McAllister Patterson of Austin, Texas, March 30, 1926 - November 26, 2011 Christopher Warren Patterson and his wife Sara Katheleen Gloria Sue Reed Hendry, 88, died November 26, 2011 Kilroy of Boston, Massachusetts, and Claudia Gagen Patterson in the comfort of her home. She was born March 30, of Houston, Texas and great-grandson, Cody Parker Patterson. 1926 to the late Col. Lear B. and Bertha Lee Compton Patterson was a member of a number of lineage societies Reed, of Richmond and Northern Virginia. She was the including leadership roles in National Society Daughters of the granddaughter of Dr. Llewellyn Thomas Reed and American Colonists, National Society Colonial Daughters of the Katherine Effie Beasley Steele Reed, of Atlanta and up Seventeenth Century, National Society Daughters of the Barons -state New York and of Edward Henry Compton and of Runnemede, and The Order of the Merovingian Dynasty. Susan Long Menefee Compton, of Warren County, Virginia. In 1947, she married Robert Needham Hendry, of She was a She was a graduate of Tulsa University, where she Jacksonville, Florida. earned a Bachelors of Science in Medical Technology. She was also member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority. Mrs. Hendry graduated from Florida State University, Tallahassee, where she majored in history and journalism. She was a member of Other organizations in which she was active included P. E. O. Alpha Chi Omega Sorority. After moving to Raleigh, NC, she earned Sisterhood, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge and the a master's degree from NCSU (Phi Kappa Phi). Clopton Family Association. As a student, she was known for her feature articles in the Florida COL STEWART BOONE McCARTY, JR. Flambeau and the Tallahassee Democrat and in Virginia by the July 13, 1926 - November 21, 2011 Warren Sentinel. She continued to write historical articles from time to time and was especially interested in the leading role played by the Stewart Boone McCarty, the son of Stewart Livery Companies of London in the Settlement of Virginia and of the Boone McCarty, Sr. and Vivian Myers importance of these Companies in the founding of the Nation. Mrs. Simmons, was born in Kansas City, MO. Col. Hendry also wrote historical columns for the NC Jamestowne Society McCarty and his wife, Janet Dorothy (McCord) Newsletter and edited the South Riding Post Reader for the Colonial McCarty, are the parents of Anne Stewart Dames of America, the original and oldest lineage society for women McCarty Parker and Elizabeth Boone McCarty. in the United States. Also, she created the historical portions of the Col. McCarty graduated from the UCLA with an AB in national Jamestowne Society web site. Economics. He completed an MA in Management and Personnel Administration from George Washington University. Col. Mrs. Hendry was a member of a number of lineage societies including leadership roles in United Daughters of the Confederacy, National McCarty has completed graduate studies in Archaeology at Society Daughters of the American Revolution, First Families of Worcester College of Oxford University and the Catholic North Carolina, National Society Daughters of Colonial Wars, University of America. Colonial Dames of America, 1890; and Daughters of the Cincinnati.

A career military officer, McCarty entered active duty as an Mrs. Hendry is survived by her husband, Robert Needham Hendry; Officer Candidate March 1, 1944, and served as a two sons, Robert Carlisle Hendry, of Hillsborough, NC and wife, Dr. Commissioned Officer in the Regular Marine Corps until Karen Hendry, and Douglas Reed Hendry, of Amite, Louisiana; a retiring as a Colonel on August 1, 1974. McCarty commanded niece and nephew, great-niece and two great-nephews. 2 The Merovingians… chronicler comments smugly, “if from the sea-monster or the king, I do not know. In any case the son who was born was no less than the "This reprint of Professor Reimitz's talk first appeared in the heros eponymous of the Merovingian family: .” Summer 2011 issue of THE HERALD, the newsletter of the Baronial Order of Magna Charta and The Military Order of the The chronicler places the story in the fifth century where the name of Crusades." Merovech’s father is mentioned by contemporary sources as

The Merovingians – The Making of a Medieval Dynasty the name of a Frankish king in the North-East of modern France. It By Helmut Reimitz, Department of History, Princeton Univ. must have been around this time when the Merovingian family started out. In the second half of the fifth century we hear of Childeric who Let me start by thanking you very much for the invitation. As an ruled as Frankish king, but also as Roman officer over the territory of early medievalist with a special interest in post-Roman the Roman province of the Belgica secunda, roughly between the under Merovingian rule, roughly the region that is modern day and the Northeastern border of modern France. The chronicles France from around 450 to 750, I am particularly grateful for the from the Merovingian period mention him as son and successor opportunity. Merovech. He was clearly a very successful general who managed to It was already in the eighth and ninth century when some “spin defend and extend the territory of his rule and to maintain law and doctors” of the Carolingian family, who succeeded the order within the former Roman province. But as the chronicle tells us, Merovingian as rulers of the in 751, spread a negative his uncontrolled sexual behavior brought him into trouble. He abused image of their royal predecessors. To legitimize their usurpation the daughters of the Franks until finally his own men expelled him, of the Frankish throne they portrayed the Merovingians as “Do and he had to flee to the neighboring country of Thuringia. In Nothing Kings”. Einhard, the famous biographer of Thuringia he had an affair with the wife of the Thuringian king. But Charlemagne, presents them as dull royal puppets conveyed by she was so impressed by her Merovingian lover that she followed him an ox-cart to their assemblies, indicating not only a slow into his kingdom after he had been reconciled with the Franks a few procession but an outdated rustic and somewhat suspicious years later. ritual. At the assemblies, so the story goes, their role was mainly Clovis Founded the Merovingian Kingdom a passive one. They lethargically presided over the proceedings leaving the hard work of politics to their Carolingian mayors of The son of this couple was Clovis, who is usually regarded as the the palace. Consequently, these mayors were right to depose the founder of the Merovingian kingdom in Gaul. Not only did he Merovingian kings and to usurp the throne in order to live up to extend his rule over the former provinces of Gaul, roughly modern the title of king. France, he was the first Christian king of the Franks, and he converted to what most of the Roman population of Gaul believed Critiquing of Merovingian Kings was the right king of Christianity – Catholicism. Although there are

Critiquing the Merovingian kings was not a Carolingian ambivalent and slightly different portrayals of Clovis in the extant invention. There were critical voices in the Merovingian period, sources, no one criticizes him for excessive sexuality. He had three too. But they were not voices looking to legitimize a successful sons from his marriage with the Burgundian princess Chlothild, and usurpation. They were voices of opposition to rulers who were another from a concubine whose name has not been transmitted. Most ambitiously trying to assert control over the ethnically and kings before the ninth century had several wives at the same time, socially heterogeneous population of the former Roman even Charlemagne. But in Clovis’ case the sources suggest fairly well provinces of Gaul. Furthermore, several kings were often ruling ordered relationships and that the Burgundian princess Chlothild was over the same kingdoms at the same time, competing with each his only wife after he married her. other for power and influence and multiplying the efforts to When Clovis died his kingdom was divided among four sons: three by establish royal power. As sources writing in the Merovingian Chlothild and one before his marriage with Chlothild. With this next period saw it, the problem was not the inactivity of these kings, generation we are back in the Dark Ages. Accounts provide a number it was their constant activity that created problems. of stories about sexually hyperactive Merovingians who established In this context one theme that recurs again and again in these their rule through cunning and violence and asserted themselves sources was the sexual activity, or even hyperactivity, of the against one another in fierce competition. One of my favorite stories Merovingians. A chronicler reports that Dagobert I, who ruled in is about Clothar I, who outlived the other sons of Clovis and united the first half of the seventh century, had so many wives and the kingdom for a few years around the middle of the sixth century. concubines it would go beyond the scope of the chronicle to list Chlothar was unusually vain, and when he was dying he could not them. This was also true for his father, Chlothar II, and what the understand why God should be calling such an outstanding person as chronicler thought was even worse about him was that he him out of the world. We also learn that he had a number of wives at listened to their advice. For the chroniclers the uncontrolled and the same time. , a younger contemporary of uncontrollable desires of their kings may have well been the Chlothar who gives us the oldest report on the matter, presents a long logical consequence of their family history. After all, list and tells about one wife named Aregund. She asked Chlothar for Merovingian kings might well have been descended from a sea support in finding a suitable man for her sister. Chlothar was happy to monster. As the chronicler reports, Chlodio, one of the ancestors oblige, and after he saw his wife’s pretty sister considered the matter of Chlothar and Dagobert, went for a walk with his wife to the carefully. Eventually he came to the conclusion that the only suitable beach. When his wife went to go swimming, she was suddenly man was himself, and he took her for his wife, too. attacked by a beast coming out of the sea. Soon after the incident, it turned out that the Queen was pregnant, and the Such stories from the different sources have contributed to the image chronicler of the Merovingian kings as urge-driven, uncontrollable and 3 brutal – real Dark Age barbarians. And it is still present in many Order of the Merovingian Dynasty superficial remarks on the Merovingians, even in college-level PROPOSAL FOR MEMBERSHIP textbooks. But such a view raises a crucial question: how did these truly barbarian rulers manage to establish the legitimacy of the family as kings for such a long time? In the early Middle Ages no royal family ruled for such a long stretch – about 300 years if we include Chlodio, father of Merovech.

Dynastic Succession Not The Norm To the President General and Committee on membership:

For a long time, no one asked this question. Scholars generally The undersigned propose for membership in the Order: assumed that dynastic succession was the norm among the Germanic peoples, and history of the Merovingian kings was seen as an Full Name: ______opportunity to explore long standing Germanic traditions of kingship and rule. But more recent research on Germanic and barbarian Maiden Name: ______societies in the first centuries AD shows that for a long time the Address: ______social organization of Germanic groups and peoples was more fluid and flexible than we have assumed. Encounters between barbarian City: ______tribes, groups and armies changed not only the Roman empire but also the barbarian societies living outside or along the periphery of State: Zip: Country: ______it. There might have been a tradition of dynastic succession among some of the Germanic groups, but it seems to have been one pattern Telephone Number: ______among others. Email: ______This becomes obvious in the history of some of the successor states Occupation: ______of the Empire in the West, such as the Merovingian kingdom. After some Germanic generals and kings had established their rule over Who is personally known and request that a formal invitation be the former Roman provinces, dynastic succession does not seem to sent to our friend. It is understood that upon acceptance of the have been so deeply rooted anywhere that it could not be abandoned. invitation and payment of the fees, that lineage blanks will be A dramatic example is the Visigothic kingdom in Spain where kings sent to the prospective member on which can be recorded the were continuously deposed, sent to monasteries or even killed and requisite genealogical data relating to lineal descent from the. replaced by other members of the aristocracy. The historians of the Other Personal Recommendations Merovingian kingdoms clearly looked down on them. Many of the (Societies, Commissions, and Honors) extant chronicles from the Merovingian kingdoms transmit dismissive remarks on the habits of the Visigoths, saying that they exchanged their kings whenever they liked. To stabilize the political situation, the Visigoths eventually introduced the practice of election and confirmation of kings at church councils. The nominees did not have to come from a royal family, but at least had to be of Visigothic descent.

In the Lombard kingdom in Italy we also see that dynastic succession was an idea that could be interpreted in different ways. In Name of Gateway Ancestor: ______difficult situations it was the widows of the deceased kings who Proposed by: ______would determine the next king by choosing which noble to marry. Thus, it seems that the continuity of the Merovingian family in the Proposed by: ______sixth and seventh centuries was more the exception than the rule, and the political success of the Merovingians established it as a Proposer Comments: model for medieval Europe.

The powerful establishment of dynastic succession in the Middle Ages sometimes makes it difficult to comprehend the historical contingency of such influential processes. But we must remember that our understanding of what a kingdom is, is a product of its long history in Europe. People living in the successor kingdoms of the Roman empire and even their rulers did not have this knowledge. Please send completed Proposal for Membership to: They learned of kingdoms long gone, such as those of the biblical Order the Merovingian Dynasty kings, and they also had some ideas about what their kingdom John R. Harman, Jr., Registrar should look like in the future. But for people in the sixth century a 2112 White Oak Road kingdom – a regnum in the political language of the time – was an Raleigh, NC 27608-1452 ongoing social and political experiment in a quickly and constantly Questions? changing world. To Be Continued….. [email protected]

4 Scholarship…

The Cornelia “Nellie” Smith Isenhour Memorial Scholarship was founded in 2009 by Dianne A. Robinson to honor her grandmother and with contributions by other members to continue the growth of the scholarship. It is awarded each year to two students majoring in Archaeology and recommended by Dr. Brian Rose, James B. Pritchard Professor of Archaeology, University of Pennsylvania; Deputy Director, Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Anyone interested in making a tax-deductible donation may send a check, payable to OMD Scholarship, to:

Dianne Robinson 18602 Balmore Pines Lane Cornelius, NC 28031-5208 Dianne Robinson, Emerson Avery, Hardwick Johnson, Jr.

Dianne Robinson, Justin Leidwanger, Hardwick Johnson, Jr. Emerson Avery graduated in 2005 with a B.A. in Ancient Greek from Haverford College and Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology from Bryn Mawr College, where his senior thesis examined the expression of a nascent Greek ethnic identity at the colony of Empúries, Spain, during the Iron Age. He spent the 2005 academic year developing this research as a Fulbright Fellow at the German Archaeological Institute in Madrid before joining AAMW in the fall of 2006. His interest in the construction of identity led him to the study of Late Antiquity and the intersection of a variety of peripheral Western Mediterranean places with the Imperial center. His thesis explores the development of settlement and communication dynamics in the hinterland of Marsala, Sicily during the period 300-900 A.D. Emerson has worked on projects in Spain, Italy, and France. ~

Changes/Corrections to Roster/Directory…

Justin’s research focuses primarily on Roman maritime Please notify the Secretary General and the Registrar General of any changes: commerce, and the subject of his dissertation is entitled "Maritime Archaeology as Economic History: Long-Term Dianne A. Robinson, Secretary General Trends of Roman Commerce in the Northeast Mediterranean." 18602 Balmore Pines Lane He holds a B.A. Classics from Loyola University Chicago, and Cornelius, NC 28031-5208 an M.A. in archaeology from Texas A&M University. Most 704-892-0442 recently, he has been working to develop a long-term survey, [email protected] excavation and cultural heritage program at the site of several and shipwrecks off the coast of Sicily. Over the past few years, he John R. Harman, Jr., Registrar General has served as ceramicist for research and field projects in 2112 White Oak Road Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Greece and Italy, including most Raleigh, NC 27608-1452 recently with Dokuz Eylül University’s survey off the Aegean [email protected] and Mediterranean coasts of Turkey. Alongside his current research in the field and laboratory, Justin has been publishing ~ the results of a 2003-2009 maritime landscape archaeology New Members… project off the Cypriot coast that included both intensive shallow-water investigations and remote sensing farther We welcome the following new members who have joined our offshore. His concern for underwater cultural heritage extends society since the publication of the 2011-2013Roster:

to issues of ethical stewardship, responsible management, and #287-Mrs. Alvin A. Abbott (Cora) collaboration in maritime investigations, a topic on which he #288-Douglass M. Mabee has published several recent articles and co-organized a #289 -Mrs. Stanley A. Millan (Mary) two-part workshop and conference.

5 Minutes of the Seventh Annual Meeting… Blazer patches were presented and it was announced that the cost was $35 each.

The Seventh Annual Meeting of the Order of the Merovingian Mrs. Stephen W. Duff, Nominating Committee Chairman, presented Dynasty was held 13 April 2011 at the City Tavern Club in the proposed slate of officers for 2011-2013 to be voted on and Washington, DC at 10:30 a.m. President General Hardwick accepted by the members: Smith Johnson, Jr., EdD called the meeting to order. The invocation was given by Dr. Albert Clinton Walling II. President General Col. Charles Clement Lucas, Jr., MD 1st Vice President General Brantley Carter Bolling Knowles Officers in attendance were: Dr. Hardwick Smith Johnson, Jr. 2nd Vice President General Charles William Neuhauser EdD, President General; Dr. Charles Clement Lucas, MD, First 3rd Vice President General Juanita Sue Augustus Vice President General, Mr. Charles William Neuhauser, 4 th Vice President General Anna Boykin Ferguson Duff Second Vice President General; Ms. Juanita Sue Pierce Genealogist General Timothy Field Beard, FASG Augustus, Third Vice President General; Mr. Timothy Field Asst. Genealogist General Philip Robert Livingston Beard, Genealogist General; Barry Christopher Howard, Registrar General John Harman, Jr. Treasurer General; Dr. Linda Corinne Mistler, Ph.D., Secretary Webmaster To be appointed by President General General; Dr. Albert Clinton Walling II, Chaplain General; Mrs. Secretary General Dianne Robinson Peter Irving Channing Knowles II, Curator General; Mr. George Asst. Secretary General Jane Wootten Walker James Hill, MD, DLitt, Surgeon General; and, Mrs. Joel Chaplain General The Rev. Dr. Albert Clinton Walling, II Strauch, Assistant Treasurer. Members of the Advisory Council Treasurer General Barry Christopher Howard in attendance were Shari Worrell and Philip Livingston; the Asst. Treasurer General Catherine McCreary Strauch Nominating Committee Chairman Anna Duff; and Scholarship Archivist General John Mauk Hilliard Committee Chairman Dianne Robinson. Richard A. Gregory, Curator General Eva Gray Harding Honorary President General, was also in attendance. John Chancellor General Craig Huseman Metz, Esq. Harmon, incoming Registrar General; Eva Gray Harding, Surgeon General Dr. George James Hill incoming Curator General and Craig Metz, Esq, incoming Counselor General J. Michael Phelps, Esq. Chancellor General, were invited to attend the meeting by the Advisory Council Caroline Bowen President General. Karen Mandeville Cardullo Alan Stratton Hammock, Jr. The minutes of the Sixth Annual Meeting of 14 April 2010 were John Hallberg Jones approved as distributed. Russell Cecil Scott Shari Kelley Worrell Officer Reports: The following officers gave reports, which were filed: Mrs. Peter I. C. Knowles, II, Bylaws Committee Chairman, presented President General, Dr. Hardwick Smith Johnson, Jr. EdD; Linda her report to the Council. After discussion, the Bylaws were approved Corinne Mistler, PhD, Secretary General ; Barry Christopher by the Executive Board. Howard, Treasurer General (reflecting total assets of The Executive Board approved the producing of a Past President $47,394.41); J. Michael Phelps, Counselor General; and General OMD medal from Don Ross of CityPride. Brantley Knowles, Curator General. As there was no further business to be brought before the Executive Unfinished Business: Board, Dr. Johnson recessed the meeting at 11:15 a.m. for the None cocktail reception and luncheon meeting.

New Business: At the luncheon meeting the scholarship recipients, Emerson Avery Dr. Johnson asked Dianne Robinson to present the and Justin Leidwanger, were presented their awards.

Scholarship Committee report. Dianne announced that the The Bylaws, as approved by the Executive Board, were presented to scholarship recipients for 2011 would be presented to the the membership and approved. membership at the luncheon following the meeting. She also announced that OMD would transfer the $2270.00 donated to Dr. Johnson then introduced our speaker, Doug Richardson, who the fund by members, (making no interest) to the additional spoke on The Merovingian Era. contribution of 12,730.00 by Dianne, totaling $15,000.00. This The 2011 – 2013 Slate of Officers was presented to the membership $15,000 would be added to the existing VA HSG bond making and voted upon. The newly elected officers were installed. the Scholarship Fund worth $50,000.00. Richard Gregory made a motion that Hardwick Smith Johnson, Jr., These additions to the Scholarship escrow account would allow EdD be named Honorary President General. The motion was the order to give two $1000 awards annually. A copy of her seconded and carried. report was filed. The meeting was adjourned by the newly elected President General, The Order “offered its highest appreciation to Mrs. Robinson for Dr. Charles C. Lucas, at 1:30 p.m. her efforts in establishing the Scholarship Fund and continuing Linda Corinne Mistler, PhD to support it”. Secretary General

6 Memories of Washington, D.C.…

Anna Duff, Charles Lucas President General Hardwick Johnson, Jr. Barry Howard, John Harman

President General Charles Lucas and Richard Gregory, Philip Livingston The speaker, Doug Richardson Honorary Presidents General Richard Gregory and Hardwick Johnson, Jr.

Tim Beard, Brantley Knowles Installation of new officers Tom Leland

Jack Early, George Hill Laura and Michael Schenk

7 Order of the Merovingian Dynasty www.merovingiandynasty.com

Large Neck Medallion for Gentlemen Bow and Tails for Ladies . Miniature Medal

Blazer Patch-Cipher Blazer Patch-Star Recognition/Lapel Pin

“The Order of the Merovingian Dynasty is manufactured in Sterling Silver, (925 parts in 1,000 pure silver), and then 24ct gold plated (prices for silver and gold are approximate and will vary based on market fluctuations).”

The Medal consists of an eight pointed star, alternating four gold plated fluted rays and four silver bright cut rays. The star rays are bound by a circle of purple vitreous enamel with the title Order of the Merovingian Dynasty. A gold plated Merovingian decorative wreath encloses a white enamel disk, upon which is the title Sanguinarius Regum (Blood of Kings) Symbolism includes period Eagles heads and the Royal Bee. The centre disk is in purple enamel and contains the gold plated silver portrait of Childeric, taken from the Ring of Childeric.

The link to view the insignia on the website is http://www.merovingiandynasty.com/Medals.htm

ORDER FORM: _____ Large Neck Medallion for Gentlemen @ $1100 = $ ______Bow and Tails for Ladies @ $1100 = $ ______Miniature Medal S/G @ $ 85 = $ ______Miniature Medal 14K @ Market = $ ______Recognition/Lapel Pin @ $ 40 = $ ______Blazer Patch-Cipher @ $ 35 = $ ______Blazer Patch-Star @ $ 35 = $ ______

Shipping and handling $ 8.50

TOTAL $ ______

Send Order to:

Order of the Merovingian Dynasty John R. Harman, Jr., Registrar 2112 White Oak Road Raleigh, NC 27608-1452 Questions?

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