The life of Frédégonde takes place within the territorial and political framework resulting from the division of the Frankish kingdom carried out in 561 with the death of Clotaire, son of Clovis and father of Chilpéric.
When Clovis died in 511, four kingdoms had been created with the capitals: Reims, Soissons, Paris and Orléans, Aquitaine being divided separately. In the 550s, Clotaire, the last survivor of the four brothers, reconstituted the unity of the Frankish kingdom, increased by the Burgundian territory (Burgundia, Burgondie, Bourgogne) conquered in the meantime.
In 561, the four sons of Clotaire carried out a division similar to that of 511: Sigebert in Reims (then Metz), Chilpéric in Soissons, Caribert in Paris, Gontran in Orléans (then Chalon), the latter kingdom now including the Burgundian territory. They again divide up Aquitaine separately.
When Caribert died in 567, his share was shared between the three survivors: in particular, Chilpéric (Soissons) received Rouen and Sigebert (Metz) received Paris.