A marker of Merovingian kingship was their long hair.

• A. False
• B. Often
• C. True
• D. Never

Answer: (C)

In the Merovingian period, signs of royal authority were reinforced through distinctive appearances, and long hair served as a recognizable marker of kingship. Contemporary and later sources often depict Merovingian rulers with flowing, uncut hair, using this visual cue to distinguish the king from other nobles and to signal the continuity and legitimacy of the royal line. Hair length thus functioned as a visible badge of authority tied to the dynasty, reflecting beliefs about royal status and divine favor in early medieval Frankish culture. Because of how consistently this symbol appears in histories and art from the era, describing long hair as a marker of Merovingian kingship is accurate.