The decline of the Merovingians and the rise of the Garolingians is a topic that is usually seen through Carolingian eyes. In large measure this is the inevitable outcome of the distribution of source-material. Apart from the Liber historiae Francorum and the continuations to the chronicle of Fredegar, most of our evidence is not actually contemporary, and the continuations were commissioned by members of the Carolingian family. This problem of the sources makes it particularly important for the Merovingianist to scrutinise his or her information with extreme care. Besides, in addition to casting light on Merovingian history, such scrutiny also illuminates the late eighth and ninth centuries.