GUNTRAM or GONTRAN (561-592), king of Burgundy, was one of the sons of Clotaire I. On the death of his father (561) he and his three brothers divided the Frankish realm between them, Guntram receiving as his share the valleys of the Saone and Rhone, together with Berry and the town of Orleans, which he made his capital. On the death of Charibert (567), he further obtained the civitates of Saintes, Angouleme and Perigueux. During the civil war which broke out between the kings of Neustria and Austrasia, he sought to maintain equilibrium. After the assassination of Sigebert (575), he took the youthful Childe bert II. under his protection. After the death of Chilperic (584) he protected the young Clotaire II., and prevented Childebert from seizing his dominions. The danger to the Frankish realm caused by the expedition of Gundobald (585), and the anxiety which was caused him by the revolts of the great lords in Aus trasia finally decided him in favour of Childebert. He adopted him as his son, and recognized him as his heir at the treaty of Andelot (587) ; he also helped him to crush the great lords, especially Ursion and Berthefried, who were conquered in la Woevre. From this time on he ceased to play a prominent part in the affairs of Austrasia. He died in 592, and Childebert received his inheritance without opposition.
See Krusch, "Zur Chronologie der merowingischen Konige," in the Forschungen zur deutschen Geschichte, xxii. 451-490; Ulysse Chevalier, Bio-bibliographie (2nd ed.), s.v. "Guntram."