The Franks

Origins - Third to Fifth Centuries - Clovis - Later Expansion - The Frankish Kingdoms

Origins

The Franks are first mentioned in the historical record in the middle of the Third Century but may have originated as early as the late Second. Their name means 'courageous' or 'bold', the kind of name that might have been used by warbands to describe themselves. For that is the likeliest origin of the Franks - groups of adventurers banding together to attack the lower Rhine frontier of the Roman Empire.

Third to Fifth Centuries

The military power of the Franks developed rapidly after the middle of the Third Century and, along with the Alamanni and others, they began raiding the Western Empire freely between 250 and 275, sweeping across Gaul in 274-5. The Franks operated by sea as well as land, raiding the Channel coasts and using rivers to attack inland. According to one source, they invaded eastern Spain and seized ships with which to invade Africa.

The Romans stabilised the Rhine frontier during the reign of Diocletian (284-305) and groups of defeated Germans were settled in northern Gaul at the end of the Third Century, tilling the soil and providing unspecified military service to Rome. These settlers had a very humble status within the Empire, being only half-free and tied to the land. However, several regiments of Franks are listed in the early Fifth Century Notitia Dignitatum and some leading commanders of the Fourth Century Roman army were Frankish or part-Frankish by birth.

There is no indication, at this time, of any unified Frankish power. Frankish kings are mentioned but none of these seems to have ruled effectively or for long, ambitious rulers preferring a more lucrative role in the service of the Empire. With the imperial frontier in ruins by 420, power passed into the hands of Frankish leaders between that date and about 440, though Roman authority was not yet wholly defunct (provided in the person of the Patrician, Aëtius, who operated against them on several occasions, struck treaties with them and recruited aid from them, most notably against the Huns in 451).

After defeat by the Romans at Vicus Helena in 440, the Frankish king Chlodio was recognised as a federate leader and left in possession of the region around Tournai, from where he created a significant enclave of Frankish power. Similar enclaves may have been created elsewhere; around Trier, for example.

The Kingdom of Tournai made considerable progress between 450 and 480, first under Chlodio and then under Childeric, who maintained the Franks' federate status while expanding his influence in western Gaul as far as the Somme. His successor was Chlodovech… or Clovis.

Clovis

Clovis (c.466-.511) not only destroyed the power of his rivals, uniting the Franks under his rule, but extended his authority over other peoples, east and west. His victories over the Thuringians and Alamanni began the process of Frankish domination over the Germanic peoples east of the Rhine; His victory over Syagrius, the self-styled 'King of the Romans' at Soissons in 486 established Frankish hegemony in northern Gaul; And his defeat of Alaric II at Vouillé in 507, drove the Visigoths back into Spain (apart from their small toehold in Septimania).

Later Expansion

Before Clovis died, in accordance with Salian tradition, he divided his kingdom between his four sons. His eldest son, Theuderic ruled from Rheims, while Chlodomer, Childebert and Chlothar, ruled respectively from Orleans, Soissons and Paris. They, and his grandsons after them, extended Frankish rule as far as the middle Danube, conquered the Burgundians and drove the Ostrogoths from Provence

By the middle of the century, the initial period of expansion ended and Frankish kings had to reward followers and endow the Church by granting away their own estates and revenues, thus diminishing their resources so that, in time, power passed to the families which had most benefited from this largesse. The full consequences of this would not come to fruition, however, until the middle of the seventh century.

The Frankish Kingdoms

Frankish expansion was more a matter of conquest than colonisation and though some Franks did settle in northern Gaul, there was little upheaval of the native population. Government remained largely in the hands of bishops and counts drawn from the ranks of the Gallo-Roman aristocracy - Clovis' conversion to Orthodox Christianity contributing greatly to their acceptance of Frankish rule (the Burgundians and Visigoths had both converted to the heretical Arian form of Christianity).

The power of the Frankish rulers rested primarily, however, on the Frankish army, and an important motive in their conquests was the need to win booty, land and revenues with which to reward (and thus maintain) the warriors' loyalty.